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Posts Tagged ‘small group’

TELL ‘EM I LOVE ‘EM

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, FAITH, Preaching messages, Soul Winning, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »

SHARING FAITH # 1PM  Share your faith 1

Share your faith – don’t ever be afraid!

When I was a very new Christian, one of the first experiences I had was joining our youth street witnessing team. What a great experience that was! First we learned what the gospel was, and why we needed to share with people about the love of Jesus. We learned that all men had sinned and that the wages of sin is death, Hell is really bad and awaits every person who has not decided to follow Jesus. We learned about how the Holy Spirit is within us and how His power changes lives when we share the love of God. Then off we went into the city to share God’s love. For many years the youth group ran a coffee shop in the city in an underground location. We would go out into the street share our faith with people, and then invite them down into the coffee shop for a free coffee. We saw hundreds of people saved over many years.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

Not long after I became a Christian when I was studying at Uni I would ride the bus to Uni every day. Each day I would feel the prompting of the Lord to speak to anyone and everyone about Jesus, but I was so scared. My heart would be beating so hard in my chest I wondered if someone else could hear it! I put it off for weeks but finally I summed up the courage to say to a young man I was sitting next to, “Hi I’m Craig and would love to share with you about Jesus!” To which he replied, “Oh wow. I’m a Christian too, that’s great!”

I was so relived not to be rejected, but disappointed that I still hadn’t witnessed my faith to anyone. Was God just showing me, don’t be afraid it’s not that scary?

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

At university I joined the Christian group and pretty soon I was leading it because they were not too excited about Jesus and I certainly was. It helps when you are full of the Holy Spirit. So we would arrange for the team to go out witnessing once a week at lunchtimes on the Uni campus. We would give out tracts and share with people. One time we ran a coffee shop at Uni in O week and one young man received Christ who is now the INC Pastor at Mt. Barker in the Adelaide hills.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

Another time in O week we showed an awesome surfing movie that was produced by a Christian film group and it contained cracking footage of surfing huge waves and also contained an interview with different surfers who shared their story about following Jesus. At the end of the movie I jumped up and preached in the theatre to about 400 young Uni hopefuls about how Jesus had changed my life! Some walked out, some stayed and a couple lingered to ask more about Jesus.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

That kind of outreach was what we now call bait and switch. You offer something that looks wild, cool, exciting and appealing and then at the end you pull out the gospel. It’s not wrong, but some people may feel tricked. It’s not as effective as love and serve the people you want to reach like we do in Red Frogs.  Actually Jesus pulled a kind of Bait and Switch every day when He fed the five thousand and then healed lots of people which is pretty attractive then began to preach saying, “Unless you believe you shall all likewise perish.”  Listen to this…. Every kind of evangelism is valid. There are an infinite number of ways to reach lost people, just go out and do it!

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

Here’s what Red frogs do today. At schoolies the people who are volunteers, look after year 12 students who are bent on drinking themselves into oblivion at the Gold Coast. The Red Frogs team surround them with care, look after them and bring a safety net under their crazy antics so that this generation can survive the schoolies mayhem. In and through that process they get to share the gospel with people who are ready to listen. Lots of young people receive Christ every year.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

One good friend of mine, Brian, was doing life tough before he was saved and he called the church office to ask for help. Suicidal and drug affected, he came to Christ and was deeply impacted. He went well for a while and later slipped back into old habits and ways. A couple of years later I saw him in the city, drunk, sitting on the footpath and swigging on a bottle of beer. I went over to him and told him we loved him and asked if we could help him. Later when he came through in Jesus to a very powerful life lived for God he told me, “You remember that night you found me on the street drunk? Well I was going to smash that beer bottle over your head, but something stopped me.”

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

Ask you friend beside you right now, “What would stop you sharing your faith?”

