Dave Gibson is the Missions Pastor at Grace Church in the Twin Cities. He also represents the GO Movement in North America. He is passionate about leading people to Jesus and he has worked in many different countries.
Learn more about the Missions Program at Grace Church: https://grace.church/global/
Grace Church sponsors 117 missionaries in 42 countries and partners with 24 sister churches. Over the last 10 years, Grace has helped plant more than 46,000 churches and sent over 1,500 people on Go Teams.
Transcript:
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:00):
Dave Gibson is the missions pastor at Grace Church in the twin cities. He also represents the go movement in north America. He is passionate about leading people to Jesus, and he has worked in many different countries. Let’s listen. As he talks about evangelism around the world,
Evangelism Podcast Host (00:32):
Welcome to the evangelism podcast with Dr. Daniel King, where Daniel interviews, full-time evangelists, pastors, missionaries, and normal everyday Christians to discover how they share their faith, their powerful testimonies and amazing stories that will inspire you to reach people with the good news. And now here’s your host, missionary and evangelist Daniel King.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:56):
Welcome to the evangels of podcast. I’m Daniel King, and I’m excited about telling people about Jesus today. I have a very special guest with me, Dave Gibson. He is from Grace Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thank you for being with me today.
Pastor Dave Gibson (01:11):
Daniel, thrilled to be with you.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:13):
So you are the missions pastor at the church, but you are involved in so many different missions opportunities around the world. Tell me a little bit about what you do.
Pastor Dave Gibson (01:25):
Well, my you cut me in, I bleed missions. I’m the missions at evangels of pastor at Grace Church, but the Lord has extended that reach into ministries, like finishing the task, working with the evangelism and the church planting finish lines. The chairman of the board of global Alliance for church multiplication. Also the us director for goal movement part of the global goal movement, trying to mobilize believers all around the world to be sharing the gospel.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:54):
Yeah, I absolutely love the, the go movement I was with Mr. Verner Nigal who founded the go movement in Malawi this last year. And I got to interview him on the evangelism podcast and it was great. So if, if you want to go back and listen to his interview you can find Verner’s story, wonderful man of God, from Germany who has this vision to equip the entire body of Christ to, to, to share the gospel. And so tell me a little bit about what you do with the go movement and, and how they’re equipping people.
Pastor Dave Gibson (02:26):
Well, the mantra, the theme is every believer is a witness for Jesus. It came out of the global day of prayer led by Graham power. He mobilized almost 200 million people to be praying together on that global day of prayer on Pentecost weekend, Wener have approached Graham power years ago about a dozen years ago. And he says, why don’t we couple prayer and evangelism and make a, a global outreach day on that same weekend Pentecost weekend. Can’t think of a better time to be sharing the good news of the Easter story. And then 50 days later says, wait until you receive power from on high receive the power of the holy spirit and you shall be my witnesses. And so that became a global outreach day. Then it turned into a global outreach month. So the window between may one and the end of may is time we call the go month trying to mobilize believers.
Pastor Dave Gibson (03:17):
It’s really a simple every believer is a witness for Jesus Christ. We say everyone can reach someone and together we can reach the world. And so the question is, who’s your someone, someone in your family, someone in your neighborhood, someone in the workplace someone that you recreate with and identify those sum ones to get five of those individuals. And we call it our favorite five or my five, and then we employ a real simple strategy, pray for them and then care for them. Then lovingly appropriately, try to share Jesus Christ with them. So it’s simple prayer care share. And it’s not a program. It’s not an event that people go to, but it’s just individual believers who are oftentimes so many Christians are sitting on their blessed assurance in the church, waiting for the Lord to return without ever sharing their faith. In fact, bill bright said that I don’t know where he got the statistic, but 95% of Christians will go to the grave without ever leading one person to faith in Christ. So we’re trying to move the dial on that and really energize people to be witnesses for Jesus Christ. There’s an estimated close to a hundred million Christians sharing the gospel this past may. And we’ve got a group of guys, guys like Greg steer and Warner and myself. We’ve got a one a day challenge, kinda like the ice bucket challenge.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (04:34):
Now. Now tell me about the, the one a day challenge.
