The Discipleship Ministry of Scott Chafee
In honor of the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation…
October 31, 1517 – October 31, 2017
I am excited about having this documentary. If you live in the Virginia Beach area, let me know if you are interested in seeing it. I will purchase the public license.
Jesus is the greatest example of leadership ever known. He had a plan to reach the world with his message of freedom and forgiveness, but left the whole thing into the hands of 12 ordinary men. How did he do it? What was his plan? What was his plan B? How does one take a grand idea, develop a plan, and implement such a bold proposal?
My primary verse for today is Luke 6:40.
1. Selection – his men were his method (Luke 6:13 – he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles). He was not concerned with programs to reach the multitudes but with men whom the multitudes would follow. Jesus gathered these men long before he developed any evangelistic campaign, or even preached a single sermon. People were the method our Lord chose to win the world to himself. Jesus literally staked his whole ministry on these twelve men.
Jesus chose men willing to learn – those chosen were not impressive. None held positions of authority or power, in society or in the synagogue. They were for the most part common, laboring men. They were unlearned and ignorant men (Acts 4:13) but they were teachable.
Jesus concentrated on a few – no one can transform the world, unless they are individuals who are transformed. Individuals cannot be transformed unless they are moldable in the hands of the Master. Jesus had many followers, but when the teaching got hard, many no longer followed him (John 6:66). But his closest disciples could not miss the purpose of Jesus, they stuck with him.
Jesus did not neglect the masses – he preached to crowds, healed many, cast out demons, fed thousands, blessed their children, and ministered to their physical needs. Jesus loved them, wept over them, and finally died to save them. So, why not capitalize on the crowds rather than end up with a few ragged disciples to show for his effort? Because Jesus was not trying to impress the crowds, he was trying to usher in a mew kingdom. This means that he would need a few committed followers to lead the multitudes. How can he stir up the masses if he had no supervision and leadership in place? The point? Everything done with a few is for the salvation of the multitudes.
2. Association – he stayed with them (Matthew 28:20 – I am with you always, even to the end of the age).
Jesus made a practice of being with his disciples (Mark 3:14). This was the training program of Jesus. There was no college, seminary, online course, periodic membership class, or Sunday School. Amazingly, all Jesus did was to draw men to himself. HE was his own school and curriculum.
“To know” is “to be with” – knowledge was gained by association before long before it was understood by explanation. This makes sense when we remember the question from Thomas in John 14:5-6. He can we know the way? To which Jesus replies that the question has already been answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” just open your eyes to the spiritual and incarnation reality in front of them.
It takes time – this close and constant association meant that Jesus had virtually no time to call his own. Like little children under the feet of their father clamoring for attention, the disciples were always underfoot of the Master.
It is not easy – building men and women is not easy, it requires constant personal attention. Children are not raised by proxy, Jesus taught that discipleship can only be done by staying close to those we lead. We cannot relegate this ministry to some church program and expect it to be effective. It takes intentional mentorship, care, time, and attention. We never birth babies and leave them to themselves, so, every new convert needs a Christian friend to follow until such a time that he or she can lead another person in discipleship. It takes people, not programs.
3. Consecration – he required obedience (Matthew 11:29 – take my yoke upon you).
Jesus expected the men he was with to obey him. They were not required to be smart, knowledgeable, or talented, but they had to be loyal. This was their distinguishing mark, after all, disciple means “learner” or “pupil.” It was not until much later that they were called “Christians” (Acts 11:26).
The way of the cross – following Jesus seemed easy at first, but that was because they had not followed him very far. Being a follower was not about the joy of finding the Messiah, but it meant the surrender of one’s whole life to the Master and submitting to his authority. There would be no compromise, which was a very hard teaching, and not many were willing to pay the price (John 6:25-29).
Counting the cost – those who would not go all the way would fall by the wayside, and Jesus let them go. He did not have time, nor the desire to scatter himself on those who wanted to create their own terms of discipleship. People cannot come to God on their own terms.
