Sent

Sent

Perhaps we’ve somehow made fulfilling the Great Commission too hard? Too complicated? Too institutional? Perhaps we don’t see our individual responsibility as followers of Jesus to make disciples? Perhaps we are not noticing all the people around us who are searching for God but have not found him in the church building on Sunday? Perhaps we have relied too much on a telling approach that appears transactional and prescriptive to many around us? Sent Jesus reminds us in John 17:18, “As you [the Father] sent me into the world, I have sent them [believers] into the world” (emphasis added). We...Read more …
On the Radio – Walk the Way

On the Radio – Walk the Way

This is Walk the Way. Brought to you by Q Place. I’m Jeff Klein. Say what you want about Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz—he has said some pretty insightful things regarding building a successful business: “For any consumer brand today, it is incumbent upon the company to create relevancy in all aspects of its customer’s lives.” Interesting. Now, forgive me if I stretch the concept. Have we—the Church—created relevancy in all aspects of our customers’ lives? I’m going out on a limb to say, no. Unfortunately, although Jesus said He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life—in other words, He...Read more …
What is a disciple, anyway?

What is a disciple, anyway?

Everyone seems to agree that a disciple is not simply a person who prays the prayer of salvation and then goes to a church service on Sundays, although in actual practice this may be the definition that is most common. Churches may be full of people who have prayed a prayer of salvation, but does that make them disciples? Or is there more to it? How we define a disciple matters. Jesus clearly told His disciples to go out and make more of them, and anyone who desires to share the Gospel needs a starting point. Here is a working...Read more …
4 simple steps to building a small group for the spiritually curious

4 simple steps to building a small group for the spiritually curious

Jesus is our model for creating God-honoring, life-changing community. Yes, he spoke to the masses, but Jesus’ primary ministry here on earth came via an invitation to twelve ordinary Jewish men. As you well know, Jesus invited them into community with him to learn and grow together as they followed him. Rather than mass-producing disciples, Jesus chose to invest deeply in a handful of people, developing committed followers. We’ve identified four simple steps–or stages–that will help you start groups for spiritually curious people, stages that mirror what Jesus did in building his first group of disciples. Preparation Jesus spent focused...Read more …

On the Radio – Walk the Way

This is Walk the Way. Brought to you by Q Place. I’m Jeff Klein. This little book has been around forever: The Master Plan of Evangelism. It’s basically the story of how Jesus built a movement of the Kingdom through twelve ordinary lives. One of the principles He employed was selection. Jesus didn’t put out a general announcement asking who might want to follow him; He didn’t put out a general invite to the crowd. No, Jesus selected those He wanted. He prayed through the night, then went and found them those who God directed Him to, and invited them...Read more …
Why disciple in groups?

Why disciple in groups?

Today, the Western world is increasingly skeptical of institutional Christianity. But an invitation to explore God and the Bible with a few others is a great first step for people who are unlikely to step through the doors of a church. Facilitating these small group communities is an honor and privilege and is also a rich, holistic approach to evangelism that Jesus’ followers of all levels of maturity can participate in. And they have always been part of the church. Small group guru Bill Donahue notes: Small groups were an integral part of the early church structure. They were small enough...Read more …
What really makes people care about knowing your God?

What really makes people care about knowing your God?

Like a harsh word spoken without tact, or a fire burning outside a fireplace, missionality by itself can hurt the cause of Christ more than it helps. This is why missional has an inseparable twin. The word is incarnational. It means “to take on flesh.” If missional means “to go,” incarnation is about how you go and what people see as you go….Incarnation is critical because it will eventually determine whether or not people will want to know you or your God. – Hugh Halter               Incarnational living–the type of evangelism that Hugh Halter...Read more …
On the Radio – Walk the Way

On the Radio – Walk the Way

This is Walk the Way, brought to you by Q Place, I’m Jeff Klein. And I’m Pam Klein. If you’re hoping to walk the way by entering into spiritual conversations with a group of people who believe differently than you do, you’ll want to take a few careful steps. First, choose to meet at a time and place that accommodates everyone and is comfortable. Consider proximity and make sure the atmosphere is warm and friendly and conducive to  listening to one another. Pray lots. Take the time to gather with the two or three other believers who are committed to...Read more …
Good deeds, good outreach

Good deeds, good outreach

If there is one thing we can learn from the history of the early church, it’s this: Without seminaries, church growth seminars, elaborate youth programs, large campuses, and giant screens with multi-media presentations, the church still grew at a phenomenal rate. Why? Because the early Christians lived in such a way that caused the world to stand up and take notice! They had a distinctive lifestyle that couldn’t be ignored–it was compelling. Living with selfless abandon gets everyone’s attention. Then and now. Good deeds Like the early church, do you want to form a compelling bridge over which the good news can travel to a...Read more …
4 guidelines for sharing your faith story well

4 guidelines for sharing your faith story well

When you feel the Holy Spirit nudging you to explain your own God story to someone, chances are you’ve already done the hard work of building trust and have earned the right to share the gospel message. And remember, your relational investment in the person you are about to share with makes it much more likely that they’ll be willing to listen to you and will warmly receive what you have to say. We don’t get many chances for this type of high-trust interaction–it’s a privilege when we’ve got them–so you’ll want to share your story well. The following four simple...Read more …