Page 205-206
As you recall from Chapter 4, all around you, the Holy Spirit is
attacking lost people, convicting them of their sin, showing them the need for
things to be made right and assuring them that bad things will result if they
don’t change (John 16:8). Persons of
peace a spiritually prepared persons. We find them through spiritual means.
Luke 10 makes it clear that we find these persons of peace through 3P’s:
presence, power and proclamation.
- Presence: Finding those
interested in the gospel and lovingly bringing the presence of God to them
(Luke 10:5-7)
- Power: Crying out for God to
work miraculously to reveal Himself through healing, release from spiritual
bondage and other interventions (Luke 10:9)
- Proclamation: Bringing a clear
message of salvation that includes an understandable gospel message with a call
to commitment (Luke 10:9)
We must use spiritual means to find spiritual people. One successful
trainer says it this way: “We sift for
persons of peace by using the gospel.”
In a training session, it became apparent that a long-time colleague
and his team were seeing dramatic results in a very “resistant” people group.
For seven years, they had labored with no fruit-no believers and no churches.
How discouraging! At our meeting, he reported that in the eighth year they
began to see radically different results. So I asked him: “What changed?”
In embarrassment, he replied, “We
started sharing the gospel.”
I said, “Excuse me? What did you say?”
Looking me in the eyes, with sadness he said more loudly: “We started
sharing the gospel!”
“What do you mean? What did you do the previous seven years?”
“Steve, for seven years, we bought
the lie that we had to build relationships first and slowly reveal our
Christian identity. It took us years. We saw ourselves as picking up rocks to
prepare the field to hear the gospel. As we developed these relationships and got very close to these lost friends,
we got nervous about sharing the gospel. We thought, ‘What if they reject us?’
We began to forget the reason we were there.
“Finally, after seven years of no fruit, we got desperate. We shared
the gospel with these friends, and they almost all rejected us. That’s when we
realized that our approach of ‘relationship evangelism’ was getting us nowhere.
We resolved as a team to share the gospel first, and build relationships
afterwards.
“We started sharing everywhere. We bridged into gospel conversations
with as many people as we could. A lot of people didn’t respond. But we finally
began to find some that said ‘yes’, and it is through these new believers that
God is starting to build His kingdom.”
For seven years they had been taking on the role that only the Spirit
of God can take: picking up rocks (Ezek 11:19). And even then they were
rejected. When they finally changed the way they sought for persons of peace,
they began to see fruit. Today this missionary is a strong advocate for
bridging into gospel conversations very quickly.
Another team was working among a very “antagonistic” people group. The
oppression is so difficult that it is easy not to start talking about Jesus
- ever. But it’s difficult to find
spiritually prepared people without spiritual means. Therefore, they
established a “five-minute rule” for their team: “In every conversation with a
lost person, we will identify ourselves as followers of Jesus within five
minutes.”
That was their bridge into conversations about Jesus.
Another colleague who was seeing a lot of people come to Christ was
asked “Whom do you find to be the most responsive?” He replied, “Those that I
share the gospel with. 100% of those I do not share with do not respond.”
Page 216
What is the gospel?
It is specifically the good news that Jesus Christ provided redemption
for us and that we can be saved through faith in Him.
It is the truth about Jesus
dying for our sins, being buried, yet rising again to prove His claims AND that
through Him all people can be saved, through repentance and faith.
Page 217
Addressing the basic worldview of lost people in your community is
critical. Your gospel presentation should take the truth of the gospel and
apply it to their worldview as your starting point.
- What is good news for animists万物有灵论者?
Jesus’ power over the spirits.
- What is good news for Buddhists
and Hindus? Jesus’ power to break the cycles
of rebirth and bring them to heaven.
- What is good news for Muslims
and Jews? Jesus has the ability to break the system of their futile attempt
to gain salvation through good works
and give true salvation.
- What is good news for post-moderns? Jesus offers true, eternal
relevance. He can really change their lives.
Page 218
The only way you know a gospel presentation is reproducible is if it is
reproducing.
No effective, reproducible gospel presentation was ever developed in a
classroom, study or training room. Great ideas may have begun there. But
effective gospel presentations become effective through repeated trial and error. Some people want to endlessly
tweak and perfect before using. Instead endlessly use it, perfecting it as you
go.
Page 225-226
Every short-term discipleship curriculum should include some
fundamental items like prayer, daily devotions, assurance of salvation and the
Word. However, for the sake of a church-planting movement, there are a few
non-negotiables that must be included in short-term discipleship in addition to
these.
