Tell Your Story - My Life before Christ

 Hello! This is Multiply, a podcast that encourages pastors, Church Planters, and Christian Leaders. I am your host today, Daneille Snowden. 

In the New Village Church Planters curriculum, we are trained to use The Seed Sower’s Toolbox, which some refer to as the “4-1-1 tool.”  The toolbox asks four questions on one piece of paper.

The first question is asking why?    

By doing so, we discover “Our identity in Christ,” all as we realize that we are alive in Christ. In addition to our identity as Christ’s, we also find that we are AMBASADORS, by sharing His love, which transforms us into His image. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Today, we shall talk about another question listed two questions later in the Seed Sower’s Toolbox: What should I say? This is when we share a 15-second testimony (our story) about what Jesus has done for me. Most of us know that we begin by saying, “There was a time in my life...”  We tell a story that is led by the Holy Spirit, which is our own personal story, and one that the listener feels connected to. This is a story before we knew Jesus as our Lord and Savior. 

Do you remember when your life was empty, and you felt empty inside? Share that! I recall a long time ago when I was first learning how to evangelize. Sometimes, I would be going house to house, sharing the Gospel, or talking to people on the streets in street evangelism. I was so nervous! Yet, after the person I was talking to finished sharing their problems, the Holy Spirit just opened my heart and mind to be able to share HOPE from my story! My story came from my heart, a heart that had been changed and set free by Jesus Christ. And, as my short story was shared, God’s Word pulled back a curtain for these individuals to see and even feel the love and power of God for them personally. 

Tell your story, tell about your life before Christ! It is a good idea to write a few short 15-second stories down on a piece of paper. Be prepared!  The scripture says to “… sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15

This has been Multiply. Please take the time to share this podcast with others. You can find us on Facebook, YouTube, and on our website, vcpencouragement.org.

Thank you and Go, Tell Your Story!

How to find Persons of Peace

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

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

One of the most exciting experiences a Christian worker can ever have is to

look for and find persons of peace. You know that a person of peace is a man or

a woman, prepared by God to respond to the gospel and to respond to gospel

messengers when they come with good news. You are familiar with persons of

peace described the Bible, the woman at the well Cornelius, Lydia, the

Philippian jailer and others. You know how God prepared these people to

respond to the Good News and connect gospel messengers with other people in

their towns and villages. Their example follows the pattern that Jesus taught

72 workers to follow. That pattern of ministry that Jesus prescribed is found in

Luke chapter 10:1-10. Praise the Lord, that pattern of ministry instituted by

our Savior is still effective today.

I remember when I was helping plant a church in Quito, Ecuador. I was

attending a prayer meeting when I received a call from a hospital chaplain. She

said “There is a man here who has just been diagnosed with cancer of the

bladder. He is very worried. Now he has to leave our hospital to go to another

hospital. Can you send someone from your church to talk with him right away?

Immediately, I went over to the hospital and visited with the man and his wife.

He was indeed worried. He knew about his diagnosis. I told him that it’s always

God‘s will to heal his children, either here in this world, or in the world of

come. I found out that he did not have any assurance that he was a child of

God. I invited him and his wife to pray to receive Christ and they did. Then I

prayed for his healing. His life was transformed, and soon he shared the Good

News with his family. The next time the doctors performed a test on him, they

found that his tumor was not malignant! My new friend was a person of peace.

He showed it by the way he responded when I offered to pray. He confirmed

that he was a person of peace by his hunger to know the things of God, and by

his willingness to share the good news with others.

We find persons of peace through prayer. I was called to go to the hospital

while I was attending a prayer meeting with other Church planters. We find

persons of peace by offering to pray for others. Their response to our offers of

prayer is often an indication of spiritual hunger. We find persons of peace by

sharing the gospel. Persons of peace have been prepared by God to be hungry

for the Good News; they show that hunger by their response.

Persons of peace tell family and friends the Good News that they have heard.

They introduce gospel messengers to people they are related to. They connect

the gospel messenger with friends, neighbors, and family members. Persons of

peace are an instrument God uses to spread the good news to many people. He

does that because he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should

come to repentance.

When we look for persons of peace, we are cooperating with God. When we

find persons of peace, we rejoice because we see and believe that the gospel

can spread rapidly!

What about you? Do you have a story in which you found a young person, a man

or a woman who was hungry to know God? Do you have a story about when you

met a person of peace and they responded readily to you, to your prayers, and

to your sharing of the Gospel? If so, keep looking and finding more persons of

peace. If not, ask God to lead you to persons he has prepared as persons of

peace. When they trust Christ, teach them to obey all that Jesus commanded.

Help them connect people in their network of relations to Jesus.

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

encouraging word with today?”

