Take A Disciple With You - 90 Days of Prayer and Fasting

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

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Village Church Planting is a ministry that is characterized by rigorous training

over a long period of time. For four years, first generation church planters

participate in classes in a VCP training center. In the training center they read

and study the Bible, they consider and practice new ministry skills, and make

plans to share the Good News, makes disciples, and start new churches. But as

wonderful as training in the Village Church Planting training center may be, it

is not sufficient. Don’t get me wrong. I love VCP trainers and the learning that

takes place in the training center. But it’s just not sufficient. To learn how to

plant churches you need to observe church planters at work. Let me repeat

that, “To learn how to plant churches you need to observe church planters at

work.”

So, when you go out to do the work of church planting, take a disciple with

you. When you prayer walk, take a disciple with you. When you speak to the

chief, take a disciple with you. When you tell Bible stories, take a disciple with

you. When you pray for the sick, take a disciple with you. When you teach one

of the seven basic commands of Jesus, take a disciple with you.

Jesus taught his apostles to go out two by two (Mark 6:7). He told the 72 to go

out two by two (Luke 10:1). But why did Jesus insist on team ministry? Why did

he continually teach his followers to go out in pairs as they went to ministry

and spread the Good News? I think there are several reasons. 

It was a safety measure. Two people travelling together are safer than one. 

They are safer from attack and less vulnerable to accident or sickness.

Two people ministering together have stronger faith than a person ministering

 by himself. Together they agree in prayer, and this agreement brings blessing. 

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything 

they ask for, it will be

done for them by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19).

So, by taking a disciple with you, your safety increases and your spiritual power

through faith in Christ increases. Those are reasons enough to always take a

disciple with you when you go to minister. But there’s more! When you take a

disciple with you as you minister, you are accomplishing two goals at the same

time.

 You are ministering to others and you are training your disciple. He or

she observes you as you prepare for ministry. Your disciple observes you,

listens to you, and sees how you do your work. He or she can then ask you

questions to find out why you do what you do in ministry. This observation and

conversation is hugely beneficial to the disciple and to you. This is where real

learning takes place. When your disciple observes you ministering in the power

of the Holy Spirit, the ideas and concepts and information discussed in the

training center become real in their heart and mind. So take a disciple with you

when you minister. Train your disciples to also take their disciples with them

when they minister. As you do so, your ministry will be strengthened and a new

generation of Christian workers will be developed.

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

encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #FastAndPray #2By2