Church Planters Want Their People To Please The Lord

 

Hello my brother, hello my sister, my name is Dean Davis and this is Multiply, a

podcast that provides a word of encouragement for village church planters.

In our world today, there are plenty of people who want to be the big man or

the big momma. You know what I mean. There are plenty of leaders, men and

women alike, who want everyone to know that they are in charge. They love

to give orders and expect everyone else to obey without delay. They love to

tell everyone what they think and they expect those around them to echo those

opinions.

Sadly men who suffer from the big man delusion and women who suffer from

the big momma delusion often end up as leaders in government, in schools and

yes, even in churches. You know them when you see them. They are loud and

brash. They constantly have two or three helpers around them so everyone

knows they are in charge.

Sometimes people with the big man delusion or the big momma delusion decide

to become church planters. When they do, the Gospel message they proclaim is

often corrupted. I’ll tell you more about that in a minute. But for now, let me

say that there is a way to lead a church without acting like you are the big man

or the big momma that everyone needs to fear and obey. You can follow the

example of Paul the church planter. In chapter one of his letter to the new

believers at Colossae, He called people to please the Lord. Note that Paul

didn’t tell them to do what he said, he encouraged them to please the Lord.

Listen to his kind and humble advice found in Colossians chapter 1:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped

praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his

will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you

may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in

every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all

power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance

and patience…

Paul wanted the Colossians to please the Lord. He wanted them to have a

strong relationship with God and honor him. He wanted them to be guided in

everything they did by the wisdom that the Spirit gives. Paul did not want

fearful followers who always asked him for permission before they took action.

He wanted confident, powerful followers of Jesus who knew the will of God

and did it with confidence.

You have probably seen the damage that leaders who believe they are the big

man or the big momma cause. Their followers are fearful. Their followers do

not take initiative. Their followers do not believe they are powerful. How sad.

In contrast Paul prayed that his followers would be strengthened with all power

according to God’s glorious might! The Gospel is powerful. When we humbly

receive the Gospel message, we too should experience power. Watch out for

big men and big mommas who want to take all the power for themselves.

Don’t follow their bad example. Instead follow Paul’s example. Always

empower your followers. As you do, they will live their lives for the glory of

God, just as the Colossians did.

This is Multiply offering a word of encouragement for village church planters. If

this podcast has encouraged you, share it with other church planters and

disciple makers so that they will be encouraged as well. And remember, God is

with us!

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #Colossians #EmpowerBelievers

www.vcpoencouragement.org

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