What Does Your Second Generation Church Need?

 

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

It’s not easy being a church planter.  You know it’s not easy because you have done the hard work of finding persons of peace. You have worked to preach and teach the Gospel. You know that communication is not easy and transformation does not come without a struggle. You know the struggle of getting a place to worship under a roof before rainy season comes. But I’m pretty sure you have also experienced some of the glory of being a church planter.  You have seen people be born again.  You have helped people be delivered from addictions. You have church members who are now free from their bondage to idols. Church planting is not easy, but, because of Jesus, it is glorious.

Now you are facing new challenge.  You have gotten your first generation church started and it is somewhat stable. You first church has begun to practice most, if not all of the nine activities of a church described in Acts 2:37-47.You pray fervently.  You have good fellowship together. Your first church worships the Lord and partakes of the Lord’s Supper.  You and your people evangelize and give generously.  You baptize new believers and you equip workers to serve the Lord.

Now it’s time to help a church member or a person of peace start a second generation church.  But how? What does that second generation church planter need?  And what does his or her new church need?

First of all, the second generation church planter needs you.  He or she needs to know that you believe they can succeed.  He or she needs to know that you are praying for them and for their church.  Second generation church planters need time with you so they can learn from your example.  That means you must go to the village where they are planting a church and help them minister.  It’s not easy. Rainy season stops you. Your own family and your farm need you. Your first generation church wants you to be constantly present.  It’s not easy.  Let me encourage you to relax for a moment, slow down and pray. Trust God to give you time to spend with your second generation church planter.

And when you are with him or her, study Acts 2:37-47 together. Ask, “Which of these nine activities of a church is your congregation already doing?  Which activities of a church have you not yet begun to do?” Then ask this very important question:  “Which of these activities do you want to start doing this month? Do you want to start praying, start having fellowship, start worshipping? Do you want to start applying the Bible, evangelizing, serving the Lord’s Supper, giving tithes and offerings, baptizing or training workers?

Don’t answer these questions for the church planter.  Let him or her answer them.  This may take time.  Be patient. The church planter may have many questions. Answer them.  Then help the second generation church planter decide which activity of a church his or her congregation needs to start doing so that they will grow and develop to be all that God wants them to be.

Once an activity is chosen, ask the church planter how he or she will begin doing that activity and who else will help carry it out.  Have a conversation. Make a plan. Over time, help the second generation church grow and practice the nine activities of a church described in Acts 2:37-47.

It’s not easy. But God has helped you this far. He will help you coach second generation church planters so that they too can plant strong, healthy churches.

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

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters  #SecondGenerationChurches #Acts2