Part 10: Ambassadors Academy
This is the final part of the “As You God” series. If you have missed any of the previous parts, or if you’d like to review, the please check out the index of the As You Go series. We wrap up by taking another look at one of my favorite famous quotes about Evangelism is by Charles G Finney:
Make it an object of constant study, and of daily reflection and prayer, to learn how to deal with sinners so as to promote their conversion.
This week, I’d like to recommend what I believe to be the pinnacle of Evangelism training; the Living Waters Ambassadors’ Academy!
In the summer of 2007, my wife and I went on our date night to downtown Dallas to go to dinner and then meet up with some folks from “The Great News Network” that were doing open air preaching and witnessing. I had felt the call of God to do open air. Yet, I had no idea how to do it. And I had never even seen anyone doing it. I observed for a couple of hours as different folks took turns on the “box” sharing the law and the gospel. I knew I had no idea what I was doing, but I had listened to some Ray Comfort audio lessons that explained what to do. So finally, I took my turn on the box. I can’t recall exactly what I said that night. But, I was glad that I had taken the step of faith to share the Gospel in the open air. The experience confirmed my calling that this is what God wanted me to do. I got some contact information from a couple of folks that were there that night and I talked with another friend that does some open air. Several times we talked about having them train me to do open air preaching. Yet, our schedules rarely synced up until one night in May 2008. Two friends and I meet up at the Shops at Legacy in Plano, but eventually ended up on Oak Lawn (the gay bar district) in Dallas. With two open air experiences under my belt, I felt called for more. Yet, I still did not have a good game plan for learning. I ordered DVD’s from Living Waters and Mark Cahill. I watched those and I continued studying. During this time frame, Living Waters launched the Ambassador’s Academy. I knew it was the answer to my prayers of how to get some hands on training and learn how to open air preach. Here is a video of me open air preaching at Huntington Beach at Academy #10 (May 2009).
Some of you may be like me and looking for a safe place to get hands on training to open air preach. If so, the Ambassadors’ Academy is your answer. Some of you may be saying, “but, Carl, I have no desire to open air preach”. That’s okay. There is no obligation or persuasion to do anything you don’t want to do at the academy. Instead, the leaders of the academy ask you for your goals and then ask you if you have meet them. So if you have never handed out a Gospel tract and want to, go to the academy, and they will encourage you to do so. If you have never had a one on one conversation and want too, then go tot he academy, and they will encourage you to do so. If you have never open air preached, then go to the academy and they will encourage you to do so. In short, whatever next step you’d like to take in your witnessing, the Ambassadors’ Academy will help you to take it.
The Ambassadors’ Academy is an intense four day Evangelism training offered in Los Angeles. Participants get a day and a half of classroom training and then spend two full days witnessing at some of southern California’s greatest witnessing spots. When I went to Academy #10, witnessing events took place on Hollywood Blvd, in Glendale and at Huntington Beach. The academy offers the most amazing Christian fellowship I have ever experienced. Spending a few days with these like minded individuals was simply amazing. And the friendships that have come out of the experience will surely last a lifetime. I’ve even become good friends with people that went to other academies, not just #10 that I attended.
So forget the ties and fruit cake this Christmas. Ask your family to send you to an Ambassadors’ Academy instead! There are six academies scheduled in 2010 . Pray about attending one. You’ll be glad that you did. If you don’t think you can afford it, you should apply anyway. There are often scholarships provided. Applications for the March academy closes in just four weeks. So, don’t delay!
The Ambassadors’ Alliance offers many great benefits, even without going to the Academy. For instance, Tony Miano hosts a weekly online radio broadcast which offers many valuable tips for continuing your learning about Evangelism. The show is on live at 8-10PM Central (6-8PM Pacific). You can also listen to past episodes online .
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