posted by Robert Staddon • 10:06pm • April 29th, 2009
Jon Burnham can keep audiences enthralled for hours with story after story of people he has personally lead to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In this Podcast, he shares helpful tips and heartwarming stories from his own life experiences.
Jon was formerly a pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles Organization and has authored two books, The Winning Pitch and In the Big Inning. Filled with true-life accounts of witnessing adventures, they will inspire and equip you to be bold in sharing the Good News of salvation.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
posted by Robert Staddon • 6:00am • April 28th, 2009
Congratulations!
to everyone who successfully memorized twelve key verses that can be effectively used when sharing the Gospel. We will be mailing each one of you a Soulwinner’s Resource Kit later on this week!
Even if you didn’t quite make the April 23rd deadline, be assured that the time and effort you invested in memorization will not go unrewarded.
But the Challenge Has Just Begun…
The week of May 3-9 is just around the corner! This is the week that everyone who has taken on the Challenge will share the Gospel with at least one other person. Remember that success in soulwinning is not necessarily seeing the fruit, but following the leading of the Holy Spirit to plant the seed of God’s Word in the life of another person.
At the end of that week you will be required to write up a short report of what the Lord taught you through this experience.
In the meantime, here are some things you can be doing to get ready:
posted by Robert Staddon • 9:47pm • April 26th, 2009
One of the first steps in becoming effective witnesses for the Lord is to take our focus off of ourselves and start to think about and care about other people. How many people have we taken an interest in today? As we give a genuinely enthusiastic greeting and ask meaningful questions, we can begin to communicate the love of Christ.
In the following video excerpt, John Piper explains this important truth:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
- I John 1:9
~
I John 1:9 is a well known verse…but do we fully understand the richness of what this passage is truly saying?
In witnessing to others, this verse is a powerful tool in helping to explain the nature of God, as well as His promise to forgive sin and cleanse one’s life. For me, it always helps to find out what the original meaning of each word is. The word “confess” means to acknowledge and assent to. “Faithful” means trustworthy, and “just” means equitable, innocent, and holy. I thought it was interesting to note that the tense used for “confess” is the present subjunctive active. In other words, this tense gives the connotation that confession here is a repeated and continuous action. This makes sense when you consider that John is writing to fellow believers. This also coincides with Matthew 4:17, where Jesus used a similar tense when He gave the command to “repent.” Regardless, this truth can be applied to the life of both the saved and unsaved. With this in mind, I John 1:9 could be paraphrased:
If we confess and acknowledge our sins, Jesus Christ, who is trustworthy and holy, promises that He will (for He is fully able) forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We can share this promise of God’s forgiveness and cleansing power to those we are witnessing to. This verse can be used as a springboard to share about the holiness of God that can then be contrasted with man’s sinfulness. If a person does not recognize and acknowledge their exceeding sinfulness, they will never understand why they would need God’s forgiveness in the first place. Thus, it is vitally important that a person acknowledge that they are indeed sinful and have violated God’s moral law and are in desperate need of His forgiveness and cleansing blood. With this understanding, they will begin to appreciate the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on their behalf. Confession is always humbling, but God only dwells with those who are of a “humble spirit” (See Isaiah 57:15) and the proud He knows “afar off” (See Psalm 138:6).
I John 1:9 is a powerful promise that speaks of God’s holiness, His love, and His redeeming plan for mankind if they would but humble themselves, confess and turn from their sin, and seek His face.
posted by David Waller • 6:15am • April 24th, 2009
Today is the final day to have one of your parents call the Journey to the Heart office (630-323-9800 ext. 522) and report that you successfully memorized twelve verses to complete the first part of The Challenge II!
Here are some thoughts on verse eleven:
~
“For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved” – Romans 10:13
~
This promise has spoken peace into the lives of many searching to find assurance of their eternal destiny. It is a matter of fact stated simple enough for any honest soul to find true peace with God by simply resting in “the Word of the faith which we preach.”
At just three years of age, I found peace with God through simple obedience to this verse and I know that anyone who in simple child-like faith obeys will receive that same assurance that I have enjoyed all these years.
When sharing my faith, I often explain this verse word by word. Whosoever really means anyone regardless religious background, cultural differences, or political persuasion. To call on the Lord you don’t need a phone, but rather talk with Him in prayer. Share with Him what you have learned about your need for salvation and based on His name, character, and Son’s death on the cross that you accept His sacrifice as full payment for your wrongdoing. This verse states that if you do this, you shall be saved. Does that mean maybe, might be, hope to be, or think you will be saved? No! We can rest in the simple truth of Scripture, just as I did at a very young age and know for certain if we died today, we would enjoy an eternity with the Lord.
Do you have that confidence, assurance, and hope? Do you know beyond the shadow of doubt that you will spend eternity with Christ? If you have doubts, there is no time to spare. Call on the name of the Lord today. Take God at His Word and you SHALL be saved!
Jon Burnham can keep audiences enthralled for hours with story after story of people he has personally lead to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In this Podcast, he shares helpful tips and heartwarming stories from his own life experiences.
Jon was formerly a pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles Organization and has authored two books, The Winning Pitch and In the Big Inning. Filled with true-life accounts of witnessing adventures, they will inspire and equip you to be bold in sharing the Good News of salvation.