Demonstrated by Jesus – absolute obedience to the will of God was the controlling factor in Jesus’ life, the passion week before the cross was no different. His human nature gave consent to the will of the Father, which made it possible for God to use his life fully according to its intended purpose. It is God’s will for us to accomplish his intended work for us (John 4:34, 5:30, 6:38, 15:10, 17:4).
The “parental” example – a father must teach his children to obey him if he expects his children to be like him. In the church, no one can be a leader until he or she has first learned to be a follower.
4. Impartation – he gave himself away (John 20:22 – he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit).
Jesus wanted his followers to obey him, but in recognizing this truth, his disciples would discover the deeper experience of the Holy Spirit. In receiving the Spirit they would know the love of God for a lost and dying world. They knew they were not just keeping the law, but were responding to the one who loved them, and was willing to die for them.
The compulsion of evangelism – that is why Jesus wasted no time to impress on his followers his own deep compulsion of the love of God for a lost world. Everything he did was motivated by this passion.
It is only the Holy Spirit who enables us to carry on the redemptive mission of evangelism – Jesus always worked in cooperation with the Spirit.
Evangelism is never a human undertaking, but a divine process from the beginning to the end. The Spirit is our comforter, paraclete, our advocate, he comes along side of us to minister through us.
Always remember that we cannot give something away that we do not first possess ourselves. When we have the Spirit of Christ, it is that Spirit that insists that Christ be made known.
5. Demonstration – he showed them how to live (John 13:15 – I have given you an example).
Jesus was determined that his followers would learn his way of living with God and others. He needed to get across to them the secrets of his spiritual influence… like…
His prayer life – they could see the strength that prayer gave to his life, they saw it and wanted it, too. It wasn’t a ritualistic practice but a way to communing with the Father. It was based on relationship rather than a wish list.
His use of Scripture – he often impressed on his followers the meaning of ancient texts and how it was relevant to everyday life.
His evangelism – he was concerned for the souls of people and took opportunities to talk with people about forgiveness and everlasting life.
His teaching – Jesus had many lessons for the disciples to learn, and class was always in session. His explanation of parables is a great example.
6. Delegation – he assigned them work (Matthew 4:19 – I will Make you fishers of men).
Jesus was always building toward the time when his disciples would take over the work and ministry in the world.
He would make them fishers of men – face it, no one likes to be told what to do, or be made to do anything.
His first invitation to the disciples (to follow him) said nothing about going out to evangelize the world, although that was Jesus’ plan from the beginning. His method was to get them into a vital experience with God, showing them how it worked, before telling them they had to do it.
Before letting them go out to minister, Jesus would give briefing instruction about their mission. He outlined what to expect, what to say, and what to do (Matthew 10, Mark 6, Luke 9).
They needed to expect hardship – and often warned them about how they would be treated, yet his encouragement was always, “fear not,” because God would never desert them.
On a practical level, we have the same commission to be all about the task of being his witness to the world.
7. Supervision – he checked on them (Mark 8:17 – Do you still not see or understand?).
Jesus met with them following their tours of service to hear their reports and to share what God did through them. He rotated between instruction and assignment.
There were questions, illustrations, and warnings to help them understand what they were experiencing. All these were designed to help them fulfill their work of building the kingdom in this world.
There was continuous review and application to bring out the significance of the events or teaching into their lives. This was on-the-job training at its best.
Supervision helped the disciples continue toward the goal he had set for them. He did not expect more from his disciples that they could do, but he did expect them to do their best. Supervision is longer than expected; but we need to develop maturity to the point that one day we will be able to carry on alone, and lead others to come with us.
8. Reproduction – he expected them to reproduce (John 15:16 – I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last).
Reproduction is God’s way for the church to duplicate itself. Through them and others like us, the plan would continue to expand God’s kingdom by reaching the multitudes, one by one.
Victory through witnessing – many of his followers would suffer persecution and martyrdom, but with the end in mind, ultimate victory was certain.
The Great Commission – this is given to disciples of Jesus, not an organization called “the church.” We are to make disciples, and we should strive to embrace the Master’s plan to get it done.
Pray for workers to go into the harvest – this phrase is almost stated in desperation, but in context, it really is a desperate situation to reach people with the gospel. Today, we make the same plea knowing how much needs to get done and how few will step up to do it.
