Principles of Leadership - Delegate Authority

 

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

During 2022, my theme is “10 Principles of Spiritual Leadership”.  Last time we concluded principle #5, “Be Available”.  Today we begin principle #6, “Delegate Authority”.  

In short, it is good for leaders to delegate authority to those who serve with them because that was Jesus’ method. 

We read in Matthew 10:1, that “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”

His model was similar when He sent out the 72 in Luke 10.  “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him … He told them, “Heal the sick who are there … he who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me …”  The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name [or in the Authority of Your Name].” (vss. 1, 9, 16-17)

Lastly, Jesus’ example is seen again in what is known as the Great Commission.  “Then Jesus came to them and 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.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Jesus conferred, or passed on, His authority to his disciples and to all who follow Him to this day.  

While we can’t provide the empowerment of the Holy Spirit as Jesus does for His followers, we can delegate to others our authority, our blessing, and our support.  This concept of delegating not only tasks - but also the authority needed to accomplish them - is vital to success.  

Perhaps you’ve had the experience of having a task delegated to you but without the resources (funds, people or decision-making power) necessary to successfully complete that task.  That has happened to me, and it’s very frustrating.  I felt constrained, as if my hands were tied, and I realized that my chances of success were very low. 

As leaders, it is important that we delegate the necessary authority to others when we assign tasks to them.  However, having delegated, we cannot merely walk away, assuming that everything will be accomplished as expected.  We will discuss this further when we reach Principle #9, Provide Feedback.  

In my next podcast, we will continue this principle and will discuss some benefits of delegating to others.  

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

You Know How We lived Among You - 1 Thessalonians Series

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

As a village church planter, you know very well Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations. You understand that we make disciples “by teaching them to obey everything” Jesus has commanded. When we think of teaching, many of us think of a classroom with the teacher in the front and students listening to every word the teacher says.  And teaching with words is an essential way to teach others.  But it’s not the only way. And it may not be the most important way to teach.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the new church in Thessalonica that he, Silas, and Timothy had started, he said, “You know how we lived among you for your sake.  You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”

Paul said, “You welcomed the message.” Message?  What message?  The message Paul and his team communicated in word and deed. The message that could be seen by the behavior of Paul and his brothers.  You see, the message of repentance is demonstrated by deeds that clearly demonstrate a changed life that has turned from sin to righteousness.  The message of love for God and neighbor is clearly demonstrated by loving behavior and deeds of kindness.  The message of faith in Christ is clearly demonstrated by a life of prayer that looks to God first at every moment of need.

Paul reminded the Thessalonians of the exemplary lifestyle of his team. He joyfully recalls that their example made an impact on the Thessalonians.  His proof?  Paul confidently asserts that the Thessalonian believers “became imitators of Paul, Silas and Timothy, and of the Lord.

As a church planter who preaches repentance and faith in Christ, you want to know that your message is understood.  As a church planter, you want to know that people are truly learning from your teaching.  But how can you know for sure?  We love to hear testimonies of transformed lives.  But what really assures us of transformation is when we see changed behavior.

Paul said, “You became imitators of us and of the Lord.”  As church planters, we lead by example.  Yes, our words are important.  Yes, we teach and preach and tell Bible stories. But the life we lead is the best example of new life in Christ. It is our example that shows the way. When new believers imitate our lifestyle, we know that God is at work transforming individuals and families. As a church planter, your example of faith, hope, and love is always on display.  Will your example be a good example or a poor example?

It’s not easy to live a life that is under constant observation.  But people are watching you.  They want to know if the Gospel is really true.  They want to see if your lifestyle truly reflects the words you speak.  People are watching. So make sure you are fully devoted to Christ. Make sure you have died to self and are living for God and for others. Be sure to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Walk humbly with your God. When you do, you will be able to testify about your church the way Paul did about the Thessalonians, “You became imitators of us and of the Lord.”  What a day of rejoicing that will be!

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?” 1T-06

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #WordAndDeed #ImitatorsOfChrist

The Gospel With Power - 1 Thessalonians Series

 

Welcome to Multiply, a podcast to encourage church planters, pastors and Christian leaders. I am your host today; Daneille Snowden.

