Irresistible Evangelism – A Review by Nivea Schnizler
A few months ago I came across a book in the Holsby Reading Lounge (formerly the Library), called Irresistible Evangelism (Sjogren, Ping & Pollock; Group Publishing, 2003). I started reading the book with the intention of giving a short report about it to a friend, but as I read it, I got excited about the content and had the desire of sharing it with you.
What comes to your mind when you hear the word “evangelism”? Few people think of evangelism as something joyful and natural. Many see it as merely a Christian duty. But what if we would think of evangelism as “drawing people closer to the Father as we move toward him”? In my opinion, that definition destroys the pride and the burden that clings to the view of the saved trying to evangelize the lost, of the righteous trying to save the sinner.
WE ALL MOVE ALONG TOWARD GOD. WE ALL NEED HIM.
The authors even suggest that the word “evangelism” should be replaced by “discipleship”, because, after all, Jesus has commanded us to make disciples.
In order to bring people closer to God, it is necessary to see where a certain person is standing, what her or his “spiritual address” is. Everyone has a unique position in relationship to the kingdom of God: some are very close, others are far away. In our journey with someone toward the Father, loving acts and caring touches are essential to open that person’s heart. They must feel that they belong even before they believe (please note that all of this is supposed to be done out of a real love for people, love that comes from above).
We human beings have four major areas of need: the physical, the emotional, the directional and the spiritual, the latter being the deepest one. Each one of those areas will be touched by love shown through:
- Active kindness for physical needs: We show God’s love before we speak about it. Examples: baking a cake for your neighbor; helping a single mom with her kids/car/grocery; giving out tea or coffee in a cold winter day; helping your mom with the household (!).
- Active listening for emotional needs: We show Christ-like warmth, understanding and respect. It requires listening and friendship skills to enter another person’s world.
- Active wondering for directional needs: It is the question-asking skills that allow us to dialogue with someone about the direction her or his life is taking. Wondering questions show humility, i.e., that we do not have all the answers and we are interested in the other’s thoughts and feelings. Example: What dreams have you let go of? Who is the most impressive person you have ever met? As people get to know you, what do they enjoy the most about you?
- Active sharing for spiritual needs: Usually we focus on making people pray “the prayer.” We focus on the atonement done on the cross, but forget that the relationship to Jesus is a dynamic one, not only a ticket to heaven. People “need to see, hear, feel, taste, and touch convincing evidence that Jesus offers the kind of relationship they have been looking for” (pp. 149).
When bringing people closer to God, we should remember that our goal is not to sell anything to anyone; it is not to try to convince anyone of the truth of an idea (pp. 141). It is reaching people’s hearts as we care enough about them, sharing God’s kindness.
No, it is still not easy-peasy, but it is worth trying, in Him and through Him who lives in us. Isn’t it?
Camp Holsby – Summer 2014
Camp! It’s been a blast this summer to host groups from all over the map. We enjoyed both Swedish and German youth and family camps, and an international youth group of around 15 nations. Our lives have also been enriched as we’ve shared God’s truth and love with the guests. People have encountered Jesus this summer and He has changed lives! Take a moment and watch some of the highlights from this summer.
Holsby welcomes the world
This coming September our Holsby family will welcome its 42nd group of Bible school students. Though you may not be here in person, I hope you welcome them as well, through your prayers and ongoing testimony of what Jesus did in your life when you came to Holsby. As for my wife and me, September will be the start of our fourth Bible school here in Holsby, which is as hard for me to believe as the wonderful fact that we are going on six years of marriage and expecting a third child this September.
Each year it is a blessing for Holsby to be able to offer full or partial scholarships to students from areas of the world where Bible teaching and a supportive community are not so accessible. In the past years we have had students from Poland, Romania, Armenia, Latvia and Russia. These students are always a great addition to our student body and invaluable agents of change in their home countries or wherever they go. We can usually support 1-2 students every year, but this year we have had three requests from Mongolia, Poland and Uzbekistan. We are delighted to make it possible for all three students to join our community!
Below you will find a picture and short testimony from each of these students. We ask our scholarship students to raise the money for their flights and visa, and then depending on their financial status, a certain percentage of their tuition. If you are at all interested in supporting our scholarship program and the immediate need of these three students, you will find information below the student bios on how to give.