How will people be won to Christ? Through prayer, and gathering fellow laborers. The gospel is the hope of the world, so will we remove every barrier? Repent of every excuse or from our apathy?
Ken has been teaching about vision over the past several weeks, but vision is not just in theory. We need to embrace the vision to help build the kingdom of God here in our community.
Community. Faith. Love. People always take priority over programs or preferences.
Methods vary but our mission always remains the same – it has been said, “marry the mission, but date the methods.” Are we willing to do WHATEVER it takes to reach people we are currently not reaching? It could be that we need to “do things no one is doing” in order to reach people no one is reaching. It sounds scary. It sounds like change.
Will we embrace the Master’s plan and be the church that he has called us to be?
[ Outline from Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism ]
Here’s an Insightful Idea:
Most churches only have pre-set kinds of groups which come from the leadership. But when you’re dealing with tens of thousands, how do you find enough niches to fit each individual? Breaking the large church into effective small groups is a constant challenge.
They developed the concept of Free Market Small Groups to deal with the challenges inherent in small group formation, emphasizing trust in God’s working, mentorship, and empowering their members. In the Free Market system of small groups, the members who host small groups choose the topic of study, when and where to meet, and what their group does. The Church does not dictate what the small groups will be and doesn’t create a complicated structure and meeting agenda for these groups.
The Free Market idea works because the group members are more passionate about their group. The group leaders are interested and experienced in the focus of the group, and are enthusiastic about inviting others to join their group. The group members and leaders may naturally have more contacts in the areas of their interest and have more success in asking new people to come. Additionally, when members are interested and engaged in the group, they are less likely to become burned out.
This Free Market structure for small groups also allows for the ebb and flow of the seasons, life schedules, and individual interests. The small groups can take breaks that coincide with school calendars, for instance. The sessions run much like school semesters, taking December off, and then restarting again in January. Rather than running small groups the entire summer, the session is shorter, just about a month long.
[ From Rich Birch, Unreasonable Churches ]
Take a look at some questions that will help small groups dig into a passage, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and direct the conversation [ Bible Study Questions ]
The original twelve disciples Jesus chose lacked background, education, and vocational aptitude for the huge enterprise they would soon undertake!
Seminary, college professor, and writer Pastor Gene Getz, in a humorous email poking fun at the criteria people classically use to select leaders, writes this “assessment” of the men Jesus chose—as if they were applying for management positions:
[ From Rich Birch, Unreasonable Churches ]
No amount of human sacrifice or hard labor can accomplish much unless God’s blessing is upon His people. That is the major message of this psalm. It is assigned to Solomon, who was both a builder and a father, but the message also seems to fit the post-exilic times of Nehemiah. The population of Jerusalem was small and the people had to build and repair the buildings. Houses were desperately needed for families or else the struggling Jewish nation had no future (Nehemiah 7:4).
Surrounded by numerous enemies, Jerusalem needed strong gates and walls with watchmen on the alert day and night (Nehemiah 4:9, 7:3). This psalm deals with the same issues Jeremiah wrote about in his letter to the Jewish exiles (Jeremiah 29:4–7). But Psalm 127 also speaks to us today and reminds us of some privileges we have as the people of God in a dangerous and demanding world.
The Point of the Message Today – the presence of a Christian home in a community or neighborhood must be developed and built. By doing so, that home itself represents a platform for sharing and demonstrating the message and testimony of the gospel of grace and salvation found only in Jesus Christ.
Today I will talk about Value of Lighthouses, the Vanity of Life, and the Vacuum of Space. Now that I have your attention, I know you must be curious as to where I am going with this message!
The Value of a Lighthouse
LIFE PURPOSE: Have you ever asked, “What is the purpose of a lighthouse?” Today, lighthouses serve for a single purpose, are you ready? For tourists to take photographs.
There is simply no reason whatsoever to use a lighthouse these days, unless somebody is at sea with no access to a GPS or some other satellite technology.
Back in the day, the purpose of a lighthouse was a navigational tool, to steer mariners away from cliffs, shorelines, and coral reefs, while in dense fog or on dark nights. The lighthouse provides a signal to ships that they are close to such hazardous areas.
