Personal Ministries
GROW
Harvest

04. Harvest

After cultivating interests with Bible studies, it is time to reap a HARVEST of spiritual decisions that culminate in baptism. Full-grown wheat is a blessing only when someone gathers the harvest. We are counseled to make appeals to those studying Bible truth, urging them to follow Christ and the light revealed to them. We can encourage interests in this way while in personal settings, or accompany them to evangelistic meetings, where public appeals are made.
Harvest illustration

PERSONAL DISCIPLE-MAKING

Here are several ways to lead someone from a study interest to a baptismal interest, and ultimately a newly baptized member:
  • Encourage your friend to make decisions for Christ, including baptism.
  • Accompany your friend to an evangelistic series where appeals are regularly made.
  • Prepare your friend for baptism by reviewing the fundamental teachings of the Bible and the commitment involved in baptism (using Fundamentals of Faith or a similar resource).
  • Celebrate with your friend on the day of his or her baptism

LOCAL CHURCH MINISTRIES

To harvest decisions for Christ, including baptism, an Evangelistic Reaping Ministry is essential in every church. To establish these ministries:
APPOINTan evangelism coordinator and other necessary team members* annually for your harvest activities and events.
BUDGETannually for public evangelistic efforts.
PLANways to inspire, equip, and involve members in gaining decisions and preparing people for baptism, while also scheduling at least one evangelistic series (any format) each year with an emphasis on securing decisions for Christ and baptism.
COMBINE personal effort with public meetings—prayer, friendship, guidance, invitations, visitation/contact, Bible studies, appeals, baptismal preparation, etc.
PROVIDEleadership support—prayer, promotion, financial support, and participation.

* Public evangelism teams may include speakers and study leaders, as well as coordinators for prayer, visitation, advertising, registration, children’s program, platform host, music, audiovisual, materials, refreshments, etc.

Take Note!

  1. 1.
    To be ongoing, local churches need ministries, not just events. Every disciple-making ministry should have a leader, a budget, and annual action plans.
  1. 2.
    The local church’s role in disciple-making is twofold:
    • Equip and involvemembers in personal labor by providing resources, giving ministry assignments, inspiring and motivating, launching personal labor initiatives and campaigns, etc.
    • Conductevents and Programs that minister to members’ friends and interests, as well as to new interests in the community.

Recommended Resources:

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Fundamentals of faith

  • Use for baptismal preparation or personal study
  • Explains fundamental beliefs with relevant Scripture references
  • Summarizes and combines some beliefs for simplicity
  • Uses a sequence for first-time learners
  • Encourages practical commitments
  • Appendix includes full vows and fundamental beliefs
Download
Fundamentals of faith
My Disciple-Making Journal:

My Disciple-Making Journal:

A Global Total Member Involvement

Personal Planner

  • A must for every church member!
  • Learn the process for making disciples
  • Gain invaluable insights and practical tips
  • Create your own interest list
  • Use disciple-making logs that guide you in planning and recording your efforts
  • Use journal pages to record testimonies and reflections
  • Gain inspiration and encouragement to get started with personal disciple-making
  • Pastors and leaders can use the accompanying PowerPoint for training
Global Total Member Involvement

Global Total Member Involvement

Church Planner

Revised Edition

  • A must for every church pastor and local leader!
  • A companion resource to My Disciple-Making Journal: A Global TMI Personal Planner
  • Guides in making a disciple-making evangelism plan for your local church
  • Learn the twofold role of the local church in making disciples
  • Discover essential disciple-making ministries
  • Get church members ready for personal disciple-making
  • Includes sample and blank planning forms
  • Use the accompanying PowerPoint for training

Take Note!

  1. “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2).
  1. “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
  1. “When persons who are under conviction are not brought to make a decision at the earliest period possible, there is danger that the conviction will gradually wear away” (Evangelism, p. 229).
  1. “If there is not a decided application of the truth to their hearts, if words are not spoken at the right moment, calling for decision from the weight of evidence already presented, the convicted ones pass on without identifying themselves with Christ, the golden opportunity passes, and they have not yielded, and they go farther and farther away from the truth, farther away from Jesus and never take their stand on the Lord’s side” (Evangelism, p. 283).
  1. “The test of discipleship is not brought to bear as closely as it should be upon those who present themselves for baptism” (Evangelism, p. 311).
  1. “Too much hasty work is done in adding names to the church roll. . . . Those who admit them say, ‘We will first get them into the church, and then reform them.’ But this is a mistake (in Review and Herald, May 21, 1901).

Explore the full Global TMI strategy by navigating through the five essential areas of disciple-making.