Things New Converts Need to Know (1)

Introduction. As most of your know, the week before last I had the privilege of being able to attend a lectureship in Athens, Alabama focusing in on evangelism. Among the many good ideas that brethren discussed during these studies some who have had great success in evangelism talked about cultivating within a congregation a culture of evangelism. What they mean by that is simply the idea that you expect to work with people in such a way that you lead them to Christ—the congregation develops a sense of responsibility in helping arrange studies, find prospects, and supporting efforts to teach the lost—and it becomes something that is a part of a congregation’s identity (rather than a thing other churches do—or brethren in the past used to do—the preacher alone does).

Since we are trying this year at Olsen Park to focus a bit more on evangelism this morning and this evening I want to address something that can help us toward this idea of establishing a culture of evangelism. Today we are going to look at the subject of new coverts. We do have some that might classify as new converts, however, in our efforts so far this year we haven’t brought anyone to Christ through evangelistic efforts. So, why preach on new converts? We these lessons are not just to new converts—they are to older converts (if you wll) concerning things converts need to know. You see the time to consider things like this is not just when we have baptized someone, but before we even start the working with someone, in order to think properly about how to respond to them. We are going to consider eight things new converts need to know.

I. They were converted to Christ, not the people who converted them. 

A.      It is true that we belong to one another in Christ (Rom. 12:4-5).

B.      But, Jesus is the One with all authority (Matt. 28:18-20).

1.      He is the Head of the body (Col. 1:18).

2.      Everything we do is as unto Him (Col.  3:17).

C.      People can let us down—Jesus never will (2 Tim. 4:10-11).

II. They have been called to work. 

A.      It is a happy thing to obey the gospel (Acts 8:39)

B.      Jesus told the demon-possessed man He had healed to go home and tell others. (Mark 5:18-20).

1.      We must not just enjoy the blessings of being in Christ, we must do the work that is involved in being in Christ.

2.      We must always “abound” in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58).

III. They need to develop their abilities.  

A.      Christians should not remain as “babes”(Heb. 5:12-14).

B.      We are to use the gifts God has given us (Rom. 12:4-8).

1.      All Christians are given different gifts—but all have some gift.

2.      God is not pleased with wasting what He has entrusted to us (Matt. 25:24-30).

IV. They need to turn to their brethren for help. 

A.      We must look to and listen to those older in the faith (Titus 2:1-4)

B.      We must lean on the elders of a congregation to help us spiritually (1 Pet. 5:2-3).

1.      Talking with elders is sometimes viewed as a scary thing.

2.      It shouldn’t be! These men love you and are charged to watch for your souls—take advantage of that (Heb. 13:17).

C.      We are to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).

1.      With new converts that may mean we help them overcome the baggage they carry with them having come out of the world.

D.     We must we open to one another to confess sin and pray for forgiveness and repentance (Jas. 5:16).