Leadership Development - Director Claude's Thoughts Regarding the Leadership Development Process - 2

 

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

Our topic for 2026 is Leadership Development. In my previous podcast, I shared VCP Director Claude's thoughts about the process of leadership development. Today I want to continue with his insights.

I asked Director Claude how he helps new leaders grow as spiritual men. It was not surprising to me that he began with how he observes their personalities and their behaviors. This helps him by providing insight into how to pray for each one. Now, in order to observe someone, we must be in proximity to them; we must be near them. We must spend time with them. While it is most effective to be physically together, when this is not possible, technology can help us.

My next question of Director Claude was how he deals with situations when corrective feedback is needed.

Perhaps someone is showing a character flaw in their behavior. Maybe he observed that a task was not completed well. Here is his response.

Claude likes to share feedback informally. Perhaps it will be over a meal. He doesn't like to have these conversations when he is seated across from someone at a big desk. He said that he prefers to do this with both positive and corrective feedback.

I then asked about the timing of sharing corrective feedback, and he told me that when someone does something wrong, most often rather than immediately addressing it, he prefers to wait until there is a natural opportunity. He told me "If you are too strong, they will have fear and hide. The most important thing is that they continue to be open to you." This is great wisdom. "The most important thing is that they continue to be open to you." If someone closes themselves off from us as leaders, then we are no longer able to help them in their development.

Proverbs 27:6 instructs us "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." When we provide corrective feedback to an emerging leader within the context of relationship or friendship, they realize that while our words may hurt them temporarily, they know that what we are telling them is for their good in the future.

Director Claude continued with his answer by saying that If, however, the mistake is something that can "spoil the work," he addresses it immediately. Two examples that he gave were a poor relationship between a supervisor and a coordinator or the misuse of funds). Most of the time, if it is possible, he addresses the issue in private.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.

The Three Circles and Repentance

 

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

that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

When I first began to understand the Good News of Jesus, I loved hearing

message about “abundant life.” One of the first Bible verses I memorized was

John 10:10. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that

they may have life and have it abundantly.” I wanted an abundant life, a life

full of meaning and hope. But it seemed that all the people who shared the

Gospel with me kept telling me that I needed to turn from my sins and put my

trust in Christ. Then I could experience abundant life. The problem was, I

wanted abundant life without repentance. I remember on several occasions the

preacher was talking about the blessing of being a child of God. Those

messages got my hopes up, but then they he would say that dreaded word,

“Repent.” I was struggling.

Finally, I did repent. I did tell God I was sorry for my selfish way of living. I told

him I would turn away from my sins. I asked Jesus to forgive me. And that is

when my abundant life in Christ began. I had peace with God. I knew I was his

child. When I read the Bible, I understood it. The words that came out of my

mouth changed and so did the way I treated my friends. I was born again.

One of the most beautiful parts of the Three Circles Gospel Presentation is the

arrow that goes from the broken world to the bottom circle that tells the story

of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. That arrow represents repentance. When

we share the Three Circles, we say, ‘If you will turn from your sins and crown

Jesus as King of your life, he will restore you to God.” This means, if you

repent of your rebellion against God and put your trust in Christ, God will

forgive you and give you abundant life.

Many people are amazed that God would receive us back after we rebelled

against him. And that is pretty amazing. But even more amazing is that God

gives us grace and strength so we can repent. Because of God’s love, we can

change. We are not bound to keep living the same fruitless life we lived when

we were in rebellion against God. We can turn away from evil and selfishness

and sin, we can begin to live a righteous, generous, loving life if and when

we put our trust in Christ.

So, when you share the Three Circles Gospel Presentation, draw the arrow to

show an end to rebellion and a turning back to God. Tell people that they can

repent, they can change, they can turn from evil to God. Let them know that

God is delighted to give us the power we need to trust Him and obey Him.

The Christian life of repentance and faith is a beautiful thing. I am so glad I

repented; I pray that hundreds and even thousands of people will repent and

trust Christ as you share the Good News by drawing three circles and telling

God’s big story.

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, who will you share this

Encouraging word for today?

The Three Circles God Intervenes (VCP 2)

 

Hello, my brother; hello, my sister, my name is Dean Davis, and this is a word of encouragement for village church planters.

How has it been going for you as you share the Three Circles Gospel presentation? I can imagine that as you share the three circles, you are finding that many people agree with you when you say that the world we live in is broken.  It saddens me to say that the brokenness of our world is more and more apparent every day. As I prepared this episode of the podcast, my country is going through some difficult and embarrassing political turmoil.  All of our country’s wealth and all of our country’s education could not deliver us from the deep divisions we are experiencing.  Yes, the world we live in is broken.  But as we look at the natural world, we understand at least in part that God is good. His goodness is on display throughout creation.

So the truth described in the first two circles is pretty obvious to everyone: the world is broken, but brokenness is not part of God’s original design for the world.  The truth described in the third circle is not so well understood, but of the three circles, it is the one that provides the most hope.

