Video Transcript: Strategy

The last one when we spent time together, we saw how crucial it is that you be you. That if God wanted you as a vocal witness as someone else, if God wanted you to be a great evangelist, or if God wanted you to be a local pastor and you're not, he would have made you one. But he wants you as you. If he had wanted you to be a fisherman and called you as a fisherman, he would have called you as a fisherman. Maybe he has. But maybe he called you as his builder or as a sports star or an actor or an attorney or a teacher, a nurse, whatever it might have been. You as you.

And that's why we talk about evangeliving. It's not a theory. It's not a doctrine. It's an everyday thing as you go. Today, with that in our minds, we're going to talk about strategy. The word "strategy" comes from a Greek word that was used for a general who is leading an army. In fact, it comes from a word that means "to lead out". So, strategy means that the Lord's army is getting ready, is preparing to do what he wants them to do. 

I want to ask you. Just between you and me, nobody else around. You don't have to answer to anybody else. How are you doing with this? Really? Have you been helped so far? Are you any closer to being a vocal witness no matter where you go? Do you have results to report? If you want to send it in, what you've been doing so far-- have you been meeting with your mentor? Have you identified those persons, either the male or the female that you're going to be giving that vocal testimony to? Have you been memorizing the verses? Have you been spending time in prayer? Are you doing your part? Or is this just going to be another course like Church History or some kind of doctrine or something. Where are you on that? 

I taught some of this material in our church. It's a nice story. And there was a woman there who wasn't all that bold. But she got so excited that in the middle of the time when we were teaching this-- it was for several weeks-- she got a call on the telephone from a man who wanted to sell her something. And she said to him, "I will listen to what you say if you listen to what I say." 

So, she listened and he told her all this and that. And she said, "Thank you for telling me. I don't need that, but what I'd like to do is tell you about my Savior, Jesus." And the man listened, and over the telephone, she brought him to new life in Jesus Christ. Great story. But do you know what? I can't say everybody in that group did it. For some, it didn't make a bit of difference in their life. But for her, it did and somewhere in this world now is a man walking around who's loving Jesus because someone was willing to follow the strategy. Let's pray, and then, we'll go on.

Jesus, 2000 years ago, you said that this world is like a wheat field that is ready to be reaped or a corn field that is ready to be picked or a fruit tree that is ready to be picked. And here we are at the same thing 2,000 years later. All the people around us who are unsaved and we have the opportunity to work with you for them. You know what we're like. You know our fears. You know sometimes there's a lack of urgency. You know that sometimes we disobey you. But we know you have given us your Spirit to lead us into all the truth, just as we are. We're going to do it. We love you. Amen.

Well, when we talk about strategy, our eyes go a little glazed and we sit back and think, "Uh oh. Here comes this long plan." I just have three steps that will get you there. There are other strategies - good ones - but I think these three will help you.

The first is this. We form an intentional relationship. The word "intentional" comes from the Latin language which means "to lean towards." And that means that we go through life leaning towards relationships with other people. They don't happen by accident all the time. But we really try. Here's what I mean. We were in a restaurant a week ago Sunday having Sunday lunch. And there was a couple sitting two tables away from us. There was no one at the table in between us. So, I took small bites and I looked over their way and smiled. And they smiled. And I said, "How are you doing?"

They said, "Fine."

I said, "Good food." How do you do that? You're building a relationship. I wanted to. I had never seen them before. And there weren't any other people around, so I didn't think I would embarrass them. So, we started talking, and they told us the work that they did, and they were visiting in our city, and they liked the restaurant and things like that. And as we talked, I saw that we were getting to a close. So, I said to them, "Do you have a church home in that city where you live?"

Notice what I said? We'll come back to this. I didn't invite them to our church. We'll talk about why that is. But all I said was, "Do you have a church home?" Because that, for me, is a little step in building a relationship. I get to know them.

"Yes," she said. "We go to church every Sunday." And she named the city where she lived. 

