Category: Mission

Hospitality

In the time when the New Testament was written, there were no motel or restaurant chains. People depended more on the willingness of strangers to open their homes to provide hospitality. Peter wrote:

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 1 Peter 4:9 (NLT)

Jesus made hospitality a measuring stick of our willingness to put his teachings into action.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35  For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36  I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Matthew 25:34-36 (NLT)

In this article, I will show how hospitality is a ministry skill or practice that can be effectively used in our pursuit of fulfilling the Great Commission.

The first element of the Great Commission is the “GO.” We are not called to build structures to host all our outreach and evangelism efforts. That is the “efficient” easy way to try to do evangelism, but Jesus asked us to pray for God to send out harvesting shepherds who will leave the comforts of home and church to go into the ripe fields of our neighborhoods looking for those who need Jesus. (Matthew 9:38) The going part of the Great Commission can be pursued by those minority of individuals who have powerful evangelistic pulpit ministries and can attract large crowds to hear gospel messages. Most disciples, however, do not have such a ministry gift and must rely on more down to earth methods to catch people for the kingdom of God. That is where hospitality comes into play.

The concept of lifestyle evangelism is built on the premise that relationship building with our friends, neighbors, and coworkers is the gateway to catching people and making them into missional disciples in their own right.

There are no shortcuts in relationships. Whereas, one can “button hole” a stranger in order to share a “one minute” version of the gospel, the kind of trust that allows us to speak to the deeper issues in a person’s life can only be built the old fashioned way – through making the effort to build a genuine relationship. Where do we start?

Most of us live in neighborhoods in which we probably don’t even know a great number of the residents.

How do we break through the  invisible barrier we have erected against truly knowing one another? I believe it starts with a decision to be deliberately outgoing.

Fortunately we do not have to be extroverts to be good at this. Most of us are mixtures of introversion and its opposite. We can learn to function effectively as an extrovert, even if we are not naturally internally motivated to engage people. Our motivation springs from our commitment to the Great Commission and our compassion for people whom Jesus described as “harassed and helpless” sheep who have no Shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)

Our decision to become interested in our neighbors should result in sending prayers to heaven on their behalf and into making the effort to speak to them when we have the opportunity. Here’s a thought: if we don’t talk with people, we will never get to know them or be able to share the gospel with them.

Being an island to ourselves is antithetical to the Great Commission.

Once we begin to have conversations with people, we are going to learn all sorts of things about them, which can give us opportunities to pray for them and otherwise speak into their lives. It also gives us the chance to receive from them. Good relationships are never one-way streets; so, don’t be just a giver. Learn how to receive. There are not many things worse than a know it all. If there is no give and take, we don’t really have a relationship. We are simply hunting for a gospel trophy. If we are properly motivated, we love people just because that is the right thing to do. Our love must be as unconditional as God’s, or people will see right through us.

I put visitation next on the list.

Talk is fairly cheap, but a visit speaks louder than words.

When our neighbors allow us to come into their homes, they open up their lives to us on a whole new level. The favor needs to be returned by our asking them into our homes, too, just for a visit, or perhaps for a meal.

Once we start building a deeper relationship over a shared meal, we are truly entering the land of biblical hospitality.

Showing hospitality has its own reward, but what if it results in our being able to help a neighbor experience God’s love through the gospel? How can that be properly valued? That is a big reason why we are here.

(A great resource on this topic is a book by Rosaria Butterfield entitled The Gospel Comes with a House Key.)

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How Can Churches Equip Disciples to Make Disciples? Part 7: Developing Ministry Skills – Counseling

 

 

 

 

 

Personally, I've been completely satisfied with who you are and what you are doing. You seem to me to be well-motivated and well-instructed, quite capable of guiding and advising one another. Romans 15:14 (MSG)

All of us need periodic input from others in order to maintain an even keel in life. That is how God made us.

Most problems, including relational, financial, and marriage issues, can be solved by applying general life principles from the Bible.

In other words, the key to a happy and fulfilled life is following Christ’s teachings with the help of the Holy Spirit. For example, marriage problems usually arise when one or both partners violate Christ’s teachings. Marriages are always better when both spouses seriously seek to live as true disciples.