The third circle is all about Jesus, how he came into our world, how he led a life of love, how he allowed himself to be crucified as a sacrifice for our sins, and how he rose from the dead, victorious over sin, death, and brokenness. The third circle tells about God’s intervention.  It tells us about a redeemer who comes from outside our brokenness to bring healing and hope.  This story is so wonderful, Jesus himself called it Good News. But the third circle is the part of God’s story that is least understood by hurting people in the world.

As a village church planter, you may be asking yourself, “What can I do to help people understand the third circle so they can put their trust in Christ and be saved from the brokenness that is in the world?

Let me share with you what I find to be most helpful:

Pray.  Pray for yourself to tell the story well.  Pray for your listeners that God will reveal Himself to them as they hear the Good News.  Pray that others will not disturb you as you speak and not disturb them as they listen.  Pray that you will be filled with great love for the people you are speaking to. Trust God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.  Pray.

And relax.  You may be very anxious and concerned about saying everything perfectly.  Don’t be anxious. Relax and do your best. God is with you, and he is the one who is at work to help your listeners put their trust in him.

Know what you want to say, but don’t hurry.  Stay focused and tell the story of Jesus as you draw the third circle. Don’t get distracted; tell the story, proclaim the Good News. Then leave the results in God’s hands.  Some will repent and believe without delay.  Some will reject you and your message.  Some will want to know more.  Trust God. He is at work.  And remember, as you share the Good News, you are bringing glory to the One who came to save you. And that is always a good thing.  Don’t quit!

 

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

 E1-21

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #ThreeCircles

Nature Reveals the Goodness of God

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

that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

When I first tried to plant churches cross-culturally in South America, I worked

closely with a Quichua brother named Pedro. Though Pedro was a kind and

gracious evangelist and church planter, more than once he was beaten, spit

upon, and insulted because of his witness for Christ. But Pedro was always

patient, always kind, always trying to help people who lived in darkness see the

light of Christ. Pedro was always looking to build bridges to share the love of

Christ.

I’m sure I heard Pedro say 100 times that “Even though we turn our back on

Him, God is good and we should thank him. He sends us the rain and the sun

and provides us with corn and beans and the food we need to eat. Even though

we are ungrateful God keeps showing his love to us.” Pedro appealed to our

common experience of life on earth in order to glorify God and build trust.

Of course, my brother Pedro was not the first one to share this message. Paul

and Barnabas told the people of Lystra the same thing. They said, in Acts

14:17, “He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in

their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with

joy.”

When we share the Three Circles Gospel Presentation, we communicate the

same truth. We remind people that even though we live in a broken world full

of pain and suffering, God is good. He created a world of perfect harmony. And

we can still see glimpses of that good world that He made. We see it in the

beauty of a sunrise and the smile on a small child’s face. And we see it in the

rain that fall on our crops to help them grow.

When you share the 3 circles, don’t rush over these things. Share some ways

you still see the goodness of God in the natural world He created. Ask your

listeners to tell ways that they have seen glimpses of God’s original, good, and

loving design for the world. Wait patiently for them to respond. Affirm what

they say. Thank God with them for his goodness.

Then share about how the world was broken through our rebellion against God

and how people try to escape the brokenness. Tell the story of Jesus and lift

him up as the way back to God. Remind you listeners, that Jesus is the way to

experience fully the goodness of God and the beauty of His creation.

Remember, when we’re restored to God through repentance and faith in

Christ, we begin to experience his original design here and now. We get a

foretaste of the new heaven and the new earth that Jesus is preparing for us.

But a time is coming when we will have far more than the grain that God in his

goodness provides for us by giving us rain for our crops. We will participate in

the marriage supper of the Lamb of God (Revelation 16:6-9). There, we will

enjoy great fellowship in the body of Christ and amazing fellowship with the

Father. We will enjoy the best of food, fellowship, and joy.

This is God’s big story. Tell it well!

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, who will you share this

Encouraging word for today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #GodIsGood #ThreeCircles

Leadership Development - Director Claude's Thoughts Regarding the Leadership Development Process - 1

 

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

Our topic for 2026 is Leadership Development. Over the past two months, I shared 10 characteristics that I look for in potential emerging leaders. Today, I want to begin to examine the process of leadership development. To do so, one morning over breakfast together, I asked Director Claude a series of questions.

I began by asking him to explain how he helps potential new leaders. His first comment is that he asks them many questions, and he listens well to how they answer. As he does this, he begins to understand their strengths and their weaknesses. Having this knowledge, he is then able to begin to know what assignments to give them. As they work on those assignments, he observes them carefully.

I asked how he determines the best assignments for emerging leaders. How does he find the right balance between assignments they can complete easily - which builds their confidence - compared with assignments that are more challenging but will help them acquire new skills?