Hello, my name is Tuvshinjargal from Mongolia. My family and I very happy to study in Holsby Bible School. My prayer requests are:
1. I really want to know God’s words and live in Jesus Christ.
2. Please pray for me and my son’s future life.
My name is Salim. I am 22 years old, and my nationality is Tajik. I am a Christian from my childhood, and from Uzbekistan. Above all, from this year I’m looking forward to God’s blessing. I would like you to pray that all ended perfectly school year and have learned more about God.
My name is Agata and I am from Borne Sulinowo, a small town in northern Poland.
I’m 23, and by God’s grace, His servant for six years. I do love God’s Word and I really like to learn Bible from leaders of my church and study it with women and teenagers.
I have heard about Holsby from my pastor, Tomasz Krążek, who was there 11 years ago. I have dreamed about it since few years, but I think the perfect moment for me to do it is now. I’m looking forward to know my Lord better, to know Him deeper, stronger, closer.
If you are interested in supporting our scholarship program, you can send financial support to:
From North American (tax deductible): A personal check made out to Holsby Bible School with “Holsby Scholarship Fund” written on the memo line. You can mail your check to:
Holsby Bible School
P.O. Box 3581
Estes Park, CO 80517
USA
From Germany (tax deductible): For purpose of payment (Verwendungszweck) you can write “Holsby Scholarship Fund” and if you want a receipt from Bodenseehof at the end of the year, be sure to include your address. If you don’t need a receipt for German tax purposes, then use option three below.
Christliches Jugendzentrum Bodenseehof e.V.
Ziegelstrasse 15
88048 Friedrichshafen
Germany
Sparkasse Bodensee
BLZ 690 500 01
Konto Nr. 20 118 949
IBAN Nr. DE35 6905 0001 0020 1189 49
Swift / BIC – Code: SOLADES1KNZ
All others (not tax deductible): Wire directly to our Swedish bank. The information is below. Be sure to include in the information that it’s for the “Holsby Scholarship Fund.”
SWIFT/BIC CODE: SWEDSESS
IBAN CODE: SE3980000081505244126421
Attention: SWEDBANK Vetlanda
Clearing # 8150-5. Account # 24 412 642-1
Name on account is: Fackelbärarna. Make sure to include your name on the wire.
Another Holsby “Teebee”!
Our “Teebee” population (a little Torchbearer) is growing! Little Moses Stephens has a baby brother!
NAME: Samuel Thomas Stephens
DATE: 15 July 2014
TIME: 15:55
WEIGHT: 4095 grams (about 9 lbs., 1/2 oz.)
LENGTH: 52 cm. (about 21 in.)
PARENTS: Danny & Manuela Stephens
Baby Samuel is #14 of our little ones who spread so much joy around campus. Having families with small children at the Bible school is also a living testimony of loving family function to the young people who come our way.
The boy Samuel of the Bible had a very early start in knowing about the Lord God. Oh how important it is to share the simple truths of Scripture with one’s children while they are still young. We know this is the goal for Danny and Manuela.
Meanwhile, the boy Samuel … grew in favor with the Lord
and with the people.
As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him,
and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.
1 Samuel 2:26; 3:19
Parental responsibility (and with the Lord being one’s unending Source of wisdom) is to discern the child’s gifting and build on it and encourage it and help it unfold. Our prayer for you, Danny and Manuela, is that God our Father will guide each step you walk together with Samuel and that he will follow the Lord all the days of his life.
Train up a child in the way he should go
[and in keeping with his individual gift or bent],
and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
May God’s richest blessing rest over your family!
From New Zealand to Holsby – Claudia Samuels
Just over a year ago I arrived at Holsby, horribly jet-lagged after travelling 30 hours to get here from New Zealand and utterly bewildered, after crossing 12 time zones. However in no time at all, I ‘dove into the deep end’ and started organizing camps (as I’m the camps coordinator here). I met a lot of new people last year, which was fun, but also a little overwhelming.
Now I’ve just completed my second spring time, and what I’ve discovered is that many of the same groups come back to Holsby year after year – they just love it here! So it’s been so great to catch up with people whom I met last year, and just enjoy hanging out with people I already know.
