Harvest at Home: Finding Peace During Crisis - I

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Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's greg@harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment today on a special edition of a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie talks with Dr. James Dobson and businessman Barry McGuire about the rare opportunity we have to share the gospel. During this worldwide covert, 19 questions that coronavirus has taking applications for evangelism is exaggerated over 86% of the unchurched. No worlds under control would like to believe there's a God who can make sense out of the chaos and are actively looking for somebody tell them this is on present debit opportunity to reach people in a new way and wonder is a special day because we are actually going to eavesdrop on the recent addition of Dr. James Dobson's family talk.

Dr. Dobson invited Pastor Greg joint along with businessman Barry McGuire may have used McGuire's correct product. They all share a common passion for the gospel. They all agreed this type of international crisis. The best time for that passion to come to the forefront. Good inspiration coming your way will hello everyone, I Dr. James Dobson and this is the voice of the radio ministry family talk my wife Shirley and I are sequestered in a little condo today on California. In keeping with the request made by Pres. Trump that we stay at home and do what we can they help control this coronavirus which is running its course. I hope and pray my love and prayers are expressed to those of you who are also trying to ride out the storm.

We pray especially for those of you who are struggling. Those who are already sick with this virus that God will be with you that Leal encourage you and you will feel his spirit, thereby now let me bring our program on with this comment, you know, it's very easy to overstate the importance of a particular broadcast because frankly they all feel that way to me about what we are going to talk about today is in a class by itself because it has to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the evangelism itself and it doesn't get more important than that. Let me acknowledge. For those of you who don't know me that I am not a pastor and evangelist. I'm not a theologian I'm not a church historian. I just don't bear those credentials, but I'm committed to the depths of my being to the cause of Jesus Christ and to his kingdom and that it would appear to me and many others to whom I've talked that the coronavirus that's plaguing the human family now has breathtaking implications for the church and for evangelism from my readings about church history. I've learned that every few hundred years Christianity breaks out of its institutional container and it spreads to the outside world. That certainly happened in the first and the second great awakening in a way that changed the Western world enormously.

There are those of us who believe that we might be in the early stages of something just is significant. Only time will tell but to get into this topic. I want to introduce and welcome to great friends of mine who are squarely in the middle of this cultural reconfiguration. The first is Pastor Greg Laurie Pastor of harvest Church in Riverside, California.

He is an evangelist and a pastor who is introduced hundreds of thousands of people to Jesus Christ with the simple gospel message a couple years ago he spoke at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and that holds more than 80,000 people and it was filled to capacity with mostly millennial's, as I understand that there were many thousands of people outside who couldn't get in.

God has opened a wide expanse of humanity to his message and I'm grateful for it. Greg preaches the unedited word of God than the responses just been wonderful.

Also with us today is Barry McGuire and evangelist Lehman whose ministry revival outside the walls is what every layman's responsibility is this is a passion for Barry have known them for more than 40 years, and he cares more about this subject of introducing people to Christ than any other subject. He's a businessman, but this is where his heart is so I have these two men with me a hug. Greg and Barry is such a pleasure to talk to you about something so important that Barry I'm going to begin with. You tell me why there is such something deep within you that is driving your passion for sulfonated Jim you know any percent of America is based outside the walls of the church are working to reach them there open to the gospel here some hard statistics course record over 86% of the unchurched. We think are not interested that the been there would just turn off would be offending them.

If we say that's a copout.

That's a 686% of the unchurched, even if they call themselves atheists know the worlds under control.

Not just because of the virus report for the last couple years because of all the chaos they know the roads out-of-control would like to believe there's a God who can make sense out of the chaos and are actively looking for somebody to tell them that basically everybody around us were were a world full of people that are desperate for the message of salvation that we carry around the display possible order lifestream by Satan and pressed him to tell it would just be insane about what were not less than 1% of us are actually telling them so were actually seeing, you know, Jim. The fields are white for harvest. They are in the laborers are few and that is activated now might go back to 9/11 what will know that in mind a lot of studies on the church attendance after 9/11 soared to record levels and went ballistic on all these rebel were anxious. They knew their immortality.

They rendered our churches but the churches were not preaching the gospel within six months were back to lower levels than after 9/11 were facing that situation again. God didn't create discouragement. He's given us this incredible opportunity, but they can't rush to the church is now so I got a rush online and what's the message it going online right of the rusher Sunday morning services and in largely there feel good. Do the right thing and love on people in them and be Christlike. And God will protect you and nothing about the cross of salvation and coming in the family got a reprint recross the whole message of salvation what church is all about it and were leaving. These people wanting in a very moment in church history in the history of the world. Quite frankly, this moment in time when we have definitely millions of people to Jesus Christ as laypeople moving everybody everydayness pastor proclaiming the gospel from a pulpit's whole credible therapy that moved my heart Greg pick it up right there. I would like to hear what happened last Sunday when Hemphill was without any notice without any warning to our congregation. One day, were meeting in person. The next week.