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #Find Persons of Peace

Leadership Development - More Characteristics to Look for in Emerging Leaders

 

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 last episode, I introduced some characteristics that I look for in potential emerging leaders. Those attributes are an identity firmly rooted in Jesus Christ and humility.

Today, I want to introduce you to two more things to watch for. What is someone’s track record or their history? Have they been entrusted with small leadership responsibilities, and were they successful? Do others look to them – or defer to them – in situations where leadership is needed? Have they demonstrated a willingness and an ability to influence others? Or to motivate others?

Years ago, when I was a hiring manager, and we were interviewing candidates, our axiom was that “the best predictor of future performance is one’s past performance.” In other words, if a candidate had a strong history of accomplishment, there was a good chance that he or she would also be successful in a new role. On the other hand, it was very unlikely that someone would suddenly transform into an excellent worker just because they received a promotion or they stepped into a new position.

Leaders, as you intentionally look for potential new leaders, carefully investigate their history. Jesus taught in Luke 16:10 that “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…” Emerging leaders are trustworthy and have shown success in small things.

As I am watchful for new leaders, I also look for areas of aptitude or competency. Do they possess a particular skill that is needed by the organization? In our VCP context, this might be a strong ability to cast vision or to effectively train others or to handle administrative tasks quite well due to outstanding computer skills. (You will notice that these are very different abilities, and very few people are good at such a wide variety of responsibilities.) As leaders, it is important for us to identify those with skills needed and to then assign them to roles where those abilities best contribute to the work.

Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.” As leaders, we need to watch for those who are skilled in their work, and we then need to empower and enable them to apply those abilities in ways that maximize the fruitfulness of the ministry.

I will continue my thoughts on characteristics to look for in emerging leaders in my next podcast.

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

Biblical Examples of Persons of Peace

 

   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 started planting churches in the 1980s, I had never heard of a “person

of peace” and neither had my fellow church planters. We had studied Luke

10:1-10 where the Lord Jesus taught 72 of his followers to find persons of

peace. But, somehow, we didn’t focus on Jesus’ greatest teaching in that

chapter: There are men and women in many places who have been prepared by

God to be receptive to the Gospel and to receive people who proclaim the

Good News. Look for these men and women. Stay with them as you proclaim

the Kingdom of God.

One of the most interesting Bible stories about a person of peace tells about

when Jesus met a woman at a well (John 4:1-43). Jesus met a Samaritan

woman who had a bad reputation. But she was hungry to know God. When she

heard the Good News, she told the whole town about Jesus. Our Lord stayed

with the Samaritan believers for two days before going on with his ministry in

Galilee.

After Jesus rose from the dead and poured out his Holy Spirit on the men and

women in the Upper Room, the apostles were slow to put into practice Jesus’

teaching about finding persons of peace. Yes, they developed their church in

Jerusalem, and yes, they proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom of God. But

the apostles did not go looking for persons of peace outside the city. It took

several miracles to make that happen.

Peter found a man of peace when he met Cornelius. The story of their

encounter is found in Acts 10. Cornelius was a Roman army captain. Because of

his cultural upbringing, Peter did not want to have anything to do with Romans.

But God made it clear to him in a dream that he should go to Cornelius. When

he got to Cornelius’ house, he found a man with a good reputation who was

hungry to know God. And Cornelius had gathered his relatives and close friends

to listen to Peter’s teaching. As Peter told the story of Jesus and explained the Old

Testament prophecies about him, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the

message. That’s right, the Holy Spirit was poured out even on Gentiles! Peter

baptized the believers and stayed with them for a few days.

Do you see the pattern? God prepares people to hear the Gospel. He gives them

a hunger to know God. Believers go with the message of Jesus, the message of

God’s big story to save broken humanity. When persons of peace hear the Good

News, they receive it. Persons of peace are hungry to know more. They don’t

keep the Gospel to themselves; they invite their friends to hear. The believers

who proclaim the Good News stay with the new believers to strengthen them in

their faith.

There are persons of peace God wants you to find. There are people who live

near you who are hungry to know God. Pray for them. Look for them. Pray with

them. Share the Good news with them. Stay with them. Tell their friends and

relatives about Jesus. Yes! There are persons of peace God wants you to find.

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

encouraging word with today?”

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #PersonsOfPeace

What Is A Person of Peace?

     Welcome to Multiply a podcast to encourage Village Church planters and leaders. I am Brad Snowden, and today I want to focus on an important passage of scripture.

Luke 10:5-6 "Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace that is, a blessing of well-being and prosperity, the favor of God to this house.’ 6 And if anyone of peace is there someone who is sweet-spirited and hospitable, your blessing of peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you." 