1 Thessalonians is a book written by Paul to also encourage the church of the Thessalonians. In chapter 1 and the first part of verse 5 we read: 

“for our good news [regarding salvation] came to you not only in word, but also in [its inherent] power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction [on our part].” The Good News here is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Paul said ‘our good news’ meaning it was shared with him and his friends of which it transformed their lives. 

We’ll begin with the simple fact that the Gospel came to them, this being the truth and power of Jesus, His saving power plus love. The Good News must always be on the forefront of our living life testimony. It continually needs to be shared to others.

Here, we simply witness the ‘cause and effect’ of when the Gospel of Jesus is shared. Halleluiah it’s that real and simple!

Calvin once said regarding the Gospel; “It is the living voice of God, inseparable from its effect, as compared with the empty and lifeless eloquence of men.” 

This gospel message is truly one from the Holy Spirit ‘Whom works within the hearts of the hearers, to convict, to comfort, and to instruct.’ I love the scripture where it is written: “It’s not by might, nor by power, but by MY SPIRIT; says the Lord.” [Zechariah 4:6]

It is by this power of the Gospel that the mind is awakened to truth of its great significance to our life. There is a powerful effect that happens when we share the Gospel in-that:  lives are changed. 

Do you recall when you first heard the Gospel and how Jesus died for you? Think about that time and recall how your mind was consumed and how your heart was opened to Jesus.  I remember hearing it so long ago as a very little girl. The love I understood from Jesus overwhelmed my heart and I wanted Him to live in my heart and be my Lord forever. 

Continue on sharing the GOOD NEWS to others and see the power of this message change lives!

This has been the podcast- Multiply; will you share this with others today? You can locate us on our website: www.vcpencouragement.org, on YouTube at Encouragement for Village Church Planters (Multiply) and Facebook. 1T-05

Thank you and be blessed!

Work Produced By Faith - 1 Thessalonians Series

 

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

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Paul and Silas started the church in Thessalonica. But their work was not easy.

You can read about their experience in that Macedonian city in Acts 17. People

became so angry about what Paul and Silas said about Jesus the Messiah, they

formed a mob to accuse the apostles of rebellion against Caesar. Paul and Silas

had to leave Thessalonica at night so they wouldn’t be carried away by the

mob. Their church planting work in Thessalonica was not easy.

But in spite of all that this church planting team suffered in Thessalonica, they

certainly loved the Thessalonian believers. They admired the character

qualities that these new Christians demonstrated. Paul writes in 1

Thessalonians, chapter 1, verses 2 and 3, “We always thank God for all of

you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God

and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your

endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Why do you think Paul and his team were so pleased by the behavior of the new

Thessalonian believers? What was it about their way of living that caused the

church planters to rejoice and give thanks? These new Christ-followers’ lives

had been changed. They were new people in Christ and that new life was easy

to observe. The faith of the Thessalonians was real. Their faith didn’t just

change their thinking. Their faith changed the way they lived. Their faith

resulted in good works. Their faith led to action. Their love for Christ caused

them to labor for the Lord and they didn’t quit. They kept going. The

Thessalonian believers demonstrated endurance. All of this — the work

produced by faith, the labor prompted by love, and the endurance inspired by

hope in our Lord Jesus Christ — all of this was proof to Paul that God had truly

transformed the lives of the new believers in Thessalonica. Nothing could

make him happier! Paul’s joy spilled over into thanksgiving to God. All the

suffering, all the persecution, all the trouble that Paul and his team had gone

through to start the church in Thessalonica was worth it. Why? Because God

was at work and the result was clear for all to see.

This is what all church planters dream of: changed lives. Just getting a large

group of people together to listen as we preach does not satisfy us. Simply

hearing people say they like the Bible or they love the story of Jesus is not

enough. We long to see transformed lives. We want to see people taking

action based on their faith. Faith without works is dead. Faith that results in

good works is full of life.