The church is literally shut down. We can't have crowds of 10 or more people gathered together, so we went online and we'd only been developing our online ministry, but we were ready for something of this capacity, we have a 400% increase in viewership in the first week we did at 250,000 people log on and by the way that the conservative number because we know in many cases. That wasn't just one person but that was a whole family watching it in the front room because you can watch a service like that of the Roku box. We have a harvest up through Apple TV. We have a harvest that we also have that out for iPhones and android phones and of course our website harvest.org but it just exploded with yours. It's amazing at the end of the program. I invited people to come to Jesus Christ and explain the gospel simply extended an invitation week one we had 1700 responses week two, we had about 3200 responses that to me people are just waiting for someone to tell him I'm reminded of the story of the men from Ethiopia that went to Jerusalem searching for God and he met Philip, who was sort of waiting in the desert as he was directed by an angel and in the men from Ethiopia was reading aloud from Scripture and filibuster him the question you understand what your reading of the menaces responded by saying how can I know, unless someone shows me the way Dr. Dobson I think literally millions of people are waiting for someone to just show them the way this great guy that was so exciting what happened. I was watching you and cheering you on the link that response last Sunday to what I said in my introduction that perhaps Christianity is breaking out of its institutional container. Do you see it that way. That's a very interesting question. My answer is yes. This is an unprecedented opportunity to reach people in a new way. And so I would just sit all my friends out there that are pastors are communicators you got it with the and right now Chuck is our friend used check and if you don't know how to find a young person they know how to use that everybody needs a nerd as a friend right now because they'll help us get our Artech set up so we can start communicating because people are very open and I think of the words of Jesus in the book of Revelation re-speaks to the church of Philadelphia, and in my belief is that is he speaking to the church of the end times and he makes this statement I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it and I think we have unique open door of opportunity pull off the music verbiage and say something like a door was open for me by the Lord to the Gentiles, so that it is an open door is simply an opportunity look know to be just talk to an individual. This is not about just being online. This is when you're at the supermarket and you see that frightened look on someone's face and you say is everything okay can I pray for you. I'm sitting with my friend Barry McGuire.

Barry is a far more effective one-on-one evangelist that I am because Dr. Dobson.

I know you've been out to restaurants with Sarah raising's amazing what he does. He always engages the server I member is with them. Not long ago, and he started talking to the server and he has some of the question is anything I can pray for you about that. I'm actually thinking is this a good idea.

We have me please order you and the server says will yes and all of a sudden servers opening the start up in Barry's ministry to. I'm telling you, if you just see that someone can I pray for you and I hope you you look troubled.

Are you okay look for a way to start in evangelistic conversation because people are didn't know how to say hi I'm Lawson told me about Jesus would really help him there, but to let me illustrate.

I was speaking recently and I was at an event at a college young lady came up sequence. I've always wanted to meet you and and I just have a lot of problems.

She started pouring her heart up to me.

I don't normally do this but the Lord spoke to my heart and my sense was she wanted to get saved right there said excuse me if you oppress Jesus Christ in their life and she said no. I said would you like to do that right now and she said yes.

Sometimes people are literally waiting for someone to just show them the way it's so easy to share your faith and just asking simple questions and that's the easy thing and is develop a relationship in the open up new just shared so much fun.

It's what Christianity is all about living go back to minute with her. I want to point out what's really happening here. This is a watershed moment, folks.

Greg, you're telling us that on average Sunday before the crowbars hit is about 100 people accepted the Lord online every week is that there be a good day. Yeah on a good day okay.look what happened.

Look would have to work with the virus. Doing this can be multiplied across America every pastor listeners writer should recognize that this is not business as usual to give your normal paddle message record by feel good morning. Have a good day you're coming to our churches and we have responsibility with opportunity here share our faith. Greg shares the gospel message of salvation message the end of every single service he was doing before this got about 100 people on a good day.

First day of his birth.

At 1700 people accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In this last Sunday had how many over 1300 thousand people. That's one pastor folks would have all of our passion.

We need a caller pastors verb forgiving altar calls in the bursar I travel America. I'm a different church all the time. I know you don't hear ascending misery. I equip you to her ministry and you go out you never hear that you never hear salvation message. It's a lot of smoke on the stage and entertainment and it's a short sermon make you feel good and go out and have a good day miss the point.

