for Evangelizing, Disciple Making,
Gathering People, and Establishing Churches
This is the first of a six-part series by Bobby Dean
Listen to Session 1 — Intro
Watch the EDGE Overview (Flash Presentation)
The book of Acts shows us how God used Spirit-filled believers to spread the gospel and plant churches. Christianity expanded from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth, leaving multiplying churches to shine brightly for Christ. During the growth of the early church, there was a recurring pattern that emerged…
First, the good news of Jesus was proclaimed. This is called evangelism - the Spirit-led communication of the gospel in such a way, or ways, that people have an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and participate in a New Testament church.
Secondly, people were led to follow Christ. In Antioch, the people in the early church were first called “Christians” because they were labeled as being imitators of Christ. Disciple making is helping other people become devoted followers of Christ. Disciple making can happen one-on-one, but usually occurs in group gatherings.
The third common practice seen in Acts was that people were gathering in groups. As people met in the temple courts and in homes, people experienced the body of Christ through fellowship, Bible study, prayer, worship, ministry, and continued evangelism.
Finally, the result was that churches were established and church life was experienced. As the congregations grew and matured, they multiplied their ministry while making critical decisions about their ongoing legacy. Today, many call church planting the greatest evangelistic method ever.
Seven EDGE Principles
- Prayer is essential – Pray for boldness, for God to raise up co-laborers, and for the Holy Spirit to make hearts responsive.
- Abundant gospel sowing precedes abundant gospel reaping – People need to hear the gospel before they can respond to it. If we sow sparingly, we will reap sparingly. If we sow abundantly, we will reap abundantly.
- God’s Word transforms lives and is useful for equipping everyone.
- Anything healthy reproduces. Believers, disciple makers, groups, and churches should reproduce.
- Every believer can be equipped to evangelize, disciple, gather, and establish churches. God asks us to be available. The Holy Spirit makes us capable.
- Relationships have great influence. The gospel can best flow through existing relationships and common culture. When people plant the gospel where they live, work, play, and learn, it can grow and produce a harvest of faith and righteousness.
- We should watch to see where God is at work; and join Him. As we pray, God often reveals three types of responsive people…
- Spiritual seekers – people responsive to the message of the gospel
- Persons of peace – people responsive to the messengers of the gospel
- Co-laborers – people responsive to the call of the gospel
Are You Ready?
Extraordinary things happen when God’s people do ordinary things – a movement can happen as God’s people: pray and go to make disciples; show and tell the good news; and gather and grow groups of multiplying disciples.
Remember that those who led the early church expansion were ordinary people. They were fisherman, doctors, tent makers, and merchants. Yet, their mission was extraordinary! They lived to share the good news of Christ in such a way that everyone living in their regions had an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel of Christ, and participate in a New Testament fellowship.
God has called you to participate in His redemptive plan. You are His ambassador and have been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). You can make a difference in the lives of people around you as you apply your skills of evangelism, disciple making, and gathering people. God may even use you to help establish a new church, or expand the reach of your existing church.