So, we talked some more. And when I do that, then I always throw something in like, "Well, the main thing is that we love Jesus and know that we're forgiven." 

And when we got up to leave, we were going to leave before they did, she said to me, "Thank you so much for asking us about that." Isn't that something? That's an intentional relationship. And I want to talk now-- this method, this is the way I see it. There are a lot of great other ones. But this kind of fits in with where we're going in the studies that we have here. There are other ways too. 

So, you form intentional relationships. You want to do it. You lean in that direction. They don't happen normally. Maybe it's somebody next to you on a plane or somebody in the store. You're standing behind them in line. And you just begin to talk with them. 

Okay. I think one of the things that we start with is very clear praying every morning. "Jesus, will you lead me to someone today?" "Jesus or Holy Spirit, help me to recognize the person who is ready to hear about the Gospel." That's one thing. Another thing is genuine caring. We're not just out there to try to get people saved and then, drop them. We're not out there because we're obeying Jesus and, after all, that's what we're supposed to do. But when we pray, we pray specifically for a heart that loves people. 

Jesus looked out over the city and he wept real tears. He said, "I just wish you could all come to know me." And one day a rich, young man came up to him and talked to Jesus, and Jesus said, "Follow me."

And the man couldn't, because it would have cost him too much. Do you know what it says there in Mark 10? It says, Jesus looked at him and he loved him. This man walked away from Jesus. Jesus loved him. This man found the cost too much. Jesus loved him. And it's the Greek word for the deepest love. That's the kind of heart that we have to have as we are intentional with others. Not just to check off a name, not just to accomplish a work. So, think about yourself. As we talk about forming intentional relationships, do you really care about people? Do they matter to you? Are you willing to become less so they can become more? Are you willing to give up no matter what it takes?

That's a good question to think about. Maybe pause here and pray about it. And say, "Jesus, give me the heart that you have." 

And then, when we talk about those relationships, there are some that are very usual, let's say. You have a relationship with your married partner or with your children. You have a relationship with your boss or the people who work for you. It's there every day. You don't have to form something new. You have a relationship with people you play golf with-- I mention that a lot because a lot of people in America play golf-- or the people you're at the beach with or the people you go to a movie with or the people you go on vacation with. Just think in your life, all day long, we know people. We don't have to get to know them.

Another part of that is to create relationships. I always go to the same place for gas for my truck, and I always try to go to the same counter to talk to the same person. When I go to the dry cleaners, I always try to go to the same clerk when I bring my stuff in. And I talked to one for a long time. Finally, I was able to give a verbal testimony.

When I go to the supermarket, I always try to go in the same line to the same clerk. "Hi. How are you?" Be friendly. Try to build up a relationship. We can make new relationships just like we have those usual ones. 

And then, as we form that relationship, keep it natural. Let it be you as you. You don't have to become another person to give a verbal testimony. They already know who you are. Give them gifts just like they give you gifts. Spend time with them. Remember birthdays. Just whatever it might be. If they say they're going to have surgery, try to remember the next week to give them a call and to ask. Because in your whole life, as you form that relationship, you're showing Christ. And also, don't forget this, you're showing your need for Christ. 

So, the first step is we form an intentional relationship. The second one, we give an appropriate personal vocal witness. And the big word there is "appropriate". Maybe there's a time you just have to walk up to a complete stranger and give that vocal witness. But most often, in our daily life, and that's what we want this to be (part of our daily life) just like we do everything else, we're a vocal witness for Jesus. Be yourself and at the appropriate time, at the real time, at the good time, then you give the vocal witness. Sometimes, you're asked about it. 

A person at work, his mother dies. He says, "When your mother died, you didn't go all to pieces? How come I feel so bad?" 

And just a very easy, fitting testimony. "Well, I cried about my mother the way you cried about your mother. But Jesus told me that when we believe in him, we have a life after this, and we'll see each other." That's all. You don't have to run home and put on a suit. You don't have to go and get a book and read it. You don't have to pull out a Bible. But right out of your heart to his heart. And appropriate. One that is fitting right there.