All followers of Christ who apply themselves to the study of God’s Word and listen to the Holy Spirit are able to guide and advise others who are open to their input.

All disciples are competent to counsel, to admonish, and to instruct at some level.

We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5  It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 (NLT)

Some of better at it than others, but all can and should do it.

The most important counselors in the world are parents. They have the responsibility to disciple their children from birth forward to be fearers of God, followers of Christ, lovers of people, and responsible adults. During the child rearing process, parents must address and correct sinful and foolish behavior. They must teach the children the principles for holy and wise living. If we do a good job, our children will acquire practical skills that will help them be successful adults. Parents are able to use daily events and situations to instruct their offspring what it means to fear and serve the Lord and love and respect other people. No other counseling is so pervasive or important as parenting.

If we expect the average follower of Christ to be able to parent, surely we are also competent to counsel one another in most things.

The best counselors seek to guide the people with whom they work to learn how to go to God and the Bible for their answers. The goal of parenting is for children eventually to mature to the point where they do not need continual input from their parents. Because many people are lazy or insecure, they either do  not want to go to the trouble to seek the Lord and read the Bible for themselves or they do not have confidence in their ability to make sound judgments.

Rather than simply tell people what to do or not to do, if we are going to help them grow, we should ask them to first go to God for an answer, and then come to us.

We can then act as a sounding board for them. This way of doing things propels them into maturity and increases their confidence.

Just as a physician who is a good general practitioner knows when to refer a patient to a specialist, we must realize when people have problems that exceed our wisdom, experience, or faith level. For example, if a marriage is falling apart, the pastor or elders in a church should be consulted. If spouses are just struggling a bit, another believer or couple may be well able to handle it. If there are deeper and more serious mental, physical, or spiritual issues, It would be wise to consult church leadership. There is no shame in admitting we either do not know what to do or realize a particular situation is more properly another person’s domain. We certainly do not want to compound problems by trying to help when we do not really know how.

The more that average disciples are willing to accept the responsibility for inputting in to other disciples’ lives, the healthier will be the body of Christ.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15  Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16  He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:14-16 (NLT)

Disciple making churches teach and equip their people to be competent counselors.

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How Can Churches Equip Disciples to Make Disciples? Part 6: Developing Ministry Skills – Casting Out Demons

 

 

 

 

 

But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. Matthew 12:28 (NLT)

In order to fulfill the Great Commission, disciples need ministry skills. Disciple making churches believe that the five-fold ministry (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher – Ephesians 4:11-12) exists to equip and launch the rest of the church into ministry, which includes competency in sharing the gospel, praying for people, and casting out demons. This article addresses the latter.

Although the Bible does not give us conclusive information on the origin and identity of demons, it makes it abundantly clear that they exist and pose a very real danger.

Any serious Bible-believing disciple must come to terms with his or her responsibility to address the oppression some people experience from demons.

Materialists usually dismiss the supernatural out of hand. Even those who profess to believe the Bible may find it difficult to swallow that many people have demons. In Jesus’ day their were no asylums for those suffering various forms of insanity or other forms of torment. They had to be cared for by family or were simply abandoned, as in the case of the Gadarene demoniac. (Mark 5:1-20) Today we hide and medicate the most severely demonized. The less severely demonized probably don’t even know what their problem is.

Demon oppression is misunderstood, thanks to how it is presented in the movies, lack of proper teaching, and our general fear and avoidance of the supernatural.

Many conceive of demon oppression as “being possessed,” which is unfortunately how some versions of the Bible translate the Greek word daimonizomai. To be completely accurate, we should say people are “demonized,” not possessed. Possession infers ownership; whereas, demonization communicates the idea of being oppressed, which can take place at various levels. Using the false notion of “possession,” some argue that it is not possible for a Christian to have a demon, since we are owned or “possessed” by God’s Spirit. When we properly translate the word as demonized, we see that believers can be demon oppressed, and, in fact, many are. (If you wish to read more about this, click here.)

Once we believe people can be and are demon oppressed, the next need is for us to be able to discern the presence of demons when we encounter them.

