Campus Outreach Greenville

Our secret mission – Building Kingdom leaders for a lost world!

GJoe — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 01:34:52 +0000

I recently read a great quote that encouraged me to the core because it reminded me of what we are seeking to do: to build kingdom leaders. It’s from Richard Pratt, a seminary professor who’s speaking with authority on issues that are near and dear to my heart – developing and deploying Kingdom leaders for the King’s service. Hope it encourages you and calls you to pray for our staff what Jesus prayed in Matthew 9:36- , the harvest is plentiful, the laborers are few, ask the Lord of the Harvest to send forth His laborers into His harvest field… Pray that we would be these type of leaders and build these type of leaders that pray, fast, share with the lost, build up the believers, live on the front lines with the power of the Spirit, for His Glory and our Joy in Jesus!

Richard Pratt, founder and president, Third Millennium Ministries; former chair of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary:

If I were king and could wave my magical scepter, I would radically change the basic agenda of seminary.

After 22 years of teaching in a seminary, I slowly began to realize something. We were not preparing the kinds of leaders that evangelical churches in North America need. Let’s face it; evangelicalism has seen better days. God is at work in many places and in many ways, but on the whole, the news is not good. Our numbers are dwindling; our theology is unraveling; our zeal for Christ is dissipating. Now more than ever, we need seminaries to give the church leaders who are empowered by the Spirit for radical, sacrificial devotion to Christ and his kingdom. And they’d better do it quickly.

I was recently in China, talking with the president of a house church network of more than 1 million people. He asked me for advice on preparing the next generation of pastors. I looked at him and said, “The only thing I know is what you should not do.” He smiled and asked, “What’s that?” My reply surprised him. “You should not do what we have done in the West. The results of that approach have become clear.”

The agenda of evangelical seminaries is set primarily by scholars. Professors decide how students will spend their time; they determine students’ priorities; they set the pace. And guess what. Scholars’ agenda seldom match the needs of the church.

Can you imagine what kind of soldiers our nation would have if basic training amounted to reading books, listening to lectures, writing papers, and taking exams? We’d have dead soldiers. The first time a bullet whizzed past their heads on the battlefield, they’d panic. The first explosion they saw would send them running. So, what is basic training for the military? Recruits learn the information they need to know, but this is a relatively small part of their preparation. Most of basic training is devoted to supervised battle simulation. Recruits are put through harrowing emotional and physical stress. They crawl under live bullet fire. They practice hand to hand combat.

If I could wave a magic scepter and change seminary today, I’d turn it into a grueling physical and spiritual experience. I’d find ways to reach academic goals more quickly and effectively and then devote most of the curriculum to supervised battle simulation. I’d put students through endless hours of hands-on service to the sick and dying, physically dangerous evangelism, frequent preaching and teaching the Scriptures, and days on end of fasting and prayer. Seminary would either make them or break them.

Do you know what would happen? Very few young men would want to attend. Only those who had been called by God would subject themselves to this kind of seminary. Yet they would be recruits for kingdom service, not mere students. They would be ready for the battle of gospel ministry.

a picture of our mission from Billy Graham…

GJoe — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:57:23 +0000

I read a great commentary on the desiring God website that was a great picture of our mission so I thought I would pass it along:

If Billy Graham Had Been a Pastor

August 4, 2010 | By: David Mathis | Category: Commentary

Billy Graham once was asked, “If you were a pastor of a large church in a principal city, what would be your plan of action?”

In the modern-day classic The Master Plan of Evangelism (which has gone through over 100 printings since it was first published in 1963), Robert Coleman reproduces Graham’s response, perhaps a surprising answer to many:

I think one of the first things I would do would be to a get a small group of eight or ten or twelve people around me that would meet a few hours a week and pay the price!

It would cost them something in time and effort. I would share with them everything I have, over a period of years. Then I would actually have twelve ministers among the laypeople who in turn could take eight or ten or twelve more and teach them.

I know one or two churches that are doing that, and it is revolutionizing the church.

Christ, I think, set the pattern. He spent most of his time with twelve men. He didn’t spend it with a great crowd. In fact, every time he had a great crowd it seems to me that there weren’t too many results. The great results, it seems to me, came in this personal interview and in the time he spent with his twelve. (page 103, paragraphing added)

For more on this kind of ministry strategy, see Coleman’s book.

From: http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2584_if_billy_graham_had_been_a_pastor/

Heading to RSA!

GJoe — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:37:57 +0000

Jake McCoun and I (G’Joe) are heading to RSA – republic of South Africa today. We will be out of the country till August 9. Please pray for, the CCP, but especially our families as we will be away from them…

A quick summer project update

GJoe — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:15:13 +0000

This is the last week of the Leadership Project in Myrtle Beach. It’s been a life changing, friendship building, leadership developing, gospel driven summer! God has done an amazing thing in the hearts and lives of our students in ‘witnessing Christ’ in and through their lives. Pray that the redirecting of our students hearts for God, for themselves, and for others that has happened this summer will continue on for years from now.

While our Leadership Project is nearing the end, the Cross -cultural project has arrived, settled and is starting their first week on the campus! Please pray for open doors in relationships with both white and black South African students at the University of Pretoria. Read more from Tyler, our director this summer click here.

Leadership Project 2010 Audio

Mike — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:25:37 +0000

Check out our audio resources page to download the latest training talks from the Leadership Project. Each week we are learning about God during our theme meeting, the inductive study method during our Bible Study training meeting, and how to share our faith during the evangelism training meeting.

The LP Begins!