Claude told me that regarding the latter type of assignments he likes to give responsibilities that will be helpful for someone's job or role. He gave the examples of writing a report or some computer-related task. He prefers to provide emerging leaders the opportunity to learn and grow in their skills. Once again, he observes closely how they do with these assignments. If they need help, he will coach them or he will connect them with someone who is able to help them better understand.

At this point, I asked him specifically how he helps the VCP supervisors grow as leaders. He offered three examples of helping them grow both as spiritual leaders and in their skills.

* Director Claude frequently asks the supervisors how well they know their coordinators. Proverbs 27:23 says that leaders are to "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds..." As leaders, we are like shepherds who must attend to the needs of those who follow us, and in order to do so, we must know how they are doing.

* Director Claude also helps supervisors know how to do important things like submitting receipts. He shares from his experience and encourages them to be attentive to this.

* A third skill he teaches is how to create budgets. This is another practical skill.

As I listened to Director Claude, I observed a common theme in the way that he develops leaders. He listens much, and he observes much. I will say that again. He listens much, and he observes much.

As we are intentional to develop emerging leaders, we must not rush; we must be patient.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.

All Nations

 Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis, and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Most church planters who have been trained in the Village Church Planting ministry can recite from memory the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19,20. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We pray for its fulfillment. We teach people to make disciples in obedience to these last words of Jesus before his ascension. But too often in our teaching we forget a very significant phrase, “make disciples of all nations.”

Even baby Christians understand that they are called upon to make disciples. But the vast majority of Christians who make disciples are discipling people from their own tribe, their own country, their own language, their own ethnic groups and their own religious background. Please don’t misunderstand. Each of us must disciple our family, our neighbors, our friends. We must use our mother tongue to do so. We must help them follow Christ in ways that respect our shared cultural norms. This is good, but it is not enough. We must teach our disciples to make disciples of all nations.

But what is a nation? When the Bible speaks of nations it is not describing countries like Nigeria, Gabon, Ethiopia or Egypt. It is speaking of ethnic groups like Ewe, Yoruba, Fang, Oromo, and Berbers. 

Jesus’ command to make disciples of all ethnic groups was shocking. His disciples, like most people everywhere, were ethnocentric. That means they thought their people, their tribe, their ethnic group was better, smarter, and more deserving of God’s blessing than other ethnic groups. James and John even wanted to call down fire from heaven when the Samaritans wouldn’t welcome them (Luke 9:54). When believed and obeyed, Jesus’ Great Commission slays ethnocentrism. If believe that God is calling people from every tribe and every religious background to be disciples of Jesus, and it’s your job to teach them to follow Him, racism and ethnocentrism will be destroyed in your life.

Furthermore, if you believe that to faithfully follow Jesus, you must work, pray, give, and go to make disciples of other ethnic groups, the world will be transformed.

So, let me ask you three questions. Do you believe that working to make disciples of all nations is God’s will for your life? Have you begun to share the Good News and make disciples of people from other ethnic groups? Are you training your disciples that they have a Gospel responsibility even to the tribes and peoples they have most despised? If you can answer yes to all three of these questions, you are well on your way to changing the world. If you can’t answer yes to all three questions, please pray for God to give you grace to love people from all nations and to fulfill the Great Commission.

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, who will you share this encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #TheGreatCommission #VillageChurchPlanting

The Three Circles The World is Broken

 

Hello, this is Multiply, a podcast to encourage village church planters and leaders. I am Brad Snowden. I have learned many things throughout my life, and one important thought is. I cannot fix everything because this is a man's default. If my wife shares a problem, my mind goes into action. How can I fix this to make it better or right? There are some things that no matter how you try, you cannot fix. It is amazing how far man will go to try to fix things with money or possessions, trying to fill the void, and yet it will not happen. WHY? 

The three circles have such a great object lesson for us to learn from. We can not fix what is not ours to fix. We live in a broken world, the second drawing in the three circles. 

God did not design our world to be broken, and through sin, it is broken. We live in a broken world, not as God desired. God’s design was different than the place we live in now. He desired our lives to be filled with His presence, for He walked with Adam in the garden and talked with him. Our bodies to be healthy and strong, but because we live in a broken world, we have frailty. He desired us to have perfect union with Him and for our families to be whole. We could go on and on with the brokenness of our world and how it affects us. 

We live here in this broken world, and that is where we are. This is such a suitable place to share with someone because they cannot deny that this world is broken. You can invite them to share with you what they see and how brokenness has touched their lives. We can easily share this point and how we got here because of the rebellion of man’s heart. We are all born into this broken world, and so that makes us all in need of fixing. 

This fixing is not something this world can give us because it is broken.

The three circles are such a powerful tool to bring out so many good conversations about God’s love for each one of us. It is an eye-opening and heart-opening conversation that will be such a powerful preparation of the heart to receive God’s love and the good news of Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that when it comes to drawing and explanation of the broken world, you spend time there so that the point is well-received. We can not fix this; only Jesus can do this work in the hearts of those to whom we share this.

This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters. Who will you share this with today? Lord bless you!