Category: Evangelism

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2 Timothy 2:2 is for you! Here are a few bible study babies! Class of 1997!

My first discipleship group in Aggieland!

Nothing will fulfill you like pouring your life out to the next generation! See this cuties ? These gals were a powerhouse discipleship group of college women who deeply desired to handle God’s word, grow (without reservation!) in Christ, disciple other women & leave a huge eternal impact. 2 Timothy 2:2 (“these things which u have heard in presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also”) was always our gang’s (from 1993-2016!) bedrock verse. Can I tell u a secret? Discipleship always starts out mentor & students. There are years of pouring out your very life-sharing what God has taught you, interceding in prayer over “your girls” & seeing the initial vision of how God wants to use them. You love first. But, THEN, years later your “girls” become your closest life friends-they cover you with love, faithfulness, & wisdom. They are the women I turn to for prayer, mercy, & courage. I respect their marriages & appreciate how they love their kids. They know my weaknesses, they know my pain, & they know my heart. We’ve been forever knit together-my girls are my sisters. Now, I look to them & follow their lead as they impact this generation! Now, these are my verses for themI Thessalonians 2:19-20 “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our joy and crown.” 

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Sinners for Dinner

“Now all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1-2
We are all born sinners and commit sins every day. (Ask yourself, “Was I angry today? Did somebody treat me badly? Did I speed down the street?” ) It’s a level playing field in life-we all need forgiveness from God. As believers, we know the biblical command to love others, yet we translate this “love” command to a puny “nice”. We say “thank you” & smile at people. But, is this what Jesus meant? Just simply good manners ? Many times, we can be nice in the flesh but we can’t truly love without asking God for His power! He calls us to know people. We CAN be a people of initiation, the people who choose love over comfort, the people who realize Jesus died for our sins, too. I love the fact that Jesus rarely hung out with the religious or the “cool”. He seems to give sweet attention to the untidy and the needy. 2,000 years later, He calls us to do the same! ‪#‎Luke15‬:1-2 ‪#‎LoveOutward‬ ‪#InitiateWithTheWorld‬13439045_10154258854094817_102306324256949540_n

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Time to Lean Out

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You may know this, but if Jesus Christ lives in you-you are a missionary. GULP.  Surprising?  If we truly consider the fact that Jesus designed us to move outward toward the hurting world, we are grasping His heart for His created world. I appreciate how Jesus calls us in Matthew 28:18-20 to share His gospel-He assumes we understand the absolute magnitude of this calling.  Something happens when we ask ourselves an honest question, “Do I really believe this is the best thing in the history of the world?”

Is evangelism a spiritual gift? Yes! Is it a calling for each of us? Yes! For me, evangelism is an primary calling… yet, He still calls me to allow Him to grow the spiritual gift of mercy through me.  When Jesus calls me to be a person of mercy in Matthew 5, He doesn’t add, “But, Tristie ,only if it’s your gift.” Don’t you love that about Him?! He loves to call us into new territory with new power to see a new side of God!

Friend, you radiate the kindness and joy of Jesus to the world.  So, be ready because -I promise-THEY WILL ASK YOU ABOUT IT! “Hey, why are you so nice?” “Why do make those kinds of decisions?” “Why do you say “thank you” to people?” and a favorite…”Why are you so happy?” 

What do you say now? 

I explain that I was a very different person who looked at the person of Christ and asked myself “Who is this?” Through the book of John , I discovered that knowing Jesus as not a religious act as much as a realization moment. I needed His forgiveness to experience His life! Then-praying the WHOLE time-I try to share 4 truths:

1. God loves each person.(Jn. 3:16)

2. All have sinned and need a Savior. (Rom. 3:23)

3. Jesus Christ is that Savior.(Jn. 3:16, Jn. 10:30)

4. All you have to do is BELIEVE! (Jn. 1:12)

This is it. THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS EVER! Forever freedom from sin’s prison and the absolute joy of possessing an everlasting kingdom destiny. You are made for this. Let Him use you in this way! Look up and lean out.