Obedience

Too often in the past we have discipled people to knowledge rather that obedience. We consider it more important that they knew correct doctrine than that they practiced correct doctrine. In light of this, I recently heard a great story. It is about guy I know who has been an evangelist/ministry leader for many years in a nearby university.

It seems that a young student approached this man and asked to be “discipled” by him him. The answer my friend gave him was insightful and practical. He told the student to get three color hi-lighters: one green, one yellow, and one blue. He then directed the new disciple to go through the gospels and find all the commands of Jesus (there are about 300).

As he identified each command he was to mark the verse in green if he was obeying it and in yellow if he was not obeying it . After making it it all the way through the gospels he was to go through again learning how to obey all the commands marked in yellow. Each time he began to obey a “yellow” command he was to mark it in blue which would, of course, turn the verse green.

“When you have all the commands marked in green,” he concluded, “Come back and see me and I will will tell you what to do next.”

Jesus said, “Why do you keep calling Me Lord, Lord, when you don’t do what I say? (Luke 6:46)

Let’s begin to pray and work for a revival of obedience in our lives and ministries.

 

Twelve Great Ministry Resources for 2009

Here are a few of the sites I have come to enjoy and even depend on in ministry through the last few years:

1. www.e-sword.net  Do you want to build a world class Christian library in just a few minutes for FREE? This is the site for you.

2. www.harvestime.org This site provides comprehensive Bible College cirriculum in seven languages on pdf files for FREE.

3. www.livingwaters.com Probably the best evangelism training site available today. Many FREE resources as well as low cost outreach training and materials.

4. www.sermonindex.net  Over 16,000 sermon audios from the last one hundred years. Hours and hours of instruction and inspiration.

5. www.newchurchreport.com Compilation site of the latest articles from across Christian cyberspace. Currently under new management.

6. www.biblicalspirituality.org Lots of articles and resources both FREE and low cost about spiritual disciplines.

7. www.biblegateway.com Premier site for dozens of versions of the Bible online.

8. www.oneyearbibleonline.com read the Bible in one year from the version of your choice for FREE. New feature lets you start on any day of the year.

9. www.ccel.org Christian Classic Ethereal Library. Hundreds of Christian books available FREE online.

10. www.cpforum.net and www.mentoringleaders.com  two of the most dynamic Church leaders today.

11. www.davidwa.org  David Watson is arguably the most successful church planter alive today. His site is full of provocative articles and video about soul-winning, disciplemaking, church planting, and missions.

12. www.raycomfortfood.blogspot.com Thius blog entitled “Atheist Central” is a no holds barred discussion of faith with agnostics and atheists.

BONUS SITE: www.pandora.com Register at this site and build your own praise and worship radio station.

 

Into the Harvest: Jesus Plan to Reach the World

Luke 10:1-21

 

1. The Call and the Cost: Deciding to become a missional  believer regardless of the personal sacrifice involved. (Lk 10:1)

                 The call from above: Isaiah 6:8

                 The call from below: Luke 16:27-28

                 The call from inside: 1 Corinthians 9:16-17

                 The call from outside: Acts 16:9

                                                     

                 Three costs: Luke 9:58-62

                 Material, Relational, Spiritual

 

A key strategy: (Luke 10:4)

Surrender Wealth, Emotional Baggage, Agendas, Relationships

 

2. The Practice of Prayer: Developing an extraordinary prayer life. (Luke 10:2)

Persistence: Ephesians 6:18

Passion: Hebrews 5:7

Pattern: Matthew 6:9-13

Precision: Philippians 4:6

Patience: Luke 18:1-8

 

A key strategy: (1 Timothy 4:8) Consistency, Distance, Speed

 

3. Pockets of People: Gaining access to relational networks. (Luke 10:5) oikos

Noah: Genesis 7:1

Abraham: Genesis 19:12-23

Rahab: Joshua 2:17-20

Demoniac: Mark 5:19

Cornelius: Acts 10:23-25

Lydia: Acts 16:14-15

Philippian Jailer: Acts 16:30-33

 

A key strategy: L.O.V. E. (John 15:13)