So, a good GPS will provide a captain with a tool to navigate dangerous waters and various hazards that could wreck his ship. While the image of a lighthouse is beautifully poetic, for today, let’s let “GPS” could stand for this…
God’s
Plan of
Salvation
How will people find their way in this life if we, as the body of Christ, the church, are not all about the one task given to us, the task of making disciples? The Bible does not call us to BE disciples, but to MAKE disciples (Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20). So, immediately we see a process of growth, and we can therefore never say, “NOW I am a fully devoted disciple of Jesus Christ.”
Getting “born again” is quick and efficient, while becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ takes a lifetime, it involves a process called sanctification.
Actually, the Great Commission does not call us to BE disciples, but to MAKE disciples. I submit to you that we will never BE disciples until we are involved in MAKING disciples. It is very similar to the Paul-Timothy relationship. We need someone to pour their lives into us, and at the same time, we must find someone into whom we can pour our lives. So, feel free to evaluate yourself as discover where you fit in this discipleship model. OK, I’m back now…
LIFE VERSE: Let me tell you a little personal information. I challenge people in the Connection Class to find and embrace what I call a Life Verse. What is that verse which jumps out at you and describes what you want your life to be all about? My Life Verse is Acts 20:24 – “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”
Many of you have heard me talk about a missional lifestyle – which is not adding more activity to your already busy schedule, but using our existing activities (in which you are already involved) for kingdom purposes. How can you use your existing relationships and circles of influence to make a difference in the kingdom?
So, since you already live in a home, located in a neighborhood, and have relationships with people all around you, how can you look for opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ in word and deed? How can you and your home become the lighthouse that unchurched people can see and eventually find safety and security and salvation (“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12)
There are a few things that prevent us from being as valuable as we can be for God’s sake. Let’s call these, “the Vanities of Life.”
The Vanities of Life – there are three found in our passage…
1. It is vain to build a HOME without God – Psalm 127:1a
In Hebrew, the word ben (son), bath (daughter), and bayith (house) all come the same root word, which is banah (to build). In your efforts, you can build a nice house but you will fail to build a home.
Many people in America are trying to build a home without God. They seek God’s blessing by having a church wedding, and perhaps dedicating their children to God. But I beg the question, how often do they teach their children the words and the ways of God? If anything, they abdicate that parental responsibility to the church, if they attend church at all. One hour out of 168 hours in a week does not impact a child that much, so it is very important that parents take the lead in raising biblically-minded children.
Here is another hard truth bomb; you cannot lead your children to a place where you have not yet been, so what is YOUR plan for your own spiritual growth? Growth does not happen by accident, you need to be intentional.
This same principle goes for building our church home. We can wrongfully seek to build our own kingdom without a second thought about furthering God’s Kingdom.
2. It is vain to guard the CITY (or HOUSE) without God – Psalm 127:1b
Human efforts for protection (the watchmen on the wall) are futile without the ultimate protection coming from God.
What can you do? Lock doors, hire a guard, use a protection service, but a fire, theft, illness, tornado, or a drug addiction of someone in that home can still happen WITH a watchman on the wall. So take reasonable measures, but ultimately trust in the Lord.
3. It is vain to WORK HARD without God – Psalm 127:2
If verse 1 is a warning about overconfidence, then verse 2 is a warning against overwork. I sense Psalm 127:2 is directly connected to Psalm 127:1, so, it is also vain to lose sleep in such a way that we are not trusting God for his provision and protection (building and guarding).
Yet, the notice the phrase, “to eat the bread of painful labor” in verse two. It seems to indicate our tiresome efforts to obtain such food, which could represent the basic necessities of life. How often do we take on two jobs in order to provide the lifestyle we desire, at the expense of our rest, health, and any trust we may have in our Provider? At the end of the day, after 40 years, what do we have to show for all our hard work? Stuff, toys, possessions, but at the end of life, no one ever requested that their possessions be brought to visit them in the hospital, it’s all about family and friends: relationships.
