Life of the Evangelist – Root
We’re going through the lifestyle of the evangelist. I told you this earlier, this life isn’t about doing something, but if you are gentle towards the Word of God, it’s revealed in you. If you don’t have the gentleness and you try to do something on your own, it won’t work. The evangelist lifestyle isn’t about learning some kind of method. The evangelist’s lifestyle talks about your nature changing as you’re so used to the life of the evangelist.
Legalistic people say to do things, but it should take place naturally. It’s not forcing, but it’s natural, then first and foremost, you and I must open our eyes to see the people in the field. This is the problem of mankind:
Satan (John 8:44), Sin Separation (Death)
Only Christ (John 19:30)
Realize it is really finished. Jesus promised to complete this work. The issue is you only know “only Christ,” then the evangelist’s life will not begin. Most people know this as knowledge but there’s no change in your life. There’s a gap between the knowledge and your life, then your heart will be burdened. That’s why people live their walk of faith just as you see the evangelist’s life.
Only Kingdom of God
Those who have only Christ will see the Kingdom of God breaking down Satan’s kingdom, and that’s evangelism and missions. Free them from being seized by Satan and go into the Kingdom of God.
Only Holy Spirit
These three things must be my imprint, root, and nature for the evangelist’s life to become my answer. The reason we go into the evangelism field is so we can confirm the Word. The one who sees everyone as an evangelism target is aligned with God. We meet people all our lives but we cannot use them for ourselves.
Last week we talked about imprint, today let’s talk about the root. Let us confirm the Word.
Matthew 6:33
Col. 2:2-3
You have to know Christ. Otherwise you need other things to fill it up, but the evangelist’s lifestyle means you have other things taking place. This won’t take place because you stand still. While you’re continuously listening to, reading and writing the Word of God, you receive grace.
Be rooted in Christ first otherwise you have the kingdom of the world first, and no matter how much you try to evangelize, you cannot. When Christ becomes everything to you as your priority, things take place. Fruit naturally takes place. The fact that you and I spend this time right now, do you think evangelism will really take place? Such people have something else within them. When I believed in Jesus Christ until this moment, I’ve never lost hold of evangelism, I’ve never heard of messages through religion or prosperity-based faith. From the very beginning, I received a message centered on Christ and evangelism. I even went to the evangelism seminary that is the best in evangelism, and for 27 years, I was trained under the pastor who was greatest at evangelism.
I’ve concluded this, I’ve seen people like this and that. Because I went to a big church and on many missions, I saw many types of people. Someone like me was unaware? That was my benefit, but I didn’t know this. Same thing with believers. So it’s very important of what you heard and who you heard it from. I hope you will follow the correct word.
Testimonies can be people’s own perspectives. But there’s nothing for me to testify. Otherwise, I’m lacking myself and I can’t say I did anything myself. Even right now, when I look in the field, I lose my heart of mourning, so what would I do by myself? I lose my heart of mourning, but tat’s just who I am. So, what can I say I did, except other than God? It makes no sense. People lose their heart of mourning for the field.
Humans are weak like that, so there’s no reason to say anything else, and as much as you’re rooted in this, the more you will bear fruits. It’s different in different churches. It seems like we’re not evangelizing as actively as other churches but our church members are different. I don’t know about any other churches, but others talk about evangelism a lot while the members of the church are powerless and cannot overcome the smallest adversity. They gossip because they don’t have the gospel and make excuses because they have to talk about their own perspective. Why is that? In reality, it’s normal.
Ultimately they get caught up by themselves, and if the remnants learn this, they will start and crumble. You should have a sense of conscience. Don’t give people things that crumble along the way. Being aligned with God means the gospel will continue and bear fruit. The works are done by God, then you yourself must remain within the gospel to come to life. As soon as we lose hold of the gospel, we come back to the actions of the law and the actions of evangelism and the actions of the church. At first, it seems like we’re doing a great deal but one day, my heart is burdened. So much has been said so you can’t deny it, but pastors cannot do ministry and cannot say anything; they just endure.
Life is such a burden but pastors should be joyful about this ministry. This doesn’t mean the church members listen well; nobody listens well. They may act like they follow well but they have their own assertions in their heart but they cannot argue with the pastor. But why would I be joyful? I must be joyful myself within the gospel and that’s how it’s revealed. That’s the evangelism we’re talking about. Do we not evangelize? We always do. That’s the fruit we’re talking about.
People run 1000 miles an hour, and they run away just as fast. But for me, I wasn’t running; I was thinking of whether I should go or not. I went for 3 years, and I didn’t talk to anyone for 2.5 years. Back then I thought I was a young adult, “How come you don’t talk?” It’s because I don’t know how to talk to you guys. We went to an overnight retreat and the first thing is they started singing children’s praises. So this didn’t align with me.