Not long after that when Brian was going great for God, we had the youth street witnessing team in the city and we were singing on the streets in the city mall. From behind us came a spray of water, which turned out to be beer. Another man who was drunk was spraying his beer bottle contents over the Christian singers and when we approached him he was swearing a lot, and very angry. Just then two plain clothes police arrested him and took him away. It seemed like a non-event. However later when Brian caught up with this man that was arrested, he knew him and he found out that the reason he was drunk and so mad at Christians was that his three year old son had just died. He was heartbroken and angry at God. Brian knew Jesus now and reached into his heart and showed him God’s great love and that man gave his heart to Christ

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

You can share you faith with strangers on the street, as I have done by street preaching, or you can share your faith with your friends and neighbours by serving and loving. Both are valid and important. By loving and serving our neighbour Albert we led a man to Christ, who was former bikie and was dying of liver failure in hospital.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

When Jesus said, Matthew 28:19 (AMP)

19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

It means we have a job to do. Do not think of it as “I should do this, I should do that.” It’s time to believe, so pray like this, “God open doors for me to share my faith with the people you select to bring across my path.” Let your witnessing be led by the Spirit. BUT, be ready to obey when He shows you – “that’s the one.” You need faith to share your faith.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Please discuss the full meaning of Acts 1:8 in your group.

2. If you ever felt like it was a duty to share your faith, what should you do?

3. Tell some stories about times when you have shared your faith.

4. What’s your testimony? – Your story of how you met Jesus and how you know He’s real?

5.  Practice sharing your testimonies in the group.

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JOIN THE TEAM TO LOVE AND SERVE

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Soul Winning, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

LOVE REACHES OUT  #4AMLove Reaches Out 3 Screen

JOIN THE TEAM TO LOVE AND SERVE

Please follow our notes on the blog site or find it through the church facebook page.

Today we have seen an incredible promotion from the Gideons about reaching Melbourne. I know this church will be right in there supporting this call as we have exactly the same vision. To see as many Melbournites as possible experience the love of Jesus Christ. Here’s the vision statement of our church denomination or movement:  To Give every Aussie the chance to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The other take home message of this Gideon presentation is the power of reading the bible. In this church we encourage each believer to read the word of God regularly. To understand the power in this see our website at this address. It’s important to understand that we have a great confidence that the bible is God’s word and is divinely inspired and infallible cover to cover. This can be demonstrated clearly with real evidence both scientific and literary. For more information on this please check out these specific messages on our church podcast at this link.

This year we are sharing the message of LOVE across the whole year. This month our theme is Love Reaches Out. We have heard the message in week one about the reality of heaven and hell and the incredible importance of sharing our faith with others. In week two, Rhys spoke of how in this world many people have an obsession with a celebrity and they know everything about them, want to look like them and be near them. He pointed out that as real authentic Christians we are to be obsessed with Jesus and experience the same level of life changing impact. In week three we spoke about how to actually share your faith effectively, and what is the gospel message essentially.

The main message today is that reaching people with God’s love is best done in a team work approach. Let’s look at how Jesus made an impact in peoples’ lives.

Luke 9:11-17 11 But when the crowds learned of it, [they] followed Him; and He welcomed them and talked to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed restoration to health.

12 Now the day began to decline, and the Twelve came and said to Him, Dismiss the crowds and send them away, so that they may go to the neighbouring hamlets and villages and the surrounding country and find lodging and get a [b]supply of provisions, for we are here in an uninhabited (barren, solitary) place.

13 But He said to them, You [yourselves] give them [food] to eat. They said, We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all this crowd,

14 For there were about 5,000 men. And [Jesus] said to His disciples, Have them [sit down] reclining in table groups (companies) of about fifty each.

15 And they did so, and made them all recline.

16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and [praising God] gave thanks and asked Him to bless them [to their use]. Then He broke them and gave them to the disciples to place before the multitude.