As good stewards of the family with which God has entrusted us, how often do we spend an extraordinary amount of time on activities that have little or no impact for eternity? Maybe it is time to let God back into our everyday lives, into our families, and allow him to lead us in the direction he sees fit, for the kingdom’s sake.
The end of verse 2 does not tell us it is wrong to get up early or get a jump-start on the day, but the point is that our work should be enjoyable rather than a burden. We can look back at Ecclesiastes to read Solomon’s counsel on enjoying life and labor (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25). Notice the restful language in Psalm 127:2b, “he gives to his beloved even in his sleep.”
God had a special name for Solomon, Jedediah, which means beloved (2 Samuel 12:25), but the Bible is clear that WE are also God’s beloved (Romans 1:7, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
A final comment on Psalm 127:2; while we may get tired IN God’s work, we never get tired OF God’s work. It is for God’s will and purpose that we are on this planet, and it is rewarding to know that God has a plan and purpose for his children, if we would only keep looking for those opportunities to be his hands and feet, and put in a good word for Jesus.
Finally, I need to talk about the Vacuum of Space…
The Vacuum of Space
When I was between ages 6-9, we lived in Florida, and I remember those early days of the space race, and watching TV when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. You have seen it too, the special equipment used to protect the astronauts while in the vacuum of space. There was a whole lot of nothingness out there, even air to breathe! Air is obviously essential to us carbon-based units, so when we think about our homes, whether we are a home of one or a home full of many, there are some essential areas that we need to develop.
A vacuum (not in outer space, but in science) is defined as “space void of matter. The word comes from the Latin adjective vacuus for “vacant” or “void.” We can see a simple principle at work with our vacuum cleaner at home. When the motor sucks air out of the chamber, outside air rushes up the hose to take its place.
Imagine a home that is void of Christian influence; there is a vacuum. When I relate this to the Christian home, you will discover that if you don’t follow the blueprints and build it properly, the emptiness, the space, and the void (or lack of Christian spirituality, priority, or emphasis) will suck in a lot of things that the world has to offer, rather than the things God has planned for us. Let’s follow the Architect’s blueprint in this illustration…
When I was in college, I read a little booklet called, “My Heart, Christ’s Home,” so with respect to the author, Robert Munger, I’d like to use a similar theme to make this message a bit more practical. What parts of our home need to be developed in order for our homes (whether literally or figuratively) to be a meaningful lighthouse to those around us? To really understand the house you are building, these blueprints are essential to getting it done right. Let’s go room by room to see what God has for us.
THE FRONT HALL – this is the place where we initiate relationships. We greet people at the front door, and generally invite people in for a brief conversation. This room may be considered a place of hospitality, but for us today, let this be the place where we entered into a relationship with Jesus. Think back to the time when you heard him knocking and decided to open the door and let him in. As you think about this time, did you keep Jesus at the front door or did you let him into every room or your house/heart? Think about how awkward it would be to leave a guest in the front hall and go on with our business, but that is exactly what many American Christians do all the time.
THE DINING ROOM – this is the place where we eat, so it should represent our appetites and desires. It is the place where I spend a lot of hard work, laboring to get the shiny things that make me happy. Perhaps we have invited Jesus to sit at the table and tell him that he will be pleased with the menu. Then I serve my favorite dishes of money, stocks, academic degrees, fine cars, and my fame and fortune are my side dishes. And Jesus eats none of it. Doesn’t he care for my food? Then he tells me that he has food that I don’t know about, stuff that will really satisfy my heart’s desire. We then have to ask ourselves, do we find ourselves eating more devil’s food cake or angel’s food cake?
THE LIVING ROOM – this is the place where we get to know one another, fellowship together, and live in community. Jesus expects us to meet him in THIS room every day, but how often do we go days without number and forget to meet with him? We met together much more in those early days, but lately, life catches us by surprise and our getting together is less intentional, if not non-existent. How often do we leave Jesus sitting in the living room all by himself and go on with the rest of our day, totally ignoring our guest?
