Theme: Evangelism and Discipleship | Raevyn Robinson
“Yesterday’s Price is not Today’s Price”
◦ Most of us who grew up in church are familiar with how basic the approach to evangelism and discipleship was back in the day… ◦ Anybody that grew up in church during the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s…you know what this was like. ◦ Much of it consisted of the entire congregation gathering at the church on a designated Saturday. ◦ Everyone showed up in ...
Theme: Evangelism and Discipleship | Raevyn Robinson
“Yesterday’s Price is not Today’s Price”
◦ Most of us who grew up in church are familiar with how basic the approach to evangelism and discipleship was back in the day…
◦ Anybody that grew up in church during the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s…you know what this was like.
◦ Much of it consisted of the entire congregation gathering at the church on a designated Saturday.
◦ Everyone showed up in their Saturday’s best…..matching church t-shirts
◦ the men were more than likely rocking dad jeans, with the church shirt tightly tucked in the jeans, a “Jesus saves” dad hat or something similar and some off-brand sneakers
◦ Women probably paired the church tee with an ankle length jean skirts, white keds and scrunchy crew socks
◦ And the pastor toting a megaphone.
◦ Sometimes the saints broke off into small groups to canvas various areas near the church to pass out tracts or pamphlets, offer prayer and salvation to members within that community then inviting them to church
◦ They typically had strict guidelines or a script that was previously taught during classes of discipleship, evangelism, soul winning, outreach, witnessing
◦ While the terms where used interchangeably….the common goal was to effectively win souls to Christ and get them off the streets
◦ So on these Saturdays, at some point during or nearing the end, they would meet back up at a set time and location for a moment of unified prayer, praise and maybe a mini sermon from the pastor.
◦ Overall, most churches pretty much stuck to a basic routine of how their ministry did their part to grow the kingdom.
◦ During this era, this method of execution was known to work and be extremely effective.
◦ Droves of people swarmed to churches with expectation and vigor and it wasn’t just and easter or mother’s day thing!
◦ Men, women, kids and families were actively pursuing God and going to church!!!
◦ Some fresh out of jail, educators, parolees, doctors, former pimps and hoe’s, dope dealers, lawyers, business owners, you name it!
◦ Churches were being packed out with people of all walks of life. All that mattered was that they were compelled to know more about God and commit their Sundays to God and church
◦ But here we are in 2023. Jammed. Scratching our heads
◦ Wrestling with the memory of what was
◦ Glancing at empty pews and parking lots in disappointment
◦ Grasping for a sense of nostalgia to somehow manifest in real time. Even if its just for a moment.
◦ Yet, here we are……so much has changed.
◦ From recessions, to economical crisis, to the destruction of families, black home foreclosures, cancel culture, innocent black faces being erased by new-age racism, human trafficking, mass shootings, crystals and sage, drug wars, feminism, gentrification, overcrowded prisons, gender identity crisis….and most recently — a devastating pandemic!!!!
◦ So what happens now?????
◦ What happens when the direction and speed of the wind changes???
◦ What happens when God’s voice now hits different????
◦ What happens when yesterday just doesn’t work for today????
◦ What happens when it’s time to honor the foundation, but rebuild the walls????
◦ What happens when yesterday’s leaders have fulfilled their obligatory call???
◦ What happens when you no longer have the answers you once had????
Joshua 1:1-11
◦ What happens when Moses has gotten you out of Egypt, but it’s now time for a Joshua to take you to the promised land????
◦ every starter is not a finisher!!!!
◦ This is why it is important for us to have discernment. Especially leaders. leaders are called to gather and equip
◦ But like Moses, sometimes in the midst of us gathering and equipping, the moment we hear those we lead complaining….we can get distracted from the main vision.
◦ Then the main thing no longer remains the main thing….damage control becomes the main thing.
◦ And before you know it, we’ve spent more time on fixing people that we were only suppose to help save!
◦ Like Moses, It not every leaders job to get the people to the promised land. It’s only their job to show them the vision of the promise!
◦ So quite obviously….Moses wasn’t called to be Joshua.
◦ Moses had a responsibility to groom Joshua as his successor…and in the book of Numbers he did just that!
◦ Moses understood the leader in Joshua and so Joshua was equipped to carry on what Moses was not called to carry.