This passage beautifully describes what it means to encounter a “person of peace” when arriving in a new village. It is vital to find individuals who are kind and open-hearted, as their hospitality paves the way for meaningful connections. When someone welcomes you, they are more likely to have a receptive heart, ready to listen to your testimony. This openness lets God begin His work in their life, and then their families and ultimately leading to the opportunity for the entire village to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.

My father-in-law used to share an illustration from the days when logging companies would float trees down rivers. Sometimes, a particular log would get stuck on a rock or stump, blocking all the other logs behind it. He called this the “key log.” He would say that ministers, i.e., Church planters - are the ones who had to search for that key log and work on that one so it could be free and thus all the other logs could then flow down the river smoothly, and it would be good. In the same way, a person of peace can be like the key log—someone whose influence can transform the atmosphere of the whole village. 

Often, in our pursuit of big results, we overlook that one vital person who makes everything possible. The person of peace is essential for unlocking the work God wants to do; we should pray that the Lord prepares these hearts to welcome church planters. Only the Holy Spirit can ready the hearts and minds of those chosen for this role, in the right place and time. The person of peace is the one who opens the spiritual door for the village and its surroundings. Let us ask the Lord of the harvest to show us who the ‘Persons of Peace’ are in each community and how He wants to use them. This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters. 

Who will you share it with today? May God abundantly bless you.

Leadership Development - Four Characteristics of Emerging Leaders

 

    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 23 January episode, I concluded with the encouragement that we as leaders need to be attentive to those around us and to be intentional in identifying and equipping new leaders.

Today, and in episodes to follow, I want to share some thoughts about characteristics that I look for when identifying potential future leaders. Perhaps you have additional attributes that you are keen to observe; if so, please share your thoughts with me. I want to also add this disclaimer. These are my personal thoughts and observations. Others may have different ideas than I do. This is not an exhaustive list; I’m certain there are additional important characteristics of emerging leaders.

First on my list is a personal identity that is firmly rooted in Christ. Colossians 3:3 says, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” I appreciate the Apostle Paul’s use of the word “hidden,” as the true essence of a believer’s life is that it is secure and protected in Christ.

You may have heard me observe in previous podcasts that one of the most dangerous situations is to have is someone in a position of leadership who is insecure in who he or she is. Conversely, the leader whose security is firmly rooted in Jesus Christ has a confidence in the Lord that enables them to serve others. Philippians 2:4 instructs us that we should not “look to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Coupled with this sense of personal identity rooted in Christ is humility. This is an attribute reflected in serving the interests of others. I am very wary of those who demonstrate an attitude that indicates they are “a legend in their own mind.” In the JB Phillips translation, we read this in Romans 12:3. “As your spiritual teacher, I give this piece of advice to each one of you. Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities …”

What great wisdom and counsel. “Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities.” One of the significant mentors in my life, Chuck Colson, had this to say. Someone who seeks leadership “because it gratifies his ego is doomed.” It took me many years to learn this crucial lesson.

I will continue my thoughts on characteristics to look for in emerging leaders in my next podcast.

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

Your Relationship Map

 

 

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

We don’t know a lot about Jesus’ disciple called Nathaniel. But one thing we do know about Nathaniel is that he owes a debt of gratitude to another disciple, the one named Philip. Listen to John 1:44 – 49:

“Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”  “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approached, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

Can you believe it? Nathaniel was a skeptic. He held a pretty deep-seated prejudice against Nazareth, Nazarenes, and probably against the whole province of Galilee. He didn’t think any good person or good idea could come from Nazareth. But his friend Philip found Nathaniel and testified about Jesus.

He pointed out that Jesus was the Messiah that Moses and the prophets had spoken about. And, amazingly, in spite of his prejudice, when Philip simply said, “Come and see,” Nathaniel met Jesus and recognized him as the Son of God.

What was the relationship between Philip and Nathaniel? Were they brothers or cousins? Were they related by marriage? Or were they just good friends? We don’t know. But it’s clear they had a close relationship because Nathaniel was one of the first people Philip spoke to after he met Jesus. Philip was so excited about meeting the Messiah that he had to share the good news. And so he told Nathaniel, a guy he had a close relationship with.

You have some good news to share. You know Jesus the Messiah. You know he is the savior of the world. You know he forgives us and empowers us and gives us abundant, eternal life. So make a relationship map. Draw a circle on the middle of a sheet of paper and write you name in it. Then draw connecting lines from your circle to the names of friends and relatives you know who are far from God. Draw lines from their names to the names of their friends and family members who are also far from God. When you do so, you have a relationship map. Pray for each person on your map. Then make plans to go to them to share your testimony and the Good News of Jesus. Who knows? As you go and share, your friends may surprise you. They may respond in faith to Jesus the same way Nathaniel did when Philip led him to the Lord so many years ago.

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

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #RelationshipMap