THE WORK ROOM – maybe you have a place in your home that has a work bench, maybe in the garage or perhaps in a shed. It is well furnished with great tools and equipment, but he asks about what you are building that would impact the kingdom of God. Maybe you say your time is limited so you CAN’T do ministry or serve others, or maybe you WANT to do more, but perhaps you lack the strength or commitment.
THE BED ROOM – this is the room that could get R-rated so since we have children here, let me say that all followers of Jesus need to look at the issue of moral purity, whether single or married. What will your browser history reveal? Are you living a life that honors our Lord and Savior, or will we ask him to keep his nose out of our private business?
THE REC ROOM – this is the place of your amusements, the place for fun and relaxation. The friends you pal around with, maybe engaging in activities that Jesus is really not invited to. Then, perhaps you think about this room and you realize that you leave Jesus out of many of the activities in your life.
Finally THE HALL CLOSET – as we go through our entire house, the heart into which we have invited Jesus, and we find embarrassment in most every room. We give reasons for the items found in each room, and then Jesus walks toward the hall closet, you know the one, it’s totally private. It’s packed full of stuff that we can’t turn loose of. We bargain with Jesus that we will let him have more control and influence over the rest of the house, but PLEASE, let me keep this one small area just for ME. Jesus stands there and tells you that there is a particular odor, a stench, and there must be something dead in here. As soon as he says THAT, you know exactly what he’s talking about. You get angry and say that you have given him access to everywhere in the house, why can’t you have this one little thing? Jesus tells you that he wants the key, “Let me take care of that dead smell.” In reality, we really don’t have the strength to deal with it, or we would have done it long ago.
What now? Next Steps…
TRANSFER YOUR DEED. Jesus needs to take over the management of the entire place. We cannot be a victorious Christian in our own strength. Ask him to take the responsibility for cleaning up your life. Be the lighthouse that you were designed to be. Point people to Jesus without your life being a glaring contradiction to his saving grace. Don’t let Jesus be a guest in your home, but let him be the owner that he really is.
CHOOSE YOUR VERSE. As you read Scripture, what is that one verse you will commit to memory and seek to live your life in accordance to the truth found in it? Here are a few Life Verse possibilities for your consideration: Acts 20:24, Galatians 2:20, Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 28:19-20, Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Hebrews 12:1-2).
EMBRACE YOUR PURPOSE. How will you use your home as a lighthouse for the good news of the gospel of Christ? As a follower of Jesus, we have a purpose, and the home in one tool at our disposal. Hospitality is often mentioned in the Bible (Romans 12:13, 1 Timothy 5:10, Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:37-39, 1 Peter 4:9.
Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Jesus says in John 15:5 that he is the vine and we are the branches, in him we bear much fruit, apart from him we can do nothing.
Remember the PURPOSE of a lighthouse: The purpose of a lighthouse was a navigational tool, to steer mariners, while in dense fog or dark nights, away from cliffs, shorelines, coral reefs, and other potentially hazardous areas. the lighthouse provides a signal to ships that they are close to such hazardous areas.
Your home as a lighthouse will provide an IDENTITY (that you are a family of faith) and SECURITY (that you understand the meaning of this life). Your home is not just a location, but it means something much more, it is established by God for his glory and his purposes.
CLEAN YOUR CLOSET – Only with God’s help. Allow the Lord to build your home. Have you already made a mess of it on your own? He is the God of new beginnings. Are you young and just starting out and desire to build according to the blueprints we find in this book? A lifetime of regret can be avoided if you just build it right at the beginning.
In this series Ken talked about Mothers, and then last week it was about investing in children. Today it is about building a home that will bring honor to God and salvation to those around you. What commitments do you need to make today?
Next week Ken is teaching about the Joy of Life Together, the Family; as we gather around the table, we do this also with our children at home, (from Psalm 128:3).
On May 7 the staff got together to discuss the impact of our days of renewal, in hopes of embracing a compelling vision, or at least that we will begin the formation of a vision of “the next” for King’s Grant. Here are a few of my notes and thoughts…
If we are to be an equipping culture, we must decide if we are equipping people for a task/event or equipping them for a ministry (unleashing them for kingdom service).