17 And all the people ate and were satisfied. And they gathered up what remained over—twelve [[c]small hand] baskets of broken pieces.(AMP)

This was teamwork in action. We see that pretty much everywhere Jesus went He healed people and he also performed miracles of provision – feeding the 5000, as well as raising people from the dead. His approach to help people understand the message of the gospel, that God loved them and that they needed to be forgiven and know God, was to awaken them through the meeting of their needs. The reaction of people was huge! Mark 7:37 37 And they were overwhelmingly astonished, saying, He has done everything excellently (commendably and nobly)! He even makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak!(AMP)  By meeting their needs supernaturally, people who were open to God, would seek further understanding and begin to listen to Jesus as He preached the good news of the kingdom. If people were not open to God they were often offended by the miracles and became aggressive towards Him.

The same is true today. As we seek to reach people with the message of God’s love we can pray for people’s needs, be it healing or financial breakthrough or restoration of marriages or anything that concerns them. To a great extent the level of miracles we see is less than what Jesus experienced and this is due to a high level of unbelief in this nation; where people can scarcely believe that God exists let alone that He would heal them. This is not the case in many nations where ordinary believers like you and me can travel and see amazing miracles and healings right in front of our eyes.

MY UKRAINE STORY

In 1991-1993 I led three large teams into the Ukraine to do missions work. This took place immediately after the failed coup and the fall of the iron curtain. We preached on the streets with interpreters and saw hundreds of people receive Jesus Christ as their saviour and as we prayed for healing amazing miracles took place right out there in the street. This was team work in action. Some preached, some prayed, some played guitars, some shared their faith one on one with interpreters, and some translated our songs into Russian. Together we loved and served the Ukrainian people.

THE STORY OF RED FROGS

This video shares some of the story of what Red Frogs is all about. Red Frogs is a ministry of Christian young people who go to the schoolies week at 14 locations around Australia and look after tens of thousands of young school leavers who are living it up and making crazy life endangering decisions in an alcohol fuelled party at the end of their school life. The Red Frogs Crew help serve and love them to keep them safe and guide them to better decisions. This teamwork of loving and serving these young people gives them the perfect platform to share the real meaning of life as those who are open ask the red frogs team why they do what they do. Later these same Christian leaders go into the universities and serve at O week where again the alcohol culture is over the top. The Red Frogs teams keep working through the year loving and serving these future leaders of Australia (and indeed the world) and many of them end up in church because they see the love and the quality lives of the Red Froggers.

Why is the ministry of Red Frogs so successful? Here’s why…

  1. It’s focussed on a need
  2. There’s an expression of love through serving.
  3. There’s a team work approach.

In Plenty Valley Church, we use this same team work approach to love and serve people in order to gain trust and show them the love in action that stems from Jesus Christ. We do this through…

  1. Urban Connect Groups – loving and serving people in need
  2. Youth Foundation – loving and serving High schoolers
  3. Community Kitchen – loving and serving disabled, lonely, struggling and financially challenged people.
  4. The Autism Support Group – loving and serving families struggling with special needs kids.

I hope that soon we can begin a new team of passionate believers to start what’s called a Messy Church. Messy Church is a once a month church service on a Saturday afternoon that caters for young families with kids where the kids and their parents get involved in games, craft, art and singing as well as hear a message and share a meal while being all together. We will need about 7-8 new leaders to assist us to run this new outreach. If you’re interested please see one of the ministry team later.

So to summarise this month.

Every person who does not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and saviour is lost and we care deeply that they are not going to heaven. We will do all in our power to love them and serve them and so gain their trust and share with them the good news that Jesus died for them.

  1. We can share with others through personal sharing of our faith,
  2. We can invite people to church or Urban Connect groups or youth etc.
  3. We can be part of a team that loves and serves those in need just as Jesus did to find those open to the message of the gospel so that they might be saved.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the benefits of completing a task in a team environment.

2. What are the gifts you bring to the team – what are you good at?

3. Who is the best one in your team at sharing the gospel message? Who is the best host? the best practical helps person etc?

