You Can Plant Churches that Obey Jesus

You Can Plant Churches that Obey Jesus

 Hi there, my name is Dean Davis, and this is “A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters.  I was involved in my first church plant when I was 23 years old. I have been involved in church planting on five continents over the past 41 years. So I pay close attention to new churches and new methods to plant churches.  But many times when church planters talk about the churches they are planting they emphasize matters which are important, but not essential.  If you listen to experienced church planters you will hear them talking about many important issues related to how to plant a church.  They talk about where to meet and what kind of music to use in worship.  They talk about how to invite people and how to increase attendance at worship services.  They talk about how to emphasize their denomination’s doctrine or how to appeal to certain cultural or demographic groups.

All of this is important, but none of it is essential. You are a village church planter.  You have just started to plant churches.  My hope for you is that you will be able to tell the difference between what is important and what is essential. Here is what is essential in church planting: make disciples of Jesus Christ. This is what is essential for your new church: It must be a church of people who obey all that Jesus commanded.  It must be a church of disciples and of disciple makers. This is essential.  Many other aspects of church life are important, but what is essential is that your church obeys Jesus.

My brothers and sisters, if you understand and accept this word of encouragement, to plant churches that make disciples, your church will be worthy of honor. If you do many important works, but fail to help your church obey Jesus, you will have missed the mark.

I want you to know that I believe in you. I believe that regardless of your age or your education you can tell the difference between what is important and what is essential. Now is the time to lay the foundation in your church. Not the physical foundation for a building, but the spiritual foundation of obedience to Jesus Christ. You know what Christ has done for you, how he gave his life for you so that you could have a new, eternal life.  You know that He alone is worthy to be the Lord and Master of the Church. You know that He is worthy not only of worship, but of obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”  You can plant churches that obey Jesus. That is what is truly essential.

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

E2-23

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters  #ChurchesthatObeyJesus #ObeyJesus

GROW IN OBEDIENCE

 GROW IN OBEDIENCE

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters.”

Growth is a good thing. We love to see plants grow and animals grow and people grow. I have been growing a garden. It’s wonderful to watch seeds sprout and show their first leaves. When the true leaves appear, that is another good sign. When my okra plants grew and formed strong stems and big leaves, I was happy. Then I saw the big yellow flowers. Soon the Okra pods began to appear. In just a few days I cut them and cooked them. Growth is good.

The apostle Peter tell us that as Christians we should grow and develop. He said, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”

One of the most important roles you have a village church planter is the role of cultivating growth in lives of your church members. When babies grow, they get bigger and stronger and more intelligent. In the same way, followers of Jesus must grow. Your job as a village church planter is to help your church members grow in knowledge and faith and obedience.

So teach them the stories of the Bible. Teach them the stories of Jesus. Help them to know more and more about Jesus. When we watch a baby, we can tell if it is growing by measuring its length and its weight. But how can you tell if followers of Jesus are growing in knowledge? By listening to the answers they give when you lead a Bible Story Fellowship. When they give wise answers, you will know that their knowledge is growing.

Followers of Jesus must grow in faith and in their obedience of Jesus. We have said many times that it requires faith to obey Jesus. If we do not trust Him, we will not obey Him. But if we trust Him, we will obey him more and more. Your job as a village church planter is to help your church members know Jesus better, so that they trust him more and obey Him in greater ways. Let me say that again: Your job as a village church planter is to help your church members know Jesus better, so that they trust him more and obey Him in greater ways.

You have already seen growth in their faith and obedience. Rejoice in that growth. You can expect to see more growth. Keep teaching, keep modeling the way. Keep encouraging more faith and more obedience. The best is yet to come!

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

E2-21

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #GrowinChrist #GrowinObedience

Abiding in Christ

Abiding in Christ

 This is Chuck Rapp with a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.  

In my last message I shared about the necessity of having a proper view of oneself, to have a “sane estimate” of your abilities (this was Romans 12:3), to avoid thinking too high or too low of yourself, and to give both your personal strengths and weaknesses to the Lord.  

Today I would like for us to look at John chapter 15 as we discuss Abiding in Christ.  In verses 4-8, Jesus tells his disciples and us to “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

If we are to have a proper view of ourselves, we must always keep in the forefront of our minds that we are absolutely, completely dependent upon Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Apart from Him we can do nothing.  What does “nothing mean here”?  It means NOTHING.  We are branches; apart from the vine we wither, fail to produce fruit and eventually die.  