The church is broken folks, we gotta get back to what were all about what Jesus Christ has called us to do both as pastors and initially people Greg did that blow you away by the response to that sermon. It was just that we could see it coming. They actually not only gave that hard to Christ, but they told me about it. Yeah, they did this in a way they can indicate their response on a website so this all happens@harvest.org in our Sunday service that were calling Harvest at Home so I invite people to join.

This is Sunday and be a part of it. But you know the funny thing, Dr. Dobson. I didn't share in overtly evangelistic message on my topic was God's answer to fear, anxiety and worry those topics with the Bible says about these topics and how to turn your fear into faith and how to turn your worry in the worship and how to turn your panic in the prayer so I was pointing them to Scripture, but then at the end they made it very clear what I'm saying is not for everybody. It's for Christians only my question. He was is Christ living the side of you. What does that mean that I explained it to people and I give him an invitation to respond so I would be pleased if I gave in overtly evangelistic message and I had that response, but to consider was kinda more like a Bible study within evangelistic appeal of the end. But the point is simply this, there just waiting for someone to show me how to do it. This is a particular moment in time. What's happening right now is either going to work to our detriment as a nation arts going to make us better score make us better going to make us worse and Satan wants to use it to absolutely destroy this country.

He wants to destroy respect for the Constitution for our founding fathers and for the churches in every good thing, but at the same time, there is this opportunity and a huge to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that's never occurred. Jesus never talk to as many people in his ministry that as you have talked to in the last week.

Greg, I mean there is an opportunity now to not let this go to waste.

I got to use it for God's purposes. This is a moment in time the church on a wasted I really agree in any know the Bible does say that God can cause all things to work together for good to those that love him.

Another called according to his purpose doesn't mean necessarily the bad things become good, but it does mean that good can come despite bad things and there are some actually very hopeful things that were seen as an example, more families are sitting down at the dinner table together and having a meal than probably anytime we can remember in recent history, especially since the introduction of the cell phone that seems to distract everyone. So you see families spending time together. You see people less distracted, but that the same time you have a lot of friction in the homes and there are people that don't know the Lord. So it's kind of a mixed bag, but I think God can take this and use it for good. We just sort of slow down and focus on what really matters in life you know some people there God is money and all of a sudden the stock market is going up and down like a roller coaster for another person there.

God is Hollywood and films and you can even go to the theater and see a movie right now for another person there. God might be sports and pretty much the sports are shut down right now and even in the way the churches are shut down. But then again they aren't, though the doors of physical buildings are closed the door for the church is more open than it's ever been to reach our culture.

This is a special moment and we gotta walk through this door. Hey we've been praying for a spiritual awakening we been praying for revival. What if God would use covert, 19 the peas the way for an awakening in America that Jim let me just as Reichel guided the most powerful thing we can do is lay people right now.

It is easy.

You don't have to get anybody's face you had to come up with the words, whatever is easiest way to do it.

We always have a ton of unsaved friends that we have on our email list. Okay, so what I'm doing, I'm emailing everyone up one Saturday night. I know they're sitting on the next day. On Sunday they have nothing to do the looking for something of value. New and I was the one I sent this regard. I titled it. Happy hour.

I said what I tell you that you can have a happy hour tomorrow.

Happiest moment of your day tomorrow and probably for the rest your life are you doing and go to harvest.org list to Greg Laurie so I would just suggest to the air by listing right now. Make sure you send them to a ministry and online ministry has a salvation message otherwise or just get a better tickle your make computer good for the moment it's worth is learning more about doing it. Send them to a ministry of you don't have a minister do that sentence seriously. The harvest.org and they will get a powerful message of salvation and we would all do that hundreds of thousands will become galore this weekend this weekend that could happen if airway listen to us right now. We just do that. Let me take that one step further because this is the passion of my heart. I wrote in my book legacy. The greatest gift that for parents.

The most important thing you're here to do job one is when your children to Christ that exceeds every other thing where we want to evangelize the world, but we need to start with our own children and now they are sequestered with us.

We have an opportunity to pray about what's happening here to turn to the Lord to show your kids that this is where our strength and our hope lies and lead them to Christ. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing. You know Dr. Dobson over the years you've talked a lot about the importance of fathers in the home and so many of our social ills today can be directly traced back to the breakdown of the family, and specifically the absence of a father. So just a word right now to all of you dads out there you Christian fathers.

This is your moment to rise to the occasion. You be the spiritual leader. You be the one that says hey let's watch this service on TV right now you know about Jesus Christ.

And let's pray together and you be the one to initiate conversations around the family table about the Lord, you know, Moses said that a father is to teach their child while they walk on the way when they lie down at night.

You just look for those moments through the day and what an opportunity that we've gotten stories back of entire families who are watching and people told me my child accepted the Lord. My father accepted the Lord. They are literally having church in the home.