4. Who is your team (Urban Connect group) going to reach out to? Can you identify someone in need?

5. When will you plan ways to love and serve them in Jesus name?

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WHAT KINDA BREAD ARE YOU CHEWING ON?

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 18, 2013| Leave a Comment »

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE.  THEME- LIVING WORD . PREACHING # 3 AM – Sunday 18th August 2013.

Living WordIn this series of preaching here at Plenty Valley Church our purpose is to inspire you & empower you to value, read and apply God’s word. In this church we believe that the bible is divinely inspired and infallible from cover to cover – If you would like more information about that please go to our podsite: http://pvc.podomatic.com/entry/2010-04-09T06_14_02-07_00

REVISION –    August 4th – What ever He says to you – do it. We shared the story of the Wedding in Cana. You must hear the word and do it – then you build your house on the rock and not on the sand because the storms of life will surely come to everyone, but if we have built in the word of God then our house (life) can stand.

–         # 2 – August 11th – The Word is alive and powerful, but only if it’s IN YOU! Not just on the printed page.

KEY VERSE FOR THIS SERIES

1Th 2:13  And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it].

Also:

Heb 4:12  For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE

Jesus is called the word –  the Logos in John chapter one.

Joh 1:1  IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. [Isa. 9:6.]

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – HE GIVES LIFE

In the Old Testament we read that the Children of Israel we feed with supernatural food called manna which appeared to them each morning like hoarfrost on the ground. Even back then God had in mind to teach His children that the bread from heaven was supernatural and it represented God’s word.

Deu 8:2  And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Deu 8:3  And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and personally know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

This same truth is repeated in Luke 4:4 and also Matt 4:4 man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

To LIVE is to BELIEVE

THE STORY OF JOHN 6

The chapter opens with the story of feeding of the 5000. At this first part of the chapter we see the mention of bread that is supernaturally supplied from Jesus.

Joh 6:5  Jesus looked up then, and seeing that a vast multitude was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat?

Joh 6:6  But He said this to prove (test) him, for He well knew what He was about to do.

Joh 6:7  Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennies’ (forty dollars) worth of bread is not enough that everyone may receive even a little.

People followed Jesus the next day, because they wanted more bread, they were searching for the physical sustenance. But Jesus warned them that they needed spiritual sustenance, not just physical.

Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the miracles and signs but because you were fed with the loaves and were filled and satisfied.

Joh 6:27  Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using], but strive and work and produce rather for the [lasting] food which endures [continually] unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him.

Here Jesus makes it plain that the food he spoke of was God’s word and it was for the giving of life. Jesus told them plainly – I am the bread of life.

Joh 6:35  Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).

The Jews said Moses gave us bread from Heaven in the wilderness.  Jesus replied, “No that wasn’t the bread of Heaven, I am the bread of Heaven.”

MANNA – DAILY BREAD –  A PICTURE OF JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE

Let’s look at what happened when God gave the manna to the children of Israel in the wilderness.

Exo 16:14  And when the dew had gone, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a fine, round and flakelike thing, as fine as hoarfrost on the ground.

Exo 16:15  When the Israelites saw it, they said one to another, Manna [What is it?]. For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. [John 6:31, 33.]

Exo 16:16  This is what the Lord has commanded: Let every man gather of it as much as he will need, an omer for each person, according to the number of your persons; take it, every man for those in his tent.

Exo 16:17  The [people] did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

Exo 16:18  When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack; each gathered according to his need.

Exo 16:19  Moses said, Let none of it be left until morning.

Exo 16:20  But they did not listen to Moses; some of them left of it until morning, and it bred worms, became foul, and stank; and Moses was angry with them.

Exo 16:21  They gathered it every morning, each as much as he needed, for when the sun became hot it melted.

This picture of the manna is a picture of God’s provision for us in His word.

Manna came to them daily; and it sustained them for 40 years. God’s word is for a lifetime.

–         We need today’s word, not yesterday’s word – fresh revelation.

