World-Wide Evangelization — K.P. Yohannan

Passing the Baton Through Faithful Leaders

The secret if there is a secret of maintaining Maintaining our life in the long run for 50 years 100 years 200 years or 400 years. The secret is not set of doctrines. The secret and the formula is not money and establishment, no the secret is What Paul said in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 Timothy?

You Hand over this to others faithful men. Faithful men who will find in turn others who are faithful to God and they will continue the journey. It is a it is a race it is You you run the race then you hand over the baton to someone and they will keep running and the person who take the The baton take that Truth and run with it.

It is not the truth or the doctrines or the Establishment that will help them to continue and maintain the value That God looks for actually it is going to be the inner life the commitment and the passion or the individual.

So this is an important fact that we need to keep in mind. That's the reason why people like us Individuals you hold the future of the work in your hand in your hand means not in the buildings you got rather it is on the inside where you are and The the life of the pastor there at Ephesus Determined the life of all the people in the church.

The life of the leader and what he is determines the future. So My thinking constantly the times I get this opportunity to talk to you, you know, I said I'm saying to myself What can I do? Why can I say to?

Maintain this the core reality so When we say Lord revive us or rekindle that Help us to think about a time when there was an absolute there was something that we can measure Against it is like the plumb line.

And if you see the masons who are building a wall they have plumb line and what happened they they put it so that you can see if it is Absolutely level because there is an absolute to measure things against so one of the thing I want to Share with you Is As far as our call is concerned the church is concerned.

There are not too many Things that are what you call cracks of the matter. The court you don't have too many things to say all these things are the core. Not only it is one entity. What is the core of the core what is the most important thing that we should hold on to as a church as a movement I Think that will help us to stay focused That as time goes by and so many things added to our life we don't lose the focus.

Like you you'd left Calcutta or Nepal or wherever you Travel from you had this intention a focus that is you are going to be somehow whatever train plane bus Autorickshaw taxi, whatever you were taking all those stuff are there.

Or stop in between to get some chai or some Lunch or whatever all those things actually had no Significance in itself it only had significance in this that you had a focus a purpose Objective area going that is coming to the conference the same way all that we do we should have.

Evangelism as the Church's Central Focus

This understanding and my prayer is the Lord will renew our hearts and revive us and rekindle once again if we are losing this focus that is Evangelism and reaching the lost world now just to get us understand The the basics of this the promises from which we work.

What is the Bible all about? I mean you think about all the what going on in the name of Christianity it all has to do with this book, right? I mean you go to the library here 150 ,000 books or so in the library very large entity there.

Then you talk about the bridge of hope you talk about the hon and three-language radio broadcast you talk about producing, you know literature. And whatever else you mean we got a million things going on.

I mean in our own little world. Then you talk about all the Christian denominations and work in all the countries everything's going on the question Why this is all done what is the crux of the matter it all comes from this and what is this?

It only has one subject. One word you can use redemption. Redemption that's all there is if you want one word to summarize and explain this whole book. If that is this the entire Old Testament talks about creation of man man's fall Genesis 315 God promising the seed of the woman coming which is a Messiah then Old Testament completely filled with the types and shadows and prophecies about the Redeemer coming and then the four Gospels talks about how he came fulfilling the Prophecies and what God said at the right time he died on the cross.

Then you find out Jesus speaking out why he came to the surf to seek and to say that which was lost. Then at the end of the Gospels you find these handful of disciples. He had a Bible school obviously and three years or more training in the end.

So you finished your studies graduation has taken place now. You'll go and preach the gospel to the whole world make disciples and baptize them and then they did that. In the power of the Holy Spirit book of Acts is the church born but then Why what they have to do now, the church is born believers are there, but they need to be Disciple so all the letters are talking about.

They are growing into the full image of Christ. Redemption is a Continuum it is a process and the full redemption only take place when the rapture the second coming of Christ. So book of Revelation talks about the coming of the Lord and then the purpose of God completes and Eternity starts that's the whole thing.

