Evangelism is part of a Christian's sanctification. It helps us grown in Christ. The compelling lack of evangelism in the American church is not evidence of the decline and influence of the church, it is the cause. The church has lost sight of the lost. So much "church growth" in the last thirty years has simply been members leaving one church and joining another.
Some folks change churches because their understanding of the gospel has changed, their Biblical understanding has grown, and they move to a church whose theology and practice is more consistent with their understanding.
However, in many other cases, people move from church to church for external reasons. They are attracted by programs and personalities rather than some deeper understanding. We have made the church about us, rather than Christ. Many no longer seek to serve Him, rather they are looking to be served. In the middle of this process, the power of the church to influence the culture around us is diminished in this atmosphere of looking in rather than looking out.
The church is supposed to be a place of worship, a place of encouragement and a training ground to reach the world. Instead it has become a sanctuary of escape from the world.
We seem to forget that 2 Chronicles 7:14 is not a call to the world to abandon its wickedness, but "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
One goal of the Africa Christian Training Institute is to allow American Christians to see practical evangelism in a "revival" culture with the hope that those same Americans will take a zeal for evangelism back home.
To support this, Dr. Henry Krabbendam (and other ACTI team leaders) regularly conduct school's of evangelism in various venues in Uganda. In the last 25 years, Dr. K has developed an extensive evangelism syllabus. Dr. Krabbendam would love to hear from you by way of email.
Objectives and Guidelines of the School of Evangelism:
The explicit objective of the ACTI for all Participants is TWO-fold. First, they are invited to "empty their spiritual suitcases" by leaving behind what God has taught them in the USA for the advance of the Kingdom in Uganda. Second, they are urged even more to fill their "empty suitcases" with what God has taught the Ugandan Church to maximize their ministries for the advance of the Kingdom in the USA . In a statement of an American pastor, most Americans on Missions Abroad go by the motto, “We come to you and we come to do.” It rarely dawns on them that in all humility, we equally, or not more so, come to receive. In a "100%" successful Mission Trip we arrive like "Dried Raisins" to release our "Solid Meat" of the Word and depart like "Juicy Grapes," full of the Power of the Holy Spirit. To that end the ACTI is committed to place participants in situations that accommodate both. Ignorance about the wealth that can be gleaned from an abundant culture, where Revival was a relatively recent phenomenon is a deficiency . Denial of such wealth is a deception. Refusal to tap this wealth is a delinquency. An abundant culture can legitimately ask representatives of an anemic one why they do (and how they dare to) show up, since they were patently unable to sanitize their own culture . Only a humble acknowledgment of this fact can result in a “hearty welcome” since such acknowledgment is indispensable as the condition as well as foundation for a reciprocal partnership.
The ACTI is not interested in money, but rather in people so that they can return to their own culture and make a real difference. As a result the ACTI has (sometimes heavily) subsidized many folks in the past, such as students who could not raise sufficient funds. At the same time, the more funds we have at our disposal, the more extensive the ministry can be, such as larger numbers in Conferences, Seminars or Schools of Evangelism. To accommodate both concerns the ACTI has established “target” fees over the last two decades that have worked out very well . These fees cover Airline travel into Uganda, lodging, food, travel, logistics, and ministry in Uganda, That is, they cover everything except immunizations and whatever personal funds a team member wishes to have while in Uganda. The usual fees are $2,500 for a typical 10-12 day mission, $3,500 for a 20-24 day mission and $3,000 for a time period in between the two . Those who cannot raise the target are welcome anyway, provided we are in the position to subsidize them. Those who raise the target fee or (frequently) more are equally welcome to expand our ministries. (The ACTI has been invited to accommodate over 100,000 students in its Schools of Evangelism over the last decade) . Virtually from its very inception, the ACTI determined not to charge any percentage for administration. All the ACTI facilitators donate their time and energy so that all funds raised for Africa ministry end up in Africa. Since its founding, the primary focus on ACTI has been in Uganda, but we chose not to name our ministry Uganda Christian Training Institute as we have always taken every opportunity in minister in other African countries as well. But the leadership of ACTI sees Uganda as strategic in reaching sub-Saharan Africa. .