One such group is from Sandeslätt, near Gothenburg. Both their youth group and the whole church have been coming for many years for their weekend youth retreats and their weeklong family church camp. One of my highlights during the Sandeslätt youth weekend was sitting around the camp fire, roasting sausages and marshmallows together, and then sharing what God was doing in our lives. What a fun and encouraging time. I also discovered I’m great at dumping ketchup and mustard all over myself while attempting to eat a freshly grilled hot dog. Ah well, I’ll have time this summer to work on that!
Claudia
COMMENCEMENT
The Holsby class of 2013-14 is now history! May 29 was a holiday in Sweden – “Ascension Day” – but it was also a celebratory commencement day at Holsby under beautiful skies and a seasonably warm sun.
John Poysti opened our commencement gathering with a few words of greeting and encouragement. He remarked on how nice and neat everyone looked in comparison to the day of their arrival at Holsby nine months previous. After many hours of travel and jet lag, the arrival day “look” was in stark contrast to the commencement day “look.” But then John said that the contrast was not only an outward one, but an inner one as well. During this year, God had changed the students from the inside out, and that change too was very evident. And the Lord will keep on changing and forming us into the image of Christ. Just as Paul told the Philippians:
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you
will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6
Students were together in their family groups as they received their diplomas. Inside the envelope was also a bookmark with a verse – chosen especially for each individual student by their group parents. Then one of the staff prayed over each group – that these young people would daily walk in trust and obedience and keep their focus on the Author and Perfecter of their faith!
Principal Luke Thomas gave a charge to the students from Acts 1:4-11 – the account of Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Using as a pattern that day so long ago, Luke challenged the students to:
- Find/make fellowship
- Keep talking to God, though you may not always get the answer you expect
- Live by the Spirit
- Go out and make disciples of all nations – an empowered task that will be empowering (make practical the impact of this school year on your life)
- Be physically present in people’s lives in meaningful ways
- Know that God will meet you in unexpected ways at unexpected times to “keep going”
- Remember Christ is coming back – we have a lot to look forward to because we’ve been given hope
Luke concluded by reminding them that though the physical environment will be changing for them, their spiritual environment is always the Lord Jesus – and HE is everywhere! BE that “aroma of Christ” in order to draw others to the Lord!
But thanks be to God,
who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession,
and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.
For we are the aroma of Christ to God
among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
to one a fragrance from death to death,
to the other a fragrance from life to life.
2 Corinthians 2:14-16
Cameras were plentiful on a day such as this. There are dear friends to be remembered and memories to be preserved. There was a lot of excitement as students, staff and visitors shared together in various ways – but lurking closely behind was the thought that “tomorrow” is the day of departure! We will never again be together like this until we meet in heaven! That is a wonderful hope!! In the meantime, there are many ways to continue to encourage one another at a distance, and times of reunion to which to look forward.
We all rounded off the day with a scrumptious barbecue in the Pavilion (thank you kitchen staff), and a round of Australian “bush dance” on the soccer field, led by Cloudy. One student commented: It was a great way to hang out with some we hadn’t spent so much time with during the school year.
God bless you all as you walk into the future of what HE has for you. Walk in obedience, trusting HIM for each step! HE is the Faithful One!!
Ti: A story of beauty
It all began when one of our former students asked if we would be willing to sponsor a young lady for a year at Bible school. Our former student had been involved in discipling this young woman, whom we will just call “Ti,” and she believed that Ti would benefit greatly from a year at Holsby. There was a “risk” involved, because of Ti’s difficult past, but we agreed to offer her a scholarship and trusted the Lord to do what He does best: redeem an impossible situation and make something beautiful in His time.
Ti recently posted an update on her life, written by a very special lady who became her mother. The article is long, but well worth your time. You will find Ti’s story at the following link: http://madetomother.com/2014/05/26/a-mother-to-the-motherless-stephanies-story/
The Holsby Bears
This year the Holsby basketball team had another successful season – although that success was not always seen on the scoreboard…
The Holsby Bears (from TorchBEARerS) were not the most talented team in the league, but we played with heart and made steady improvement throughout the season. Beyond that, we were able to accomplish our goal of honoring God, both on and off the court. After each of our home games, our players shared testimonies with the opposing teams and it was great to see God speaking through these students who were willing to stand up and speak. We know that His Word will not return to Him without making an impact on those who heard it.