The Church's Supreme Task: World Evangelization

So the question we can ask why we are here the church and if the. The simple answer is this the church supreme task Responsibility is the evangelization of the world. CS Lewis in his writings brilliantly explained it.

There's no other purpose for the church to exist in time. Except the fact that to enlist to bring in the people that are not part of the kingdom into the kingdom. Our king left us here in the enemy's territory.

To represent him to usher in the kingdom to bring people into the kingdom. This is enemy's territory. We are actually not in the friendly territory. You hear about the Orissa you hear about the opposition here and there and the problems all those things you think it just happens.

Without any reason I can assure you. See, we sometimes forget the the brilliance and the power of demons. If you if you think about it as a matter of fact the the very moment you started your plan to come here I Imagined there must have been a conference called like we have a conference called.

I am sure the prince. Or the or the powers of darkness that reigns over India or Nepal or whatever. I imagine the the the head demon Commander-in-chief assigned over maybe the city of Kathmandu immediately got the message from the subordinates sob Bishop Narayan Sharma is preparing to go to India and so why is going to India?

Well, I read the emails and I heard him talk on the telephone. He is going for a conference all the sudden they call the demons. In India and different places you have any news. Yeah, there is a conference plan.

These people are moving from all over the place. Okay, then they call for I imagine a consultation consultation because they are well organized and. But God actually causes confusion for them. So what is happening is that they are fairly well organized.

So I am not surprised If God were to open our eyes to see all the demons hanging all over the place, you know. There must be you know maybe I don't know how many tens of thousands of demons hanging over the wall and sitting here on the bench and listening to me and Hanging over your shoulder and whispering in your ear.

You see just a minute ago. I was talking I saw a brother looking that way. You think it happened just in accidentally. I know. Distraction take place and the thoughts are put in your head. You see they will put thought in David's head to number the army so what is happening is that all the distractions all the Ways in which he I mean, have you have you tried this thing?

You're praying with someone. Okay, you're praying in a group and the prayer is very strong and You you are you are so engaged in it, but all the sudden you disappear you in mind your emotions you disappear you are traveling in Kathmandu or that email that problem and your wife your kids and you know, whatever else going on and then Just before he say in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray.

Amen you come back. Did you ever notice that I have I'm telling you the truth. I know that spiritual as you are. But I all the sudden I say what happened to me I missed The five minutes or three minutes of that intense prayer time of that brother praying.

That I was not able to engage and say amen to that and agree and put my faith with it. Who did it? How come my mind was not wandering for next two hours? How come he came back the moment? He was going to say amen, how did I know that he was going to say amen.

I didn't even hear anything else. See, I'm not saying there's a demon sitting under every bench and sitting in your pocket. Maybe there is one. But the truth of the matter is the the enemy is battling for one thing that is to delay and sabotage The evangelization of the world why because this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached as a witness to the whole world all the Ethnos people groups and then the end will come.

What do you mean end will come not only the end of time? But when Satan and his demons will be cast into the lake of fire. So it is a matter of survival and living out their dreams. Satan Lucifer and the billions of demons they are fighting for their survival.

It is an instinct that they have to fight. To have more time. They know the end will come because when Jesus are dealing with demons as Please why you are tormenting us before time? We know a day is going to come.

We are going to be cast in the lake of fire and I'll be the end of everything. But why you do it to us now don't torment us now. But what is it that the enemy hates the most it is it is anything anyone does Directly or indirectly that contribute to the proclamation the announcing of the gospel so people will repent turn away from their sins and come in faith of the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved and Then be baptized and grow in Christ and be prepared for the coming of the Lord.

Evangelism Versus Institutional Drift

This is what Satan hates the most and This is a reason why? Lot of denominations. That began with this fire in their bones to see the loss come to Christ as time went by. They no more are an organism which is alive and well and moving and growing and expanding.

They become an organization. They got bogged down into buildings programs universities degrees PhDs MDH. This and that and all this stuff. I'm so important things. Maybe nothing wrong with these things, but somehow the enemy Take those things that are immediate and make it so important that the purpose for which God called his church and called us is no more the important thing.

