The first commitment of Dr. Halverson’s “Fellowship of the Burning Heart” (found in They Found the Secret by Raymond Edmond) reveals the role of the Holy Spirit in one’s personal spiritual growth and maturity. Cooperation with this Spirit initiated process requires a daily refocusing on Him. Clarity in this refocusing requires immersion in God’s Word.
The second commitment of the “Fellowship of the Burning Heart” pertains to one’s character. Holy living, self denial, and self-discipline are the tracks one must travel to develop the kind of character that emulates the Lord Jesus.
The third commitment highlights the mission of every follower of Jesus Christ. The love of God was sacrificially demonstrated when Jesus died on the cross. Our assignment, as long as we have breath, is to glorify God by getting the word out and inviting people to receive the grace necessary to experience the redemption provided at the cross.“The Fellowship of the Burning Heart”
“Having come to a personal belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and realizing that the urgency of the hour in which we live demands the highest type of Christian Discipleship. I wish to unite with a band of young people offering themselves as expendables, with a vision of evangelizing the youth of the world for Jesus Christ in the shortest possible time.”
COMMITMENT #3
“I AM COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLE that Christian discipleship exercises itself principally in winning of the lost to Jesus Christ. Therefore I pledge myself to seek every possible opportunity to witness in order that I may always be engaged in winning someone to Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:19, Acts 1:8)
Matthew 28:19 (NASB) "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”
Acts 1:8 (NASB) “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
KEY PHRASES TO CONSIDER WHEN EVALUATING YOUR COMMITMENT TO EVANGELIZE:
· “WINNING OF THE LOST” – Do you care about the spiritual condition of others?
· “EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY” – Are you aware of the Divine appointments God has scheduled for you each day?
· “ENGAGED IN WINNING SOMEONE TO JESUS” – Did you share the good news about Jesus to someone yesterday…how about in the last week? When do you plan to do it?
Richard Halverson (1916-1995) was a minister of the former United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and served from 1958 until 1981 as the Senior Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, Maryland. He served as the Chaplain of the United States Senate from February 2, 1981 until December 31, 1994. He was an associate of the National Prayer Breakfast movement starting in 1956. Halverson also was a member of the Board of World Vision, from 1956 to 1983, serving as chairman from 1966 to 1983. He was the President of Concern Ministries, a charitable foundation in Washington, D.C.
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