–         For the Children of Israel it became boring – they detested it. – often we seek stimulation; but we need spiritual food.

Another picture of the word in the Old Testament is the Table of shewbread in the Tabernacle of Moses. It is called the bread of the presence, and consisted of 12 loaves, one for each tribe. This speaks of the communion around the word for every believer.

What ever we eat becomes a part of us. We are to become partakers of the Divine nature through partaking of the bread of life.

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – HE GIVES LIFE – DAILY SUSTAINS US

STORIES

  1. BROTHER YUN –

This beautiful testimony from one of God’s modern day heroes shows how the word of God sustained him. Brother Yun was imprisoned by the Chinese authorities because of his faith.

IMG_1642

IMG_1643

STORIES

  1. CRAIG – At times of disappointment that arise from not seeing the results that I long to see in people saved, lives changed, church growth and churches planted – I am seeking the Lord and many verses come to mind to strengthen me. One that I have found to be very encouraging is Ephes 3:16

Eph 3:16  May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – HE GIVES LIFE – DAILY SUSTAINS US

It’s you reading the word of God daily that gives you life, to feed your faith, to build a reservoir of His word inside you so that you can draw on it at all times.

In our Urban Connect groups that’s why we don’t do a teaching – a bible study in our small groups – we want to promote your reading of Gods word for yourself, You must learn to feed yourself.

PICTURE – For a person in hospital in critical care a Naso-gastic tube keeps them alive but you can’t live like that! Similarly getting the word of God through preaching and attending church can keep you alive, but you can’t live like that! God wants you to feed yourself.

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – HE GIVES LIFE – DAILY SUSTAINS US

Joh 6:57  Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me [whoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me] shall [in his turn] live through and because of Me.

Joh 6:58  This is the Bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the manna which our forefathers ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever.

RESPONSE

  1. Try the reading plan – Go to http://pvcoc.org.au/bible_reading_plan.php
  2. Read the word daily even if it’s one verse.
  3. Memorise the word. Say it over and over till you can memorize it.
  4. In this world we are dominated by the pervading world view which is secular humanism. It is feeding you all day every day through the mass media and it is drip feeding us it’s own godless values – it is imperative that we feed on the life of Jesus through His word every day.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why is it so hard to read the word of God daily?

2. What is the best translation for you?

3. When is the best time of the day to read the word for you?

4. Is the reading plan working for you? Is there a better way for you to read the word of God?

5. What is your goal for reading God’s word over the next two weeks?

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URBAN CONNECT GROUP LEADERS TRAINING LESSON No. 4

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Leaders Training, tagged , , , , , , on August 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

WEEK 4

Summary

What happens in an Urban Connect Group meeting?

How to run a meeting. Learning in the classroom and on the job.

The goal of every Urban Connection is – Discipleship – lives are being changed

BRAINSTORM

Q. Each Trainee leader will write down on your notepad what you believe discipleship means. What does it look like?

  • A disciple is a learner, a student, an apprentice.
  • Helping people to steadily learn from Jesus how to live the life of the Kingdom.
  • Reaching out to lost people and showing them what Jesus has done for them.
  • Teach people how to live as Christ lived and taught.
  • Show people how to be with Jesus in an attitude of observation, study, obedience and imitation.
  • Doing the journey with someone as they become like Jesus.
  • Learning how to love enemies, bless those that persecute, go the second mile etc, living out the gracious inward transformations of faith hope and love.

Q. Now what does that look like in the environment of an Urban Connect Group in this local church?

  • The Core leader gets to know the sheep in his group.
  • The Core leader asks the members great questions of his disciples about what they are learning.
  • The Core leader builds an environment of support for all.
  • The Core leader shares with the learners how he/she overcame certain difficulties.
  • The Core leader points the sheep to Jesus always.
  • The Core leader leads his sheep to the word of God and helps them express hwat they get out of it.
  • The Core leader leads the team in reaching lost people.