There was such a culture clash, it was different from how I went on vacations. In a lot of ways, many things didn’t fit as my nature of an unbeliever, it didn’t fit with the church. They drank alcohol, too, and in my heart, “You guys don’t even know what it’s like to drink every day and almost face death as you drink. I would drink until I black out, and I don’t know how I’ll act because that’s how I lived as an unbeliever. I had two big accidents.” When you black out while drinking, your nature comes out. I’m not doing this legalistically but I know my limits so I’ll refrain from drinking. When I drink one shot, it’s not just one. I go until the very end. That’s my nature because that’s how I’ve always lived. So I don’t do this at all. Then, everyone shuts their mouths, “What if he gets drunk and beats us all up?”
There’s a difference between amateurs and pros. If you play like a pro, you can beat others. But even on planes, if I sip alcohol, my face turns red so I don’t do it at all. I’m not saying legalistically, “If you do this, you can’t do that,” that’s just how I lived my life. For you, it’s fine if you drink alcohol once in awhile, I’m not saying you shouldn’t do that, but there’s some pastors who say, “Let’s go to the Philippines,” and I said, “I can’t go to Manila, I did many things as an unbeliever,” and people like that distance themselves from women. For people who only have the gospel and don’t know, they say, “We have the gospel so it’s fine,” but even with Tae Kwon Do, the ones with red belts are aggressive, but if you become a black belt, but with sixth or seventh stripe, you don’t even talk about it.
Someone yelling, “evangelism, evangelism,” that’s a beginner. Rev. Ryu said this, a book seller casually struck up a conversation and Rev. Ryu bought all his books. But a novice will try to sell the encyclopedia. “Why did you come?” “I just wanted to show you our company’s calendar.” Once you have a relationship, you start talking, and then Rev. Ryu took those books and sold them to each church, so that person’s not selling. They are selling themselves, that’s the characteristic of a great salesman. I worked for a year at an insurance company, and because I was making sales to old ladies, I didn’t know what to do. I’d never done sales, but I had to instruct others to do sales, but when I listened to the greatest sales people, they said the same things. They don’t make sales; they sell themselves. Once that person trusts and respects you, they buy from you.
Do you know why people are skeptical? It’s not the product; it’s the people. Why are car salespeople bad? They try to sell the car. But you sell yourself, you let them trust you, but some people sell a car and end it. That’s bad. You have to follow up and ask how they like it, but beginners cannot do that. But the people who are good at sales are good as evangelists. Then, you’ll say, “This car lacks in this way. If this problem arises, get this problem fixed at this mechanic because you’ll save some money.” Contact them after more time passes, then they come back every year. “Oh, we have a new car like this.” Then that person isn’t making a sale, but they continue their relationship. If this person has someone looking for a car, they will get connected to the salesperson. That’s the commonality in sales, but you’re stressing out, trying to make a sale. You go crazy thinking evangelism is something you have to do, otherwise you won’t be blessed. You just continue meeting with them and help them at that time.
Tell them honestly, whether you didn’t know the gospel or not, or went to church or not, you have to be honest with them. If someone has the gospel and a new talent, then the people who are wealthy won’t care, they have money but cannot solve their problems. You have to slowly tell them how your life changed as you had the gospel. Don’t tell them the gospel; tell them your life, because the person misunderstands the gospel and the life.
When you meet that person, it’s different. That’s how it should take place, but if you use the general image of the church, it’s not going to work, “It’s different than how I thought,” and in order for that to take place, enjoy this strength yourself. Even as you catch fish, you pull and nothing comes up. Wait for the time, how do you wait? You pray with spiritual strength and enjoy the gospel until God works, then you do this and that’s evangelism.
If you have a spiritual problem then you’ll be impatient, unable to stay still. You reveal your spiritual problems. I’m not saying those things are unnecessary but it’s not the proper evangelism. If you’re so impatient that you have to go out to evangelize, evangelism is a blessing either way, but that’s not the proper form of the evangelist’s lifestyle.
Deut. 6:4-9
This means to root down. Rooting down means you apply it so it influences every aspect of your life. As soon as you walk through the doors of your house, you will do something. When you go to sleep, you think about something, so put the gospel there. Tie it on your wrists and foreheads, it’s what you look at. This is how you overcome Canaan. There’s no other method other than the accurate word of the gospel.
Psalm 1 says blessed is the one who mediates on God’s law day and night. It seems nothing is taking place but it is. When the word of blessings go into you, it will be revealed without a doubt. People who have spiritual problems cannot endure. “We have to do something.” There’s a time to do this. Why did God create the church? “Teach them to obey in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” That’s how they’re commissioned back into the world. You must know what to teach if you’re teaching. You must have something to teach them. Just having them accept Christ isn’t enough. The Word of God must melt within you to raise them up to be an evangelist.
