Grace Fellowship is putting its money where its ministry is, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.

But before I tell you how, you have to understand what I mean by “where its ministry is.” Here’s a quick sketch:

Building Followers of Christ

Grace Fellowship starts with building people up so they know what they believe and why they believe it. We build them up with a knowledge of the Bible. We pray, we meet in small groups, we meet as men and women to sharpen one another in the faith, and we assemble every Sunday to worship God. These are just some of the things we do to build people up into strong followers of Christ.

But what if it stopped there? There would be no fruit. The church is supposed to grow, not shrink. God’s fame is supposed to spread, not disappear. The Gospel is supposed to advance to the uttermost parts of the earth — not retreat into our happy little gatherings.

So how do you take what you’ve built and give it legs?

Equipping Followers of Christ

Jesus didn’t send people out to do His work unprepared; neither does Grace Fellowship. We equip people so that they will be effective in fulfilling the mission God has set forth for His church.

Equipping isn’t about putting up bigger, more effective signs so that more people come to church. Equipping is about turning you into a bigger, more effective sign so that the church comes to more people.

So consider your effectiveness. When it comes to spreading the Gospel…

• Are you knowledgeable?
• Are you skillful?
• Does your personal character reinforce your message?

Every Christian ought to strive to answer “yes” to each of those questions. But nobody starts out being able to answer “yes.” Even those who have been following Christ faithfully for decades are going to have room for improvement. That’s why equipping is such an important component of our approach to ministry: everybody needs it.

Putting Our Money Where Our Ministry Is

So what does it look like when Grace Fellowship goes about equipping people?

On Saturday, April 14, Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason will be giving a one-day seminar here at Grace Fellowship. There is no charge for this event (but registration is required). Greg will also be teaching during our regular 9:45 service on Sunday, April 15.

The first seminar session is titled Ambassadors for Christ: The Essential Skills. I just gave you three questions you can use to consider how effective you are. It’s no coincidence that these questions correspond to the three essential skills Greg Koukl will be addressing in this session:

• Knowledge: An accurately informed mind
• Wisdom: A skillful approach
• Character: An attractive manner

These qualities make a follower of Christ effective in his mission. Or, as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:20, they make him an effective ambassador for Jesus Christ — one who represents Christ in a world alienated from Him.

But Wait — There’s More

In an upcoming post I will describe the second part of the seminar: Tactics in Defending the Faith. The tactics material is not just a bunch of slick tricks. It’s about developing a skillful, God-honoring approach to advancing the Gospel that is built on truth, fairness, and clarity. Stay tuned.

Don’t Wait — Register Now

In the meantime, get signed up before the room fills up!