1) Baptism
Most T4T practitioners get to baptism within the first few hours, days
or weeks after a profession of lesson after salvation. This is probably the
single most important act of obedience for solidifying the profession of faith
and making true disciples.
2) Church
Every T4T curriculum that is getting to a church-planting movement
includes a lesson very early on to intentionally help the group of disciples
become a church. Usually this is the 4th or 5th
short-term discipleship lesson. That means that T4T groups are usually becoming
churches by the 4th or 5th session. Without this lesson,
groups will probably not become churches.
3) Communion – The Lord’s Supper
Sometimes this is bundled with the church lesson, sometimes it is
separate. Either way, the Lord’s Supper, properly exercised, is one of the most
purifying acts of worship in the church and the movement. It helps keep the
doctrine and practice of the members pure.
4) Perseverance in persecution
This my surprise some people, but many young radical believers will
face at least light persecution before you think they will. New Testament
writers almost always included this as one of their basics of the faith; so
should we. Only perseverance will enable this to become a movement.
Perseverance and boldness are perhaps the most important factors in helping
this generation of believers start a new generations of believers.
5) Great Commission
Even through reproduction is built into the three-thirds process, it is
very helpful to give an entire lesson to the Great Commission to reinforce the
need to start successive generations.
Page 237
People will joyfully give all they have to follow Jesus if they see the
value of the King and the kingdom life.
Baptism initiates the discipleship re-revolution of kingdom disciples
waling in a life of obedience and joy. It helps them consider the value of the
King and count the cost of following Him – which is the essential first step to
the King’s reign.
Page 238
Baptism is a sign that you are
sure, not mature in your faith. It is the sign to the new believer and to
others around him that he is sure that he wants to follow Jesus. The sign of
maturity is the fruit of the Spirit, which will develop over time. If you can
remember this one principle, you will rush to baptism rather than to delay
baptism. In fact, baptism is a solidifying decision that helps ensure that the
new believer will lay his old life and begin walking in new path of conformity
to Christ.
Thereafter, we reversed the first two lessons from 1) assurance then 2)
baptism to 1) baptism then 2) assurance. When we did that, everything changed.
People professing Christ were immediately taught the first step of obedience –
baptism – and challenged to be baptized very quickly. Some said “no.” Many took
a deep gulp (counted the cost) and stepped across the line in the sand (baptism).
When we took them through the assurance lesson after this, often within hours,
they experienced great peace and assurance in their salvation.
We just had to get the order right: “sure, then assured”!
Page 242
There is a danger in these, however: they can easily take the place of
baptism as the profession (confession) of faith. In the Scripture and in
history, baptism has been the sign of publicly professing faith in Christ. With
other modes of professing faith coming into vogue, baptism can take a back seat
and therefore be delayed. However, if we
continue to see baptism as the primary means of professing faith in front of
witnesses, we will place it very near to the time of one’s personal decision to
follow Christ.
Page 243
Because it is such an outward act baptism helps to seal a person’s
inward decision to follow Christ. There is no doubt: the inward cry of a
person’s heart for salvation is where rebirth takes place. Baptism is an
outward act to help make inward decision sure. Remember, it is a sign that you
are sure, not mature.
Page 250
Since many models of church can faithfully serve the scriptural
teaching, the secondary question becomes: “Which of the many biblically
faithful models (or elements) should we implement?” The answer is: the one that
is most culturally appropriate and reproducible in our community. The general
guideline is this: “Could an average young believer start and organize such a
church?” Otherwise, church planting will be relegated to a few highly trained
individuals.
Page 252
Here is an example of a definition of church created from the Acts 2
passage. It emphasized the 3 C’s of church: Covenant, Characteristics, Caring
leaders.
- Covenant
A group of baptized believers (Matt 18:20; Acts 2:41) who recognize
themselves as Christ’s body and are committed to meeting together regularly
(Acts 2:46)
- Characteristics
They regularly abide in Christ through the characteristics of church:
a) Worship: exalting & enjoying God’s presence
b) Fellowship: loving care for one another (including giving offerings
to meet needs and as an act of worship)
c) Prayer
d) Word: studying and OBEYING the Scripture as authoritative
e) The Lord’s Supper
f) They live out a commitment to share the gospel and to the world and
minister to the needs of others.
- Caring Leaders
As the church develops, leaders are appointed according to biblical
standards (Titus 1:5-9) and exercise mutual accountability, including church
discipline.
