After Evangelical Night, What Next?

The Evangelical Night (EN) on 4 March brought in more than one hundred family members, neighbours, friends and colleagues to hear the message on the proofs of God’s existence. Rev Philip Heng, Senior Pastor of Galilee B-P Church, shared his life experiences on how he found God to be true and showed very clearly the fallacy of the theory of evolution. Although there was no immediate response to his request for a show of hands from those who would indicate their belief in Christ, we are convinced that many of the hearers were moved in their hearts. A lady brought by a church friend wrote in her feedback card that she wanted to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Follow Up

After sowing the seeds of the gospel, the next thing is to do follow-up. The Pastor and Session, together with church leaders and those interested, will follow up with visitation, Bible Study and prayer. We are now the processing the response cards that were submitted at the EN. The Pastoral team will be preparing to visit the respondents and pray for those who submitted specific requests.

Follow up with new believers or those interested to hear more about Christ is taught by the Apostle Paul. Paul told Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing’” (Acts 15:36). Observe the words “go back and visit each city” – the principle of following up with their contacts. Jesus Himself followed through with those He spoke to – Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the centurion, Jairus, and many others. He took time to speak to them, were acquainted with their personal needs, and ensured that they were introduced to His Heavenly Father.

Jesus healed a man who was blind from birth, and followed up with him. When the people asked “what do you think of the man who healed you?” He replied, “he is a prophet.” Jesus came back to him when he heard that he was thrown out of the synagogue, and revealed Himself to him. When Jesus later asked him, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” The healed man says: “Lord, I believe!” (John 9:38)

Many souls are often lost after the preaching of the gospel because there are few who are willing to do follow up. It is so easy to congratulate ourselves with a good turnout at the gospel meeting, but there is much more to do after that. Besides inviting our relatives and friends to the gospel meeting, we need to persevere in our attempts to ensure that they will come to know Christ and our Heavenly Father. We need more helpers in this follow up work because it requires more hours of follow up contact and visitation.

The lost and the desperate world is looking for genuine concern, committed follow-up, integrity in words, warm counselling, godly wisdom and a host of other skills besides preaching prowess and Bible knowledge. Those who actually come to join us in church, go through Catechism Classes and grow in their spiritual life – is the composite result of those who faithfully keep in touch with the former, and follow them up with prayer, Bible Study and encouragement in the Lord. It is easy to neglect this necessary part in spiritual growth by a casual remark, “Oh, I forgot to call him!” or “I don’t think I have the time to call her.” That could amount to spiritual negligence, an equivalent to parental neglect of a newborn baby.

Beloved, let me invite you to join us in continued prayer for those who have heard the gospel. Join us at the Thursday Central Prayer Meeting or join the Synchronised Prayer Group (on WhatsApp); or better still, join us in the Visitation Team or be a Follow Up Counsellor.

When was the last time you called up your friend who is sinking deeper and deeper into sin and enquired about him/her? Or called someone to enquire how he/she is coping with problems at home/school/office? Find ways to show your genuine concern, win his/her confidence, and later share God’s Word with them. Becoming a Christian takes place when one hears and believes in Jesus Christ after hearing the gospel message. But being and living as a Christian happens only after spending much time studying God’s Word, communing with Him, and allowing God to change us to be more like Christ.

Jesus taught in small groups, as a living ‘model’ of righteousness

Jesus selected twelve disciples and concentrated on building them up. This does not mean that others were excluded from becoming His disciples. There were other disciples like the seventy (Lk.10:1) and the women disciples (Lk.8:1-3). But Jesus spent most of His time with the twelve disciples who were to serve as apostles. Out of the twelve, He had a deeper relationship with three: Peter, James and John. Jesus illustrated a fundamental principle of teaching: effective instruction takes place in small groups. Jesus kept the size of His group small enough to able to work effectively with them. It is impossible to disciple more than a small group if those disciples are to grow into true spiritual maturity. For effective discipling, we must follow Jesus’ example. We must spend time with a small group of believers who are desirous of becoming committed Christians. The goal of discipleship is to help believers to conform to Christ’s example. This requires close proximity and intimacy with Christ. Jesus drew them close to Himself through His parables, and explanation of God’s truths, in small groups. Jesus poured out His life into the lives of His disciples by investing His life and time in them.

Learning occurs in structured situations but more so in informal situations during normal everyday living. Most people learn more effectively when they both hear and see a particular truth applied in real life-situations. Jesus taught and lived God’s truths before His disciples. His was a model for righteous living. He used the principle of teaching by example. Jesus practiced with them what He expected them to learn, like witnessing and praying. As the disciples watched Him, they learned what He was teaching them. Jesus did not ask anyone to do or be anything which He had not first demonstrated in His own life. Jesus’ approach to discipleship was life-oriented. He took the disciples with Him in the various circumstances of life that He encountered on a daily basis. He provided an example for the disciples in all of the activities of life. The disciples walked with Jesus in the real world.

Church community living

Jesus also built up His disciples in fellowship or church community life. The process of discipleship did not only take place between Jesus and each disciple, it also occurred between one disciple and another. Jesus applied the principle of group learning. The disciples not only learnt from Jesus but also from one another. They learnt from one another’s insight, experience and understanding. The disciples develop their relationships with others in the group and not only with the disciple maker. Even after Christ ascended into heaven, the believers stayed close to strengthen each other, especially when many experienced persecution for their faith in Christ.

Beloved, it is easy to believe in Christ when everyone beside you is clapping their hands or praising God. But when one returns home to people who are antagonistic towards Christ, how will the believer persevere in his/her walk with Christ? Thus, it is important to ensure that the new believer grows strong in God’s Word and His grace.

Let us now commit all our guests at the EN in prayer. May the Holy Spirit continue to do His mighty work in their hearts and enable them to grow in their understanding of His Word, and their faith in Christ. May God also strengthen us as we plan to reach out to many through visitation, Bible Study and prayer.

Pastor Bob Phee