Ripe for Harvest

242 • R IPE FOR H ARVEST

b. Confession of Jesus as Lord, Rom. 10.9

c. Belief in God’s resurrection of Jesus, Rom. 10.9

Note: The movement towards repentance and faith is a spiritual work; no technique or method can suffice to prepare a person’s heart to receive God’s word regarding Christ and his Kingdom outside of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, John 16.7-11.

E. The Oikos factor: the central distinguishing social feature in dynamic evangelical witness

A household usually contained four generations, including men, married women, unmarried daughters, slaves of both sexes, persons without citizenship, and ‘sojourners,’ or resident foreign workers.

~ Hans Walter Wolff. Anthology of the Old Testament .

The gospel in our NT narratives is described as coming through and to the various people in the household where they resided, (cf. Mark 5.19; Luke 19.9; John 4.53; John 1.41-45, etc.). Cornelius’ example is a prime case, Acts 10-11.

1. The dimensions of our natural, human relational webs

a. Common kinship relationships (immediate, extended, and adopted families)

b. Common friendships (friends, neighbors, special interests)

c. Common associates (work relationships, special interests, recreation, ethnic or cultural alliances, national allegiances)

2. Why oikos (household) evangelism via relational webs is effective

Context Values/Vision

a. Oikos evangelism is biblical – Jesus and apostles ministered in this fashion.

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