What It's All About

I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. John 6:51
Jesus fed multitudes, then after He met their physical need, He met their spiritual need. He genuinely cared about their hunger, their temporary need, but He was also more concerned about their eternal need.

The main reason we have large events, wheter it be a Wild Game Banquet, Concert, or July 4th Celebration, the purpose is to use that event to reach people for Christ so that they would become His disciples.
This year's July 4th Celebration was the largest ever. We gave out over 1500 meals and had over 900 non-EBC families register. Of those, we had 356 families who did not indicate any church affiliation on their card.
Praise the Lord for the dozens of members who have followed up this month by visiting these on Tuesdays and this past Sunday night. From those visiting, there have been testimonies of 8 people already praying to receive the Lord Jesus in their homes! Pray with me that this Sunday morning we will see many people come to publicly profess Jesus Christ as a result of that one big (and hot) event.
That's what it's all about.

Nothing is unusual about a church that majors on evangelism; in fact, no one has a right to call it a church if it does not emphasize winning the lost. However, evangelism that does not minister to the needs of the whole person falls short of the New Testament standard. Our Lord's approach to evangelism was incarnational, ministry evangelism. He was concerned about the total person-spirit, soul, and body. He healed the sick, comforted the afflicted, released those in bondage to the devil, fed the hungry, and loved the unlovable, all with the purpose of bringing them into an eternal relationship with the Father.

Evangelism in the New Testament was never devoid of concern for physical and social needs. This is our mandate. Ministry evangelism is about caring. It is about giving desperate and needy persons a loving touch. But what separates it from charity that the lost world may give is this- it is caring with an eternal view in mind. It is caring with a difference, and that difference is Jesus.
He is what it's all about.

And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. Acts 4:33-35