Pastor Dave Gibson (04:36):
Okay. Well, we said one a day in may that we’re going to ask
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (04:41):
The, what, what do you mean by one a day one? What
Pastor Dave Gibson (04:43):
Trying to share Jesus with at least one person every day we say, oh, look for that one loss sheep, Luke 15 Jesus said, leave the 99 righteous. We need to get out of the church and go after that one law sheep, that one person look for the person of peace. Who’s receptive to the message and the messenger and ask God to lead us to that person. And the one of day challenges that I’m gonna try to pray for someone care for somebody, and then try to share the gospel with at least one person every day in the month of may. That’s expanded to beyond that. Now it’s one a day, every day.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (05:20):
So one a day, every day. And so if you’re listening, I challenge you to take up that commitment that you’ll lead at least one person to Christ every single day. You know, I’m reminded of the story of DL moody. He had a commitment to lead someone to Jesus every single day of his life. And, and one day someone talked to him and said, Hey, did you lead someone to Jesus today? And he says, yes, two and a half people. And they said two and a half like, oh, you mean you, you led two adults and one child to the Lord. He says, no, no. He says, I led two children and one adult because the, the children, they have their entire lives ahead of them. But the adult, his life is half over. Oh. And I’m also remembered of John Hyde. They called him praying Hyde. He was a missionary in what is now Northern Pakistan and over into India. At that time, it was one country. And he made a commitment to prey that at least one day that at least one soul would be led to Jesus every single day. And he, he, he challenged all the Christian believers there let’s let’s believe God and pray for at least one person to be saved every single day. And in the first year they had 365 people that got saved. They completed that goal.
Pastor Dave Gibson (06:33):
Yeah. In fact, that was in 1908. That that story really challenged me years ago when I was ready. How’d you like to be known as Daniel praying king or Dave praying Gibson, John praying hide. He prayed for souls. He had a burden for souls. In fact, his heart was in such rough condition. He went to the cardiologist. He, if you don’t change your patterns, he prayed with such fervency and intensity that his heart actually moved in his heart cavity, but he prayed for one soul a day and had about 400 the first year, 1909. He prayed for two souls a day. And the Lord gave him over 800 that came to Christ. Then the next year, 1910, he prayed for four souls a day. And the Lord answered that prayer. And I said, boy, how big is my faith that he was leading at those people to Christ? And they were, they were being baptized and consecrated to the Lord. I’ve just said, well, the Lord do I have enough faith to ask for at least one opportunity every day. And I, I just really believe we need to see people in the church energized and mobilized for the, the gospel. That’s why I hang around guys like Warner and Greg steer with dare to share. And guys like you, Daniel, you inspire me.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (07:41):
Yeah. Well John Hyde, there, there in Pakistan started a convention called the Seattle cult convention. And it is the longest running Christian convention in Pakistan. And so a few years ago I was invited to be one of the speakers. And they said, this, this conference now over a hundred years, goes all the way back to, to praying hide. And so when I was there, they took me to the house that he used to, to sleep in. And they showed me his bed. And, and beside the bed there there’s bumps in the ground where they say his knees were when he used to get beside his bed and pray. And so even a hundred years later, I don’t know if it’s really his bumps, but, but they, they had that tradition that, that he had been a, a, a prayer warrior and had such a, a tremendous impact.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (08:29):
Most of the believers in Pakistan to this day trace their spiritual heritage back to that commitment that John Hyde made to, to share the gospel. And they said that he was so excited about sharing the gospel. That like one day he was walking down the, the path and talking to a Hindu man telling him about Jesus, let him to Jesus. And there was an irrigation ditch right beside the road. And he says, come on, let’s baptize you right now. And so they just jumped in the irrigation ditch and they baptized him. So I think we need more of that. Yeah. Ferver for both prayer and for witnessing right today.
Pastor Dave Gibson (09:05):
Yeah. And I, I, I think that’s a prayer that the Lord loves to answer. I pray that every day I was traveling to San Francisco with a colleague, a guy from the church businessman got into the church or into the hotel really late, tired after midnight. And you know, it says in Colossians four, two to six is devote yourselves to prayer, be alert in it. Let’s be watchful, keep your spiritual antenna and be thankful. And he says, pray for me that God will open up a door for the ministry of the word that I can speak forth. A mystery of Christ. I call it praying for Bob every day. First of all, for a burden for the lost, then open doors of opportunity, you know, and Romans nine Paul said, I have deep, deep anguish in my soul for my countrymen.
Pastor Dave Gibson (09:50):
We’ve lost the burden. And we need to ask the Lord to break our hearts and give us a heart of compassion and a burden for the loss like he does and open doors for the gospel. He says, pray for me that God will open up a door and that I would boldly proclaim it as I should. Paul prayed for that in Ephesians six, 19 and 20, he said, pray for me that whenever I open my mouth words will be given to me that I might fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel and that Boldy proclaimed it as I should. Well pray for Bob, but well, anyways back.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:19):
Okay. So you have pray for Bob B O B. So B stands for
Pastor Dave Gibson (10:24):
A burden burden for the loss
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:26):
Burden for the lost O stands for
Pastor Dave Gibson (10:28):
Open doors for the gospel
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:30):
Open doors for the gospel. And the second B stands for
Pastor Dave Gibson (10:33):
Boldness the holy boldness to share.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:35):
All right, so, so burden open doors and boldness. And so every day, pray for Bob, right?