Let’s remind ourselves of the working diagram for our renewal time: 
When we speak of the kingdom, we are meaning the rule and reign of Christ in the lives of our people. This is why we exist, to equip believers for the work of service (Ephesians 4:12). It is as if God has given church leaders “only one job, you have 1 job, so don’t blow it by getting distracted with so many other good and worthwhile things.”
Working Vision Statement:
We exist to extend
the love of Christ, and
His kingdom
We exist to expand – His love and kingdom
in Virginia Beach, and
to the world
We exist to equip – God’s people; for their mission of…
mending and restoring relationships
laying and establishing a foundation
preparing, training, and sending;the saints for the work of service
After this would come each individual ministry of the church, to do these things, by… (listing several ways that ministry will bring this vision into fruition). In the discipleship ministry we could say we do this by…
We are called to make disciples, but just how does one measure that? How does one know that the goal has been reached? Perhaps by measuring church attendance, Bible and theological knowledge, prayer life, tithing, memorizing Scripture, zeal for God? Yet these look eerily similar, not to Jesus’s closest men, but to his chief opponents (the Pharisees).
On the other hand, what if we measured the progress of a disciple in less objective terms, like this:
Depending on the Holy Spirit (regeneration and dependence)
Interacting in Christian community (biblical knowledge and interdependence)
Submitting to the lordship of Christ (humility and obedience)
Communing with the Father (spiritual disciplines of prayer, devotion, worship)
Investing HIS resources (stewardship, investing in eternal matters)
Participating in acts of service (ministry to/with others and giving back)
Leading people to Christ (Christian witness in word and deed)
Expanding his kingdom (evangelism and missions)
All this to say, how can we get our people to think on a kingdom level? How do we help our people to find their calling?
On June 6, we got together and added more detail..
Mend and Restore – Gather
Into the FAITH
Into the FAMILY
Establish and Lay a Foundation – Grow
In CONNECTION
In COMMUNITY
Equip and Send – Go
By SENDING
By SERVING
This manifests itself in two ways: Personal and Communal – in a linear process of movement on this journey through life together…
Just this sentence brought clarity to me. Listen to the full podcast at the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast, episode 139.
Our passage today was from Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church (Ephesians 4:11-13), regarding the Minister’s Goal.
There are Five Functions Listed (Ephesians 4:11)
The Nature of these Five Functions (Ephesians 4:11)
The Need for these Five Functions (Ephesians 4:12-13)
Outline of Ephesians 4:1-16
Personal Impressions:
Ken Pruitt’s Observation and Challenge:
The Pipeline Conference Observation: this is an interview with Todd Adkins on the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast – (find episode 133).
Today we read through 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 in order to glean insight from Paul on our commitment for ministry.
First, I noticed the WE statements:
Second, see the contrasts:
Observations:
Application (from pastor Ken):
Outline:
The Glory of Salvation (2 Corinthians 4:1–6). Unlike the legalists who had invaded the church, Paul had nothing to hide. The Jewish religious system veiled the gospel, but Paul sought to reveal the gospel. The image is taken from Genesis 1:1-3 and transferred from the old creation to the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Glory of Service (2 Corinthians 4:7–12). Paul paid a price for his ministry, but the legalists went about collecting honors (2 Corinthians 4:3:1). We are vessels; the treasure of the gospel life within is important. As vessels, we must be clean and available for His use (2 Timothy 2:20-21).
The Glory of Suffering (2 Corinthians 4:13-18). Jesus suffered and turned that suffering into glory; by faith, we can do the same thing. It is not wrong to care for the outward person, so long as you recognize that it is perishing. Concentrate on the inner person. It is the invisible that is imperishable. The best is yet to come
Today the staff focused on a passage of Scripture this morning and had a great discussion; Acts 4:1-13. The title was the Minister’s Devotional Life, focusing on the phrase, “if we are being examined,” from the life of Peter and John before the religious leaders in Jerusalem.
The first reading was to focus on a key word or phrase in relation to our personal life, then another reading through the passage focusing on what this might mean for our corporate life at King’s Grant.
Here are a few of my observations before we discussed the passage:
Another broad outline for this section could be:
Connection with the Text:
Personal Reflection:
Staff and Church Issues: