Interactive Christianity: Study Guide Connecting the Dots……………. the Interactions of Christ Followers That Result in Making Disciples.

By John W. Mowat

We are all constantly bombarded with words and images. We are not even conscious of most because our subconscious filters them out.
Yet too often the church relies almost exclusively on words and images to tell the most important story of all: the good news of Jesus Christ.
In His book, Interactive Christianity, John W. Mowat takes us back to the methods and teachings of Jesus Christ Himself, all of which are relational, thus interactive.
In this Interactive Christianity; Study Guide, he leaves out background information and focus only on practical application in our day to day interactions with Jesus Christ, His Church, and those around us who do not yet know the real person, who is Jesus Christ.
He believes that it is only when all 3 interactions are healthy, that larger numbers of individuals and groups of people can come to ongoing growing relationships with God. Any one of these relationships that are missing, or out of focus, will tend to result in either no birth, stillbirth, or choked birth.
Much of the content of Interactive Christianity is retained in the study Guide, but is totally reformatted and focused in an 8 week study, with 5 daily readings each week in preparation for a weekly small group interaction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781665512237

John W. Mowat

After 12 tears of Pastoral ministry, John W. Mowat returned to school while pastoring yet another Church. He graduated Suma Cum Laude in 1983 with a Master’s Degree in Christian ministries from what is now Indiana Wesleyan University. John had one passion when he returned to school. He wanted to understand how God wanted to work with both pastors and lay persons to reach a lost world with the gospel. Thus John turned every course that he took while completing his Masters into a study of this subject; i.e. a course on the book of acts became a study of lay persons and leaders in the book of acts. This culminated in his 150 page Master’s thesis; The Ministry of the Laity in its Social Contact as it Affects Evangelism. Dr. Charles Carter, his thesis adviser; author, missionary, and college professor, told him it should be published. Circumstances, and a sense of God leading eventually thrust John back into the world as a lay person. There while pursuing a living as owner of a construction business, John related to employees, real estate personnel, home owners, bankers, sales people, tenants. John saw life. He was in people’s homes, sometimes for months at a time. He was in their lives. During this time and following, John remained active in church related activities, teaching and preaching in churches of 4 different widely varying denominational backgrounds, areas of the country and size of churches. 15 years of pastoral ministry and a Master’s degree produced John’s Master’s thesis. Another 35 plus years of ministry both in and out the pulpit, as well as 23 with his own construction business have uniquely prepared John to write Interactive Christianity and its accompanying study guide.

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© 2021 John W. Mowat. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 01/07/2021

ISBN: 978-1-6655-1224-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-1223-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020925876

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views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New

International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International

Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Contents

Introduction

Week 1    The Master’s Plan for Making Disciples of all Nations

Week 2    Small Groups: The Basic Building Block of the Church

Week 3    Dwelling in Christ

Week 4    Listening And Obeying

Week 5    The Greatest commandments

Week 6    Needing and Giving Grace

Week 7    Recognizing and Understanding Unbelievers

Week 8    Recognizing and Understanding Unbelievers Continued

Week 9    Planting and Watering the Seed

About the Author

Introduction

Words are important. Though he became flesh Jesus was and still is the Word of God. However when it comes to making disciples, we have substituted words for the sacrificial relationship with both God and man that leads to life change; i.e. we do not bear fruit that will last. Jesus tells us in John 15 that if we live in him we will bear much fruit. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 13 that even if we "speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Too often in our world today all the world hears, Is the resounding gong and clanging cymbal. Thus in this study we will not focus primarily on words, rather on the total interactions of Christ’s followers. This interaction begins with our interaction with Jesus Christ himself. It flows from there to both our interaction as individual with unbelievers, and also our interaction along with other believers, with unbelievers. This final interaction is of vital importance since making disciples in not a solo effort. The evangelistic efforts of the 20th century are well known for their high numbers of decisions for Christ that are stillborn. Studies show that in typical major outreach efforts, 95 to 100 % of those making decision never go on to become a part of any local church. There appears to a strong cause and effect relationship between evangelism that majors on words alone, that is lacking the personal involvement of obedience to love God with all our hearts and our neighbor as ourselves; and the numbers of stillborn decisions for Christ.

This study is an adaptation from the Book Interactive Christianity by John W. Mowat. Interactive Christianity is both an in depth study of Scripture related to making disciples and a study of principles in action where effective outreach has historically taken place. First, this book makes the case that the Body of Christ is made to interact. The first and absolute foundation for the other interactions is our interaction with Christ Himself as he lives within us. Followed by our interaction with unbelievers, and our interaction with other believer as we interact with unbelievers.

This study guide containing much of the material from the book, especially the how to of our relationships. However it completely rearranges the format, prioritizing based on small group use.

It is not intended for a quick read, rather to be thought through in such a way that allows it to be implemented by both individuals and small groups. It is intended to cover an 8 week span of time, with daily reading and thought 5 days a week followed by group study and discussion. Daily reading will cover just over 3 pages on average.

Week 1

The Master’s Plan for Making

Disciples of all Nations

Weekly Scripture focus: John 13:31-17:26

Weekly Memory verses

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I am doing. He will even greater things than these than these, because I am going to the father. John 14:12

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appoint you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will do whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16-17

Day 1

Jesus the man. A life with limits.

God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ. He came with a dual purpose. He came to be a sin offering. He lived a life without sin, becoming the perfect lamb to be sacrificed as an atonement for the sins of the whole world. That task was finished by his death on the cross.

The second purpose was that through him man might again come to know and be reconciled with God. That purpose was just beginning.

Given mankind’s finite abilities, on his own he can only speculate about God and what God is like. World religions reflect mankind’s speculation. However, given God’s invisible qualities, his eternal power, and his divine nature; we can only accurately begin to know him through his self-revelation. His self-revelation begins with his creation. We also have the revelation recorded in his word of what God revealed about himself through the prophets at many times and in various ways.

Yet, it is only through the Son, the Word become flesh that we can reach through the mists and the invisible becomes visible. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Fathers side, has made him known. John 1:18

However there is a problem!

Christ as a man was one person at one point in time. At best, without the use of modern media, or transportation, he was able to be in contact with a few thousand people at any one time and place. He could only be close friends with a handful of people. In these respects he was limited as a man, even as we are. In fact, as man, by facts of historical timing he was even more limited than we are.

For example, as a man Billy Graham in the age of worldwide transportation, and modern communication had an impact on a larger group of people than Jesus Christ. Yet Billy Graham was still just one man with a limited impact. He was able to touch in a personal way only a few people at a time and relatively few in his life time.

Now however, as recorded in John chapters 13-17 we discover that in the forethought of God in his infinite wisdom He has a plan in place. Jesus is preparing to leave this earth, in fact he stated that he must leave this earth for the plan to be implemented.

By leaving he begins to implement his plan. He is going to expand his ministry exponentially by personally indwelling every person who places their trust in him. Through his body the Church, Christ is going to continue his ministry. He will no longer be limited to one time and place. Instead by living in and through his body the Church, he will begin to penetrate the world at every level of society, redeeming people, one person at a time, filling them with his love, his power, and sending them forth to touch yet one more person.

Consider the following:

Work for 31 days. Choose your wages:

$50,000. Per day, or start with $.01 and double your wages every day.

$50,000 X 31 = $1,550,000

Yet incredibly:

Double your wages every day for 31 days, you will receive $586,870,912 on the last day alone.

The difference is between addition and multiplication.

Jesus chose Multiplication

After investing himself in a few

Jesus chose to leave this earth, and to multiply Himself through those who believed in, and truly committed themselves to Him.

Consider the implications in our world today:

World population: Approximately 7.2 Billion.

Currently there are approximately 2.1 Billion Christians; 1.6 Billion Islam; 1.1 Billion Secular (I.E. No organized religion); 1 Billion Hinduism; 1.4 Billion, other religions.

How are they to be reached?

It is within his purpose of reaching and reconciliation, that each of us become involved. When we become reconciled with God we also become ministers of reconciliation.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20a

Assume that only .5 billion of the world’s 2.1 Billion Christians are active in their faith: that indicates a ratio of 1 to 14 people. In other words there is one active Christian in the world for every 14 people in the world. Or assume that 500,000,000 active believers relate to two individuals each in a 10 year period who also become active believers. The result would be 1,500,000,000 active believers. Duplicate that in the next 10 years. 1,500,000,000 x 2 = 3,000,000,000 plus 1,500,000,000 = 4,500,000,000. This takes us from .5 billion to 4.5 billion in a 20 year period. A few specialist cannot relate to even a tiny fraction of these people.

Obviously not everyone who hears the gospel in a clear winsome way will receive and follow Jesus Christ, but what would it look like if every genuine Christ follower really allowed Him to fully live through them right where they are?

Can you relate with unconditional love to 14 people in such a way as to clearly communicate the essence of the gospel in your lifetime? Are you willing to fully devote your life to Jesus Christ so that he can live through you to touch those in your sphere of influence?

God thundered from the mountain with impressive signs at the time the 10 commandments were given. The people fled in terror. He promised blessing unlimited if they obeyed his law, and curses undiminished if they didn’t. They mostly forgot him and reaped the natural result of life without God’s help.

He sent his Son who fully reveals not only a Holy God who hates sin, but a God who so loves that he gives himself without measure. God took on flesh. He became someone we could relate to, someone through whom we could not only look our sin in the face, but find God’s grace to help us with our need. He became God’s face. People saw not just a Holy God who hates sin, but they saw a God they could relate to, a God they could touch and feel his compassion. He now continues to give himself in and through those who love and trust him, who allow him to continue to be in-fleshed among us.

The Church is Christ’s body meant to interact in this world as the visible presence of Christ himself; the means by which he is literally present in this world through the Holy Spirit to continue the process of reconciling individuals to Himself.

Infleshment is a term mean to describe the means by which Christ clothes himself in human flesh in the world today. The means by which unbeliever in today’s world can see the face and feel the loving touch of God through His Son.

Will you allow yourself to become discipled and a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ such that this can happen?

Who has God placed around you, or who does He want to place around you right now?

Jesus did not send his disciples out to do the impossible task of making disciples of all nations. He sent them out to live in Him, so He could live in them and through them make disciples of all nations.

Discussion Questions:

Describe what is unique in the ministry of the Holy Spirit through which Jesus still lives in the lives of believers?

How does this ministry impact world evangelism?

Is this ministry really taught in John’s gospel chapters 13-17? If so, Describe and put in your own words some of the implications?

How does this affect the pressure to evangelize?

Day 2

The ongoing life of Jesus Christ

The story in the book of Acts is still Jesus story. Jesus had specifically told them, that he would not leave them as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:18). The power, the influence, the magnetism, the vitality, found in Jesus is to continue in His disciples as Jesus Himself indwells them through His Spirit.

Acts is an account of accomplishments made in the power and force of the Holy Spirit (His Spirit). Yet it is still Jesus story. So great were the effects of the witness of the early Church as empowered by the Holy Spirit, that the enemies at Thessalonica charged, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also(Acts 17:6b).

The life of Jesus goes on in and through His Church. Christ is still alive, He still acts. In fact, Jesus says; "anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you