On the other hand, Christ tells us that if we remain in Him, we will bear much fruit; we will have our prayers answered; and we will demonstrate that we are Christ’s disciples.  In Andrew Murray’s book, The Believer’s Absolute Surrender, he makes the bold statement that “Absolute dependence upon God is the secret of all power in work.”  

A second thought from this scripture is that the life of the branch is not only of complete dependence but also deep restfulness.  How can this be?  Think of this.  Which part is doing all the work?  I would suggest that it is the vine and its root system.  Branches receive their nourishment from the vine.  Branches have no work to do other than to stay healthily attached to the vine.  Bearing fruit is the natural outcome for branches that are attached to the vine and receiving its nourishment.  

We will continue our thoughts on Abiding in Christ in our next message.  Until then, continue to receive the nourishment of God’s Word and the power and presence of the Holy Spirit within you.  As you do, it is natural that you will produce fruit for the Kingdom.  

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

If You Love Me You Will Keep My Commandments

 If You Love Me You Will Keep My Commandments

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters.”

Why do we obey our leaders? Why do we obey our teachers in school? Why do we obey an employer or a policeman? What motivates us to obey those who have authority?

Many people obey because they are afraid. Fear is the motivation for their obedience. People are afraid if they do not obey the policeman, he will arrest them and perhaps put them in jail. Some small children obey their parents because they are afraid. They think they will be punished if they do not obey, so they do what their parent says. Students in school obey their teacher for fear that if they do not obey, they may be expelled from school or exposed to ridicule and shame. Fear is a strong motivator. Many, many people obey those in authority over them because of fear.

We are followers of Jesus. Jesus is not just our savior, He is our Lord. As followers of Jesus, why do we obey him? Are we motivated by fear? Are we afraid that if we don’t obey him, we will be punished? What motivates us to obey Jesus?

Jesus taught his disciples to obey his instructions. He said to his followers, “If you love me, keep my commands.” “If you love me, keep my commands.” When Jesus said this He showed himself to be a very different kind of leader. The leaders of this world motivate their followers by appealing to fear. “If you do not do what I say you will be punished. If you do not do what I say, you will be put to shame.” Jesus did not use this tactic. He said, “If you love me, keep my command.”

So the first question is, “Do you love Jesus? Do you love his teachings? Do you love the way he treated people? Do you love the way He gave himself up to be crucified so that you could be forgiven? Do you love the way his uses his power and authority to bless others rather than to serve himself? Do you love Jesus? If you love Jesus, keep his commandments. If you love Jesus teach the members of your church to love Him too. Don’t motivate them with fear of punishment or fear of shame. Motivate them to obey Jesus because Jesus is worthy of their love. When we obey Jesus, we show our love for him. Teach you people to express their love for Jesus by obeying his commands.

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

E2-20

· #EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #LoveJesus #ObeyJesus

MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

 MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

       

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters.”

As a student in the New Village Church Planting Program, you have learned to tell God’s big story from start to finish. A critical point in that story comes when God calls Abram. You can read about it in Genesis 12. God says some amazing things to Abram. He says, “I will bless you Abram, I will make your name great. You will be a blessing.” Then God says the most amazing thing of all. He says to Abram, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Wow! God loves the whole world. He wants to bless all peoples on earth. And He has a plan to bless them, starting with Abram.

Abram was a man just like us. He was loyal to his immediate family and He was loyal to his clan. But it seems quite clear that Abram was as surprised as anyone else to learn that God wanted to bless all peoples on earth.

God loves people from every tribe. Every tribe. He loves people who speak every language. Every language. He loves people from every country. Every country. And he wants them to be saved. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

So it should not have been very surprising to the 11 disciples when Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” They heard what he said. They remembered his words. But they spent most all of their time evangelizing Jews and only Jews for the first years after Jesus sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Why didn’t they take the Good News to people of other tribes and other languages? We don’t know. But we do know that it’s just easier to tell the Good News to people who look like us and talk like us and who eat the same kind of food we eat.

