Why every church should use EE – Part 1 posted by Yuen Woh Voon on Jul 18, 2012

Recently I recalled a conversation I had with a senior pastor of a large church in the Klang valley. Over the last decade, they have also planted several churches in other states and towns in Malaysia.“We are averaging a growth rate of some 20% annually. Tell me why we should use EE?” he questioned.

This short article is a reply to his question. I set out below, in my opinion, the top 10 reasons why every church should use EE.

What is EE?

EE is both a tool and the name of the network of Christian leaders who promote the tool. At its heart, EE assists in the training of believers to share their faith. It also seeks to bring these trained believers to a level where they can multiply themselves by training others. The network seeks to encourage other Christian leaders to make disciples by using EE.
The top 10 reasons why every church should use EE are:

1. Obedience to the Great Commission

The Great Commission is meant to be obeyed. It is not the Great Suggestion. EE helps churches to equip their members to obey our Lord’s command to be fishers-of-men. There’s no better way to teach obedience than by obeying. When we make it our priority to regularly go out to meet non-believers and share our faith during On-The-Job (OJT) events in EE, we show by example, by leadership, that we are obeying the Great Commission. This is better than 1000 sermons on why we must obey the Great Commission. By using EE, every church member can learn to share his or her faith and personally participate in the Great Commission.

2. Training and equipping the saints

Believers need training to share their faith. Jesus is the model but like in other areas, mentoring and coaching is absolutely necessary and EE help provide this. Far too often, pastors preach on why church members must share their faith without providing training. This only makes their members feel guilty and condemned. Implementing EE means the pastor not only tells “why” but shows “how”. When using a tool like EE, the pastor fulfills his responsibility as outlined in Ephesians 4:12. Every church that has members who are able and willing to share their faith is a strong church.

3. Character transformation

Angels too can share the gospel, as indeed they will in the last days (Rev 14:6). Therefore when God gives His people the task to share their faith, it is not because He has no other alternative. He gives His people the privilege to be involved in this great task so that they will have the opportunity for character transformation. Indeed it is His will that His people be transformed into the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Take for instance the character aspect of “patience”. To reach out to someone who is nice and cooperative is easy. However to reach out to someone who is obnoxious and stubborn takes a lot of patience. When we take it upon ourselves to reach out and to love someone who is difficult and unresponsive, maybe even hostile, it will help us to develop patience. OJTs are an integral part of EE and seeking prospects for OJTs, connecting with them and sharing our faith helps us to develop humility and love, both of which are character traits of Christ-likeness. It is God’s intention that we change in our character to become like His Son and using a tool like EE helps us to do that.