We are worried about so many other things. This happens to so many groups and happened all through the history. You study Methodism John Wesley. I hope you are people who are you know that you are concerned about understanding and learning read the story of Martin Luther and John Wesley and The beginning of denomination churches.

You will find they didn't have rules and regulations and plans and schemes and money and budgets and none of those they had one thing absolute passion to see others come to Christ and Their prayer meetings fasting was not legislated.

It was actually spontaneous. It was all miraculous. But then as things began to grow they had to organize it. They had to bring structure and they have to our rules and regulations and everything was said all the sudden they became an organization.

Look around you denominations like that and Their meetings are always filled with discussions of agendas and businesses. It is not about how we are going to reach more people for Christ. Why it is happening like that?

It is a master plan of the enemy. So Lord revive us again and Change us for Lord. We will go back to the original purposes of your call upon our life. Now it is good You brothers and sisters who are in leadership that you go back and reread the guiding principles of believers Church the beginning especially of that.

Now I cannot emphasize enough and underline enough of that. You need to look at the map again and again again. Otherwise you will get lost. The map you need and the map tells us what it is. The reason I am doing what I am doing today, and I will continue To do what I'm doing because I know the most important the only reason for me to be alive on earth is to see the lost people come to Christ and People be born again and saved that the work Jesus began I am called to continue.

That's what Paul did that is seeking to save that which was lost and You want to keep in mind no matter what you do no matter what area of ministry you have no matter. Even if you are cutting grass or cleaning toilets or driving a vehicle or a Bible school or bridge of hope I want you to know for me.

There is one single Absolute focus. It's a laser beam focus. There's no way to Explain other than that is I only have one thing on our mind. That is how can we see the lost come to Christ? This is very important and so Everything you do you have to ask the question and evaluate that with this criterion.

This what I am doing this what I am planning this what? I am About to undertake. Will this help reach more people for Jesus? Will this help me to establish another church will this help to get more workers?

Recruited so they can go and preach the gospel if the answer is not Satisfactory then you want to stop and ask the question. What is this? Why am I doing it? This is let someone else do that. I'm not saying doing the other things are bad.

No. But if this is not there then why am I doing that? That is what you need to keep in mind this I say to you because you are a responsible leader the core objective. The one thing there's no two things the one thing.

The Great Commission and the Church's Mission

The reason we are is the so-called Great Commission. What is that? The Great Commission is all authorities given to me. I Died on the cross was buried and rose again all authority is given to me now you go.

That is the master's command you preach. Make disciples you baptize them and establish a local church. What do you mean local church teaching them to obey everything? I told you that that is the epistles all the letters starting from Romans till Revelation.

It all has to do with that. So this is all there. There's nothing else. Now for the sake of Getting some Bible references for your reading the book of Ezekiel chapter 3 verse 17 through 19 in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel chapter 3 verse 17 through 19 and Jeremiah chapter 8 verse 20.

Now, you know, that is a familiar passage, by the way I mean you preach this I am sure so many times, you know. When I say to the wicked you will die in your sins and you don't want them. You understand that and they will perish they will die in their sin and I will require their blood from your hand all that okay, I rewrote that and Paraphrased it like this Christian worker child of God I made you a watchman.

Therefore hear the word of my mouth and give a warning from me when I say to the unsaved. You shall surely die and you give him no warning nor speak to warn the lost man from his sin and his sinful ways.

To save his soul the lost man and the lost woman shall die in their sin. But his blood I will require at your hand yet if you warn him and you want her and They will not turn away from their sinful ways.

They will die in their sin, but you have delivered your soul from the guilt. Jeremiah 8 20 very very famous words the harvest is past and The summer has ended and we are not saved. That is one of the saddest words in the entire Bible the entire Bible.

The Eternal Urgency of the Lost

Every single day just from our mission field area where we are believers Church 90 ,000 plus people die every single day. It is estimated 99 of them never had a chance to know Jesus died for them on the cross and where are they going?

Where are they going? The fate of people that died without Christ it is frightening. That after 10 billion trillion years the cry of the lost soul is not for relief from hell but for death, but they will not find death in health and.