◦ So here we are in 2023…….
◦ Living with a foggy view of what use to be. We use to have good church. Use to have good pastors, I use to make this much money, use to have 700 members, use to have influence in the communities, use to have access to this, use to have this type of car, use to have this job, we use to have less violence, we use to have this and that…..
◦ Use to evangelize, use to disciple…….use to hear God….use to use to use to!!!!
◦ All these use to’s but where is Joshua????
◦ Well as a tribe, we gotta let go of Moses and take hold of Joshua.
◦ With Joshua comes a clearer vision to move forward. With Joshua comes access to helping a new generation…here comes A new era. But also New problems
◦ And when you have new problems, you have to have new solutions.
◦ Moses represents traditional leadership and Joshua represents contemporary leadership
◦ We are not bible characters, what the heck does that have to do with us Raevyn????
◦ Well, It’s time for us to recognize the need for bridging the gap between tradition and contemporary methods of reaching people!
◦ We can’t attempt to forsake what we know, but we have to stop trying to cancel the assignment of those of this new generation who are called to escort us to the promised land
◦ So many people are choosing to stay home because they have been worn down on satan’s society slowly but accurately, demolishing the genuine desire to accept Christ and to find community among like-minded believers
◦ People are suffering because believers have grown lazy.
◦ So instead of passing the torch, we are holding onto it out of greed, pride and selfishness…causing those souls who are connected to the leadership of Joshua….die in the wilderness with Moses!
◦ But today, God wants us to know that who his hand is on, has the favor to get the job done.
◦ If it aint you, move over!!!! Stop blocking the future being in your feelings about what you can’t control!!!! Stop downplaying who’s next because you got overlooked.
◦ Truth is if you got overlooked, it was because you weren’t qualified. There were hundreds and thousands of other young people God could’ve chosen to get the Israelites to the promised land, but he chose young Josh.
◦ Josh had the juice. He was ready, he was in position and he had the vision!!!!
◦ Your boss didn’t give you the promotion because you keep showing up late.
◦ He didn’t give you the raise, because every time he walks by your desk you’re always on Facebook on work hours.
◦ Learn to celebrate those who elevate before you do because when its your turn, you’re gonna need somebody to celebrate you
◦ Im sure Joshua had some haters on his heels when he took Moses’ place.
◦ It wouldn’t be right if he didn’t. But he was on a mission to serve and to disciple.
◦ He wasn’t worried about what a hater had to say.
◦ For the kingdom to grow and flourish, we’ve gotta find Joshua.
◦ We’ve gotta get out of the wilderness. It’s time to stop complaining and switch leaders!!!!
◦ Where is Joshua?????????????
◦ It can no longer be about personal gain. It’s gotta be about the kingdom!!!!
◦ Moses’ strategy got these buffers and puffers out of the past, but Joshua’s strategy got them into the future!
◦ I know it was some senior saints on that trip who wanted to keep stopping cuz their knees hurt. Complaining that if Moses was alive, he woulda let us have a break.
◦ Well guess what, Moses is dead now! So get with the program or get left!!!!!
◦ We’ve gotta learn when to shut up and put our hands to the plow to support and equip the new generation of leaders.
◦ Check this out….Joshua can’t be the Joshua he’s called to be until Moses is permanently silenced!!! Moses had to die so he didn’t become a distraction to the future.
◦ We often grieve the people we lost or had to leave behind, when we should be celebrating their absence because the very sound of their voice would have distracted us from being who God called us to be!
◦ We gotta shift our thinking!!!! If it takes 1 L to gain 10 wins….count me in. IDK who I gotta ditch, who I gotta quit and who I gotta bury….ima get what God promised me and I will stand and see the goodness of God in the land of the living!!!
◦ Discipleship discipleship…………
◦ The commission hasn’t changed, just the year! The work done back in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s to build God’s kingdom still applies here today. But we’ve gotten complacent, scared, lazy, entitled and have resorted to buying souls instead feeding them.
◦ Moses got annoyed with the complaints of “we hungry, we thirsty”, kids screaming, “are we there yet?” and he let them crazy people bully him into challenging God.
◦ He pretty much bought their silence with manna lol
◦ Same thing we do today! We appease a half of a need and advertise it as a completed accomplishment.
