The Power of Story... New Book offer...

I've finished writing the book. Go. Sow. A simple practical guide into an outward focused life. 
    Now I have to develop cover, put placements etc.

Excerpt...



Tell your story
In John 4 Jesus reveals three key principles: 
the principle of progressive revelation, 
the power of story, 
and the principle of sowing and reaping.
   
     In the chapter, we see the impact one woman’s story had upon an entire town. Jesus was speaking with a woman at a well. As He spoke with the woman she received more than she bargained for. She was looking for water; she received revelation. The revelation of who Jesus really was changed her life. As the conversation developed, Jesus encouraged the woman to go and bring her husband.
    “I have no husband,” she replied.

    Jesus said to her,
     “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
    I love her understatement,
     “Sir, I perceive you are a prophet.”
   
    At the end of the conversation, Jesus plainly told the woman He was the Christ.
    
    Here’s the progression.
    She first saw Jesus as a nice Jewish braking all the rules man.

    Next, she defined him to be a religious person and questioned the where of worship.     He explained it was not the where that was important. It was the Who and how which was most important.

    Then He revealed knowledge about her life. She knew he had no way of knowing, so she perceived him as a prophet. 

    Finally, as the light entered her heart, she responded by boldly asking Him if He was the Christ. His affirmative answer revealed who He really was.

    She was so moved by the insightful encounter that she left her water pot, went back to her town, and told her story to the men of the city. She said,
    “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:29, NIV)

    Jesus had not told her everything she had ever done, but just enough to let her know He knew. Her simple story had power. All the men of the city came out to see Jesus.
    
     The result.
    “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him”…and then they asked Jesus to stay. He stayed and interacted with them for two days. Because of their encounter, many became believers.They said to the woman,

       “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:39­42, NIV)

    Her simple “come and see a man, could He be” story had the power to draw the people of the city toward Jesus. As they were drawn to Him they were then able to hear for themselves, and hearing Jesus for themselves, they believed. The whole region was transformed.

     Your story has this kind of if­-it-­happened­-for-­you­, maybe­-it­-can­-happen­-for­-me kind of power. Your story can ignite faith and draw people to Jesus. Then as they spend time seeking Jesus, and as they begin to hear Him for themselves, they believe.
     This is the main purpose of all of our stories—that people would hear for themselves, and that by hearing, they would believe and come to saving knowledge of the mercy and truth found in Jesus.

Your story is powerful.

Meantime... the process and the promise.

    

I've almost finished my re-write of my book a few tweaks but the basics are finished. 
Here is an excerpt from the book. Go, Sow: Simple, practical steps
into the outward focused life.

Here is an equation of Steve Sjogren's coming to faith process: (found in Conspiracy of Kindness.)

Seeds sown (good deeds received through being served, answers to prayer,
conversations, etc.)
+ Questions answered (who, what, why, how)
+ Adequate time for God to work (the seed germinating into full maturity, the Holy
Spirit’s activity often unseen)
= A new believer
  
     This is why there must be those who consistently sow and water the seed. If no one
does the hard work of sowing and watering, can there be a great harvest?

      I was living in an area of Scotland and we were in a season of the Holy Spirit's moving.
We believed a mighty move of God was certainly coming soon. 
I was in transition getting ready to move back to the USA. They sincerely did not want
me to miss what was coming.
 
     Many years later they are continuing to believe for an out-pouring that will sweep Inverness. 
     It hasn't happened yet.  
     However, they are smart. They’ve kept their eye on the promise, yet they chose
not to passively wait. Over the years they have consistently reached 
out to their community. Seeds have been sown and people have been added
to the church. A long the way they’ve had touches and glimpses of 
what they are believing for. They are pressing ahead, still believing, still reaching out.

     As a church in Dayton, Ohio we are pressing into the Father's love and presence,
and also believe there is going to be a major move of the Holy Spirit in our area. At the
same time, we understand we need to be consistently sowing seed into the hearts of the
people in our community. 

     My point, we are longing for His out-pouring to happen, yet, we
believe we should also be going and sowing all the seed that we can in the meantime.  

                Meantime is the time between the promise and the promise realized.

     Pause...imagine people merely waiting for the promise, not active, not reaching out.

     Here is another equation: No one sowing the gospel seed through love, action, and
words. + No one watering the seed through love, action, and words.
= No harvest
 
     Imagine people not initiating spiritual conversations, not actively serving and not loving
their community. How many opportunities would be daily missed if they chose to wait for a
promise? It's like waiting for a harvest without sowing? There are no short cuts. Step back
and investigate the churches where revival fires have fallen. Much prayer, time and energy
was invested within the process of receiving the promise. Seed was sown, watered, and harvested.
 
     Bethel Church, in Redding, Calif., is an example of a great church which has
consistently served their community over the years. Their city is changing, and they are
leading many people to Jesus. Why? They are passionately in love with Jesus and seek to
honor His Presence as a lifestyle. They encourage their people to release what they have
received into the lives of the people of their community. They have been actively going,
serving, praying and loving for many years.  
At some point, they began to go from where they were with what they had. 

     What should we be doing? I believe we should be doing what Jesus told us
to do. We should be drawing near His heart, and going into all the world scattering
life changing seed into the hearts of the people we encounter.