Mat 10:24  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Mat 10:25  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Q. What does the Core leader do between meetings?

  •  The Core leader prays for his sheep regularly.
  • The Core leader contacts everyone who was away from the UC meeting.
  • The Core leader thinks strategically about what each member needs to keep growing. Eg. Water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, DNA, counselling, extra care etc
  • The Core leader refuels themself every week to be on fire for God and possessed by the vision.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE URBAN CONNECT MEETING

How to run your group on the night

  1. Warmly welcome each person
  2. Offer tea, coffee and biscuits or similar
  3. Ask each person to share either
  • Answers to prayer
  • About when they shared their faith with someone
  • A prayer need
  1. Discipleship growth – Remind the group of which passage/chapter that the group was asked to read since the last meeting. Encourage each member to share what is God saying to them through this passage and what will they do about it.
  2. Affirm each person who shares and ensure that members don’t hog the time preventing others from sharing.
  • There are no wrong answers let people express their thoughts, peer discipling means you don’t have to correct every doctrinal point, people will learn from one another.
  • Keep the focus on hearing God’s voice.
  1. Pray for each persons needs and PRAY FOR YOUR LOST FRIENDS YOU ARE REACHING OUT TO. – Use a harvest list.

URBAN CONNECT GROUP LEADERS ROLE

  1. You are a shepherding leader. Your role is to care for 10 placed under your care.
  2. Keep your focus on building relationships. Member with God, member to member and member to unsaved friends.
  3. Your main aim is to assist each person to grow in their walk with God.
  • Are they saved?
  • Next step be baptised in water
  • Then filled with the Holy Spirit – speaking in tongues is encouraged as the only clear evidence that one has received.
  • Invite them to participate in the DNA class to join the church, discover their gifts, and find a serving role.
  1. Community – when people are hurting the group must gather around them and assist in any way possible – phone calls, prayer, visitation, meals, work,
  2. Be a builder – call up each member that missed your Discipleship group meeting and see how they are going. You need to do this every time you meet to grow your UC.
  3. Plan an event at least quarterly to invite the unsaved friends you are praying for.

UC Leaders JD

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URBAN CONNECT GROUP LEADERS TRAINING LESSON No. 3

Posted in Equip the Saints, Leaders Training, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

WEEK 3

The role of the Visionary Leader, Demographic Leader and Core Leader.

Your role as a core leader = Urban Connect Group Leader.

Lets look at the different kinds of leaders that function in the local church.

There are:

  1. Visionary Leaders
  2. Demographic Leaders
  3. Core Leaders

In Ex 18: 17-21

Exo 18:17  Moses’ father-in-law said to him, The thing that you are doing is not good.

Exo 18:18  You will surely wear out both yourself and this people with you, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it all by yourself.

Exo 18:19  Listen now to [me]; I will counsel you, and God will be with you. You shall represent the people before God, bringing their cases and causes to Him,

Exo 18:20  Teaching them the decrees and laws, showing them the way they must walk and the work they must do.

Exo 18:21  Moreover, you shall choose able men from all the people–God-fearing men of truth who hate unjust gain–and place them over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, to be their rulers.

Exo 18:22  And let them judge the people at all times; every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

Exo 18:23  If you will do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to endure [the strain], and all these people also will go to their [tents] in peace.

BRAINSTORM

From verse 19,20,21 – what was Moses role?

Moses Heard form God and set the vision. His role was to lead the people out of the land of Egypt and into the Promised Land. This is the big picture.

He needed other leaders to help him.

Leaders of 1000’s;  100’s;  50’s and 10’s

In our church who is the visionary leader?

In our church we have leaders of 50’s and leaders of 10’s. The leaders of 50’s are called demographic leaders. For example, Tim and Ariel over youth.

Leaders of 10’s are called Core Leaders, these are the Urban Connect group leaders.

They lead about 10 people in their Urban Connect group.