But Jesus says, “Make disciples of all nations.” Remember that command. And take action. Who are the people in your village who are different? Maybe they are members of different tribe or maybe they speak a different language or come from a different part of the country. Pray for them. Ask God to save them. Ask him to show you how to find persons of peace among those people who are different.

Remember, God wants to use you to make disciples of all nations.

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

E2-19

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #AllNations #MakeDisciples

HAVING A PROPER VIEW OF ONESELF

HAVING A PROPER VIEW OF ONESELF

This is Chuck Rapp with a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Romans 12:2-3 reminds us that we are “not conform to the pattern of this world, but be

transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

In JB Phillips’ translation of verse 3, he says, “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 …”

Over the years I observed that the “pattern of this world” (vs 2) is that people tend to

gravitate toward one of two extremes when it comes to their self-image. Some see

themselves as totally inadequate and falling short. They do not feel capable to do very much for themselves or for Christ’s Kingdom. They fail to realize that “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13).

On the other hand, some people tend toward I call “legends in their own minds”. They think more highly of themselves than they ought (and frequently more highly than they really are!).

With such an inflated attitude, they are likely to be overly confident in themselves and not as dependent as they should be upon the Lord. Such people forfeit the Holy Spirit’s assistance in their lives, and they frequently leave a negative impression upon others.

As VCP leaders, I encourage you to “have a sane estimate of your capabilities”. Know your personal strengths and weaknesses, and give both to the Lord. Thank Him for the strengths and abilities He has given to you and offer them up to Him to use as He sees fit.

Be also willing to acknowledge your weaknesses that you may especially depend upon the Lord in those areas. Paul, the Apostle, said in 2 Corinthians 12:10 “That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

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

MAKE DISCIPLES

 

MAKE DISCIPLES

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement

for Village Church Planters.”

As a Village Church Planter, you are quite familiar with Jesus last command to

go and make disciples of all nations. In fact, one of the reasons you became a

church planter was because you wanted to obey Jesus by making disciples and

by starting churches full of disciples.

The New VCP Program emphasizes that a disciple is an obedient follower of

Jesus. Your training is organized around obeying the seven Basic Commands of

Christ and teaching others to obey them as well. So you have prayed for the

village where you are planting a church. You have made new friends and

shared the Good News. You have invited people to repent and put their trust in

Christ. I can’t tell you how proud I am of all that you have done. You are on a

good path. Keep up the good work!

Now you are teaching new believers to be baptized, you are helping them

demonstrate love for God and for their neighbors. In the same way you teach a

small child to feed himself with physical food, you are helping these new

believers feed spiritually on God’s word and to pray every day. You are making

it possible for them to participate in the Lord’s Supper just like Jesus

commanded. And you are teaching them to give generously. Well done!

When I got to this point in my early church planting experience, I was happy. I

really felt like I was making progress. But I had a hard time trusting new

believers to actually make disciples. They seemed so young. They seemed to

need to grow so much in faith and in understanding of God’s word. But Jesus

said, “Teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” And one

thing he commanded was to make disciples. So as a church planter it was my

job to teach new believers to make disciples. I struggled with that task. And

maybe you have too.

For now, let me just encourage you this way. Remember, you are not the only

disciple maker in your new, little church. There are church members who will

touch lives that you could never reach. God wants your church to be full of

disciple makers. Don’t be afraid. Don’t worry. Just pray. Tell the Lord that

you will obey his command. Tell him that you will teach others to make

disciples. Then watch as He opens doors for you to do just that! Trust Him to

fill your church with disciple makers.

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

E2-17

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters

We Are Blessed To Know the 7 Basic Commands of Christ

 

We Are Blessed To Know the 7 Basic Commands of Christ

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement for

Village Church Planters.”

I think I was either 11 or 12 years old the first time I heard about Jesus’ Great

Commission to go and make disciples of all nations. Fulfilling the Great Commission is

at the very heart of what we do in Village Church Planting. Jesus said, “All authority

in heaven and on earth has been given to me.    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.”

It seems like for the first ten years of my Christian life, when I heard Jesus’ Great

Commission, I only focused on the words “Go and make disciples.” I didn’t really

think about “all nations.” And I didn’t give much thought to what it meant to teach

them to obey everything that Jesus had commanded.