There are three basic approaches to this. The first is to dismiss the possibility of demonization and never address it. The second is to over emphasize the demonization factor and assume they are behind most every sin, sickness, and bondage issue. As you may have guessed, I employ a third approach that never assumes that demonization is the problem, unless it is blatantly obvious. Thankfully, one of the gifts of the Spirit is discerning of spirits, which enables us to detect the presence of demonic spirits.

Rather than demonization being the first thing to look for, I have found that most bondage issues stem from the “flesh,” which resides in every person, even those who follow Christ.

Until we are resurrected, we will deal with this “anti-God” residue in our lives. (Galatians 5:16-17) Until we learn how to walk in the freedom Christ purchased for us, we will experience bondage. (Romans 6:14)

Unconfessed sin is another primary source of oppression, especially when it is bitterness or past involvement in the occult.

Jesus warned us that people who refuse to forgive will be turned over by God to “tormentors.” (Matthew 18:33-35) These are likely demon spirits, but the quick way to be set free from them is to repent of holding offenses. (You can read more about this by clicking here. To learn more about how occult involvement opens doors to demon oppression, click here.)

Another source of oppression and bondage is what some people call generational sins. These are sins that one can see being passed down family lines. One generation after another gets impacted by the consequences of sins committed by family members who lived before them. This is especially true when the successive generations get involved in the same sins. Although, demonization can be associated with generational devastation, the problem should first be addressed as its own issue. I have written extensively on this subject in my series on “Wonderful Counseling.” If you are interested in learning more, click here. Two other frequent sources of bondage are lies people believe and unhealed traumatic pain. Once again, you can read what I have written about his in my “Wonderful Counseling” series.

When we address these previously listed roots of oppression, we sometimes find that demons have attached themselves in areas where we have practiced sin, held on to bitterness, been involved in the occult, believed lies, experienced traumatic pain, or been victims of generational devastation handed down to us.

Demons are equal opportunity oppressors and will use any open door, whether it seems “fair” or not.

Something as seemingly innocuous as kids playing with a Ouija Board can open the door, not to mention something so horrible as adults sexually abusing children. Having sex with demonized people is another door opener. (Click here to read more.)

Diagnosing the presence of demons is the most challenging part of liberating people from them.

We do not want to misdiagnose the source of bondage. If we try to cast out “the flesh,” we will fail, leaving the person to whom we minister discouraged and confused. Conversely, if a demon is the problem, we must address it as such, or the person will not be set free.

The key to liberation is the authority of the risen Christ.

When Jesus rose again, he completely defeated demonic powers. He has given us authority to speak in his name. When we command demons to leave, they must obey. The Holy Spirit will see to it. He is the power behind Christ’s authority. You can read more about the details of casting out demons, by clicking here.

Of all the ways people get into bondage, probably the easiest to deal with is demonization, IF we first deal with the other areas.

This is why I advocate for a broad spectrum approach to setting people free from bondage in my Wonderful Counseling series. If we fail to shut the door to oppression by first dealing with unconfessed sin, bitterness, past occult involvement, unhealed traumatic pain, lies people believe, and generational devastation, we may cast demons out the front door, only to see them reenter through the back. Demons need a “hook” in people. Looking for the hook and closing the door is the challenge. Once that is discerned and handled, we simply command demons to leave in Christ’s name and authority, and they must.

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How Can Churches Equip Disciples to Make Disciples? Part 5: Developing Ministry Skills – Praying for People

 

 

 

 

 

Disciples need ministry skills. Disciple making churches believe that the five-fold ministry exists to equip and launch the rest of the church into ministry, which necessitates competency in sharing the gospel and praying for people. This article addresses the latter.

Prayer is a spiritual weapon, a conduit for God’s power and love, and a door opener into people’s hearts for the gospel.

Over the years, I have found that most people welcome prayer. Some have never experienced someone doing that for them, even some who have grown up in the church. Personal hands on prayer is very different from being remembered off site, so to speak. My experience is that the only people who resist an offer for prayer are religious people, who have their guard up, and hostile atheists, who stick to their guns even when they desperately need God’s help. You will find, if you try it, that the great majority of people will allow us to pray for them, if asked.