The year was highlighted by our mission trip to Poland, where we led a basketball camp and taught sports and English at the local schools. I think each of the guys fell in love with the Polish people as we shared God’s truth with them and they embraced the Bears. At the end of the week, about 12 kids trusted in Jesus and many others were touched by His love through us. We will continue to pray for these kids and for the emerging church there. Former Holsby student and current missionary in Poland, Diana Chinn, was responsible for organizing our visit and will be following up with the new believers there. We hope to return to Poland next year to continue this ministry.
Our goal every year is to worship God in all that we do as a team. This year’s team did that with a joyful heart and was rewarded by seeing lives changed by God’s love.
DA BEARS!
Coach Danny Stephens
Holsby Winter Retreat 2014
When you put together February, snow, cold and students with a lot of energy, you get the Holsby Annual Winter Retreat.
Throughout the year there are a number of ways we realize how much we’ve come to enjoy and appreciate one another, and the winter retreat has become a fun way of doing that. If you haven’t yet, grab your fika and check out this video covering our second annual winter retreat.
Is there life after Holsby?
Yes, there is life after Holsby! Proof came this week through a visit by Kerstin, Magda and Markus. They had all been students and had also worked as volunteer staff and now were back for a week to reconnect.
Markus, Magda and Kerstin reconnecting with Holsby
Christine and I sat down with this happy trio for some Swedish fika and we talked about life after Holsby. As is usually the case, their time at Bible school had been formative and life-changing. And like many students before them, returning home seemed daunting and overwhelming: “Will I just fall back into old patterns and habits? Will God take care of me beyond the safe confines of Holsby? Will anyone back home understand the changes that have taken place in my life? Is there life after Holsby?”
Markus: “I prayed more often after Holsby than while at Holsby. And I prayed differently. While at Holsby I felt God’s presence so clearly, but at home I was more dependent on knowing God was present. And that changed the way I prayed. Sometimes I was confused by what God seemed to be doing – or not doing – in my life and circumstances. Things didn’t just fall into place right away, and my job situation was confusing and frustrating. It was really tough. But I had the sense that God was with me. People back home told me that I’ve changed. In my opinion, everything changed!”
After finishing a year of civil service in his native Austria, Markus will start his studies in architecture at a university in Vienna.
Magda: “When I got home, I realized that I had changed, but many of the circumstances at home had not changed. I was afraid to fall back into the same life as before. And, in some ways, that is what happened. It was hard for me. I tried to share with others some of what had happened in my life while at Holsby, but not everyone wanted to hear about it. In a way I can see why so many students are afraid to go home, because they have changed so much. But I discovered that there is no good reason to fear, because God had prepared the way for me. Yes, there were new things to deal with, but the Lord helped me to handle them, and He also helped me to handle the “old” things – just differently!
It is so important to make the decision before you leave Holsby to trust in God’s faithfulness, and that He will care for you when you get home. Be open and willing for changes in your life, and be on the lookout for God’s preparation to meet the inevitable challenges in life!”
Magda comes from the same youth group as Markus back in Austria, and is studying to be a teacher of religion and English. Magda finds herself still using the word “fika,” and can’t understand why her friends look at her strangely!
Kerstin: “I see so many things differently than before I came to Bible school. Some of my friends back home have also changed and have gone in a completely different direction. It was helpful to be busy as soon as I got back home, so as not to fall into a hole of disappointment and apathy. It took me a while to realize that life does go on back here at home in Germany. It has been so encouraging to see and experience many little answers to prayer. It shows me that God does care for me; it is so good to see!”
Kerstin is studying International Management at a university in Karlsruhe, and hopes to make an impact for Christ in the business world.
Many years ago, the believers in Philippi may have been asking similar questions as our Holsby students. When faced with the apostle Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, they were maybe wondering: “Will our faith survive? Will God take care of us?” And Paul writes to them these wonderful words of encouragement and hope: “…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6). We all can place our hope in this same promise. Yes, there is life after Holsby, because there is life in Christ!