But when I was 46 years old, I learned about the “Train & Multiply” materials, the

very same “Train & Multiply materials we use in Village Church Planting. Train &

Multiply explains that making disciples is simply a matter of helping people learn to

obey Jesus’ commandments. And to make things even easier, Train & Multiply

identified seven basic commands of Jesus which are central to the teachings of Jesus:

 Repent and believe

 Baptize new believers

 Love God and neighbor

 Partake of the Lord’s supper

 Pray and mediate on God’s word daily

 Give

 Make Disciples

When I work for someone else, I really appreciate clear instructions. I like to know

what is expected of me. The 7 basic commands of Jesus are the clear instructions

every person needs to obey in order to live in fellowship with Christ and do his will.

What a blessing it is to know these seven commands. What a blessing it is to teach

others to obey them. What a blessing to be able to measure my own discipleship by

referring to the seven Basic commands of Jesus.

You have been blessed to bless others. So learn the 7 basic commands, obey those

commands of Jesus and teach others to obey them as well!

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

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #SevenBasicCommandsofJesus

#ObedienceBasedDiscipleship

Give Part 2

 GIVE

Part 2

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement

for Village Church Planters.”

God loves a cheerful giver. He delights when we his children give to him

joyfully and freely. But God does not twist our arm to make us give. He allows

us to make a choice. When we choose to give, we demonstrate love for him.

What father does not enjoy getting a good gift from his son or daughter? Our

heavenly Father rejoice when we honor him by giving to His work. The Bible

says, “ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not

reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Many Christians would like to be a cheerful giver, but they find it difficult to

give. They are fearful that if they give to God, they will not have enough to

take care of themselves. So giving is associated with fear. If they give, they

feel sad, because they know they won’t be able to buy something for

themselves which they wanted or needed. I know about this kind of fear and

this kind of sadness, because when I was first married, my giving to the Lord

was surrounded by fear and sadness.

Friend, this is not what God wants. The Bible is clear, God loves a cheerful

giver. So how can you as a Village Church Planter become a cheerful giver?

How can you teach your people to give cheerfully?

The steps are simple but the journey may be hard. Give by faith. Give because

God commands you to give. As you give, thank God for providing income so that

you can give. After you give, pray and exercise faith for God to meet your

needs. When God meets your needs by providing more income, or more work or

by helping you manage your resources well, don’t forget to thank him. Tell

trusted friends what God has done for you. And keep giving. Give by faith.

Plan your giving. Don’t wait for someone to ask you to give. Give to the Lord’s

work each week. Thank Him for meeting your needs and for providing for your

family. And keep giving. After a while, giving will become a joy and will no

longer be a burden. You will rejoice because you know that you are a co laborer with Christ. You

 will be cheerful because you know that what you have

given will be used by God to bless others.

Let me sum up what I’m trying to say. Give in obedience to Christ’s command.

Give even when it is difficult. Watch how God meets your needs. Thank Him

for his provision. Keep giving by faith. Keep trusting him. Soon you will become

a cheerful giver. Then you can teach others in your church to give by faith.

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

E2-16

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #GiveGenerously #GiveByFaith

Give Pt. 1

 

GIVE 

Part 1

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement

for Village Church Planters.”

In the months and years after I gave my life to Christ, I had a hard time

understanding what means to have faith. When I was a young Christian, I

thought that faith was primarily demonstrated when people prayed for a

miracle and God answered their prayer. That, I thought was the most

important sign of faith. I think one reason I didn’t understand faith very well

was that I had a hard time understanding the Book of Hebrews. It is in chapter

11 of that book in which we learn about faith as we hear stories about men and

women who obeyed God. Once I started reading the book of Hebrews, I came

to understand that one of the greatest signs of faith is to obey God, even when

it is hard to obey Him.

This podcast is about Jesus’ command to give. He said, “Do not judge, and you

will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive,

and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure,

pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your

lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

That’s right, Jesus commands us to give. And not only are we supposed to give,

we are supposed to give generously, giving to the Lord ten percent or more of

what we earn. This is not easy. Just like every other point of obedience to

Christ, it takes faith to give. We ask ourselves, “If I give to God, how will I

live, how will I survive, how will I have enough money for food and clothing?