The first step in praying for others is to ask permission.

When people give us permission, often they think we mean sometime later when we have left their presence. We should surprise them by asking, “What about right now?” Almost always the response will be affirmative. I like to lay my hand on the shoulder of the person for whom I am praying; so, I ask if this will be acceptable. It almost always is.

We never know how God is going to show up when we pray for a person.

I remember once when the person for whom I prayed afterward asked, “Did you feel that?” They experienced the manifested presence of the Holy Spirit. I did not. God did that for that person to encourage their faith.

Prayer is a contact point with God.

When we pray for people, they may experience a very personal “touch” from the Lord that makes them realize that he is present in their lives and cares about them. When God answers prayer, it is a demonstration of his love for them.

When we pray for people, it opens a door into their hearts and allows us to cross a spiritual bridge. From that moment forward we have permission to talk with them about God.

Prayer bypasses the logical arguments people have erected in their minds that resist God and goes right to the heart. It also gives us a reason to reconnect with them. We can later ask about the person or situation for which we prayed. Keeping the conversation going is important.

As we pray, it is important not only to pray for the thing or person requested, but also listen to the Holy Spirit, who may show us other things to lift up to God in their behalf.

I have found that praying in the Spirit (tongues), usually silently to avoid provoking unnecessary questions or causing offense or confusion, is a way for me to effectively listen to God. It is like tuning into God’s radio frequency. If you have never tried this, don’t dismiss something about which you are ignorant. Try it. You will see for yourself. Praying in tongues allows us to pray 100% in the will of God for that person. (Romans 8:26. You can read more about the amazing value of this spiritual gift by clicking here.) The other gifts of the Spirit often begin to operate as we pray in the Spirit and listen with our hearts. We may receive prophetic insight for them, discerning of spirits, a word of wisdom or knowledge, or a gift of healing or miracles. That is what makes prayer very special. Specific prayer for healing is a topic in its own right. I encourage you to click here for more teaching on this. For whatever we pray, it is vital that we comprehend and use the authority we have in Christ to intercede for people.

Many people are extremely uncomfortable praying out loud in front of others. If we are going to use prayer as an outreach and ministry tool, rather than just for personal benefit, it is important for us to overcome our reluctance, pride, and fears.

Prayer needs to come from the heart, not be flowery or technically perfect. God wants us to be conduits of blessing for others, even if we don’t pray as wonderfully as someone else. We must come to realize that our halting attempts to obey God will likely inspire others to venture out in a similar way. We only get good at something by practice. That being the case, pray for someone today. Take the initiative. Do the previously unthinkable. Ask a person if you can pray for them. Ask what their top two prayer requests are and go for it. If during conversation they share something that requires prayer, ask to pray for that thing. Be aggressive. You will not be disappointed, and neither will they.

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How Can Churches Equip Disciples to Make Disciples? Part 4: Developing Ministry Skills – Sharing the Gospel

 

 

 

 

 

After churches embrace the concept of the priesthood of all believers and teach their members how to interact with the Bible and follow the Holy Spirit, it is important for them to impart competency in some basic ministry skills. I will cover some of them in the following articles.

Sharing the Gospel

Every follower of Christ should be “gospel fluent”. I have a teaching series designed to equip people with a working knowledge of the gospel, which is much more than the “plan of salvation,” the “Roman Road,” or “Four Spiritual Laws,” despite how handy these summaries are. It is wonderful to watch people awake to the glorious nature of the gospel, which has always been there right in front of their eyes. We have short changed ourselves by trying to reduce it to a few steps or points. The first apostles never did this, and neither should we. The Book of Acts is a wonderful place to examine how the early church presented Jesus. We can learn a lot. In fact, I wrote a series of articles to help you with this, entitled, The Gospel in a Minute. I encourage you to take a look at it. It contains many insights and tips on how to effectively share the good news. I also recommend a couple of books that powerfully influenced me: The King Jesus Gospel by Scot McKnight and Salvation by Allegiance Alone by Matthew Bates. The links will take you to my summaries of these two seminal works.