◦ Let me show you what I mean…
◦ Don’t get me wrong….there is nothing wrong with churches giving away cars and paying people’s bills, rent and things of that nature. We are called to it ALL….but when that alone has become the set tool to market church instead of presenting salvation….we’ve lost the idea of the great commission.
◦ Just like Moses, we’ve lost sight of our WHY.
◦ So what happens, God says okay Moses, you already on borrowed time, its been 40 years dude…so now times up.
◦ Im gonna put josh in!!!!
◦ Joshua didn’t take Moses place as a leader and do away with the covenant God made with Moses, he simply picked up where Moses left off and finished the job.
◦ So while we’re in uncharted territories, kids robbing stores left and right, babies being murdered, black fathers being imprisoned, young girls being sold, fentanyl literally snatching lives young and old….
◦ we still have a responsibility to remember that just because the law was under Moses, doesn’t mean it dies with him!
◦ We gotta prepare for the invasion into the promised land!!!!
◦ Yes crime is at an all time high, but we have become afraid of the people we are called to serve!!!!
◦ Joshua never allowed the children of Israel to bully him into quitting! Because who and what God calls us to, he will also give us the grace to fulfill that which he’s called.
◦ Joshua came in, set order and executed his plan!!!
◦ So today I want to challenge all of us to change our perspective about discipleship and evangelism.
◦ Change the way you speak about the charge of new leadership.
◦ Change the way you speak about what use to be.
◦ It’s good to have the memories. But what are we doing to get back to that same excitement and commitment to winning new souls?
◦ Yea you got a new boss, instead of whining about him and complaining that you don’t like him. Get along with him anyway and find out what you can learn from him so you can gain tools to do your own job better!
◦ Every change is not a death sentence! sometimes we be so afraid of change, the whole time that ain’t stopping the change from taking place lol
◦ We do this with everything and it’s just complete unproductive. Stop pacifying your feelings and start partnering with the future!!!!
◦ Stop allowing the current climate scare you out of speaking life into the lost kids you encounter.
◦ Be intentional about taking a moment to pray with a young person you see that might be lost in the world, pray for them. If you aren’t confident in how to deeply connect with them, Ask God to give you direction and peace to link them to a Joshua.
◦ These 1988 leaders can’t help these kids. they’re out of touch.
◦ Catch this: What Moses couldn’t accomplish in 40 years, Joshua did in 3!
◦ We gotta decide, will we be apart of the problem or partner with the solution!!!
◦ you don’t have a choice because many of your grandchildren, your children, your nieces an nephews are lost!!! They are robbing people and stores BLIND and you don’t even know it! They are jobless crying out for help. Suffering in the dark aimlessly. And because you are stuck in what use to be, under Moses leadership….they are missing the promised land.
◦ They are getting further away from the gateway to Christ because you are moving in fear. You are stuck in the “but I didn’t raise them like that!”….well who did??? Lol
◦ Big mama is gone! Been gone, long gone! You big mama now, so find away to become a resource and a connecting point that bridges generations!
◦ Moses is gone, he is dead and is not coming back! It’s time to accept the Joshua generation! They are here and they are willing to do the work to build the kingdom. But you gotta be willing to stand with them, cultivate them, support them.
◦ For the rest of this month, I am going to commission us to daily write out and read out loud every scripture (in whatever version you like), but write down and read out loud every scripture pertaining to the word FEAR.
◦ perfect love casts out all fear, God has not given us the spirit of fear, as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death- I will fear no evil. Etc.
◦ Start declaring them over yourself. Because if we are called to be a light, fear cannot dwell there.
◦ Just because the climate has changed, we cannot continue to forsake the foundation of what got us here, the only thing that changed is the generation. But what God said has NEVER changed.
◦ We cannot keep blaming the pandemic, the system, other parents, we have to take some responsibility for why we are yet in the wilderness mindset, when we were called to the promise.
◦ There are Joshua’s allllllll over, who have shown they are capable to carry the torch and so many leaders prior to them are worn down and defeated but refuse to give up their place.
◦ Look at Mitch McConnell….that man don’t know if he is on the moon or a silent auction in Bermuda.
