Evangelism Archives - The Artios Center for Vibrant Leadership

Give Thanks, Share Jesus

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:07:47+00:00

by Loren Gjesdal This is the season in which we are reminded to give thanks in everything (1 Thes 5:18). The last part of the Mission Statement of the church where I serve as co-pastor is summarized with the words, Share Jesus. Give Thanks, Share Jesus. At the Marion Church of God (Seventh Day), they go together. For many Christians, evangelism carries the connotation of going door to door handing out pamphlets or otherwise giving a gospel summary followed by an invitation to receive Jesus as Savior. For many, such efforts are intimidating and often frustratingly unfruitful. Maybe there is a [...]

Give Thanks, Share Jesuslisaauthor2025-02-14T16:07:47+00:00

Do You Speak the Language?

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:08:19+00:00

by Loren Gjesdal Imagine that in six months you were committed to depart for an overseas missionary ministry. What are some of the things you would use the next few months to do? I suspect that you would invest considerable time researching the country you were going to be working in. What language is spoken? How much of it could you learn in six months? What is the culture like? What do they value, what are their norms and customs, what is the most common religion, what are its doctrines? I suspect you would use all this information with one overarching [...]

Do You Speak the Language?lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:08:19+00:00

3 Keys to Overcoming the Burnout of Serving Others

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:09:35+00:00

by Paul Pedersen The burnout grew slowly. It was a general feeling of frustration with my work. As I would drive to work in the darkness of the early morning, I struggled to see the importance of what I was doing. I wanted to quit. For several years, I have worked full-time at a homeless shelter. This kind of service work can be very rewarding. Every day that I would go to work, I knew that I could make an impact in someone’s life. Yet, service work is notorious for its high rate of burnout. I have worked with people who [...]

3 Keys to Overcoming the Burnout of Serving Otherslisaauthor2025-02-14T16:09:35+00:00

The Leadership Conversation: Why Should We Study Culture?

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:17:27+00:00

By Mary Meadows Culture is complex. Not only does the term encompass everything that makes up a unique society, but culture is constantly changing and evolving. In the previous Artios Leadership Conversation, Israel Steinmetz and Amber Mann Riggs (co-directors of Artios Christian College) established that, as Christians, we should care about our culture. Whether we like to admit it or not, culture shapes us and shapes the Church. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to recognize that influence and ask if this is helping us accomplish God’s mission for our lives—or if it is pulling our attention away from Him. But, [...]

The Leadership Conversation: Why Should We Study Culture?lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:17:27+00:00

From Veggie Tales to What’s in the Bible: Following Phil Vischer’s Lead

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:18:02+00:00

By Israel Steinmetz The first time I saw Veggie Tales I was a high school sophomore in a room full of guys from around the country and we couldn’t stop laughing at Larry the Cucumber’s hairbrush song. Veggie Tales was funny stuff. Every half-hour episode was packed with witty cultural references, silly vegetables and a nice moral lesson, always ending with the affirmation, “God made you special, and He loves you very much.” Almost twenty years later, I still watch Veggie Tales with my kids as they’re introduced to Veggie-tized versions of classic characters from Indiana Jones to George Müller and classic literature from Hamlet to Huckleberry Finn. [...]

From Veggie Tales to What’s in the Bible: Following Phil Vischer’s Leadlisaauthor2025-02-14T16:18:02+00:00

Evangelism and Discipleship: Jesus is Not a Used Car

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

By Loren Gjesdal “Let me tell you about the features of this little gem….what would it take to get you in this beauty today?” The traditional car-buying process is almost no one’s idea of a good time. The stereotype is of slick salesmen using high pressure tactics that emphasize benefits, minimizing costs, while pushing for an immediate decision. Some evangelistic techniques have been criticized as little better than selling Jesus like a used car, with the interaction just about as enjoyable for all involved. Is there a better way to think about evangelism other than getting someone to “sign on the dotted line?” [...]

Evangelism and Discipleship: Jesus is Not a Used Carlisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

Building Beautiful Churches for Jesus

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

By Whaid Rose Building Beautiful Churches for Jesus: Why the post-COVID church must redefine itself and its mission. Once upon a time a local church decided to build larger facilities to accommodate its rapid growth. It was a wealthy church, so it spent lavishly in making sure the new campus was the finest in town. Building program complete, an auspicious dedication event was convened. The keynote speaker was a former senior pastor who had national name recognition, which drew community and media attention. But as he arose to deliver his message, the appearance of a giant hand high above the stage—as [...]

Building Beautiful Churches for Jesuslisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

What Millennials Want the Church to Know

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

By Caitlin Meadows What do those currently ages 17 to 40 have in common? They are millennials. That’s a 23 year age gap! Beyond claiming the same generational status, 17 year olds and 40 year olds have little in common. Commenting on this broad age range in her recent article, 6 Reasons I’m Excited to be a Millennial, Amber Riggs notes: As a pioneering millennial 1 I had the opportunity to embrace this label and all of the hopefulness it encompassed and allow it to engender a healthy pride in my generation – a pride that seems to have been harassed out of millennials who stepped into adulthood [...]

What Millennials Want the Church to Knowlisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

5 Reasons I Came Back to the Church

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

By Lisa Harp Hinds If you read “5 Reasons I Left the Church”, you know that, yes, I was one of “those” who had left the church for a combination of reasons. But I came back! Wondering why? Wondering if some of the people who have left your church might return? Wondering what you could do to help them? NUMBER 5 REASON I CAME BACK TO THE CHURCH: SOMEONE WAS PRAYING FOR ME. This is huge, people! I John 5:14-16 tells us, not only can we have confidence in approaching God to ask for anything within His will, but we should pray for our brothers and [...]

5 Reasons I Came Back to the Churchlisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

What is the Gospel?

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

By Martin Cicero My church family and I have been talking about things these last few weeks that lead up to a very important question, “What is the gospel?” Before I answer that, we need to understand that many people answer the question with much excess baggage. In Section 3 of Steps to Sharing Your Faith, we read, Sometimes a theme in the Scriptures so captivates us that we are tempted to make it part of the essential message. It might be God’s love for the poor and oppressed, or His promise of prosperity to Israel, or His command to be stewards of the [...]

What is the Gospel?lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

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