Steward Leadership - Parable of the Talents Part 3

       This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

In this new year, I have begun a new series on the subject of steward leadership. One author defines a steward as “someone who manages resources belonging to another person in order to achieve the owner’s objectives.”

Today we continue our study of the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. In my two previous episodes, we looked at seven principles from this story. Today, I want to explore some things we do not see in this parable of Jesus.  

As we begin, I want to share a very important point.  Steward leaders lead with humility.  

Now, here are some observations of what do not see from the steward who began with five talents and ended with 11.  

* He did not chastise or criticize the servant who handled his one talent poorly.  The “faithful” steward left it to the Owner to declare that one “wicked, lazy, and worthless.” Sometimes we as humans encounter the temptation to pass judgment on others, and we must be very careful about this. We need to leave it to the Lord and to those in authority over us to deal with those who fail to meet expectations.

* Secondly, we do not see the servant with 11 talents gloat over the one with four. You may recall as I said in my last podcast that the servant who received five bags and the servant who received two bags heard the same commendation from the master. ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ I will again emphasize that we must avoid the trap of comparison with others.

* Lastly, I appreciate the example set by the servant with 11 talents.  There is no mention of chest-thumping (we see this all too frequently by athletes) or calling attention to himself. Consider these words from Jesus in Luke 17:10.  “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”  

There is no place for self-promotion in these words of Jesus.

While the servant who ended with 11 talents received commendation from the Owner, he remained a servant.

As steward leaders, we must maintain a humble posture, always realizing that all that we have, and all that we are, belongs to our Owner, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In our next episode, we will continue our study of steward leadership. This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.

The Train and Multiply Pledge

 

       Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

The New Village Church Planting ministry begins when a VCP trainer gathers

disciples to plant churches in villages that do not have churches. The trainer’s

goal is to gather 15 men and women who are faithful, available, and teachable.

These faithful, available, and teachable brothers and sisters commit to four

years of learning in the training center about how to plant churches. But they

commit to much more than learning. They commit themselves to the Lord’s

work: to work hard to multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Village Church Planting students probably remember the Train and Multiply

Student Pledge they made when they first started in the training center. But,

let’s take a moment now to remember that pledge which is written on page 24-

32 of the Train and Multiply booklet called “Pastoral Worker Training and You.”

As I read, identify the point that is most meaningful to you and the pledge that

is most difficult for you to consistently keep.

The Train & Multiply Student Pledge:

With God’s help, I pledge myself to:

* Love Jesus Christ and give first priority to obey all his commands.

* Teach others to obey all the commands of Jesus.

* Care for my family with sincere love (Ephesians 5:25-33).

* Pray continually for those I shepherd, my coworkers, and those who still need

Christ.

* Work hard with others in loving harmony, especially my church, and keep my

T&M trainer informed of my activities (Romans 12:9-11).

* Give of my time and money to extend Christ’s kingdom wherever he calls me

to go (Matthew 28:18-20).

* Trust in God’s power to enable the church to grow and reproduce (Mark 4).

* Seek to obey the requirements for leaders of the church as described in 1

Timothy 3:1-7.

* Explain the Gospel with zeal, love, and clarity so that people will believe in

and obey the Lord (Matthew 28:19-20).

* Seek to raise up new, healthy churches that will multiply, especially in areas

where there are none (Romans 15:20-21).

* Be willing to suffer for Christ (2 Timothy 2:3).

* Follow the advice of my trainer, faithfully fulfilling all my assignments in

work and study.

Which of these points is most meaningful for you today? For me, it is the first

point, “Love Jesus Christ and give first priority to obey all his commands.” This

point gives me great clarity about how I must live my life. It protects me from

temptation and it clarifies when I need to confess and repent. I love it because

it guides me as a disciple of Jesus.

What is the hardest pledge for you? For me, the hardest is, “Be willing to

suffer for Christ.” I don’t like to suffer. I try to avoid suffering. But I know that

as a follower of one who endured the cross for me, I too am called to suffer.

Even so, this pledge challenges me so much.

As you commit yourself to the training of disciples to plant daughter churches,

let me encourage you to show them this pledge. Ask your disciples to seriously

consider it and commit to it by faith. God is delighted when his children

commit to obey him, to proclaim the Good News and “To seek to raise up new,

healthy churches that will multiply, especially in areas where there are none.”

I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #Train&Multiply

Assurance of Salvation

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

I spoke today with a brother serving Christ in a West African country. He told

me that he had asked over 1,000 people if they knew where they would spend

eternity after they died. Of the 1,000 people he asked, many of whom

attended church each Sunday, only seven reported that they knew they would

live eternally with Christ because of what He had done for them. The rest

reported that they were not sure where they would spend eternity or that they

knew, in fact, that they would spend eternity in hell. My brother was quite

concerned that many who were going to church did not have assurance of

salvation in Christ.

