Give friday nights to jesus 2009

Giving Friday Nights to Jesus

Josh Hunt, presenter

What does it take?

Doubling a class every two years or less translates into 40% annual growth, or an average class going from 10 to 14 in a year.

How to double a class

Teach a half-way decent lesson each and every week, nothing less will do.

Invite every member and every prospect to every fellowship every month.

Give Friday Nights to Jesus.

Encourage the group toward ministry.

Reproduce your group.

Teach a half-way decent lesson each and every

week, nothing less will do.

You don’t have to be Chuck Swindoll to

double a Sunday School class.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that

this all-surpassing power is from

God and not from us.

2 Cor. 4:7

When they saw the courage of Peter

and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished

and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 [NIV]

Who is the #1 seller of

hamburgers?

In some cases, our

teaching is no where close to half-way

decent.

Three ways to insure half-way decent

teaching.

Ask lots of

questions.

Questions. . . Are more interesting than lectures.

Lead people to speak the truth and be changed by it.

Make it easier to find workers.

Tell lots of stories

Matthew 13:34 (MSG) All

Jesus did that day was tell

stories—a long storytelling afternoon.

Matthew 13:34 (CEV) Jesus used stories

when he spoke to the people. In fact, he did not

tell them anything

without using stories.

Reduce it to a

proverb

Proverbs• John 10:6 (CEV) Jesus told the people this

story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.

• John 10:6 (GW) Jesus used this illustration as he talked to the people, but they didn't understand what he meant.

• John 10:6 (ESV) This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

• John 10:6 (TEV) Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant.

• John 10:6 (MSG) Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about.

StoriesProverbsQuestionsReward

NASB. . .


• 2 Peter 2:22 (NIV) Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”


Good Questions

Have Groups Talking

www.joshhunt.com







People who are opposed to the gospel are not opposed to ice cream.

Get into the habit of inviting guests home for

dinner. Romans 12:13

[Living]

Romans 12:13b (NIV)

Practice hospitality.

Romans 12:13b (HCSB)pursue

hospitality.

Usage in the ESV

Fellowship--low

Fellowship--high

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 (NIV)

We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work

together for the truth. 3 John 1:8 [NIV]

Low Team

High Team

Big team and lots of fellowships

0

30

60

18540

10

Growing RapidlyGrowing

High fellowship groups with big teams are 256% more likely to be growing.

Who to Invite

Then he told the man who had invited him, “When you invite people for lunch or dinner, don't invite only your friends.” Luke 14:12 (GW)

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends.” Luke 14:12 [NIV]

Who to InviteBe sure to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests, without even knowing it. Hebrews 13:2 (CEV)

Who to InviteHebrews 13:2 (HCSB) Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.

If we love them they will come

and they will come to love

our Lord.

Most Christians don’t like

lost people.-Ed Stetzer

If we will be their friend, their heart will warm to a message about

“What a friend we have in Jesus.”

There is an epidemic of loneliness in our culture.

During the first two-thirds of the century Americans took a more and more active role in the social and political life of their communities–in churches and card tables and dinner tables.

Year by year we gave more generously to charity, we pitched in more often on community projects, and we behaved in an increasingly trustworthy way toward one another.

Then, mysteriously and more or less simultaneously, we began to do all these things less often.

Associations

Unions

P.T.A.

Bowling Leagues

People who are not in a group are twice as likely to die in the next year as those

who are in a group.

People who have strong social

connections, but poor health habits (eating, exercise, smoking, etc.) are just as healthy as those with good health habits but

weak social connections.

“Better to eat Twinkies with

friends than to eat broccoli alone.”-John Ortberg

One study injected 270 people with a virus that causes the common cold.

Those with strong social connections did not get as sick, did not stay sick as long, and produced less mucus than the

less connected group.

The epidemic of loneliness creates an opportunity

for us.

If you want to

double your class

every two years or

less, don’t invite

people to class.

Instead, invite

them to the

party.







Giving Friday

nights to Jesus is a metaphor.

It could be pizza on Sunday.

It could be Chinese Food on Sunday night.

We were in the habit of

having friends over on Friday

nights.

Magic words:

“We are having some friends over;

we were wondering if you would like to join

us.”

A month later, they

placed their faith in Christ.

After six months, I did some research.

3 of 33 Joined

9 of 10 Joined

Same pastor, same sermon, same church, same music,

same everything. The only

difference was the coffeecake.

People are not looking for a

friendly church; they are

looking for friends.

-Rick Warren

What to do

Play

Laugh

Accept

Include the guests in everything

Notice how they are feeling

What not to

do

Don’t be theologicalDon’t share the gospelDon’t be piousDon’t do anything to make them feel like they are crummy sinners and you have it all together







Eventually growth will kill a

small group.

When people are not missed;

they miss.

Who was that couple?

“I doubled twice in the last 3

months.”

Why don’t we do this?

The high price of saying good-bye

What keeps more

missionaries off the

mission field than anything

else?

Doubling’s dirty little secret

People are not actually opposed to saying good-bye to the group.

They are opposed to saying good-bye to their best friends.

If we can take our best friends with us, it doesn’t hurt so badly to say good-bye to everyone else.

The issue of willingness.

I understand. . .It is OK to have big groups and smaller groups.

This may not be the time to divide.

We may not have the maturity to divide right now.

Dividing is not THE answer to every situation at every time.

Do you want me?

Doubling teachers. . .

Are not a lot smarter Are not a lot more charismaticAre not a lot more spiritualAre not a lot more articulateAre not a lot better at teachingDon’t spend a lot more timeDon’t love God moreAre not a lot different

Joyfully, personally,enthusiastically, sincerely

embrace the vision of growing and dividing, growing and dividing, growing and dividing.

Spiritual

Give friday nights to jesus 2009