The gospel is the proclamation of the true story of who Jesus is, what he has done, what he is going to do, what it means, and what we need to do as a result.

We have four gospels recorded in the Bible. Each contains lots of information about Jesus. John’s starts in eternity past. Matthew’s begins with Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. Luke introduces his gospel with the birth of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, who was the forerunner of the Messiah. Mark also begins with John’s ministry, too, and shows how it set the stage for Jesus. Each gospel includes information about how Jesus fulfilled Messianic prophecies, ministered in the power of the Spirit, modeled how to live in dependence on the Spirit, taught the truth, proclaimed the good news of his coming kingdom, died for our sins as the Lamb of God, rose from the dead in power as Lord of lords, revealed himself with many convincing proofs, commanded us to fulfill the Great Commission, ascended into heaven, poured out his Spirit to equip and empower the church, and will return again one day as the glorious Son of Man to raise us from the dead and judge all mankind. His is an eternal kingdom. That is the gospel.

The gospel demands a response. The proper one is to declare our allegiance to Jesus, the risen and glorious Lord.

We do this by being water baptized, which is our formal and public declaration of allegiance. When we believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess him as our Lord, we are saved. This means that all the benefits of his death and resurrection become ours – forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sonship. It makes us a follower, a disciple, whose mission if to fish for people and make other disciples.

Every believer needs to understand the gospel, know its makeup, and be able to share it competently. Imparting this knowledge and charging disciples with their responsibility for sharing the good news is the work of the local church. (Click here to learn more.)

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Following the Spirit

Teaching disciples how to hear, obey, and partner with the Holy Spirit is one of the most important parts of the disciple making process.

The Bible teaches that God poured out his Spirit upon the church on Pentecost to launch the church age, initiate the Great Commission, and to fulfill Jesus’ promise to empower his disciples to be his witnesses.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT)

The risen and ascended Lord of the harvest knows that his church must have his power to accomplish his mission, and this power is only available in and through his Spirit.

Jesus, the incarnated Logos, God’s own Son, understood from the beginning of his ministry that he personally completely depended on the power and operation of the Holy Spirit to fulfill his ministry.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, Luke 4:18 (NLT)

Jesus demonstrated what it looks like to be dependent upon God.

So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. John 5:19 (NLT)

We desperately need the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power simply to engage life on a daily basis. How much more do we need him to carry out the Great Commission!

Paul said it is one thing to live in the Spirit and quite another to “walk” in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) The Holy Spirit lives in every born again person, but that is not the same thing as “walking” in partnership with him and being “anointed” by the Spirit for ministry.

The baptism in the Spirit is the gateway to effective empowerment for ministry. (This is too large a topic to cover adequately in this short article, but if you want to read more about this amazing promise and gift of the Father, click here.)

Once we receive the baptism in the Spirit, we need a daily re-filling of the Spirit, because, as someone put it, we leak. This is available through a daily re-engagement with the Spirit through worship, thanksgiving, and prayer, which must include times of simply listening. He also connects with us as we read the Bible.

The Bible and the Spirit are in agreement. They speak with one voice.

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19  singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20 (NLT)

Jesus promised us that his “sheep” can and do hear his voice. (John 10:27) The voice of Christ is mediated by the indwelling Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is our interface with God.

All followers of Christ are able to hear and communicate with God, but many do not know how or even believe they can.

Teaching followers of Christ how to hear the voice of the Spirit is a top priority in the disciple making process. (For more on this, click here.)

Once we begin to discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to us, the next step is to gain confidence, so that we routinely obey. When we hear God, but disobey, it effectively shuts down our ability to hear. God is not playing games. As Henry Blackaby taught in his ground breaking series, Experiencing God, when God speaks, it places us in a crisis of belief. Are we willing to make the necessary adjustments to overcome our fear and resistance in order to obey him?

I do not think that it is hyperbole to say that teaching followers of Christ to take the plunge into obedience to the Spirit is THE top priority in disciple making. (Click here to read more.)