In the new testament we see a similar organisation.

Acts 6:1-4

Act 6:1  NOW ABOUT this time, when the number of the disciples was greatly increasing, complaint was made by the Hellenists (the Greek-speaking Jews) against the [native] Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked and neglected in the daily ministration (distribution of relief).

Act 6:2  So the Twelve [apostles] convened the multitude of the disciples and said, It is not seemly or desirable or right that we should have to give up or neglect [preaching] the Word of God in order to attend to serving at tables and superintending the distribution of food.

Act 6:3  Therefore select out from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of the [Holy] Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty.

Act 6:4  But we will continue to devote ourselves steadfastly to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

BRAINSTORM

Who are the visionary leader/s?

What was the role of the Visionary leaders?

They chose leaders under them like Stephen and Philip, who became demographic leaders. They impacted regions or cities for God.

THE ROLE OF THE VISIONARY LEADER

  • Creators, owners and inspirers of vision.
  • Chief “passionary” (value holder).
  • Chief believer in the potential and destiny of others.
  • Provides excellent self leadership.
  • Provides hands on development and partnership and vision for demographic leaders.
  • Facilitates the development and partnership of core leaders.
  • Calls others up by lifting,

THE ROLE OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC LEADERS

  • These are leaders who take responsibility for whole demographic target areas e.g. Schools/Youth/young adults/young families/business etc
  • They can see and follow the vision of their visionary leader
  • They make room by violent prayerfor a move of God
  • They are able to see how to turn the tide of war and win souls
  • They are culture setters; positive influencers
  • They cast vision to Core Leaders (the vision carriers) and inspire them to serve the vision. If Core Leaders are not multiplying disciples, Demographic Leaders do not complain. They work out how to walk with them so that they do
  • Will leave the one for the ninety nine

THE ROLE OF THE CORE LEADERS

  •  They multiply disciples, taking them from infancy to maturity
    • They are people who understand, articulate and facilitate the vision of the Demographic leader
    • They identify their place in the Church under a Demographic leader
    • They create community
  1. Around the Word of God
  2. By building relationships/friendships and making disciples
  3. By winning the lost and maintaining an outward focus
  • They carry the core values of the Church
  • They maintain the unity of the Spirit in the Church by embracing the vision and values set by Church leaders/visionary leader
  • They will leave the ninety nine to go for the one

Have a look at the Core Leaders Checklist. (at the bottom)

BIG THINKING

I will grow a group and multiply it in the next year.

I will make sure I get refuelled by the visionary leader every week, so I don’t grow stale or cold.

Core Leaders Checklist

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URBAN CONNECT GROUP LEADERS TRAINING No. 2

Posted in Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , on August 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

URBAN CONNECT GROUP LEADERS TRAINING

JULY-AUGUST 2012            WEEK 2

The main thing is the main thing – soul winning.

What we believe in this church:

  • The power of an invitation
  • Go into all the world – reaching demographic groups
  • Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

The Main thing is the Main thing.

This is now a famous quote from Ps David McDonald our National Chairman.

It reflects the main mission of the COC movement in Australia and around the world.

Soul winning – leading people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is the most important thing we do.

For us and for most denominations the fire of soul winning is the first fire to go out when a church or movement stops putting the Great Commission first.

What did Jesus really mean when he said…

Mat 28:18  Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Mat 28:19  Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

BRAINSTORM

What does this scripture/commandment mean to you?

Does this commandment apply equally to all Christians?

Are there some who are called to do this work of making disciples more than others?

Passion for souls

Are people really going to Hell?

What is Hell really like?

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.

 

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night–these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him. [Isa. 34:10.]

BRAIN STORM

Who is going to hell?

Is there any way to get to heaven except by becoming a Christian?

Are you sure there is no other way?

What is hell really like?

Who do you know that’s going there?

Making Disciples or Getting decisions.

One of the strongest messages that is being spoken around the world right now is about the importance of making disciples. This is contrasted to the practice of getting decisions.