Think about that. Think about that. Think about the people who are demon-possessed the torment they live in. Have you ever watched it? I have. I have. Have you seen people possessed by demons wandering all over totally naked.

Have you seen people locked up in rooms and tied to trees with chains some of you know? You know the torment they live with. I Know our brother from Dajastan. He can tell you there is one of our pastors who prayed and set free some 17 or people who were demon-possessed.

There's one woman who was tied to a post for years. The mother of a child and his wife. Because a demon possession think about the torment of that woman. Can you imagine what happens to someone who go to hell without Christ?

It is not 70 demons. It is not two demons. It is not ten demons. It is Lucifer Satan and billions of demons. You think about the pain the anguish the suffering and that is described by Christ. As a historical fact of the rich man who died and went to hell and his lament his Desperation for a drop of water, but even today I think he is crying not for water anymore.

But for death, but he will find none. That is the reason why God Almighty who created the universe came to this earth as a man and Lived here and died for that one human being. So he said what shall profit a man if he gained the whole world and lose his own soul if that much weight God places over one human being that he created in his own image.

I ask you my brother. I ask you my sister who is responsible for God's work. Do you feel do you understand what this is all about? Jesus did not go after to become the king when they wanted him. He didn't want anything of this world when he died.

There was no argument about his wealth. Except one piece of rag cloth. He was wearing why he lived like that. Why he didn't seek anything else from anything only one purpose that is to see people come to know the father's love.

This was Christ's life and then he paid the price that no one else can pay. All the angels in heaven could not do it. Only he could do it. God Almighty on earth the Everlasting Father the King of Kings the Lord of Lords now walking as a man.

Sinless man dying on the cross and you are saved you are born again. You are redeemed your name in the Lamb's Book of Life, but I'm asking you what about the people around us? What about the 1 .2 billion people in India?

What about the people hidden away in the valleys in the mountains of? Nepal and hidden away in the villages of Burma or Sri Lanka. What about people who are still offering human sacrifice for salvation?

What about parents sacrificing their children to be freed from the curse or demons that they fear? Think about the torment think about the agony, but what is to come for them? So I ask you the question What is it what your life is all about?

Living for the Salvation of Others

What are you living for? What is driving you? Why are you here? Why am I here? What is this all about? I can guarantee you if time permits if time permits. Few hundred years from now. This campus will not be here.

This will be maybe something else. That is a story of humanity at this time. God has given us printing process at this time. He gave us a church to meet at this time. He gave us vehicles at this time.

He gave us Bible schools at this time he gave us bridge of hopes and this at this time. He gave us leaders for what? Nothing is permanent here on earth. The only permanent thing in the world is the way in which we can get some people come to Christ as Paul said.

Somehow some way whatever means saving some ass though from fire that is the one single purpose for which we Exist here on earth and you are responsible for it. Now. This is a frightening prospect. I you know.

Maybe 15 years ago. I would say something's much more harder and much more black and white, you know. But I know more like that. I basically I'm one of the most peaceful human being on earth, you know, why because I'm not trying to change anyone.

I'm only trying to change me. Because I thought there was a time with my ability and understanding and learning and persuasion I can change people, you know, what a fool I was. I Wasted so much of my time now.

I come to the place. I cannot change any human being. I can only share my thoughts. So I'm not trying to intimidate you or make you a small person or accuse you because only God knows who you are on the inside.

But I can tell you this much You be where you are today. You have to give an account someday for the seat you occupied. For the people that you were made responsible for and in this I think the most serious thing it is not How you were able to handle money properly and faithfully that is expected normal thing.

It is not that you were disciplined person that is expected for any normal human being but I think the most significant question the most crucial question is going to be How you spend your life your emotions your energy your facilities to see lost people come to Christ.

How many people that you are responsible for them to find the way to heaven that is a question. How did you use your money for the sake of seeing the lost people to come to Christ? It was not giving tight.

It was not some offering for some people that is not the issue the issue what drove you? To do what you did how much you did it? See that is a fundamental question. So I am asking you To think these thoughts and if your heart is not burning with the passion for the lost, you know I have a simple prayer.