Once disciples gain faith and experience in hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit, we should help them develop another very important “skill” – learning how to operate in the gifts of the Spirit as the Spirit directs. Jesus’ ministry would have been very different had he not used the gifts of the Spirit on a regular basis.

God wants us to follow Christ’s example and use the gifts of the Spirit to bless people and open their hearts to the gospel. (You can read more by clicking here.)

When we share the gospel, teach the Bible, and counsel others, disciples are to rely upon the Spirit for revelation and the ability to share with a power and authority that impacts lives. Some people call this the “anointing,” which is simply a succinct way to describe the operation of the Spirit in and through his people. In conclusion, a huge part of the disciple making process is to teach disciples how to hear, obey, and partner with the Holy Spirit in every aspect of life, including ministry and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

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How Can Churches Equip Disciples to Make Disciples? Part 2: Interacting with the Bible

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus taught his followers that being faithful to his teachings is the core of discipleship.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NLT)

In order for us to “continue in the Word,” as one version of the Bible translates this, we must read and study it.

It is impossible to be a disciple without making the study of the Scripture a top priority.

But our interaction with the Bible cannot stop here: we must become what James called “doers of the Word.”

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. James 1:22 (NLT)

Obedience to Christ’s teachings is the crossroad where the path mere churchgoers follow diverges from the narrow path pursued by true disciples.

One of the worst forms of deception for a nominal Christian is to hear or read teaching from the Bible, agree in principle with it, and fail to do it. It’s called self-deception.

Conversely, Jesus promised that those who do obey his teachings will gain even more understanding of the meaning of what the Bible teaches.

Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. John 7:17 (NLT)

One of the unique things about the Word of God is that it can only be properly apprehended by those who surrender to it.

Those who remain aloof from it as critics of its content are never able to understand what it means. Only the obedient are granted such access.

Disciples have a reverence for the Bible and its teachings. They believe it contains God’s message to his people, which is still alive and relevant.

The key that unlocks its contents is called revelation.

The Holy Spirit is the author or conduit of revelation. Being the Bible’s behind the scenes author, he alone knows what it really means and he has the power to open hearts and minds to its life changing power. Disciples have the Holy Spirit living within them. He is our personal tutor.

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT)

The Bible is not just a book to read and study. It is a living document, whose author indwells all disciples.

We have been given permanent access to the Holy Spirit, who desires to open our hearts and minds to the truth and help us to live it out.

There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14  He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15  All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’ John 16:12-15 (NLT)

Followers of Christ must be taught how to interact with the Bible under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This living relationship with God’s Word allows the Bible to conform us to its teachings, rather than our seeking to conform its meaning and commands to our desires.

There are basic principles of interpretation called hermeneutics that can be useful tools as long at they do not become hard and fast rules that eliminate our reliance upon the Holy Spirit. The Bible is not limited to what our human minds can understand. Neither is the Holy Spirit bound by our man-made rules of interpretation. We should make our apprentices aware of general principles of interpretation so they will not “go off the deep end” into error, while insisting that they do not fall into the trap of limiting the Scriptures to rules of hermeneutics.

God speaks to us directly through the Bible via the Holy Spirit. It is alive and powerful.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
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The Priesthood of the Believer

Disciples are the basic building blocks of the kingdom of God, “living stones” that the Holy Spirit builds into a fitting “house” or temple for God. Jesus did not call the church to reproduce churches, but to make disciples. When disciples are made, churches are sure to follow. When churches are planted without disciple making being the top priority, we miss the mark.

The church is not simply a building. It is also a living, moving “body,” which has the capability to reproduce itself at the discipleship level. Disciples are living beings, who have the ability, through the Spirit, to multiply themselves. In fact, that is our primary calling.

Just as God commanded Adam and Eve, and afterwards Noah and his descendants, to multiply and fill the earth, so Christ mandated the church to “go and make disciples.”

That is our mission given by God. God’s mission supersedes every other mission that the local church may have adopted.

Christ gave the church what some call the “five-fold” or “ascension gift” ministries – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, whose job or function is to equip the church to do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11), which must always prioritize the Great Commission.

The task of the church and the five-fold ministry is to equip and make disciples who will make other disciples.