Pastor Dave Gibson (10:42):
Pray for Bob. Well, I did on that particular day, prayed for that. God would open up a door, came into the hotel, checked in, and it’s like, the Lord said, Dave, you need to pray for this woman ne patid our gal from India. And I said, ne we’re going to, before we retire here tonight, like you seem like you’re really discourage. Is there something we can pray about? And her eyes welled up with tears as she shared, she said, my husband and I came to the us 10 years ago, purchased two hotels. This last year, a man came in and started destroying our property. And my husband went out to restrain him as he did. He reached into his coat pocket and he pulled out a gun and he shot my husband in the head and she’s crying as she’s sharing this story. And we begin to weep along with her.
Pastor Dave Gibson (11:30):
And her, their manager came out, the guy turned the gun on the manager shot and killed him. And her husband died in her arms. And she was about as empty and lonely and distraught as I’ve ever seen a person. I said, NELA, I don’t even know what to say, but can we just pray right now? And we prayed and we prayed and we prayed for her that gotta be merciful and be gracious to her and just have compassion on this dear woman. And just we had a prayer meeting there that night, and then I got done. And I said, NELA, has anybody shared with you? How you can know the God we were just talking to in a personal way. She said, no, but please do. You know, after many years of evangelism training, I proceed that it might be a witnessing opportunity.
Pastor Dave Gibson (12:09):
So I, I just proceeded to share about Jesus, the good news of the gospel that God created us to be with him. Our sins separate us from him and sin. Can’t be removed by good works, paying the price for sin. Jesus died and rose again. And everyone who trusted him alone will have eternal life in that life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever to the simple message of the gospel. Holy spirit just came upon her. She broke down, gave her life to Christ. And this Hindu woman found new life in Jesus Christ. And the tears of anguish turned to tears of joy. She was just overwhelmed. And she came out around the counter and she hugged us and said, God brought you to me tonight. You’re God’s angel. I said, NELA, I’m not an angel. Just ask my wife, Wendy. But I said, God did bring us together.
Pastor Dave Gibson (12:53):
And I could have just checked in, taken the key and said, God bless you, NELA goodnight. But God said, you know, be alert, be watchful be devoted to prayer. And then God will move and give you opportunities. When we start praying for those opportunities. The divine order for witnessing has talked to God about men, then talk to men about God. And we want to try to build a bridge from our heart to their heart, that Jesus can walk across and touch their lives and that heart of compassion. So that was a cool story. Neah just was radically transformed by the power of Jesus and I I’m addicted to souls. I mean, I want to that one a day challenge. And sometimes it’s two or three a day. We here at together, 22, we’ve had a, a plethora of opportunities to share the gospel. Yeah.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (13:40):
I know that you mentor and encourage many evangelists and missionaries. What advice would you give to someone who, who has a heart for evangelism, maybe a, a young evangelist or someone who wants to go to the mission field? What advice would you give them
Pastor Dave Gibson (13:58):
Grow deep in your walk with Jesus and go wide in your witness? I don’t think it’s one or the other. It’s the two wings of the
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (14:07):
Earth, deep and wide,
Pastor Dave Gibson (14:08):
Deep and wide deep in discipleship wide in your witness for Christ that’s evangelism. I believe evangelism will fuel discipleship and discipleship should fuel evangelism. And I think we look at it as an either or proposition sometimes in the church, but growing deep and every day renew your first love for Jesus. Ask the Lord to give you that reverential fearing of him, and really pray for that burden for souls, that you really have a burden. You know, Jesus said the good man out of the good treasure of his heart will bring forth. What is good. The evil man out of the evil treasure will bring forth. What is, what is evil? He Luke 6 44 to 46 for the mouth. We’ll speak from that, which fills the heart. You know, the way they got the early church to witness. You just took your hand away from their mouth.
Pastor Dave Gibson (14:58):
They said, we can’t stop talking about that, which we’ve seen. And we’ve heard, I think we’ve got a heart issue that we’ve lost the heart for the Lord, the heart for the lost keep cultivating that heart for the Lord and the heart for the lost, and then be bold. Pray for Bob every day. I mean, there’s a lot of things I would share with him, but hang around people, you wanna stay hot for God, hang around pee for people that are on fire. That’s why a guy like Greg steer. We’re a couple of one string guitar guys. I mean people that are really passionate about the Lord and passionate about evangelism, and that’s why I’m drawn to you, Daniel, cuz you’re the same kind guy. You’re a one string guitar guy and they renew your first love for Jesus every day.
