Cornerstone Church Winchendon is into week 6 of a congregation-wide study written by, Daniel McNaughton and Bryan Koch, entitled Follow: Learning To Follow Jesus. Each Sunday our pastoral staff is preaching from one of the seven attributes covered in the book while the congregation reads the daily devotions and participates weekly in a life group focused around the topic at hand.
The group I am tasked with leading has been dubbed “Turbo Follow”. Rather than approaching the class as a traditional Bible study we have chosen to act as an accountability group. The class begins with a brief overview of the daily devotionals. Then participants break into smaller, accountability groups. Each group participant asks questions of their fellows concerning the teachings. At the end of each class individuals are asked to decide what God would have them do in light of what they have learned. Then we pray for each other. This week we will be discussing: Learning to Love
Last week we had our discussions on Learning to be an influence for Jesus through various evangelistic styles. Here is a synopsis of each day’s devotional material:
Day 1: Some of us are invitational evangelists meaning we invite people to come on an experiential journey with us.
Day 2: Some of us are story evangelists meaning we reach people by sharing our personal stories of how Jesus works in our lives.
Day 3: Some of us are friendship evangelists meaning we reach people through personal relationship.
Day 4: Some of us are Teaching evangelists meaning we reach people by direct communication of the gospel message.
Day 5: Some of us are servant evangelists meaning we reach people by meeting their felt needs.
Here are the questions we asked of each other this week:
1. On a scale of 1-10 how are you doing in following what God has told you to do this week? As we open in prayer what could we pray for you that would help you to follow Jesus closer?
2. Of the five ways of influencing people (inviting, storytelling, befriending, teaching straight, serving) which are you strongest in?
3. How are you using that method of influence in your relationships right now?
4. Who would you like to pray for so that you could have an opportunity to influence them towards Jesus?
I would love to hear what God has been showing you through this week’s questions!
Lillie-Put 
I find myself using all the evangelistic methods,depending on the different situations I find myself in.I’m strongest in story telling and teaching.Im praying and working on the befriending thing!
I use these methods everywhere I go but most of my time is spent walking the dog on the bike path here in Winchendon.. I meet and greet with everyone that’ll stop long enough to shake my hand. God has spent alot of time and energy teaching me to just shut up sometimes as well. People have stories to tell. Then He ministers to the stories I hear then you are touching a life.. I pray for God to speak thru me then I say what I say then leave the rest up to Him that knows al things!!!
Please pray that God would increase my desire to seek Him and to walk more like His Son Jesus did !!!
Can I get more than one prayer request? Please!!! First and foremost that I may be a stronger influence for God in my Dads life,but also my sister and her familly. Thank You
I will be praying about all these things tonight Mike! I love what you said about using all the methods. It is as Paul said becoming all things to all people that we might by any means win some. But it is hard to get outside ourselves to use methods with which we are not totally comfortable isn’t it?
I hadn’t heard this breakdown before. I think it’s important to know what are particular gifts are, and to know in which ways we’re weak and can rely on others’ gifts (teamwork) or consider whether we need to grow/develop in skill. And I agree with shakeyjake, that I find myself using all the methods, depending on the situation and the person. I think the best way to reach those who, for various reasons are resistant to hearing the gospel, is to patiently demonstrate fruits (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, self-control) in our own lives whenever we encounter them, and wait until they open the conversation by asking questions (all the while praying that they will become open, of course).
Amen Ken! The idea of operating from a team standpoint is what the church is all about. I remember when my sister was away from the Lord. It didn’t matter how I tried I just could not convince her to follow Christ. In the end it was not me who was given the privilege of leading her back to the Lord through my teaching style but a woman she worked with who won my sister’s heart through the invitational style. Today my sister is a missionary in Holland because a faithful Christian sister invited her to pancakes at a little Methodist Church in the Berkshires.
Hallelujah! It’s all the work of God, and it only happens when we follow His promptings and not enforce our own plans/desires, trying to make things happen the way we think they ought to.
I am definitely a storyteller and like shakeyjake I too have to learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes so others can tell their story. God is teaching me to be a better listener these days and I pray that a door opens for me to walk right through because I will. I also like to serve others and I find this quite rewarding because God is utilizing my gifts to help others. I want to be a better influence in my relationship with my mother. Lord I pray this burden is never lifted from my heart. Amen!
Praying with you tonight Deb for the ability to influence your mom towards Christ! Learning to listen is an absolutely essential skill for any good storyteller. I am always working (and many times failing) on my listening ability
Im more of a story teller evangelist. Right now i have my brothers that need salvation. Both of them struggle with depression as do i. I have been able to share with my brother the goodness of God helping me with it.
This is an important work you are doing Savannah. It is incredible to see what God is doing in and through you. the stories you will have to tell will be awesome indeed. We missed you Thursday night by the way. Hope to see you Sunday!