You're at a sporting event, and your favorite team is not only losing, they're just getting whipped, routed. And he sees that you don't get all that upset. You say, "Oh, man," because you feel bad about it.

He says, "How do you keep your cool like that? When my kids do such and such, all I want to do is slam them. And I see you're just so patient with them." "Remember that time when my lawn mower broke or when I got that hole in my boat, I just lost it. You just helped me fix it. How do you get to be that way?" There it is.

I asked a man in our church how did he get to be there? He said, "His wife worked." And his wife was at work, and she came home one day and said, "I want what that other lady has, because she's got something we don't have." I found out that that woman went to our church started attending herself with her husband. 

The other thing, if you're not asked is in a very appropriate way, a very fitting way, you could offer one. Go back to the man whose wife died. You could say, "I remember when my wife died. And it really helped me to know that Jesus cares. He suffered on the cross. He knows what pain is. And he promises eternal life. He promises we'll live afterwards if we trust in him." 

Or maybe a neighbor is doing really well. And you say, "I'm so thankful that Jesus is prospering you and your work. Good job."

But just that vocal witness every day because you're and everyday person. Because the Book of Acts says, "They were ordinary, everyday people who witnessed about Jesus." But always this. You make that intentional relationship. You give that appropriate witness. But you focus on your goal. 

There's a man in our town who's a Christian now. And he married a Christian after he became a Christian. They have children. They are always serving in church. When I first met him, he wasn't a Christian. After he became a Christian, he said, "Do you remember what you said to me the first day?" 

I said, "I don't. "

He said, "We were going to lunch because you invited me to lunch." And by the way, if you're going to eat lunch, invite somebody to go with you. He's a lot smarter than I was. So, we went to lunch, and he said to me, "I don't have any agenda at all."

And told me I said to him-- I don't remember-- "I said, 'But I do. Because I want you to meet Jesus.'" That was quick, but he was a very intelligent man. I thought I could get away with it. 

But always go focused, always Christ-centered. That's where you're going, not just to tell your story. And always, just talk like you talk. Be you. 

So, you form intentional relationships. We give an appropriate testimony. And third, we offer a timely invitation. Finally, we get to offer an invitation. Remember I said a moment ago that when I ask people about church, I don't say, "Would you come to our church," for two reasons. You might be a church member, but you don't realize how scary that is for someone who doesn't mess with church. They don't know what you're going to do in there. They don't know what's going to happen. 

You're going to ask them how much they earn, or they're going to have to change their ways, or they're going to have to stand up and get a red ribbon. So, I never invite them to church until way later. 

Another reason, I feel sometimes, when you invite them to church, you're passing off your job. It's your job to be that testimony to that person. So, finally, you get an opportunity after you've given your testimony to give them an invitation. Say, "A week from Sunday, our pastor's going to be talking about marriage. And you and I have talked about our marriage troubles. Do you want to go with me?"

Or, "Hey, there's a meeting going to be at our church Sunday night. This speaker's coming. He used to be a professional football player, and he's going to talk about how he handled it when he lost. You and I have talked about that a little bit."

So, then, you make those kinds of invitations. And you take them with you. You don't let them go, because that's too scary. Intentional relationships, you've given your testimony. Now, you've got the background, you've got the relationship. They have seen it in your life. You have told them what it is. Now, you say, "Hey, here's a way to find more."

Maybe it's to a group you're in - a Bible study or something like that. My personal goal in life, it's on my mind every day that I live, is I try to find out the spiritual location of every person I meet. I ask a question here. I ask a question there. But I want to find out, because if they are Christians, then I bless them. If they're not, I try to build a relationship, give a testimony. Sometimes, I have to give the testimony within 15 minutes, because I won't see that person again. And I just give them a quick word about Jesus. But always, we follow our strategy toward the goal to bring people to new life in Christ.