Lesson Learned: As much as God has shaped and redefined our definition of success through the #NoPlaceLeft vision, we must be careful to do the same with our definition of failure. To me the #NoPlaceLeft vision is a God thing that we cannot make happen without His power and grace. Our responsibility is to obey Jesus commands in sharing the gospel, making disciples, being the church, and leading the way He has designed us. If we have been obedient and faithful in these things, we have not failed. Lack of results may or may not be our fault. It would do us well to let Jesus shape our definition of failure just as much as success as we pursue the #NoPlaceLeft vision.
Category: Uncategorized
The Church’s Birthday
Lesson Learned: Most of you have heard me refer to the “Jesus Community” that existed before Acts 2 as the church. I want to let you know that after some study on the birth of the church, I’m going to conform my ecclesiology to the traditional point of view. My question was, “What does the Bible say about the timing of the birth of the church. The answer primarily came thru 1 Cor 12.12-13 and a study of pentecost (Exodus 34:22; Leviticus 23:15-21; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:9-12, Exodus 23:16) and it’s significants in Messianic prophecy. So I stand corrected, the church was born on the day the disciples were baptized in the Holy Spirit and these were the first fruits of Jesus’ ministry. As a leader and teacher I want to be held to high standards of Biblical interpretation and I’m always open to discussion and correction. A question still remains; What role does the example of Jesus and His community play in our definition and function of church. Acts 17.11
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Lesson Learned: God has a Plan
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| Don (Second from the left) and Randy (Far Right) |
Lesson Learned: Recently I met Don Buege through our #NoPlaceLeftcoalition. During a recent phone call he mentioned that he knew a disciple-making truck driver that knew me. He explained that this man walked into his church office and rescued him at a crucial time in life. He was disheartened as a pastor and Randy took him under his wing and began to disciple him. Since then Don and Randy have become very close friends and have had a huge impact in Russia. It turns out that this Randy was the same man who took me under his wing 35 years ago and started me on my journey of following Jesus. I talked with Randy on the phone the other night and celebrated together how God has used us over these many years. Now everything has come full circle with all of us working together toward #NoPlaceLeft in Russia and the world. God has a plan and every once in a while we get to see behind His magnificent curtain. (Jer 29.11-13)
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Part 2 – A Consuming Love for People
Keys to the Movement of Jesus Christ – Lessons from Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15.36-18.21, Phil, 1 Thes, 2 Thes, 1 Cor, and 2 Cor)
Part 2 – A Consuming Love for People
Paul is a shining example of the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. As the churches’ spiritual father, he took his parental role as seriously as that of a natural father and mother. He openly expresses his affection for them and is keenly aware of their feelings. He instructs, comforts, protects, exhorts, rebukes, disciplines, forgives, and encourages them as a loving parent. He even remembers scores of people by name. He forfeited personal rights and comfort for them. He traveled great distances to visit them and when he couldn’t be there personally, he sent only the most compassionate and loving members of his team and fervently prays for them night and day. He endured great hardship and persecution for their sake. He literally gave blood, sweat, and tears for the churches under his stewardship. And he never took advantage of their relationship by over stepping his influence or apostolic authority. He provided for his own and the apostolic team’s needs. He rejoices in them, is thankful for them, and longs for them even when they have strayed from the truth. Paul’s love for people is certainly one of the key elements in fanning the flames of the movement of Jesus Christ.
Am I in the “movement” for personal benefit and gain or for the sake of those I reach and shepherd for Jesus sake?
