The Train and Multiply Pledge

 

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

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

The New Village Church Planting ministry begins when a VCP trainer gathers

disciples to plant churches in villages that do not have churches. The trainer’s

goal is to gather 15 men and women who are faithful, available, and teachable.

These faithful, available, and teachable brothers and sisters commit to four

years of learning in the training center about how to plant churches. But they

commit to much more than learning. They commit themselves to the Lord’s

work: to work hard to multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Village Church Planting students probably remember the Train and Multiply

Student Pledge they made when they first started in the training center. But,

let’s take a moment now to remember that pledge which is written on page 24-

32 of the Train and Multiply booklet called “Pastoral Worker Training and You.”

As I read, identify the point that is most meaningful to you and the pledge that

is most difficult for you to consistently keep.

The Train & Multiply Student Pledge:

With God’s help, I pledge myself to:

* Love Jesus Christ and give first priority to obey all his commands.

* Teach others to obey all the commands of Jesus.

* Care for my family with sincere love (Ephesians 5:25-33).

* Pray continually for those I shepherd, my coworkers, and those who still need

Christ.

* Work hard with others in loving harmony, especially my church, and keep my

T&M trainer informed of my activities (Romans 12:9-11).

* Give of my time and money to extend Christ’s kingdom wherever he calls me

to go (Matthew 28:18-20).

* Trust in God’s power to enable the church to grow and reproduce (Mark 4).

* Seek to obey the requirements for leaders of the church as described in 1

Timothy 3:1-7.

* Explain the Gospel with zeal, love, and clarity so that people will believe in

and obey the Lord (Matthew 28:19-20).

* Seek to raise up new, healthy churches that will multiply, especially in areas

where there are none (Romans 15:20-21).

* Be willing to suffer for Christ (2 Timothy 2:3).

* Follow the advice of my trainer, faithfully fulfilling all my assignments in

work and study.

Which of these points is most meaningful for you today? For me, it is the first

point, “Love Jesus Christ and give first priority to obey all his commands.” This

point gives me great clarity about how I must live my life. It protects me from

temptation and it clarifies when I need to confess and repent. I love it because

it guides me as a disciple of Jesus.

What is the hardest pledge for you? For me, the hardest is, “Be willing to

suffer for Christ.” I don’t like to suffer. I try to avoid suffering. But I know that

as a follower of one who endured the cross for me, I too am called to suffer.

Even so, this pledge challenges me so much.

As you commit yourself to the training of disciples to plant daughter churches,

let me encourage you to show them this pledge. Ask your disciples to seriously

consider it and commit to it by faith. God is delighted when his children

commit to obey him, to proclaim the Good News and “To seek to raise up new,

healthy churches that will multiply, especially in areas where there are none.”

I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #Train&Multiply