-Listen & Learn

-Offer Help

-Verbalize your Faith

-Extend an Invitation

 

4. Person of Peace: Identifying God’s insider to reach the   network. (Luke 10:6)

Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

Worthy Person Matthew 10:11

Samaritan Woman John 4

Religious Leader John 7:48-50

Ethiopian Eunuch  Acts 8

 

A key strategy: 12 Step Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)

1) Invite them to study the Bible (John)

2) Go through the 10 Commandments with them (Exodus 20)

3) Challenge them to repent (Matthew 4:17-22)

4) Baptize them in water (Matthew 3:13-17)  

5) Lead them into the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1-2)

6) Break any family curses (Exodus 20:5,Ezekiel 18:20, Galatians 3:13)

7) Expel any demons (Luke 11:14-28)

8) Get them a Bible (1 Timothy 3:16-17)

9) Do a 14 day basic training (Matthew 5-7)

10) Train them to tell their story (Revelation 12:11)

11) Train them to do devotions (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

12) Get them into a cell (Acts 2:42-46)

 

5. The Power of Presence: Establishing an outpost for the Kingdom. (Luke 10:9)

                 My church (Matthew 16:17-19)

Two or three (Matthew 18:19-20)

Four things (Acts 2:42)

All of You (1 Corinthians 14:26)

Motivate (Hebrews 10:24)

 

A key strategy:  Welcome, Worship, Word, Works, Witness

 

6. The People of Purpose: Multiplying workers into the

harvest. (Luke 10:17)

Disciples Luke 6:12-16

1×12=12  Luke 9:1

6×12=72  Luke 10:1

36×12+72+12=500+ 1 Corinthians 15:6

250×12=3000 Acts 2:41

 

A key strategy: James 4:7-10 Surrender, Deliverance, Devotion, Character, Compassion, Call, Expectation

 

7. The Promise of Problems: Dealing with difficulties.     (Luke 10:10-16)

Persecution Acts 4:1-3

Sin in the Camp Acts 5:1-2

Discontent Acts 6:1

Criticism Acts 15:36-40

Overwhelmed 2 Corinthians 1:8

Troubles and Hardships 2 Corinthians 6:4-10

Misc. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27

 

A key strategy: The armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)

1) Living in Truth

2) Walking in Righteousness

3) Prepared to Share the Gospel

4) Covered in Faith

5)  Putting on Salvation

6) Using the Word

7) Pray in the Spirit

 

 

Seven Steps for Following the Great Commision

I found this article from www.buildingchurchleaders.com over at the www.newchurchreport.com. I like the concise and practical way it points us toward the harvest.

Seven steps closer to reaching the world

In doing the work of global outreach, my church matters. Your church matters. The church down the road matters. Every local church can—and must—play a role if we intend to carry out the Great Commission. Consider these simple ways to increase your church’s commitment to global outreach:

1. Ask God to give you a heart for the world. I have seen entire churches burdened about the Great Commission after God moved first in the life of only one church member. Passionate, mission-minded church members are difficult to ignore!
2. Teach about missions. Train children, youth, and adults about the significance of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Use every opportunity to show why every follower of Christ should be concerned about missions.
3. Promote, promote, and promote again any missions offering that your church supports. Challenge your members to give sacrificially. For example, encourage them to give to missions at least a tithe of what they spend on Christmas gifts this year.
4. Invite stateside missionaries to speak to the church. Nothing speaks to churches quite like a “real live” missionary does, and the time set aside for a missionary speaker is time well spent. Contact any missions agency to find the names of missionaries now on stateside assignment.
5. Challenge church members to pray daily for missionaries. Provide a list of names and needs, being careful to protect missionaries who serve in sensitive areas.
6. Sponsor a short-term mission trip for your church members. Teaching about missions is a starting point, but actually experiencing missions can be life-changing. Set a goal to send at least 10 percent of your church’s active attendees on a mission trip this year. Be sure to commission your members as missionaries as you send them out.
7. Pray corporately that God will call some of your church’s members to be career missionaries. Perhaps he will use some of your members to take the gospel where it has never been.