The look I love church in person. I love meeting in buildings and that's what I've been doing for 45 years with hate, let's make the best of it kind of have a captive audience right now Mr. Greg Laurie was a special guest along with businessman Barry McGuire, Dr. James Dobson's family talk just a few days ago. This pandemic is a crisis, but it's also an opportunity and were seeing God move in some amazing ways. Right now I'm Pastor Greg comes back in just a moment to pray with Dr. Dobson Barry McGuire and would invite you to check out Pastor Greg's weekend services called Harvest at Home. It's an intimate time of worship and teaching in the living room setting the harvest family gathering with your family.

Pastor Greg is joined by his wife and his son and his worship team and is just a great way to have a church service at this time when we were all at home. Get the details on harvest@homebygoingtoharvest.org and then the pastor Greg has a word about a special children's book sent from popular British author Sally Lloyd Jones that were making available right now will give your contact information.

Just a moment to everybody. I'm in studio right now is Sally Lloyd Jones and I'm looking at this amazing two books set that were offering to our listeners right now called found in love and beautifully illustrated in all of the copy all of the words are written by Sally Lloyd Jones and found is based on Psalm 23 and loved is based on the Lord's prayer.

Two separate books and right now Sally Skinner just read to you a little bit from her book called found. Listen to this God is my son and I and his little lamb he feeds me he guides me he looks off to me. I have everything I need inside my heart is very quiet. This client is lying still in soft green grass and imagine management stream even when I walk through the scary lending places I went be afraid because my ship it knows where I am is here. He keeps me safe.

He rescues me he makes me strong and brave. He's guessing wonderful things ready for me, especially for me, fills my heart so full of happiness can't hold it inside whenever I can.

I know God is never stopping, never giving up on breaking always have enough okay to so that gives you an idea of what you be able to read with this fantastic book. Beautifully illustrated written by Sally Lloyd Jones and you can read it to your child, your grandchild, your niece, your nephew or some other child that will really appreciate what you are presenting to them. And Sally has a special gift in bringing the message of the gospel to the little ones in a way that engages their minds and touches their hearts were offering this two books set to you right now for your gift of any size so we can continue to preach the gospel in teach the word of God to order your set right now. Yeah that's right again.

It's called found and loved two books when exploring the 23rd Psalm the other based on the Lord's prayer.

Ask for found in love when you send your generous donation to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or you can call us at 1-800-821-3300 1-800-821-3300 or order online@harvest.org are special thanks to her friends are Dr. James Dobson's family talk for their permission to rebroadcast today's discussion are some big problems stealing your joy and peace of mind next time pastor Greg reminds us that no matter how big our problems are. God is bigger still best.

Next time, but before were done. Let's go back to Dr. Dobson, Pastor Lori, I would like to ask you to pray a prayer for this nation about the coronavirus about all those who are terrified those who are already sick and don't know if they're going to die. I think of all the circumstances in which this virus is been expressed. I think of the child whose parent died right in front of him. I think of those who have elderly parents that they love is much they love their own lives and their they're afraid they're going to lose home.

I think of husbands who lost wives or wives who have lost husbands.

There's a story behind every one of those statistics that we see on television of the number of people are sick and the number who have died and their longing for hope and for a blessing. Would you pray for a suffering humanity today. Father, we come before you now with all of these people who've lost loved ones and you are the God of all comfort and I ask that you would extend your your loving hand each one of these folks and help them as they mourn and grieve the loss of a loved one, as believers when we lose a loved one and they believe we have the hope of seeing them again so they're not just a part of our pastor also a part of our future. So comfort is only you can comfort Lord and remind us how short life is in the Bible says our life is a good Taylor a story that's already been told and that we should a number our days and apply our hearts to wisdom hope is to make every day count and were praying the Lord that you will extend your powerful hand and turned back. This coronavirus flatten this curve as it's described to us stop this invisible enemy as it has been called and heal those people right now that have it Lord just supernaturally quicken the healing process and let them return to full strength and protect homes.

Lord we think of how you protected the Israelites when the judgment came upon the first born there in Egypt protect our homes of those of us that follow you, but Lord, thank you that no matter what we know we have a home in heaven waiting for us. Help us to keep an eternal perspective and through this time were praying for a great outpouring of your Holy Spirit were praying for a spiritual awakening in America.

We think of Jehoshaphat is said we don't know what to say but our eyes are upon you. So Lord like him. We don't have any strength of our own.

Our politicians can save us. The military can save us.

Only you can save us so we call upon you are my eyes are upon you, Lord, were looking for you.

Hear our prayer.

We ask this in Jesus name. Dad possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor great free daily email, devotions@harvest.org