We wonder, “If I teach others to give, how will they survive? They are so

poor.” This kind of reasoning is the reasoning of a person who is not walking by

faith. The Scriptures are clear, “Give and it will be given to you.” When we

give, God gives us more. How do I know this? First of all the Bible teaches us

this truth and I trust the Bible. Secondly, I have known many followers of Jesus

who have testified that when they gave, God continued to meet their needs.

And thirdly, I have given to God for the past 41 years and I am still alive, I still

have clothes to wear and food to eat. God is good.

So here is my message to Village Church Planters today. Give. Give generously.

Give ten percent or more of your earning to God. Give in faith. Once you have

begun giving, teach others to give. Giving to God is a great joy and a great

privilege for those who trust their heavenly Father to meet their needs.

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

E2-15

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #GiveGenerously #Faith

Pray and Meditate on God's Word Daily Part 2

 Pray and Meditate on God's Word Daily   

Part 2

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement

for Village Church Planters.”

When Jesus was confronted by Satan in the wilderness, the enemy constantly

tempted Jesus to trust in his own power, and not the power of his Father in

heaven. Jesus fasted for 40 days, but the devil tempted him to turn stones into

bread. It was at this point that Jesus quoted the Old Testament book of

Deuteronomy and said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word

that comes from the mouth of God.”

The word of God brings life. Just like we need to partake of physical bread to

sustain our body, we need to partake of the word of God to sustain our spiritual

life.

When we listen to the word of God, our faith grows. Scripture teaches us that

faith comes by hearing the word of God. So by all means, listen to the word of

God. Listen to the word as other read it. Find a quiet place alone where you

can read the Bible aloud to yourself. Listen to the word of God on a digital

Bible app on a smart phone or tablet. Feed on the word of God by listening to

it.

Make sure the people who come to your church can hear the word of God read

clearly in a loud voice. When you read the Bible in worship, do not jump

around reading form many different books of the Bible. Read a long portion of

Scripture in context. Let the Word of God be understood clearly. Allow each

passage to be understood in its context. Allow your people to feast on the word

of God.

As a church planter, fill yourself up with the word of God. Let the reading of

God’s word nourish your soul, correct your errors, give you wisdom and bring

you peace. As you listen to and obey the Scriptures, you can assist others to

know and understand God’s word.

Learn to tell the story of the whole Bible in ten minutes or less. Learn many

Bible stories so that you can tell them well. Let the words of Scripture be

constantly on your lips. As a Village Church Planter, feed on God’s word daily,

then help your flock to be nourished as well.

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

E2-14

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters

Pray and Meditate on God's Word Daily Part 1

 Pray and Meditate on God's Word Daily 

Part 1

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement

for Village Church Planters.”

What a joy it is to know, understand and practice the Seven Basic Commands of

Christ. When we obey these commands, we demonstrate that we are followers

of Jesus. When we follow these instructions, we show that we are Jesus

disciples.

Jesus commands us to repent and believe the Good News, to baptize, and to

love God and neighbor. He tells us to partake of the Lord’s Supper and to pray

and meditate on God’s word daily. Jesus says that we should give and that we

should make disciples. These are his seven basic commands.

Many times when we think about obeying commandments, we think of burdens.

We think that keeping commandments means dong something that is difficult

and that most people would not want to do. And I admit, some of Jesus

commands are difficult to obey. But they all give life. Every command of

Jesus that we obey gives us life and strength and hope.

This is certainly true of the command to pray and feed on God’s word daily.

Jesus said, “This then is how you should pray…” Then he gave us a model

prayer which is often called the Lord’s Prayer. As we pray that way with faith,

we draw near to our heavenly Father and experience his fatherly kindness to

us. We honor him and ask for his kingdom to be established on earth as it is in

heaven. As we pray the way Jesus taught us to pray we experience confident

hope that he will provide for us and meet our needs. We find forgiveness and

deliverance from evil. Put simply, as we pray, we are blessed.

Obeying the commands of Jesus give life and bring blessing. And yet, so often

we have a hard time finding the time to be blessed. Isn’t that crazy? We have a

hard time finding time to be blessed. This makes no sense at all!

As we grow in our Christian faith, there comes a time when we realize that he

things God asks us to do not diminish us, they build us up. They may be difficult

for the moment, but in the long run, they do not diminish us, they make us

strong.