Legalistic people will only teach them the law, their actions are to do this or that, but if you do that to the remnants, what is their future? You destroy the churches of the future, why? There are missionaries and elders and pastors who work hard but they will fall. There’s a time to work hard when God tells you to, but what is your standard? Don’t go because you’re scared, but if God doesn’t open the doors, challenge when God opens the doors.
The legalistic person will struggle so hard to open a door, then realize it’s hard so they say, “I can’t go. I can’t do this.” But what is the gospel? Following God’s guidance, and as Esther confessed, “If I perish, I perish,” and the three friends went into the fire. “If this is God’s will, I’ll do it.” The future generation is entrusted with the evangelism of the future.
John 15:7
You can see the future, then. We have not gone into the future yet, but the Word is given to us and it will take place according to the Word. However, if we’re separated from the Word of God, we’re stuck in the scars of the past. But when the Word of God comes into us, we’re not bound by the things of the past and this becomes the pedestal. Use it as a footstool to testify of the gospel. Everything we’ve been through until now, when we received the gospel, is a footstool, but the standard is when the word of God comes into us, then you’ll see the future because the Word of God doesn’t change.
Our plans change because they’re not the word of God. God’s words are fulfilled absolutely. That’s why Joshua was able to see the future in Canaan. What will happen in the future is God will raise up people in the church and we make discpiles of all nations. That’s heart is what God gave us from the beginning. Why do we do that? Every pastor does world evangelization but each church is different. I lived in the Philippines for three years without knowing why. Now that I’m here, I know why, all nations. In order to do this, we must raise the remnants who know this culture. In order to raise up that remnant, we must have the evangelism disciple who has the gospel. God is preparing the doors to reach all 5000 unreached people groups and tribes, and depending on how many are prepared, we will go. God gave me the ehart with thischruch from te start, but God is fulfilling the process with what God wants.
The people who are aligned with this mission and vision of God will come into the church because God has given them the same vision as well, that’s how the person will come to life, and that’s the church. Because of that, we become one with the Word. If someone doesn’t align with you, change yourself. If not, who are you? You live your walk of faith but that’s not the goal; you must change yourself. If you’re not able to change yourself, ask for the grace to change. That’s how you receive answers. That’s the church.
What will happen in the future? We need two translation booths set up, one for Mongolian and one for Spanish. Once the kids are born, we need the nursery room for children, a soundproof room that doesn’t disturb others. No matter what your skill is, that’s the reason God called you. I shouldn’t be the one to do all that, I just deliver the Word that God gives. God gave you this talent and it’s to be used in this time schedule. Then the church officers must continue to follow the announcement flow to be used in this time. That’s the church officer. If the church officers say no, that’s not a church officer. If they only come once a week, they won’t know. They’ll lose hold of the stream of the Word because God gives the stream according to God’s word and God’s goal.
The characteristic of people who receive answers is, “What does God desire for me in the church?” Then I’m able to act on it and that’s why answers come. Hidden talents and financial powers come. Stephanie stayed still but now that I keep talking to her, she talks about what she did in the past. She did a musical with the kids in LA, and the culture of Koreans is that we say things subtly, but we have to talk about it, but that’s not how they do it. She doesn’t say it herself but when I continuously talk to her, she says, “I used to do things like this,” and that’s her culture. If they revealed themselves as African Americans, they would be beaten, so God is using her to raise up the children’s talents.
Now, translation is so important, we need Spanish and Mongolian so how can we be used for this time schedule? If you’re completely unaware of this, step down from your position and raise up another person to ride the stream of the Word so they can do it. The most important thing is you ride the stream. It’s not a matter of doing it or not; but to continuously do this, this Word must go into you. Without a doubt, this is bound to be revealed. We go through all these different processes like the Darakbang movement and we have this special class as it goes into us. We have to take the kids to the field, that’s what Jesus did, and inside the fields, we do the Word movement. We do this so this person can continue.
May you have this blessing. I will give one announcement. Participate in fasting relay with us. If you can’t do it, then don’t. It seems like we’re doing missions but God allows us to do it for our blessings. Those who have a greed for food are most afraid of fasting, and that’s a spiritual problem as well. You just have to eat a moderate amount, but you’re greedy for food, so all you have to do is fight the spiritual battle. I’m not telling you to do it or not but it is a time for the church to participate in missions together.
For the remnant leaders, allow the remnants to participate with you. Don’t just stay still, you should raise them up so the remnants are able to participate with you at this date and time, then the kids will experience missions, whether they acknowledge it or not, it’s your blessing. May you enjoy this blessing.
Father God, we thank You. May the evangelist’s life become my life. Please work upon this precious time of blessings to raise up the 237 nations. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.