The church planter who wants to see transformed lives, the church planter who

wants to see works produced by faith and labor prompted by love will not

demand work from his church members. No. Instead, the church planter who

wants to see works produced by faith will lift up the example of Christ. He will

tell the story of Jesus in order to build up faith. Strong faith results in good

work. Great love for Christ results in great labors for Christ. Hope in the Lord

Jesus Christ is what keeps disciples of Jesus working even when the work is

hard and the rewards are not immediately obvious.

So keep lifting up Jesus as our supreme example. Preach and teach and tell

Bible stories which inspire faith in Christ. Testify about Jesus’ power and grace

at work in your life. God will use your words and your example to inspire faith

in your church members. That faith will result in good work that will

strengthen God’s people. If you want to see transformed lives, lift up Jesus so

your people will trust him more and more.

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

encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #LiftUpJesus #FaithAndWorks

Principles of Leadership - Be Available Part 2

 

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

During 2022, my theme is “10 Principles of Spiritual Leadership”.  Last time we introduced principle #5, “Be Available”.

In the previous episode I shared Philippians 2:4-5 from the Message version, “Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.  Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.  Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.  He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. [emphasis added]

Today I’d like to share another of the Apostle Paul’s instructions, also using the Message version.  Romans 15:1-2 instructs us, “Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” [emphasis added]

This scripture, in this version, is very personal to me.  You see, three years ago this month I was asked to consider the role of Africa Regional Director.  Several of us were in Ethiopia at the time, and one afternoon the OMS Executive Director invited me to consider the role.  Later that day, and for the remainder of my time in Africa that trip, this scripture repeated itself regularly in my mind.  “Strength is for service, not status.”  This opportunity for me to serve is not about having an impressive-sounding title; it is all about serving those whom I lead. 

This phrase also admonishes Christ-followers.  “Do not just do what is most convenient for [ourselves]”.  Servant leadership requires us to inconvenience ourselves at times … to set aside or postpone our own plans and desires. 

Human nature tells us to look after ourselves.  In my country we have an idiom about this … “Look out for #1 (oneself)”.  However, our redeemed natures have a higher calling as instructed by Paul.  We need to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”

Godly leaders serve others by being available to help them.  In addition, we need to be proactive and intentional in not only understanding their needs but also finding ways in which we can help meet those needs. 

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

Principles of Leadership - Be Available Part 2

 

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

During 2022, my theme is “10 Principles of Spiritual Leadership”. Last time we introduced principle #5, “Be Available”.

In the previous episode I shared Philippians 2:4-5 from the Message version, “Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.

Today I’d like to share another of the Apostle Paul’s instructions, also using the Message version.

Romans 15:1-2 instructs us, “Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” 

This scripture, in this version, is very personal to me. You see, three years ago this month I was asked to consider the role of Africa Regional Director. Several of us were in Ethiopia at the time, and one afternoon the OMS Executive Director invited me to consider the role. Later that day, and for the remainder of my time in Africa that trip, this scripture repeated itself regularly in my mind. “Strength is for service, not status.” This opportunity for me to serve is not about having an impressive-sounding title; it is all about serving those whom I lead.

This phrase also admonishes Christ-followers. “Do not just do what is most convenient for [ourselves]”.

Servant leadership requires us to inconvenience ourselves at times … to set aside or postpone our own plans and desires.

Human nature tells us to look after ourselves. In my country we have an idiom about this … “Look out for #1 (oneself)”. However, our redeemed natures have a higher calling as instructed by Paul. We need to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”

Godly leaders serve others by being available to help them. In addition, we need to be proactive and intentional in not only understanding their needs but also finding ways in which we can help meet those needs.

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

Grace And Peace To You -1 Thessalonians Series

 

Welcome this is Multiply a podcast to encourage village church planters and I am Brad Snowden.

1 Thessalonians 1:1 “To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace inner calm and spiritual well-being from God “

Paul writes specifically to the believers in the church of Thessalonica. He wants to rejoice with them for their faith in Jesus Christ. He also had learned of the challenges they were facing and instead of beginning with this He gives them a greeting.

“The Church of Thessalonians in God” In God’s presence dwelling in His word that they had learned from Paul. They had life in Jesus Christ and now the powerful blessing of Paul’s greeting to them and its teaching to us all.