How do you view the commands of Jesus, especially his instruction that we

should pray? Do you see it as a burden or a blessing? My prayer for you my

brothers and sisters is that you and the VCP church planters you train will know

the sweet blessing of spending time every day with the Father in prayer.

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

E2-13

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #TheLord’sPrayer #PrayDaily

Partake of the Lord's Supper Part 2

 Partake of the Partake of the Lord's Supper Part 2

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement

for Village Church Planters.”

I cannot imagine what the last supper must have been like for Jesus. He said

that he eagerly desired to eat the Passover meal with his disciples. Passover

was a special feast for the Jews. The meal helped them remember when the

tribes of Israel were enslaved in Egypt. It reminded them of the power of the

blood of a lamb to deliver from death. You can read about the first Passover on

Exodus chapter 12.

But Passover was much more than a meal of remembrance. It was a time of

great fellowship among family members. As a Jewish family came together to

remember how God had shaped their identity by delivering them from slavery

in Egypt, and as they ate the meat of lamb that they had sacrificed, they

experienced a sense of unity and acceptance and hope. They Passover meal

was intimate and it was meaningful. Scripture tell us what Jesus did that night

he enjoyed his last supper with his disciples:

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among

you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the

kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave

it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of

me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is

the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:17-20)

That’s right, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me." All followers of Jesus

are to participate in the Lord’s Supper. When we do so, we remember what

Jesus has done for us. We remember how he sacrificed himself on the cross of

Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We remember how great his love is for

us. We remember how much we need his forgiveness. And when each of us is

remembering all this, we can see around us our brothers and sisters in the

faith. They too are remembering what Christ has done for them. In this

moment we experience a very sweet fellowship with the Father and the Son

and the Holy Spirit.

As a village church planter, you have the wonderful privilege of preparing your

congregation to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Many new churches delay the

celebration of the Lord’s Supper. They go months without obeying Jesus’

command to “Do this in remembrance of me.”

Don’t let that happen to your people. Observance of the Lord’s Supper affirms

Jesus’ presence. It affirms that He pardons sinners, The Lord’s supper declares

the power of Christ over sin and death. When believers celebrate the Lord’s

Supper, they maintain their fellowship with Jesus and with his people.

Churches may have different customs regarding the celebration of the Lord’s

Supper. Be sure you know your church’s practice. But be very sure your

congregation has the opportunity to enjoy sweet fellowship with Jesus by

means of participating in the Lord’s Supper.

This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters.

E2- 11

#EncoruagmentforVillageChurchPlanters #TheLord’sSupper #Fellowship

Partake of the Lord's Supper Part 1

 

Partake of the Lord's Supper 

Part 1

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters.”  

Jesus commanded us to participate in the Lord’s Supper.  On the night he was betrayed to be crucified, Jesus ate a meal with his disciples. During that meal, as he distributed the wine and gave out the bread, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” 

Just like each of the other basic commands of Jesus, this one is not optional.  Jesus has instructed us that we should participate in the Lord’s Supper.  But what does this mean?  And who specifically should participate?  These questions troubled the church members of the first church that I planted in South America. They trouble believers all over the world, especially in newly planted churches. We all know that participation in the Lord’s Supper is sacred and special.  So we are very wary of making mistakes.  That is fine.  But we must be more concerned about obeying Jesus than we are about making mistakes.

Churches that regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper receive the Lord’s blessing for their obedience. A church that neglects this commandment lacks discipline. It is disobedient and does not glorify the Lord Jesus. It will have problems.

So who should participate in the Lord’s Supper?  All followers of Jesus who have repented from their sin and have put their trust in him to forgive them and give them a new life.  

When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we renew our faith and our commitment to the Lord Jesus. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we remember the covenant we have entered into with Christ.  We remember how he shed his blood to save us and how he rose from the dead to give us eternal life. We remember that the forgiveness of our sins cost Jesus his life.

What is the result of all this? Believers who participate in the Lord’s Supper gain humility. And gratitude. Their faith is strengthened. Believers who participate in the Lord’s Supper experience a renewed desire to serve Christ.  They find new strength to love. They gain a sense of hope that we can overcome by the blood of the Lamb.