Key Passages: Acts 15:36, Acts 16:27–28, Acts 16:40, Phil 1:3–4, Phil 1:7–9, Phil 1:16, Phil 1:24–25, Phil 2:1–5, Phil 2:12, Phil 2:17–18, Phil 2:19–21, Phil 3:1, Phil 3:17, Phil 3:18, Phil 4:1, Phil 4:2–3, Phil 4:10, Phil 4:14–20, 1 Th 1:2–3, 1 Th 2:7–8, 1 Th 2:9–12, 1 Th 2:13, 1 Th 2:17–20, 1 Th 3:1–2, 5, 1 Th 3:6–10, 1 Th 3:11–13, 1 Th 4:9–12, 1 Th 5:11, 1 Th 5:12–15, 1 Th 5:25–26, 2 Th 1:2–4, 2 Th 1:11, 2 Th 2:13, 2 Th 2:15–17, 2 Th 3:3–5, 2 Th 3:6–13, 2 Th 3:16, 2 Th 3:18, 1 Cor 1:3, 1 Cor 1:4, 1 Cor 1:10, 1 Cor 2:1–5, 1 Cor 3:1-3, 1 Cor 4:6, 1 Cor 4:14–16, 1 Cor 4:17, 1 Cor 4:21, 1 Cor 6:7–8, 1 Cor 7:12–16, 1 Cor 7:25–40, 1 Cor 8:1–3, 1 Cor 8:9–13, 1 Cor 9:1-2, 1 Cor 10:14, 1 Cor 10:24–29, 1 Cor 10:31–33,1 Cor 11:18, 1 Cor 11:33, 1 Cor 13-14.1, 1 Cor 14:12, 1 Cor 14:26, 1 Cor 16:7, 1 Cor 16:10–11, 1 Cor 16:14, 1 Cor 16:19–24, 2 Cor 1:3–7, 2 Cor 1:12, 2 Cor 1:15, 2 Cor 2:1–4, 2 Cor 2:5–11, 2 Cor 2:12–13, 2 Cor 3:2–3, 2 Cor 4:5, 2 Cor 5:13, 2 Cor 6:6, 2 Cor 6:11–13, 2 Cor 7:1, 2 Cor 7:2–4, 2 Cor 7:5–13, 2 Cor 7:13–16, 2 Cor 8:1, 2 Cor 8:7–15, 2 Cor 8:22–24, 2 Cor 9:12, 2 Cor 11:2, 2 Cor 11:7–11, 2 Cor 11:28–29, 2 Cor 12:12, 2 Cor 12:14–18, 2 Cor 12:19, 2 Cor 12:20–2, 2 Cor 13:11–14
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House of Peace Search with Our House of Peace
Last December we took some Christmas cookies to Randy and Stephanie, our neighbors across the street. We told them that we care about our neighbors and we’d like to pray for them. Randy asked us to pray for his Mom who was having liver trouble. We came back in January to ask how his mother was doing. She had recovered quite nicely but Randy was still a little skittish. In March we went back to see how Mom was doing. Randy seemed warmer to our visit so I shared my one minute story with him and asked if his family would be open to reading more about Jesus. After two Stories of Hope they committed their lives to Christ. We have been taking them through a discipleship process called the Commands of Christ. They were baptized, reading their Bibles and praying several days a week. In the last month this little church of five people shared the gospel with 95 people. They are learning to love God, love people, and make disciples. Today we did Jesus’ command to “find a house of peace” (Luke 10.1-11) as the new lesson. I asked them if they were ready to obey Jesus and go find a house of peace and talk to their neighbors. They were a little fearful but ready to go! They obeyed the command immediately by doing exactly what we did to lead them to Christ. We went to four neighbors and all received our prayers. The discipleship process is coming full circle.
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Singular Devotion to Jesus
Keys to the Movement of Jesus Christ – Lessons from Paul’s Second Missionary JourneyLessons Learned: In my study of Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 15.36-18.21, Phil, 1 Thes, 2 Thes, 1 Cor, and 2 Cor) and the movement that ensued, I picked up several key elements that threw gas on the movement fire. First and foremost, Paul and the Apostolic team were completely committed to Jesus, His message, His methods, and His mission. To write off this observation of Christ-centeredness as an obvious assumption would be very dangerous as I have witness the conspicuous absence of Jesus in many ministries that claim His name. Paul and his Apostolic Team preached Jesus with simplicity, clarity, and integrity. Their preaching came not only with word but in power, the Holy Spirit, conviction, and their very lives. Paul sums it up nicely when he states; “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2) This singular devotion to Jesus was by far the most potent ignition, fuel, velocity, and vector of the rise of Christianity and ensured the movement continues to this day.
Would I be willing to remove what ever stands between me and this kind of singular devotion to Jesus Christ?
Key Passages: Acts 15:36, Acts 16:10, Acts 16:30–32, Acts 17:2–4, Acts 17:10–12, Acts 17:17–34, Acts 18:4–11, Phil 1:1–11, Phil 1:18–26, Phil 2:1–11, Phil 2:19–30, Phil 3:3, Phil 3:6–11, Phil 3:12–14, Phil 3:17–21, Phil 4:19–20, 1 Th 1:1–5, 1 Th 2:1–8, 1 Th 2:13, 1 Th 3:11–13, 1 Th 4:1–2, 1 Th 5:8–10, 1 Th 5:23–24, 1 Th 5:28, 2 Th 1:1–2, 2 Th 1:7–12, 2 Th 2:1, 2 Th 2:13–14, 2 Th 2:16–17, 2 Th 2:17–3:5, 2 Th 3:6, 2 Th 3:12, 2 Th 3:16,2 Th 3:18, 1 Cor 1:1–3, 1 Cor 1:4–9, 1 Cor 1:9–17, 1 Cor 1:18–25, 1 Cor 1:26–31, 1 Cor 2:1–5, 1 Cor 2:6–13, 1 Cor 2:14–16, 1 Cor 3:1, 1 Cor 3:5–9, 1 Cor 3:10–11, 1 Cor 3:23, 1 Cor 4:1–5, 1 Cor 4:10, 1 Cor 4:14–17, 1 Cor 5:4–5, 1 Cor 5:7, 1 Cor 6:11, 1 Cor 6:13–20, 1 Cor 7:23–24, 1 Cor 7:32–35, 1 Cor 8:6, 1 Cor 8:11, 1 Cor 9:1–2, 1 Cor 9:12–14, 1 Cor 9:16–18, 1 Cor 9:21–23, 1 Cor 9:26–27, 1 Cor 10:1–4, 1 Cor 10:16, 1 Cor 10:21–22, 1 Cor 10:31, 1 Cor 11:1, 1 Cor 11:3, 1 Cor 11:23–26, 1 Cor 11:27, 1 Cor 12:2–3, 1 Cor 12:4–11, 1 Cor 12:11–13, 1 Cor 12:27, 1 Cor 14:37, 1 Cor 15:1–8, 1 Cor 15:12–28, 1 Cor 15:31, 1 Cor 15:50, 1 Cor 15:56–58, 1 Cor 16:22–24, 1 Cor 16:24; 2 Cor 1:1–5, 2 Cor 1:9, 2 Cor 1:12, 2 Cor 1:14, 2 Cor 1:18–22, 2 Cor 2:10, 2 Cor 2:12, 2 Cor 2:14–17, 2 Cor 3:3–6, 2 Cor 3:8, 2 Cor 3:14–18, 2 Cor 4:1–6, 2 Cor 4:7–12, 2 Cor 4:13–15, 2 Cor 5:6–10, 2 Cor 5:11–15, 2 Cor 5:16–21, 2 Cor 6:1–10, 2 Cor 6:14–18, 2 Cor 7:1, 2 Cor 7:9–10, 2 Cor 8:1, 2 Cor 8:9, 2 Cor 8:18, 2 Cor 8:23, 2 Cor 9:13–15, 2 Cor 10:1, 2 Cor 10:5, 2 Cor 10:7–8, 2 Cor 10:13–18, 2 Cor 11:2–4, 2 Cor 11:10, 2 Cor 11:23, 2 Cor 11:31, 2 Cor 12:1–2, 2 Cor 12:8–10, 2 Cor 12:19–20, 2 Cor 13:3–4, 2 Cor 13:5–6, 2 Cor 13:10, 2 Cor 13:11–14