I don't Pray every morning and night and evening, but one of the consistent prayer. I have several things I pray for consistently one is Lord. Give me discernment in leadership because there's no way you can Lead God's without discernment.

The second thing I pray Lord please Give me burden for the lost souls and I tell my colleagues my people everywhere Pray the Lord will baptize you with a passion for the lost world. Baptize you with a passion for the lost world.

You see you are not working for Believers Church. You are not working for an organization. You are driven by one thing the love of Christ constrains you To work long hours pray long hours. Intercede long hours and go out of here to encourage other people and witness nobody else.

It is that life of yours that contribute to the overall this Energetic this movement that will make this impact for this generation. Where are you? Maybe you are one that need to pray Lord. Revive me rekindle again.

Oh Lord the fire that is slowly dying. For what for the sake of rich in the lost city stud this famous Missionary said the statement if Christ be God and died for me Then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him city stud was born to a very rich affluent In a family in England and he was a famous cricketer and He was reading one time a tract written by an atheist Someone who don't believe in God and he said if I believe in other words, you know to make it more understanding.

He was saying city stud if if I believe what you say believe faith in Christ determines the destiny of human beings then what I would do. I would give up all the hobbies and all the enjoyments and all the stuff That you are living for and I will give my life completely for one thing to preach the gospel.

If need be I will crawl on broken glass till the end of my life and cry out what shall it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lose his own soul and Reading that city stud was so convicted a born-again believer.

He was so convicted He decided to take all his money which is millions and he gave it to God's work and he kept us little money in bank so he can pay for expenses to get married to his fiance and His fiance the girl he was engaged to get married asked him Charlie What is this that Jesus told you to do?

He said to forsake all and follow him then she said why don't you take the money? You kept in the bank for our wedding and give it to God's work and we will trust him to go to the mission field and the last Little money they had saved up he gave it to William Booth a Salvation Army in London and they got married and went to the mission field and Died early, but made impact upon his generation.

That was a story of CT said why because he believed finally For real For real. That is the that is a crucial thing. I have a dear brother trying to pray for me. I think it's my English. Okay, you understand.

Yes, you understand that? Yes, very good. Thank you. I'm going to make you stand up if you sleep anymore so This is the call of God upon your life. As a church, this is the call upon a life. The church which sees us to be evangelistic will soon cease to be evangelical.

Evangelistic Ministry and Theological Training

If believe a church if you don't understand the reason for our being is to evangelize by all means then we will Cease to become a biblical church. We will become like any other denomination. God had only one son by the way, that was said by Alexander Duff a great missionary that came to India long ago.

John Wesley said this you have one business you have one business on earth. That is to save souls. So question. What is your business? I Often say this you see the seminary here the day come the purpose of the seminary is not to train people to be evangelist.

Save souls. It is better to shut down the seminary. I Had a nephew my own brother's son. I tell this story often. Because this is a classic story. You know I spent quite a bit of money to help him go to bioecology went to BD and then he got MTH and all that.

And then he wanted to teach in our seminary. So I saw this young man I said look you studied missions about your MTH in missions. Why didn't you go to the mission field and work couple of hours years then you come back and then you can teach.

Because I was in Calcutta when he was going to Seminary there one time and asked him if he had any gospel tracks because you know right in front of willing very College there there are lakhs and lakhs of people flowing like ocean.

In front of that in the evening time. So I want some tracks distribute. I was there just for a day and he said there's no tracks here. So look, I'm telling you the actual story. So I said he said any track anywhere in this whole sarambor.

You know theological institution seminary, whatever. He said none. I said any of your professors talk to anyone about Jesus then finally asked you've been here two years. Did you ever go out to give gospel tracks or talk to anyone about anyone or Jesus?

You know what he said? Never. This is a fellow who got his MTH degree and want to come here to Train people to do missions work. This is called nonsense and stupidity. I knew what happened. He agreed and even a guard put.

And I came back from somewhere in Europe whatever so I want to call and talk to him. So my telephone call to find out he escaped in the middle of the night. He packed his suitcase and left and I said brothers.