So when you and your congregation participate in the Lord’s Supper, tell the story of Jesus well. Point out that the red juice reminds us of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary.  Point out that bread reminds us of the body of Christ. Tell the story of Jesus well.  Then let the juice and the bread express the story of Jesus as his followers participate in the supper by eating and drinking together.

Your church, not matter how small, will be strengthened by participating in the Lord’s Supper. 

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

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters  #Lord’sSupper #Communion

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters.”  

Jesus commanded us to participate in the Lord’s Supper.  On the night he was betrayed to be crucified, Jesus ate a meal with his disciples. During that meal, as he distributed the wine and gave out the bread, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” 

Just like each of the other basic commands of Jesus, this one is not optional.  Jesus has instructed us that we should participate in the Lord’s Supper.  But what does this mean?  And who specifically should participate?  These questions troubled the church members of the first church that I planted in South America. They trouble believers all over the world, especially in newly planted churches. We all know that participation in the Lord’s Supper is sacred and special.  So we are very wary of making mistakes.  That is fine.  But we must be more concerned about obeying Jesus than we are about making mistakes.

Churches that regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper receive the Lord’s

blessing for their obedience. A church that neglects this commandment

lacks discipline. It is disobedient and does not glorify the Lord Jesus. It will

have problems.

So who should participate in the Lord’s Supper?  All followers of Jesus who have repented from their sin and have put their trust in him to forgive them and give them a new life.  

When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we renew our faith and our commitment to the Lord Jesus. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we remember the covenant we have entered into with Christ.  We remember how he shed his blood to save us and how he rose from the dead to give us eternal life. We remember that the forgiveness of our sins cost Jesus his life.

What is the result of all this? Believers who participate in the Lord’s Supper gain humility. And gratitude. Their faith is strengthened. Believers who participate in the Lord’s Supper experience a renewed desire to serve Christ.  They find new strength to love. They gain a sense of hope that we can overcome by the blood of the Lamb.

So when you and your congregation participate in the Lord’s Supper, tell the story of Jesus well. Point out that the red juice reminds us of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary.  Point out that bread reminds us of the body of Christ. Tell the story of Jesus well.  Then let the juice and the bread express the story of Jesus as his followers participate in the supper by eating and drinking together.

Your church, not matter how small, will be strengthened by participating in the Lord’s Supper. 

E2-10

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

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters  #Lord’sSupper #Communion

Giving Corrective Feedback

 

Giving Corrective Feedback 

(Galatians 6:1)

This is Chuck Rapp with a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.  In my previous message I shared about the importance of “speaking the truth in love”, and I closed with the following comment. “Be willing to address difficult issues and to correct others when needed.  As you do this, wrap your message in love.  Have their interest, and most importantly, the interest of Christ’s Kingdom, in mind when you do so.” 

Galatians 6:1 instructs us, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”  

Today I want to share a suggested method for giving this corrective feedback.  As you speak with them, 

Address their behavior.  Focus upon their behavior and not on the person himself.  

Describe the impact that their behavior had upon you or the situation.  What happened, or did not happen, as a result? 

Let them know the consequence of their behavior.  What broader outcome occurred, or will occur, as a result of this behavior?  

Offer them alternatives for how they might better deal with a similar situation in the future.

Here is an example of what this might look like.  

Let’s say you are working with a trainer or coordinator who is frequently late submitting reports.  You might say something like the following.  “Friend, I noticed that this quarter you are again late submitting your report.”  (This is their behavior.)  

“Because of this we are unable to submit a complete report to our leadership.”  (This is the impact.) 

“Timely, accurate reports are a commitment we have made to leadership, and by failing to provide these reports we have violated our commitment and disappointed them and others.  This could affect our grant.  (This is the consequence.) 

“As a suggestion, I can think of some ways to avoid this problem in the future.  You might begin working on the report two or three weeks sooner than you normally do.  Or, you might set aside one or two days to work on nothing but your report so that it’s complete and submitted on time.  (These are possible alternatives.) 

By providing corrective feedback that focuses upon behavior, leaders are able to protect the relationship with the one being corrected. By making others aware of the impact and consequences of their behavior, we help them understand the larger picture and how their behavior affects ourselves and others.  Lastly, by sharing possible behavioral alternatives, we help them consider possible changes they might make in the future. 

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