◦ Joe Biden, he can’t stop falling to save his own life….these people are OLD, and old has them in a headlock, but they refuse to accept that they are in the way of progression. Don’t be that way.
◦ Don’t be a thorn in the side.
◦ Whatever capacity this applies to, church, home, workplace, ministry, businesses, etc. when it’s time to make changes. Make them, but you gotta remember yesterday’s price is not todays price!!!!
◦ Old things are passed away, behold all things are made new!!!!
◦ It’s not gonna look how it use to look or be how it use to be!
◦ If you’re old, intentionally partner with a young person….stop waiting for them to approach you. You’ll be waiting all day!!! These kids are built different.
◦ These are not the same kinda kids my generation was when we were growing up. Im an 80’s baby and my friends and I often laugh and say we are the last generation that played outside!
◦ These “inside” kids are not cut from the same cloth. So you cannot approach them how you’d approach one of us. So people are afraid to say anything to them at all. And that will NOT win them over!!!!
◦ Make the first move, encourage them. find out what their dreams are, call out the leader in them because the future belongs to them. But sometimes they just need a little push.
◦ If you’re apart of a church, connect with a young leader and find a way to support them. Give them the space to lead!!!!
◦ If you’re a parent, stop being so controlling, your kids futures do not belong to you. Sit down with them, step into their world for a second. Don’t over-spiritualize things, give them a safe space to just BE.
◦ I guarantee you’ll see that they actually do hear you, they just tune you out because your approach does not resonate with them.
◦ If you raised them the way you claim you have, your 40 years in the wilderness can end the day you allow them to lead….watch that 40 turn into a 3 day turnaround!
◦ We cannot get a return on what we have never invested in!
◦ We are at a pivotal point. A point of passing the torch.
◦ Evangelism and discipleship has to now reflect the rise of the Joshua generation.
◦ Cuz guess what….the apostle Fat Joe said it best….yesterday’s price is not today’s price.
◦ No longer can we ignore, downplay, reject, smother, stuff down, overlook, underserve and cast down who God has already called next!
◦ It’s now a season to shift gears. It’s time to accept that you no longer have the capacity to pull, it’s now time to PUSH….somebody else.
◦ Because that somebody else is who God has assigned to get you to the next level.
◦ But we have to stop this continuum of “well we use to do it like this” and “we’ve never done it that way before”
◦ Statements like that curse exponential growth. The power of life and death are in the tongue.
◦ What’s not broke, don’t need to be fixed….well it may not be broken but it sure is bleeding and bleeding pretty bad. So if you want to save the limb, you gotta perform surgery!!!!
◦ This rising generation of leaders may not do things the way you all did them back them, but it fits for this time!!!!!! And it works!!!!!!
◦ ultimately, when you refuse to cultivate them….what you are saying, without saying is….we want your gifts, but leave your calling at home.
◦ So many ministries are failing because of this mentality.
◦ So many people have yet to know Jesus, because of this mentality.
◦ So many souls are still lost, because of this mentality.
◦ A generation is left to their own vices because of this mentality.
◦ But here is a huge and overwhelming wake up call….NOTHING EVER STAYS THE SAME!!!!!!
◦ Whomever God sent to deliver you from your place of bondage, will not always be the person that God births your promise through!
◦ If we were called and designed to stay the same we would still be riding camels and horses to work everyday. But guess what, a German man named Karl Benz, was a Joshua in a rising generation.
◦ He came up with the bright idea of a car!!!!!!!
◦ And in that idea, he discovered that it could get people from one place to another faster than a horse.
◦ The invention of the car didn’t make the horse useless, but it did shift their purpose.
◦ It may not be your season to lead anymore, but it may be time for you to help a Joshua step into theirs.
Welcome to #september2023 #evangelism #discipleship #declarevictory style. Where community meets reality and we do life FROM #victory not FOR it! We win if we dont quit! Join us daily, for #encouragement #inspiration #motivation and #lifeapplication #practical #tools to do life from the inside out! We #pray #process and #prepare to #lead #kingdom lives with #hope and #confidence #competence and #clarity that is #contageous! Call in daily #6AM #PST #8AM #CST #9AM #EST #7076050570 #joinus #morningshow #morningmotivation #breakfastofchampions #community #leadership #spiritualgrowth #development #mindset #selfcontrol #discipline #focus