Pastor Dave Gibson (15:38):
Hang around people that are on fire and then be active in sharing your faith. Finally in six says I pray that you’ll be active in sharing your faith so that you’ll have a full understanding of every good thing that you have in Christ. Jesus. I don’t think we have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. If we’re not actively sharing our faith, I’ve got a picture of my wife on my phone and I’m not embarrassed to show it to people. She’s very beautiful. But you know, I’ll, I’ll introduce people, but can you imagine if I had Wendy by my side? And I say, well, honey, I kind of embarrassed to introduce you to other people. But no, I love to talk about my wife. We love to talk about things we love and there’s someone I love you. And more than my dear wife, Wendy of 37 years, it’s Jesus.
Pastor Dave Gibson (16:21):
I am so radically in love with Jesus. Be so in love with Jesus that it becomes contagious and I would love to introduce other people to him. So, and I encourage them to do that. And that Lord will set you on fire. Young evangelist and people will come and watch you burn. You know, Daniel, I’ve got a scar on my arm here. It’s a daily reminder. I had a triple bypass back in 2008, had a mild heart attack. And I was pretty healthy going before that time, woke up with some pressure in my chest called 9 1 1. Next thing I know I’m in a putting pulled outta my house on a gurney and the paramedics had had arrived and my five kids are watching. Dad pulled outta the house on a gurneys, quite a feeling and got into the ambulance. We’re going down to the hospital.
Pastor Dave Gibson (17:08):
Wasn’t having cardiac arrest. But I, I, I, I looked at the guy, his name was Doug. He said I said, Doug, you know, I don’t think this thing’s gonna turn out bad, but if it does, you need to know on no uncertain terms. I know where I’m gonna spend eternity. How about you? And so the whole way down to the hospital I was sharing Jesus with him. I thought, man, if I’m gonna go down, I might as well try to bring one lost soul with me, got to the hospital. And I said, Daniel, this ride might have been just for you. And never saw him since that day. I asked him to promise me, he’d come to Grace Church sometime and come up and say hello. He said he would. And had the triple bypass ended up having open heart surgery.
Pastor Dave Gibson (17:50):
I called Wendy, my wife and I said, honey, bring every single track that you can find in the house. And I’m gonna share Jesus with every single person that walks through the door of this hospital room. I was urgent about the gospel till then, but I was ultra urgent. And I have been every day, since life is short and hell is hot and I wanna do everything I can to prevent people from going there. Live my life to depopulate hell and populate heaven for the glory of Christ. So I’m Sharon Christ with these people and it’s led to things like this one a day challenge, 10 years later, I’m down at in Nebraska speaking at a fellowship of Christian athletes event and a good buddy of mine played for the corn Huskers. And he was introducing me. He says, Dave doesn’t even know this, but we were up in the Minneapolis area.
Pastor Dave Gibson (18:36):
This last summer, one of our girls tweaked her knee and a guy named Daniel, a paramedic came out, his name was Daniel. And he said do you go to church anywhere? He says, yeah, I go to Grace Church once in a while. And he said, well, do you know pastor Dave Gibson? He said, yeah, he’s the guy who led me to Jesus Christ through an ambulance ride. And I never knew that he was so far out there, but you know, the word says one will plant and another will water. And it’s the Lord who brings forth the increase so that he who plants nor he waters as anything. It’s the Lord who makes it grow. But you know, that God’s word never returns void. When you plant that gospel seed, it’s the power of God under salvation to those who believe so gave me a sense of urgency. So I look at my arm, I, they took one of the veins outta my arm and couple out of my chest. And that’s my daily reminder of we need to be urgent with the good news of Jesus.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (19:26):
Yeah. None of us are promised tomorrow. So we need to make every single second count for God.
Pastor Dave Gibson (19:31):
Amen. Only one life will soon be passed. Only what’s done for Christ will last. I think that’s an old CT stud quote and let’s live our lives for Jesus no matter.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (19:43):
That’s awesome. Well, thank you so much for being on the evangelism podcast. It’s great to have you here today.
Pastor Dave Gibson (19:48):
Thank you Daniel. Great to get to know you better and thanks for the good work that you’re doing too, to reach the world for Jesus.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (19:55):
Thank you. Thanks so much for listening today. I am excited about telling people about Jesus and I want to invite you to be a part of helping us to rescue people from hell and take them with us to heaven. There’s two things you can do to help. First of all, can you go find the evangelism podcast on apple iTunes and leave us a positive review by giving a review, you will help other people find these valuable resources about sharing our faith. And second, would you become a financial partner with king ministries? Every single dollar that people give us enables us to lead at least one person to Jesus. And so that means for only $1, you can help start a party in heaven. And so today I want to invite you to become a monthly partner. You can start out for just a dollar, but if God puts it on your heart to do more, of course you can do more. But please go to king ministries.com and become a monthly partner with us today to help us to lead more people to Jesus. Thank you so much. And God bless you
Evangelism Podcast Host (21:16):
For more information about how to share your faith or to financially support our worldwide evangelistic outreaches. Visit king ministries.com. Again, that’s king ministries.com.
