I leave for Managua, Nicaragua on July 18 and then travel to Masatepe where Sonny Holland Ministries has a farm that serves many purposes such as feeding and clothing children and families. I will stay in facilities for guests and ministry team members. The seminar will be held in Masaya.
The primary purpose of my mission is to conduct a pastor’s seminar on my teachings of “How to Build an Evangelistic Church”. I have taught this seminar in the Philippines, El Salvador, Peru, Chile, Cuba, Kenya and Russia.
Since there is some space this month, I will share a little about the seminar. In the 80’s I was conducting some city-wide crusades in the Philippines. Since the services were only at night, that left the whole day free. Participating in the Billy Graham Crusades, I remembered the Pastor’s Conference during the day. So I wrote three lessons and taught them during the day. This is how the seminar was born.
What missionaries have told me they like the approach the Lord led me to. The seminar uses only the Bible and practical exercises.
The hub of the seminar is the “Doctrine of Sin”. Unless one is Biblically sound on the Doctrine of Sin, there will be no sense of urgency for evangelism. Only when you understand what sin has done to the nature of man do you realize what kind of Savior is needed and one’s complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit in evangelism and service.
Next, “Establishing Your Priorities” is taught. You have to be personally prepared by your relationship to God, your family and your congregation. You have to make certain goals or objectives primary and plan for them.
The third session is “Building an Evangelistic Church”. Principles are shared that are necessary to become and sustain being an evangelistic church.
The sessions vary from then on depending on time and the Holy Spirit’s leadership. One session is “Two Methods of Personal Evangelism”. I teach the Bridge Illustration and the Roman Road. I divide the pastors into groups of two where one is the lost person and the other is the evangelist. Then I have them trade roles. After that, I take them into the streets to do personal evangelism.
Another session is “Praying For One Hour”. I adapted Larry Lea’s book and teach the highlighted principles. After I finish this session, we will spend one hour praying.
There is a session on “How to Share a Testimony”. I share the components of a testimony and how to construct a 5-minute testimony and a long testimony. I read their testimonies and I critique them. After corrections, I send them into the streets to share their testimony.
Other sessions include “How to Build an Evangelistic Sermon”; “How to Give an Evangelistic Invitation”’ ‘How to Spend Quiet Time With God” which is a key to personal growth and Bible study. The main focus is how to have God speak to you through His Word.
“Planning Your Work” highlights how to use short range and long range planning; “Assurance of Salvation” is a favorite with every group as it answers so many questions. Finally the last session (if there is time) is “The Doctrine of the Church”.
Because these men have actually done these exercises, they can take them back to their congregations and teach them. This is the principle of spiritual multiplication in practice.
TPM has agreed to pay for the meals for these pastors. There will be approximately 60 or more pastors attending. Each day’s meal costs $3.00. if you feel led to sponsor a pastor’s meal for one week, please designate $15.00 for “Pastor’s Meals”.
When I am not teaching, I will be doing evangelistic services in various churches in the area. It promises to be a very busy ministry.
Pray for the pastors to get a Biblical vision of building evangelistic churches. Pray for the evangelistic services. Pray for the necessary funds for the pastor’s meals.