What’s the difference?

BRAINSTORM

What happens when we make disciples?

What happens when we get decisions?

Disciple making

Discipleship is relationship.

It begins when relationship begins.

Disciple means learner.

Discipleship is meeting with someone or a group and doing life with them. Jesus did it 24/7 for three years. Mostly we can’t do that because we have to go to work, school, uni etc. so it may take a little longer!

Discipleship is leading people to Jesus through the embracing the word of God and also through the experience of life.

The discipler hasn’t got all the answers because no one does. The discipler leads the disciple to Jesus. Keep pointing the disciple to Jesus for the answers, but also share how that looked for you. Share your story, your struggles and your victories.

It can begin long before the potential disciple is saved. If they are willing to do the journey then go there with them. You can disciple them 1 to 1 or in a group. You can have an unsaved person in your discipleship group; no problems.

When a disciple goes through an experience – make it a learning experience. Ask questions…. What does the bible say about that? What would Jesus do if He were in your shoes? Do you need support and prayer in this situation.

As a discipler you provide love confidence and support. Maybe you don’t have all the answers but you can pray for God to do miracles in this circumstance. When you have the answer, don’t be too quick to TELL all the time. Be like a coach and ask great questions. People learn faster when they are searching their own hart and the word for the answer, by doing that you are making them Jesus dependent and not you dependent.

Making decisions

When people make a decision to follow Jesus, either in a one to one situation, or in a church service or Youth Meeting etc. that’s great; but if they are not connected to an Urban Connect group straight away then that young Christian may not keep going.

A decision is only a beginning. It’s like having a baby and then not caring for it. No milk, no food, no love, no protection, no clothes etc.

Can we as a church ensure that every person who visits our church has an opportunity to enter a discipling relationship?

BRAINSTORM

What could we do to make that happen? For us a church team to ensure that every person who visits our church has an opportunity to enter into to a discipling relationship?

Our Church methodology – How we do all this in PVC?

What we believe in this church:

  • The power of an invitation
  • Go into all the world – reaching demographic groups
  • Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

The power of an Invitation

We believe in constantly asking people to come. Andrew asked Simon Peter to come. He also asked Phillip to come. The woman at the well inn John 6 asked the whole town to come. Ask lots of people, ask hundreds, somewhere someone is hungry and they will come. When people come to church, OR you OR Feast (Young Adults) OR Urban Connect OR Young Mums etc etc etc…… Then begin to disciple them if they are willing.

Go into all the world

We believe in GO! Go into all the world. We are not only sitting here in church and expecting people to come to us. That’s a come message…. Jesus gave us a GO message. So we go to the fishing pools where people are.

  1. Craig – to the Police station
  2. Chris & Tim – to the Primary School
  3. Youth – To the high school
  4. Feast – to the Uni – Red Frogs
  5. Alex and his team – The needy people who come to community kitchen

We will develop other fishing pools over time as we get larger. This is where we contact people outside the arena of church and serve them and love them and share the gospel with them.

Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

This is the most powerful engine of growth and community impact, but it is very slow, it can take years of planting and sowing and working on changing culture so that the UC leaders and their groups focus on the work of discipling lost people.

For most churches in Australia the work of small groups does not include soul winning – and making disciples. Why? Because they have no passion for souls.

If we have no soul winning in our church or urban connect groups then we msut Pary and intercede and call on God for his mercy to touch peoples lives. Do we consider their plight? Can we go the extra mile and keep on reaching out to lost people? Will you as an Urban Connect Leader spur your group onto winning lost people?

  1. Have each member write down a harvest list
  2. Pray for the lost friends and relatives EVERY Meeting
  3. Share how you have been witnessing to others, be an example
  4. Encourage others to share who they are reaching out to
  5. Champion those who reach out.
  6. Create events to bring unsaved along to.
  7. When a new person comes to you r group make them feel welcome. Pray for them, meet their needs.

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