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Practice – Principles – Person
Another Lesson Learned: Its not good enough to teach people the PRACTICE (methods) of disciple-making. Even if that is where we begin, we have to eventually get to the PRINCIPLES behind PRACTICE. And its not good enough to teach people the PRINCIPLES. We must teach them about the PERSON (Jesus) behind the PRINCIPLES. Its all a process and takes time. But if we never arrive at Jesus, we have completely failed.
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Bad Theological Math vs Good Theological Math
Bad Math
Priest > Disciple > Convert
Good Math
Priest = Disciple = Convert
Bad Math
(Jesus = Build the Church) + (Disciples = Make Disciples) = Kingdom Growth
Good Math
(Jesus + Disciples = Build the Church) + (Disciples + Jesus = Make Disciples) = Kingdom Growth
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Principle #7 – Train Every Believer to Minister and Focus on Those who Actually Do
One of the major distinctions between a Disciple-Making Community and other religious communities is that the entire DMC makes disciples of Jesus. This is not the efforts of just a few gifted individuals. Disciple-Making is a community effort and everyone in the community is engaged in using his or her spiritual gifts to make disciple both individually and corporately. When asked if they are a “priest”, every individual in the DMC’s response should be YES! It stands to reason that those with more experience and skill will equip those with less. But even the youngest disciple is being trained and actively sharing their faith. There is no waiting period before one is expected to put the love and truth they learned into action. Immediate application is one of the most effective elements employed to further the individuals growth and training. Those who are unwilling to participate in the disciple-making process should not be allowed to drain the resources of those who are. We will certainly help those in need, this is a very real part of making disciples. But as Jesus focused His attention on a few as the future disciple making ministry, we should follow His example. Train everyone, focus on those who are applying what they know. (Matthew 4.19, 28.18-20, Luke 8.21,38-39 10.2, Ephesians 4.11-13, 1 Peter 2.9, Revelation 1.6)
If you’d like help developing a Disciple-Making Community, please contact me at charleswood1 at Gmail.
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Principle #6 – Relational Potency and Accountability (Help Many, Train a Few)
Jesus ministered to a lot of people but no one had more time with Jesus than His closest 12 (and even among them there were the 3 – Peter, James, and John). As we are limited in the flesh by time, space, and energy, Jesus ministered to others under the same limitations. He left us an example of how to go deep with a few for the sake of the many (Mark 3.14). We must never lose sight of the fact that its quality that will reach quantity not vice versa. The crowd would have tempted Jesus to enjoy the fruit of his popularity by making Him king but He disciplined Himself to focus His concentration on the few (John 6.15). This in no way minimizes the needs of the masses but in fact is the remedy. The Apostle Paul picked up on this principle when he exhorts Timothy to “instruct faithful men who will teach others also” (2 Timothy 2.2). One of the most important elements of staying small and concentrating on a few is the element of accountability. Preachers rarely have the time or ability to come back around and see if the instruction that was given was actually applied. In smaller groups this is much more achievable. Smaller groups are also more likely to feel loved and have particular needs met by their discipler. We must consider the needs of the many just as Jesus did but it cannot be at their expense or the next generation by failing to train fellow laborers in the harvest.
If you’d like help developing a Disciple-Making Community, please contact me at charleswood1 at Gmail.
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