Mike — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:47:46 +0000

Today around 80 students will arrive at the Mariner Motel in Myrtle Beach, SC, for the 2010 Leadership Project. Our staff and student leaders have been preparing the last few days for their arrival. We pray that God would again use this summer environment to grow students in their love for Christ and to train them to walk with God and to minister to others.

Please pray for all the students’ experiences and growth this summer and thanks to all you parents for allowing your students to benefit from being with us this summer!

The month of May

GJoe — Wed, 12 May 2010 17:43:00 +0000

May in the life of a staff person is an interesting month considering that we are still laboring yet not on the campus. We are connecting with folks that make it possible to do what we do, our supporters. In the book of Philippians, we read about Paul’s supporters: “Phil 4:15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.” Great picture of the partnership around the gospel – those who are going and those who are sending. The gospel can’t go out without both!! We are so thankful for our support team!

We are also resting some and getting ready for the chaos of the leadership project, which starts May 22nd for the staff and May 26th for the students. Please pray for us to rest and reconnect with our partners in the gospel.

Together 4 the Gospel

Mike — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:06:38 +0000

This week our staff team is attending the Together for the Gospel Conference in Louisville, KY. It is designed for pastors and full-time ministers to hear from some of the leading pastors in America like Mark Dever, John Piper, CJ Mahaney, Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan, RC Sproul, and more. Pray for our staff team that we would learn more about the gospel together, be encouraged about our ministry together, and that we would fellowship together.
For more info on the conference visit www.T4G.org

Holy Week – made personal

GJoe — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:05:14 +0000

I, like my pastor Andy, have been surprised that Holy Week has come upon us so soon. It feels too early for some reason?

Well, this morning, the Lord has led me to a few passages that blow me away in regards to the ramifications of the cross!!

First thought: what killed God was what pleased Him: namely the peace and restoration of God to His creation. Check out Colossians 1:19 “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace THROUGH HIS BLOOD, shed on the cross.”

Second thought: knowing where I stand helps me where I struggle: even though I struggle now and here on earth with sin and my sinfulness, I stand forever cleansed and pure as one without blemish THROUGH CHRIST’S PHYSICAL death. Col 1:22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

This week should really be called ‘PERSONAL HOLY WEEK’ when we think of the personal ramifications of our sin and His righteousness given to us… through His death, burial, AND resurrection.

Healthy perspective for God-centered (not man -centered) evangelism…

GJoe — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:01:51 +0000

Recently, I had the chance to speak to a group of Furman students on the issue of how do we lovingly and respectfully share the most important thing in our lives to people who really need to hear about Christ? Here are my notes from the things that I shared. Hope it encourages all in our call to be ambassadors as though Christ is making His appeal through you!

1) God is Sovereign / We are responsible
– both and, not either or…
Why? What would it be like if it were 1 or the other? Discuss…
• 1 Cor 2 – I planted / Apollos watered / God caused the growth
• Romans 10:13-17 – How can they believe without a preacher…”
The next two points really expound on God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. For more study, check out ‘evangelism and the sovereignty of God’ – JI Packer
1A) The Word of God is the change agent, it’s the bullet that brings life – the gospel!
o Not trusting in your rational / argumentative skills
o Hebrews 4:12 The word of God is living and active…
o Heard you guys ask the question – how do i? how can I ? Tools are great. Apologetics are great! Etc… but figure out HOW to get the word of God in them and them in the word of God and watch it transform lives!
1B) Prayerful skill of man is the trigger…
o fishing for men… using skill vs. just fishing all day long…
o we put tons of intellectual energies to figure out how to WIN a girl / to manipulate circumstance / interview for a job / get the right guy or girl in your frat / sorority… / We strategize over tons of things – Why not over how to win people to the word and the word into them?
o winsomeness with SHARING THE GOSPEL – winsomeness for the sake of the gospel not to feed our people idols and have people like us! It is not about US but ABOUT Beautifying God and the Gospel;
• the gospel as a diamond; beautiful in and of itself; we are just trying to put it in a good setting to display how beautiful it is!
o There isn’t a one size fits all program or strategy… YET A METHOD or STRATEGY is necessary to start with… Know that methods and strategies are counter cultural – especially on the college campus, and rightfully so because so many have used methods / strategies as an end and not God’s glory!
2) There really are different doors – open doors, cracked doors, closed doors – all of which the Lord CAN open and all of which are our good works to walk into –
o We often see things as either open or closed – open ones we walk through, everything else we hope and pray will open – well, the Lord uses man to OPEN doors that are shut through prayer and SKILL…
o Ethiopian eunuch – went from an closed door to an open one…
3) What’s your goal or the end in evangelism? – 4 options.
1. Live a good life in front of them. – example of the lightcaps at the beach –
i. Think about this – it’s MORALISM!! Living a good life in front of them
2. Get to share the gospel verbally. Get it out there and check it off the list…
i. Communication is not what is said but what is heard! Rachel at SB!
3. See them come to faith… You’ll fail at the goal more than you will succeed…
4. Bring them to an INFORMED decision about what Christ has done for them.

I contend that the first two are means (if taken together), the 3rd is really not to be a goal since it’s up the Lord (remember God’s sovereignty). And the last is a good GOAL or END to have in mind.

4) Rejection and denial are guaranteed.
• Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
5) Hell is real and we are unbelievers that need faith to believe this TRUTH!!
6) Evangelism is both an event and a process
o So if there was a great opportunity (open door) and we wimped out, or missed it, there is hope! It is not just AN/ One event but also a process; we can say, “I was thinking about what you asked the other day/ said the other day…”
o At the same time, it cannot just be a one-time bomb; requires multiple conversations, follow-ups. Prayer, etc…