The question facing every missional church, then, is how are we to teach, train, and equip disciples who will go and make other disciples? What vision, information, understanding, wisdom, and ministry skills need to be imparted to them that will enable them to become effective disciple makers?

Priesthood of the Believer

We must start with a core commitment to the doctrine and practice of what some people call the “priesthood of the believer,” a truth God restored to the church during the Reformation. This doctrine was crucial to the advance of the Great Awakening, especially in the South.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers states that all believers in Christ share in his priestly status; therefore, there is no special class of people who mediate the knowledge, presence, and forgiveness of Christ to the rest of believers, and all believers have the right and authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of Scripture. The propensity to think of “clergy” as a special class of people over and above the “laity” persists today, even in Protestant churches. It is part of the human condition for those in leadership to carve out a secure niche for themselves, and it is convenient for the rest of us to consign ministry responsibilities to the clergy instead of accepting our role as ministers.

The only way a church can effectively multiply disciples is by acknowledging and promoting every disciple’s duty to be a representative or minister of Christ in his or her own right.

This does not mean that everyone is part of the five-fold ministry. Rather, the job of the five-fold ministry is to equip the rest of the church to do the work of the ministry.

In other words, those in five-fold ministry are increasingly successful as they move more to a coaching role, allowing their disciples to take on more and more responsibility.

In my experience, a small percentage of senior ministers make the commitment to do this. We convince ourselves that without extensive Bible training, people are not to be trusted with the Scriptures. We set the bar higher than did our Lord, who turned over the church to men with whom he had spent three years training, but who still did not understand many basic things. The “seminary trained” Pharisees criticized these disciples, as well as Jesus himself, as being unlearned men. Jesus believed – he knew – that the Holy Spirit is a more than adequate on the job instructor.

Disciple making churches are willing to risk putting average people into ministry and leadership responsibilities.

Any gospel movement that rapidly expands must do this. The genius of the Great Awakening in the Carolinas was the willingness of church leaders, such as Shubal Stearns with Sandy Creek Separate Baptist Church, to equip and commission average people to be preachers, ministers, and leaders.

This is no small thing. It takes a radical commitment to the priesthood of all believers to properly develop and launch disciples and to be an effective disciple making church.

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Developing a Culture of Mission in the Local Church – Part 9: The Answer to How Is Yes

 

 

 

 

Many people use the how question as a veiled way of resisting. The underlying assumption is that, if we don’t know how to do something, we should not do it. We should wait until we know how before beginning. This is not how faith and obedience work. Negativity dries up creativity. Obedience by faith allows creativity inspired by the Spirit to flourish.

Churches should embrace the Great Commission and develop their people into disciple makers because it is the right thing to do… regardless of the cost or consequences.

Once we say Yes to God, he will show us how. Once we start the journey, our Lord will reveal the steps of faith and obedience we must take and the Spirit will help us. That is one of his names – The Helper.

When we say Yes to God’s mission and fully commit to it, we begin an adventure of faith with the Holy Spirit.

Here are some possible steps you and your church may wish to make in order to pursue mission in a greater way.

  • Ask the Lord to show us if and where we need to refocus our efforts.
  • Ask the Lord what changes need to be made in how we are thinking and doing things.
  • We leaders should model what we wish to see our people do.
  • Bring people alongside you so they can experience first hand what you are doing.
  • Share the vision.
  • Train, equip, and launch them into the harvest field.
  • Expect resistance and a high price tag. Keep going anyway.

The answer to how is yes.

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Be Intentional

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)

Jesus taught that we should let the light of God shine through us, but sometimes God’s people choose to hide their light out of laziness, fear, or apathy. We experience a constant fight, it seems, over whether to actively share the good news about Jesus with others or retreat into doing nothing.

I believe God wants us to be intentional in our efforts to be witnesses for Jesus.

The modern way of life invites us to wall ourselves off from the world in the safety, comfort, and convenience of our homes. Air conditioning, TV, refrigerators, video games, computers, and whatever else we have at our fingertips can keep the average follower of Christ satisfied and happy, oblivious to the crying need of lost people, unless we have a nagging sense that we have a responsibility to lead them to Christ.

