Rick Prosser has a passion for serving his community. He shares his experience of what has been accomplished in Newcastle (about 100 miles/160 km north of Sydney, Australia). Rick says, start with what God has given you but then step out confident the Holy Spirit will guide your steps. Know your city, its structure. Be courageous, Rick’s first contact was with the Mayor and despite the fact he was not a Christian look at what Rick achieved through working with him. It is a 24 minute video but I hope it will challenge you to think more about what you and your church group can do to serve your city which will make more disciples for Christ.
Category Archives: making disciples
DBS WITH NICKY
Nicky shares with us the A-B-C process of Discovery Bible Study. I love this simple explanation of how to make disciples. Allow God’s Word to speak into their lives and expect the Holy Spirit to do His work. As Nicky explains in this video, in a group of four or five people the Holy Spirit will use one verse to speak a different message into the lives of each of them. It is awesome and confirms what the following two scriptures tell us.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13
“so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, Isaiah 55:11
We just need to bring God’s Word and our own testimony to people who are willing to listen and allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest. People need to experience God for themselves our words will accomplish little. I am reminded of the KISS principle.
MAKING DISCIPLES IS THE BIBLICAL MANDATE
“Where in the Bible are we commanded to plant churches?” The simple and obvious response is, “it is not commanded.” Indeed, J.D. Payne points out, “nowhere in the Bible is the church commanded to plant churches” (Apostolic Church Planting, 114).
So it seems that making disciples is the mandate and church planting is the outcome.
In the New Testament, a disciple is more than someone who grows in their theological knowledge of God. A disciple fellowships with other believers, worships in a community, and prays like those assembled in a house in Acts 4. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, a disciple then boldly declares the word of God such that more and more people become followers of Jesus.
This understanding of a disciple is highlighted throughout the New Testament. Through a study of the early movement in Ephesus, we see at least thirteen characteristics common to them all.
- Disciples are respectful of people and culture when they engage in God’s mission (Acts 19:7, 37).
- Disciples surrender to God’s will and maintain the work of their first love in a theocentrically focused missiological theology (Eph 1; Eph 5:18-19; Rev 2:4).
- Disciples declare the mystery of Christ to the nations (Eph 3:4-10, 1 Tim 2:1-4).
- Disciples are equipped by movement leaders for ministry (Eph 4:12; 1 Timothy).
- Disciples exhibit the fruit of the Spirit (Eph 4-5).
- Disciples are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses (Eph 5:18-19, 2 Tim 1:7).
- Disciples are godly fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, employees and employers (Eph 5:22-6:9).
- Disciples pray for opportunities to share the gospel because they know God is most glorified when more people are worshipping him (Eph 6:18-20, 1 Tim 2:1-4).
- Disciples stand up for the marginalized (1 Tim 2:8-15, 5:3-16; Rev 2:6).
- Disciples learn sound doctrine from movement leaders who can teach (1 Tim 4:7).
- Disciples are willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel (2 Tim 1:8).
- Disciples are committed to multiplying more disciples (2 Tim 2:2).
- Disciples defend the faith against false teaching (Rev 2:2).
Extracts from an article “Is Church Planting a Biblical Mandate?” October 28, 2020 by Jackson Wu
WHY DO WE MAKE DISCIPLES?
Great to see God raising up young people who understand the purpose of the church is to make disciples who complete the Great Commission. Watch this young couple as they explain the 411 Discipleship Training Course. This is just one of the many initiatives God is raising up for His purposes in the “last days”. You will be encouraged as you learn what is being accomplished to build God’s Kingdom here on earth. I hope you embark on Troy’s 411 program with your partner. It asks the following four questions. WHY?, WHO?, WHAT? & WHEN? Go watch the video and find out why.
BEARING FRUIT AFTER 44 YEARS
We are never too old to be a true disciple of Christ, i.e. a disciple who makes more disciples. Listen to the amazing testimony of this Dutch couple who are now living the Christian life and bringing others to Christ. They are excited about what God is doing and will do each day. They are energised, happy, joyful and could not go back to the old church life that they lived for 44 years. You will be challenged by their testimony and hopefully it will cause you to follow their lead and connect with the The Last Reformation (TLR).
ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT SHARING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST?
JESUS FINAL WORDS WERE: “ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME. THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS …
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
It was clearly a command to HIS followers. Will we be obedient to that command?
HE HAS GIVEN US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and He has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Time is short, start living eternal now with a focus on Jesus return. Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to be your counsellor, teacher and comforter. He will guide you into all truth, He will direct your paths, but it must be with a humble and contrite heart that says, not my will but Your will be done from this day forward.
Listen to Floyd McClung give excellent teaching on being an obedient disciple of Christ using the Parable of the Sower.
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 