GRACE: divine influence upon the heart,

Wow how important is divine influence as God directs our daily walk with him and he impacts our lives and the lives of others. Church planters the most important part of anything in the future depends on God’s influence upon your heart. Do you spend time with him sitting in His presence allowing Him to direct your path for the day?

Grace: Favor (preferential treatment) 

Church planter if you go to a village chief and ask for permission to share in His village and he gives you his blessing then that is the favor of God working. Then there can be confidence that the Lord has made a way and a person of peace can be found among them.

The Lord desires you to walk in confidence because of His grace that he is pouring into your life and through your life.

PEACE: quietness, rest

If God goes before you who can be against you? The apostle Paul knows the need for God’s grace but also His peace. It doesn’t matter the situation or our challenges. God’s direction will produce a confident heart through grace. The calm assurance or peace will empower us to stand in our lives as upon His word. Church planter things are challenging in the day we live and as we serve the Lord the moving forward things may be hard. Yet in this scripture we have hope and celebration because of who God is. He is full of grace so be full of His grace and allow His grace to strengthen you to walk in confidence. The celebration of His peace no matter the chaos of the world around you there is peace quiet rest of your soul knowing that the Lord reigns above all.

Paul wrote these words for their encouragement and strength, but they had to receive them and allow grace and peace to do its work in them. What a celebration we can have when God’s grace gives us the confidence to stand upon His word. What joy comes when the peace of God rules our hearts and fortifies what we know to be true. I encourage you today, let God’s word fortify your confidence in the power of His word; GRACE and PEACE. My prayer is it be multiplied unto you in all you do. This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters.

 

We Thank God For You - 1 Thessalonians Series

 

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

Paul, Silas and Timothy formed a church planting team that ministered in the Roman province of Macedonia. Macedonia is the northern part of the Greek peninsula in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in what is now northern Greece.  This team of three brothers in Christ, led by the Apostle Paul, wrote a letter to the congregation in Thessalonica a few months after they started the church.  Many people study this letter and Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians because they want to understand more about the second coming of Christ. Paul indeed talks about Jesus’ return in these letters. But these letters also show us what a good relationship between a church planter and a healthy church looks like.

As a village church planter, you are devoting your time and energy to start new churches that are healthy. It is not easy to start a church. And it’s certainly not easy to develop a healthy church. But with God’s help you can do it. Healthy churches obey Jesus.  Healthy churches don’t just say “Jesus is Lord.” They intentionally follow his commandments. Healthy churches are safe churches.  The members of healthy churches walk in the light as Jesus is in the light. In this way, the members have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses them from all sin.  Over the next few months most Multiply Podcasts will be devoted to finding encouragement in Paul, Silas and Timothy’s relationship with the Thessalonian church. So, let’s get started. Let’s learn together from the example of these three great church planters.

Paul, Silas and Timothy were always thinking about their brothers and sisters in Christ who formed the church at Thessalonica. How could they forget them? These men and women, boys and girls had become very dear to the church planters.  They loved them so much! Paul, Silas and Timothy devoted themselves to prayer.  And when they prayed, they remembered the Thessalonian believers. Again and again as they prayed, they thanked God for the Thessalonian Christians.  Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 1:2, “We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.” 

This church planting team’s example is a good one for us all.  So often when we pray for others, we pray that God will meet their needs.  We pray out of a sense of compassion and ask God to take care of our brothers and sisters.  This is a good way to pray.  But Paul and his team show us a way to pray that we often forget. They thanked God for new believers.  They thanked God for new members of the family of God. They continually thanked the Lord for the Thessalonians.

For Paul, Silas and Timothy, people were a blessing, not a set of problems to be solved. For those guys, people were a gift, a gift from God.  So they thanked God for the new converts He had given them.  They thanked God for the new family members who blessed them.  Paul says, “We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.” 

How about you? You are a village church planter.  How often do you thank God for the new believers God has given you? Let me encourage you to follow Paul’s example.  Take time in prayer today to name the people in your church, one by one. As you name them, thank God for each one, by name.  As you pray and remember each one, let God fill you with joy and peace.

How I thank God for you.  You are engaged in a good work and for that I rejoice.

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

 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #ThankGod