So, my word of encouragement today is that we can live in this broken world

knowing for sure that we are children of God, joint heirs with Christ, forgiven,

justified believers who have a new and eternal life in Christ. We need not fear

death or hell.

I found assurance of salvation when I was 13 years old. I have lived in that

assurance for the last 55 years. Here is how I found it. I told a brother in Christ

that I wasn’t sure that I was a Christian. He opened his Bible to 1 John 5:10 and

read these words to me:

Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not

believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the

testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given

us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever

does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Then the brother asked me, “Dean, do you have the Son of God in your life?” I

thought for a moment, and then I said, “Yes. I have trusted Jesus as my Savior.

He lives in me.”

Then the brother read again from 1 John 5:11, 12: “God has given us eternal

life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life.” Next, he asked,

Dean, do people who have the Son of God in their lives have eternal life? I said,

“Yes.” Then he asked me, “Do you have eternal life?” I said, “Yes, I have Jesus;

I have eternal life.” Then, the brother confidently told me, “Dean, you can go

from this place and never doubt that you are a child of God, a Christian who

has eternal life.” And do you know what? I did go from that place with full

assurance that I am a child of God and that I have eternal life. I have

experienced many fears since that time. But I have never been afraid of going

to hell or being separated from Jesus. I have him and He has me.

Do you have assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ? You can. Do your disciples

have assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ? They can too. Please, without

delay, share with them the wonderful truth about assurance of salvation from

God’s word found in 1 John 5:10-12.

I’m Dean Davis, praying for a church in every African village and that each

person in those churches will live daily with full assurance of the saving

presence of Christ in them, the hope of glory.

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #AssuranceOfSalvation

Steward Leadership - Parable of the Faithful and Wise Steward Part 2

       This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

This year, I have begun a series on steward leadership. One author defines a steward as “someone who manages resources belonging to another person in order to achieve the owner’s objectives.”

Today we continue our study of the parable of the faithful and wise steward found in Matthew 24:45-51 and also in Luke 12:42-48.

In summary, Jesus told this story to teach his disciples that our actions reveal what we truly believe. Those who obey God will be rewarded, whereas those who disobey God prove themselves to be unfaithful and hypocrites by their actions.  It also teaches that Jesus; followers must live in constant readiness for His return.

We concluded our last episode with a warning to avoid being what Matthew describes as a “wicked” steward. You may recall that in my initial podcast in this series, I shared 5 common themes from Jesus’ parables on this topic. Here are those first two again.

1. Character matters

2. Stewards have an obligation to account for their stewardship

In the parable, we see the final consequence for the wicked servant. “The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Yes, our character matters, and we will be held accountable for our stewardship. Further, we must live in constant readiness for our Master’s return.

Before closing, I want to add some thoughts from the final portion of the Luke 12 account. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” That’s the last half of verse 48.

On a personal note, that admonition has been a great motivator for me for many years for I feel that much has been entrusted to me. I was born into a Christian family; I’m at least fourth generation Christ follower. I had access to excellent education and good health care. I’ve been blessed to be part of strong local churches and to enjoy a good career.

One could say that I am privileged. The Apostle Paul made a similar admission; you can read about that in Philippians 3:5-6. This topic was quite controversial in America just a few years ago when some claimed that I should apologize for my privilege and renounce it.

Instead, I embrace my privilege and endeavor to raise others up to a similar condition. I’ve been entrusted with much. I desire to steward that well, to raise others up, and to meet the requirements of my Master. I invite you to ponder this thought.

In our next episode, we will continue our study of steward leadership. This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.

A Great Multitude

       Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

A great day is coming. A wonderful day is before us. It’s a day that was

foreseen more than 1,900 years ago. It’s a day of great rejoicing! Listen to the

words that the apostle John used to describe this coming great day:

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one

could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before

the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were

holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb.”

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the

four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and

worshiped God, saying:

“Amen!

Praise and glory

and wisdom and thanks and honor

and power and strength

be to our God for ever and ever.

Amen!”

(Revelation 7:9-12)

What a great day! A multitude. A huge multitude. The crowd of people is so big

no one can count it. And it’s not just any crowd; it’s an enormous crowd of

people who have found forgiveness in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who by his

shed blood and resurrection victory over death grants pardon for sin and

salvation to all who trust Him.

The people of this enormous crowd are not just speaking one or two languages;

they are speaking every language from the whole world. They represent nations

and tribes: every nation and every tribe.

