Wrong, Dr Philips countered. The answer was – another apple tree! He paused there and allowed his answer to ‘perplex’ the participants for a while before explaining that the apple is only the flesh that covers the seeds of the apple tree. The seeds carry the potential to grow into apple trees that are themselves capable of reproducing similar trees.

The analogy was used to hit home the importance of discipleship, which, Dr Philips said, is the process of leading a new convert to such maturity that he, in turn, can ‘bear fruit’ by reproducing.

The problem is that, often, new converts are not nurtured to maturity because of poor follow-up or discipleship, a situation that has been likened to ‘letting the fish slip through the net’.

Dr Phillips, who is Vice-President of Training cum Senior Crusade Director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), was conducting the late-January seminar attended by about 100 Christian leaders and full-time workers from churches and Christian organisations.

Bearing in mind that the audience consists of people already in the ministry of converting and discipling souls, Dr Philips realised his task was to inspire them to take discipleship seriously and urgently.

This, he did effectively, by first emphasising that a global revival is at hand. "The signs of a world revival are here," he said. "Revival breeds evangelism. Already, the Gospel is exploding, with more conversions in the last 40 years that at any other times in history."

He gave four indicators that showed God is preparing a spiritual movement worldwide:

• Obvious outpouring of the Holy Spirit;

• Concerted united prayer worldwide – never in history has there been so many Christians interceding;

• Unity – this is evident through the emergence of multi-denominational organisations such as the World Evangelical Alliance and the Lausanne Covenant.

• Brokenness – world events show that God is breaking His people in preparation for the great work ahead.

Through this worldwide revival, God will raise great warriors of the Cross, able to bring a positive change to communities. Most important, Dr Phillips reiterated, revival breeds evangelism.

"Are we ready?" he asked, not just to harvest the catch, but also to feed the fish until they are mature enough to reproduce. His message seemed to have born fruit when one pastor said after the session, "I catch his spirit."