Those of us who acknowledge our responsibility to God and the lost will need to figure out how to let our light shine in ways that glorify God.

Lost and hurting people are waiting for followers of Christ to break out of our personal and church cocoons and take the gospel into our neighborhoods and the world at large.

There are multitudes of ways to love our neighbors that are not self-serving or obviously intended to add them to our church’s membership rolls. If people sense that our good works are part of a church-related agenda, it will likely repel them. However, if we serve out of love, expecting nothing in return, God will be glorified, and people may be drawn to Christ.

This is a challenge in two ways. Some of us are uncomfortable merely engaging people, which definitely hinders God’s mission.

We have grown comfortable being passive with regard to the Great Commission, expecting the world to come to us and our meetings. God calls us to go where our neighbors live, work, and play, and engage them on their own turf, so to speak.

A second challenge is that those of us who are willing to get out and engage people often have difficulty cultivating deeper relationships. We may be task-oriented and feel that, unless we can get others to make some move toward accepting the gospel, we have failed or wasted our time.

People are worth befriending simply for its own joy, whether or not they are currently open to the gospel.

Many times people will not trust us until they know we love them. Why should they open their hearts and lives to people they do not fully trust? The old adage applies. People don’t care what we know, until they know that we care. Cultivating relationships takes time and work. Those who are looking for a quick turn around will likely fail at letting their light shine in a God glorifying way. Cultivating relationships for the kingdom’s sake requires commitment, work, and time.

Missional churches encourage their members to intentionally connect with unsaved and unchurched people in a way that clearly demonstrates Christ’s love.

Ways to Be Intentional

Below is a list of ten ways we can let our light shine.

  • Pray privately for our neighbors.
  • Be friendly.
  • Start conversations.
  • Visit.
  • Ask to pray for them openly on the spot.
  • Invite people into your home.
  • Use your home for ministry.
  • Serve when and where you see a need.
  • Share the gospel.
  • Invest in making a disciple who does what you do.

The key is to find out what we can do lovingly and in a way that does not make people seem unnatural. When we are “up tight” it often makes others on edge. Personally, I find it easy to be friendly, start conversations, visit, offer to pray for people, and, when the opportunity arises to share the gospel. I am also quite willing to develop interested people into disciples, too. It is more of a challenge for me to have people over and serve in practical ways because it tends to be quite a bit more time consuming. But what if spending time helping someone with a practical job opens their heart to you and the gospel? What about you? Where can you see yourself connecting with your neighbors?

Leaders of missional churches model a missional lifestyle as well as teach and equip their people.

It is not enough to talk about letting our light shine. Leaders must make it their practice and take others along with them so they can catch the vision and develop a passion for mission. The challenge often is finding people who want to commit to the process.

Missional leaders configure their churches around the priority of training their people to be and make disciples.

That means we have to first develop people into disciples. We can only duplicate who we are.

Leaders of missional churches encourage and celebrate their people taking initiative and give permission for them to think and move “outside the box,” while at the same time building relational and missional unity around common priorities and values.

Nothing thwarts missional creativity so much as a decision-making bottleneck created by overly controlling leaders. We have to give the Holy Spirit room to lead people. The more trust that is developed, the greater is the freedom and latitude can be enjoyed.

Leaders of missional churches are willing to send people to start new ministries, groups, and churches and to be missionaries in other cities and nations.

Developing a missional culture in a church means that we abandon ourselves to God’s mission, no matter what the cost to us personally and to the church in general.

Intentionality is a big key to becoming more obedient to the great commission. Such obedience may happen “by accident” during times of revival and renewal, but in “usual” times, we need to consciously lead ourselves and the church in this direction. All the while we acknowledge the necessity to continually rely on the Spirit to make it an organic grace-filled operation, rather than mere duty.

Prayer

Lord, I see the need to be more intentional regarding being your witness. I have let some things slide and need your help in restoring my “first love” and zeal. Forgive me for being so self-centered and lazy. Holy Spirit, work in me to give me a renewed love and concern for your “lost sheep.”  Amen.

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