Where'd he go? There's a we don't know. Because he was told to go to the mission field and work then part-time to teach at the Bible school. But he was not interested. He wanted to be a professor. So what happened then he might is a nurse.

Nurse what so she can go and do medical missions? No, she might he might nurse so he can go overseas now what he's doing sitting in Australia. Struggling to make a living his wife is working and the whole life is like now you add on the 50 years to his life.

What happens? What is all it's all about? But then there was another Bible college would take him and pay him salary to come and teach and be a Bible college teacher. I Don't unhappy about them doing that.

So the reason I'm telling you the story, this is my own nephew not a stranger. So this is what I live for. As a matter of fact, I must tell you I often I regret about Seminaries and Bible college and all that.

Because when you have 99 of the seminary graduates not from our seminary. You should never go to the mission field never witness never lead anyone to Christ while you're studying all these things. Jesus trained his disciples for three and a half years in the best University seminary in the whole universe.

Baba God himself is the professor. What more you want? They lived with him 24 hours in the end. What did he say? You go and read Matthew's gospel chapter 10. He said I'm sending you a sheep among wolves.

You go and preach the gospel and paraphrasing it. They'll kill you for doing it, but don't worry about it. You come to heaven. I am waiting for you. That's what he said. And what did they do? They said Oh Jesus, this is not possible.

We got our best a PhD From God Almighty. I am too good to go and get in trouble with the wolves. No, they went and Thomas came here and he died in. They killed him in Chennai, you know, so be careful when you go to Chennai.

But see none of the disciples ran away. They gave their life for what? For what it was to see people come to Christ. A classic example of What their life was all about. Read the life of Paul in 2nd Corinthians.

Read book of Acts. It is not a theology book. It is actually a practical book that tells how we must live our life. This is the church is all about and so when You and I miss this one focus in life we we miss it all.

The Apostolic Pattern of Sacrificial Mission

God had only one son David Livingston said and He made him a missionary the send one. So are you? Better than Jesus. Can I say this not my job. No. The first work of The whole church is to give the gospel to the whole world.

Someone else said. Now I got 11 pages of notes. I finished three pages. I got a make a career. So We will I should stop now no 10 to 11 is my time. Okay, 10 to 11. So I will stop and we'll. I'll pick it up whenever I get the chance to talk.

But this is what I wanted to keep in mind. This is not. I'm not trying to impress you with some Mega preaching outlines. I just want you to hear this very clearly. I am afraid some of you lost the forecast.

I'm afraid in the midst of persecution in the midst of misunderstanding and physical illness and family problems and Misunderstanding and Your personal suffering whatever. Suffering often is not that you have not food or Somebody is beating you up physically or rejecting, you know suffering.

More crucial it is when you suffer on the inside inside. So you can easily Give up as a matter of Paul said this in second Corinthians we were At our wits end if you analyze the scripture, you're saying I was almost on the border of mental breakdown.

I can handle it. It was so Tension-filled now I Say this very carefully. Few times I thought I will lose my mind because of the amount of tension and stress I had to handle God in his mercy. Spared me I must tell you Physically, I'm doing very well my God's because I have the energy and I keep moving but sometime the burden That you had to carry For a large ministry like this.

It's not simple. It's not just India or one of the countries it's quite complex. But God been merciful to me, but what sustained me more than anything else. It is that verse in second Gordon this chapter 4 verse 1.

Seeing this ministry is given to me by the Lord. I do not lose heart. I don't give up. I Have thousand reason to give up, but I don't and what is a ministry? Ministry. Calling people to reconcile to the father.

Because they are lost we persuade every man with everything in us repent and be reconciled to God that is what the ministries and I ask you to search your heart. Whatever you are doing if you are part of this movement I can tell you I have no other agenda except one agenda to see this generation come to Christ.

Practical Evangelism Through Gospel Literature

Just a few weeks ago one of my leaders came to me and said, you know By the grace of God, we should be able to produce 35 million Extra gospel tracts for 2008 because somebody made a commitment to help us print gospel tracts.