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For the favor of God and to effectively engage your city, a community, or a local school, an intentional Christian witness and service, based on Jesus’ teaching to his disciples in Luke 10:1-9, is absolute. Prayer Evangelism is the 1st leap towards spiritual transformation. There are four key components within the instruction Jesus gave his disciples before He sent them out. These steps are interconnected and flow in the order that they were given.

As we reach-out to those around us in prayer, we do so knowing that we carry the authority of the Name of Jesus as well as protection from evil. Through our expressions of the Gospel (via 10 Keys of the Kingdom) Matt.16:18-19, God’s Light and Truth bring about change in the spiritual climate (attitudes and activities) within the community we reach through ministry. From Luke 10, the first steps are to pray for where you are being sent v.1, pray for other laborers v.2, and then go v.3, following the next steps.

Luke 10: steps and leaps towards transformation

• Bless: speak peace to people and systems in your sphere of influence. v.5-6
• Fellowship: build relationship with those outside the Kingdom of God. v.7-8
• Minister: respond to their felt needs in the name of Jesus. v.9a
• Proclaim: announce that the Kingdom of God has come near and is available to them through Jesus Christ. v.9b

Foundational Questions about reaching a city

How do you reach a city for Christ? Build a canopy of prayer over the entire city – block-by-block, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, in order to change the spiritual climate.  1 Timothy 2:1-8

When can we say that a city has been reached? The answer represents a four-part progressive penetration of the gospel.

Level 1: Canopy – everyone has a shepherd – Bless the lost… Luke 10:5

Level 2: Relationships – everyone knows their pastor – Fellowship… Luke 10:7

Level 3: Spiritual climate changes for the better – Meet felt needs… Luke 10:9

Level 4: Transformation – the Kingdom is evident in one or more city sectors – Kingdom of God is near/has come to the city… Luke 10:9

• Discipleship of city/community Matt.28
• Marketplace redeemed/reclaimed Luke 19:10
• Every Christian a Minister and Work is Worship Col. 3:23
• Take Kingdom of God to the kingdom of darkness Matt. 16:18-19
• Elimination of systemic poverty

6 Final steps towards reaching a city for Christ

“…the grace to reach the city has been deposited in the city; and if it takes the whole Church to present the whole gospel to the whole city; then prayer evangelism is the best way to equip the saints to do it.” 

1. Establish God’s perimeter in the city in dedicate sites/homes as lighthouses of prayer (Repent/Reform)
2. Secure God’s perimeter with sites/homes of peace (Reinforce)
3. Expand God’s perimeter via prayer walking in strategic sites, homes, and neighborhoods (Kingdom Builders/Rebuild)
4. Infiltrate Satan’s perimeter with acts of public prayer at identified gates, speaking peace in dark areas, reading Scripture, prayer walking in strategic public areas (Repentance/Reconciliation)
5. Attack and destroy Satan’s perimeter by going into neighborhoods, to visit, listen, bless, and empower… (Spiritual Warfare/Reinvest)
6. Establish God’s perimeter where Satan’s perimeter used to be through public worship, Lord’s Table, meals, fellowship… (Reclaim/Restore)

Questions or comments about Prayer Evangelism? Contact me here or post them at praydurham

BECOMING AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT

Incorporating the 10 Keys of the Kingdom

Go: CEF staff, volunteers, collaborators, churches

Pray/Bless: CEF staff, club volunteers, churches, pastor/minister prayer groups, PrayDurham, Transformation RDU, various coalitions, ekklesia prayer and action groups

Fellowship/Listen: CEF staff, club volunteers & coordinators, collaborators, church partners, housing authorities, urban networking partners, prayer movements, and mentoring groups

Proclaim: CEF staff, club & event volunteers, church partners, ministry collaborators

Identify assets/Meet needs: CEF staff, volunteers, collaborators, asset-based community developers, cultural competency trained, deconstructing racism trained, and housing authorities

Develop/Enrich: CEF staff, club leaders & volunteers, collaborating churches & ministries

Capacity Building Principles

INFRASTRUCTURE

• It’s costly up front (i.e. time, energy, money, patience, emotions, etc.)
• No short term emotional rewards when building
• Most people celebrate the finished or functional breakthroughs
• Celebrate everything M.P.

YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE

• If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly. H.W.
• Don’t let the fear (aka twisted faith) in your life control or hinder you.

THE TENSION OF TWO TRUTHS

• Freedom: Discover God’s boundaries for your life. Psalm 16:5-6
• Truth: It’s the most equal opportunity employer out there… It’s the same for everyone.  Tension when choosing both/and vs either/or.

OPPORTUNITY COST

• The cost of being in the baseball hall of fame is striking out. B.R.

REFOCUS

I realized the focus of Jesus ministry and the heart of God was on people. Their worth, dignity, and living situation dictated ministry. My vision was sharpened on how God valued the people we were reaching, even in the most resource-challenged communities of Durham. As our team refocused, no longer were the people seen as objects or goals of our ministry, but essential conduits and leaders for the transformation of their own communities.

The vision of CEF Durham is a 10+ year block-by-block spiritual transformation of city kids and their families living in 10 of Durham’s most resourced-challenged communities. This vision statement is articulated and realized by using and achieving the 10 Keys of the Kingdom.

During the past several years, both ministers and residents have been enriched when they prayed, blessed, listened, learned, and ate together. This biblically-relational approach has allowed us more effective evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development. Spiritual transformation becomes evident when these ten expressions of the Gospel are implemented. Collaboration with other ministries, churches, organizations, and groups is necessary – even mandatory for success.

2 Tim. 2:2 …commit to faithful men who can teach others also… Psalm 107:23-25, 28-31 …put your faith in action

Now everything CEF Durham does will be community-based and guided by these 10 Keys of the Kingdom. The purposes of Child Evangelism Fellowship are being fulfilled more effectively by following Jesus’ Model of ministry. Our ministry plan is year-round rather than seasonally. Making disciples is the focus. Changed lives, communities, and our city is the goal.