Exponential East 2014 Session One

Exponential East 2014 Monday afternoon. Pre conference session one

Vince Antonucci 

Jesus announced why he came to seek and save the lost...his mission...he gives us the mission...as the father has sent me I send you.  He says it a number of ways.

We get to be a part of most important mission in the world. 

Tells story of losing his child in a crowd.  That's what God feels like

Jeremiah..oh anguish oh anguish ...my people are ...senseless children wi no understanding..return to me.  

Come to me all those who are weary.

Jesus heart races for his lost children...like the fathers heart.

Matthew 9 He had compassion on them...Compassion...from splagna...refers to ones intestines twisted or ripped out.  Compassion is from the gut.  Seeing sheep with no shepherd...people without their heavenly Father makes him feel sick.  Jesus tells his disciples to then pray for harvest workers. 

We are the answer of Jesus prayer. 

New churches starting everywhere but 8 million people less in church now than 10 years ago. 

How come?

There are churches reaching people...just not lost people. 

2.2% of churches are reaching lost people. ( Stats from book "American church in crisis" ) 

Note to self...change web page to say " we love gay people, odd people, ridiculous people normal people, straight people, sex workers, homeless people, white collar, etc etc etc"

How do we start a church with evangelistic DNA?

1. Have evangelistic DNA yourself.  You can only pass on the DNA that you have.  Do I have that?

• You raise your passion for lost people by hanging out with lost people. Listens to the Counting Crows lyrics for Mrs. Jones. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/countingcrows/mrjones.html 
• How? If you have kids...use them.  Think like a missionary to your town. Take up a hobby that mixes you with other people. Pray. 

2. Have evangelistic stories and metaphors that you share regularly as you build your church.  E.g we are a steak restaurant for PETA people.  We only want people who don't want church to be a part of their lives. So what do we want our church to look like to attract those types of people? What will we say to people when they are in church? Will we repel them with how we speak? (not what we say). How do we do a church services so an atheist will come back...without compromising our non-negotiables? It will he hard for sure. We have a God who says nothing is impossible.  So say the same thing all the time,s just in new ways.  "we are like a hair club for bald people!" Burn this into your people all the time. Have great stories for your people. 

3. We must know how to live missionally out in the community and how to connect to unchurched people in our church.  You have to fish for sharks where the sharks hang out and with shark bait. 

Church services are usually good to really good...for Christians.

4. We must be willing to make the sacrifices it takes to reach lost people. If only 2.2 % of churches reach lost people...   Are you willing to sacrifice to be on a winning team...to be in a church that reaches lost people?  Will you fire people who don't have evangelistic DNA.  You'll get criticized by other churches, or by thumb sucking Christians who need to be fed...and who tithe and then they leave. My church will be smaller than most every other church in town. The question to answer each of these questions is...would Jesus?

Do what it takes to start an evangelistic church with that DNA.  When he found his lost child...it was the most relief he has ever felt. When we get to heaven maybe God will throw a prodigal son welcome party for us.  Even better maybe God will let us hide and watch as he welcomes into heaven each of the people we had a hand in their journeys to God. What could be better than that?