Where did they come from and what are they doing? They come from

everywhere. But, more importantly, they come to Christ and they stand before

his throne praising him because Jesus’ disciples in every generation went out

and proclaimed the Good News. The multitude is before the throne of God for

two reasons:

1) Because Jesus paid it all so that they could be saved.

2) Because his followers multiplied evangelists and disciple-makers and

cross-cultural workers to carry the Good News to every nation, tribe,

people and language.

This scene of the multitude before the throne is a future event. It was revealed

to John in a vision about 1,930 years ago. This scene cannot yet take place, in reality,  today because there are still some tribes and peoples without a single

person who has a white robe cleansed in the blood of the Lamb. Our job is to

multiply disciple makers so that the Revelation 7 scene before the throne

becomes a reality as soon as possible.

So, my brothers and sister, keep making disciples who make disciples; keep

crossing cultural barriers to make Christ known.

This has been Multiply! And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this

encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #Revelation7 #AGreatMultitude

Pray and Rely on the Holy Spirit

     Hello, this is Multiply a podcast to encourage village, church, planters, and leaders. I am Brad Snowden.

 Brothers and sisters, what a joy it is to serve the Lord and a beautiful calling to plant churches. We are blessed to see villages transformed with hope as Jesus touches lives. This calling can also have seasons of great challenge for our outward man. We want to be successful and see what is in our hearts become reality. It is a beautiful part of our walk with Christ when he lays upon our hearts, the work that he wants to do. It is an exciting time for church planters because you can almost see what it is going to look like before it even starts. This is a powerful part of God‘s plan for those you are serving. 

This very moment can also be one of the greatest challenges as well. I found that as a pastor these seasons brought me to a place of struggle, I knew what the Lord had birthed in my heart, and I could envision all of it. Yet this is where the problem was, I did not know who was going to catch the vision that God had given me. I did not know how it was ever going to become fruitful or even how we could pay for it. 

The battle was not about experiences or what I had learned from the teaching that I had received. There is nothing wrong with living out what was taught to us or even what we have experienced before. The problem came when I would depend on these parts of me and not on a fresh revelation from God. 

The greatest victories God ever allowed me to experience came when I said I do not know how you are going to work this out. I do not know who is going to walk with me to see your work be done. Oh Lord, I need you to help me to understand and accomplish this work that you have called me to do.

 James 1:5 says If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, it will be given to him. The Lord does not look down on us for saying, I do not know what to do or to say I am struggling with knowing my next steps. God‘s word says to simply and humbly ask, for we have a merciful provider that can open our eyes to see. The Lord wants to open up our ears to hear the Holy Spirit whisper, “This is the way walking in it” We can rely on the still small voice of the Holy Spirit that will give us a fresh understanding of what God wants to do in us and through us. Oh, church planter, our victory comes when we ask and rely on the Holy Spirit to do the work. This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters. Who will you share this with today? God bless you.

Are You Faithful?

      Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Faithfulness is one of the greatest attributes of any man or woman who follows

Christ. A faithful person is steadfast and true. A faithful copy is just like the

original. My heart fills with joy and hope when I meet men and women who

have served Christ for a long time without wavering.

Peter instructed his followers saying, “Each of you should use whatever gift you

have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various

forms.”

Are you faithful?

A faithful disciple passes on to others what he has received from his teacher.

And he passes it on with integrity. A faithful disciple does not corrupt the

meaning of what he has been given.

The Apostle Paul’s instruction to his disciple Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2 is

probably the second most quoted scripture passage in VCP after the Great

Commission. These words are our marching orders as we work by faith to plant

a church in every African village by 2050. Paul said to his disciple Timothy:

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many

witnesses entrust to faithful people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Faithful people, reliable people, trustworthy people. People who will act as

good stewards of the message of hope they receive.

Are you faithful?

Are you the kind of person Peter was talking about when he described faithful

stewards who use whatever they have received to serve others? Or, are you an

unfaithful steward, one who receives gladly but shares slowly? It’s not easy for

me to ask this question because I know so many of you who work diligently to

pass on what you learn about Christ and about how to minister in the power of

the Spirit. I see your faithfulness. Nevertheless, I ask the question, “Are you

faithful?” because we must examine ourselves by the standards of God’s word.

A faithful steward hears the word from his teacher, a faithful steward in dialog

with the teacher works and struggles and prays to understand the word. A

faithful steward puts the teaching into practice in his or her own life and

ministry. A faithful disciple teaches others.

Are you faithful? Am I faithful? Let’s be sure that we apply and pass on without

delay the things we have learned from our faithful teachers so that our

disciples may teach others also.

I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #Faithfulness #PassItOn