Page 263-264
What can we learn from how Jesus discerned the right men and developed
them?
a) Give new disciples small assignments and see who is faithful, then
increase responsibility (Matt 25:21)
b) It is easier to take a faithful man and teach him skills, than to
take a skillful man and teach him faithfulness.
c) As people prove faithful, give them more time and attention. The
best leaders/trainers are developed on the job.
d) God often chooses those that seem to be unlikely leadership
prospects because these persons long for Him and are teachable (1 Sam 22:2; 1
Chr 11:10)
e) What people can become may not be what they are now; we must see
their potential, and speak to them about it (eg Peter the rock – John 1:42)
Page271
That’s a lesson for us in choosing leaders in new churches: look for
the “no longers.” They are not perfect or mature yet, but they are growing in
godly character. Therefore, they can prove to be examples to the flock (1 Peter
5:3). They are people that other new believers can emulate in life
transformation.
Page 305
The final kingdom principle of this book is this: the only way to fruitfulness is through giving up our lives – death.
It was the way Jesus had to walk – the way of the cross for atonement. It is
the way we must walk – the way of the cross – to fulfill the proclamation of
that atonement. Death (whether physical death or a life sacrifice) is the
spiritual trigger that God seems to use to birth the life of a movement. The
bold, sacrificial believer lays down his life of self-focus and personal
dreams, and from the ground emerges the sprouts of a revolutionary discipleship
movement. You must persevere to see a movement.
Page 312
Almost always, the result is
increased joy and power IF the believers respond to the persecution with
boldness and sacrifice. Almost always there are references to more people
coming to faith because of their sacrifice.
Page 313
It is the fear of persecution
that paralyzed, not the persecution itself.
Make no mistake: Persecution does not breed CPMs; boldness and
perseverance in the face of persecution does. Persecution kill the budding
faith, like the rocky soil of the parable.
Page 316
In T4T, you must include a lesson on boldness and perseverance. It can
be similar to the Acts persecution study. In T4T loving, encouraging
accountability helps you to move from fear to faith. You must also model for
your trainees of a lifestyle of boldness, perseverance and sacrifice. In T4T
helping people to create a Name List and begin witnessing to them moves them
from timidity to boldness.
In addition, there are three practices that have helped encouraged
boldness in many believers:
1. Baptize immediately. The
sooner their baptism, the bolder new believers become. This is the first chance
for them to count the cost.
2. Memorize and trust the
promises of Scripture. Encourage them to memorize promises about God taking
care of them, and then to hold onto those promises in difficult times.
3. Count the cost. Help them
to count the cost and have a realistic understanding of pursuing God’s heart.
It sobers冷静 them so that they can joyfully sell all to have the treasure
in the field.
Page 325-326
What do you do when you have no
precedent? All you have is a promise. The promise is enough!
David believed the promise also because he had personal precedent. He
had never killed a giant, but he had killed lions and bears. How could this
giant be any different if God wanted to protect His own flock (v.36)?
Three times in the passage, David quotes the promise – to himself, to
the people of God and to the enemy. He didn’t have a precedent, but he did have
a promise. And it was enough.
To himself:
As David inquires of the men around him, he is sounding them out and
musing to himself:
“What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away
the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he
should taunt the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam 17:26)
David comes to terms personally with the promise. God can deliver this
giant up, and why shouldn’t David be the one to accomplish it.
To the people of God:
As David stands before Saul and his officers, he has come to terms with
the promise personally, and now declares it to the people of God, “God can do
this, and He will use me!”
“Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this
uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the
armies of the living God.” (1 Sa, 17:36)
David encourages them to take heart and take the risk with him.
To the enemy:
Now David approaches Goliath. Closer and closer he gets and the giant begins taunting him. “You think I’m a dog that you bring that stick after me? I am going to give you flesh to the birds of the sky today, boy!”
Now David approaches Goliath. Closer and closer he gets and the giant begins taunting him. “You think I’m a dog that you bring that stick after me? I am going to give you flesh to the birds of the sky today, boy!”
This has to be unnerving. What’s going through David’s mid? We are not
told, but he begins to shout the promise out loud to the enemy:
“You come to me with a sword, a
spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the LORD will
deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head
form you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of Philistines this day
to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth
may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know
that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into your hands.”
(1 Sam 17:45-47)
Whether fear was creeping into David’s heart or not, we don’t know. But
his heart meditated on the promise of God in the face of the enemy. Goliath
intended to give David’s body to the birds. David intended to give not only
Goliath’s body, but the bodies of all the Philistine army to the birds!
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