Principles of Ministry
Leadership Empowerment School of Ministry
Empowering Those who Empower Others with a Knowledge of God and His Ways
What is Ministry?
1. Building God's Kingdom by helping people -- Lk 4:16-21
A. It is not simply the actions of preaching, praying, etc.
B. Examples from Jesus' ministry
1. Too busy for a beggar? Lk 18:35
2. Too holy for a prostitute? Lk 7:36
2. Principles
A. Priesthood of all believers -- 1 Pet 2:9-12
1. Different ministries equal in importance [raising kids, ushering, prayer, witness at work,...]
2. Fulfill role God gives you
3. Success is obedience, not size or status
Who will God honor? (Matt 6:2-3, 5-6, 16-17)
B. Ministry comes out of the overflow of what God does in us. First in us, then through us. Jn 7:37-39
C. God equips for service: 2 Cor 3:4-6
Jeremiah (too young); Moses (could not speak); Gideon (too insignificant); Peter (too sinful); Paul (persecuted believers)
D. Remember where true joy is - being redeemed (Lk 15:7, 10:17-20)
False joy is results; what God does through us.
Planting and Building Churches
Biblical Principles of Church Planting
1. New Testament Church Planting
A. The first wave from the day of Pentecost
1. Church was planted in Jerusalem
2. Began as a spontaneous outpouring of God's Spirit
B. The second wave from persecution in Jerusalem
1. Churches were planted in Judea and Samaria and beyond
2. Because of circumstances -- not planned (the disciples were forced to leave Jerusalem and therefore encouraged by outside circumstances to plant churches in other places)
C. The third wave from intentional decision
1. Philip in Samaria
2. Paul among the Gentiles (He had an unshakable commitment to church planting)
2. General Biblical Principles
A. The Lord Builds His Church by Planting and Growing His Churches -- Matthew 16:18
We cannot build His church without Him and He will not build His church without us!
1. He is foreman
2. He engages us as crew
a. 1 Corinthians 3:9
b. 2 Corinthians 6:1
B. The Command -- Matthew 28:19-20
1. What -- Make disciples
2. Who -- All people-groups
3. Strategy -- A local church
a. For ministry
b. For accepting new Christians
C. Every Community Needs a Church
1. Pattern of Jerusalem
a. Scattered believers from Jerusalem in Judea took root and became local churches
b. This can be seen in the Samaritan church (Acts 8)
2. Other churches as in Ephesus also extended their church to include "all Asia" (Acts 19:10)
3. Even the smallest village requires a church
4. When Jesus' disciples told him in Mark 1:37, "Everyone is looking for you," Jesus replied:
"Let us go to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for this is why I came out." And he went throughout Galilee, preaching in their Synagogues and casting out demons. . . .
[and he] could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter. -- Mark 1:38-39, 45
Importance of Church Planting
1. New churches are often more effective at reaching lost people than older churches.
2. Newer churches often grow faster than older churches
3. New churches are focused on evangelism. Older ones are often more concerned with their own internal problems
4. People are more likely to go to church if it is near where they stay. The more churches there are, the more likely there will be one close to each person.
Practical Principles of Church Planting
1. Be sure of your call Acts 26:15-19
a. To the church planting ministry
b. To the particular place
2. Work diligently in preparation
3. Be patient -- a strong beginning is better than an early one
4. Accept the risk of failure [not every attempt is successful -- put your faith in God, not in results] -- Matt 10:11-14
5. Plant a reproducing church
This is a church that plants other churches. Growth becomes much greater when we plant churches that also plant churches.
6. Pray fervently and specifically
7. Focus on evangelism
8. Make complete disciples from converts -- Matt 28:19-20
Your job is not over when someone gets saved. Help them to grow and mature.
9. Work in the power of the Spirit -- 1 Cor 2:1-5
10. Focus on people -- 1 Cor 13:1-3
11. Equip leaders and workers. Give them tools for their ministry -- 2 Tim 2:2
12. Seek the support and fellowship of existing churches
Class Discussion
Have some students share about their experience in beginning a church:
- How did you do it?
- What problems did you encounter?
- What would you do differently if you were to do it again?
- What testimonies do you have of how God helped you?
How to Plant a Church
1. Requirements of a Church Planter (from the example of Paul)
A. A vision that imparts faith (direction) -- Acts 9:15-16
B. Empowered by God (anointing) -- Acts 9:17-18
C. Sent by God (timing) -- Acts 13:1-3
2. Steps in "Taking Territory" for God
A. Set the Objective (Where has God assigned me?)
Receive vision from God -- Whom do you seek to reach: young, old, Moslems, educated, rich, poor,...? Answering this question gives you direction in your planning.
B. Prayer and intercession Ephesians 6, Daniel 10
C. Seek and find the lost -- evangelism and discipleship
D. Establish the church.
Please note that the church is a group of people and all people are different from one another. This clearly means that all churches are different. Some churches will be "traditional," meeting on Sundays in a church building. Others will meet in homes throughout the area.
Therefore, not every church will be planted in the same way. The important factor here is that the church planter seeks the Holy Spirit for the methods He wants used.
Intercession
1. The Definition of Intercession:
Doing battle in prayer to see what God has decreed in heaven accomplished on earth.
2. Biblical Teaching on Intercession
A. Matt 6:10 -- God's will is always done in heaven, but it is not always perfectly accomplished on earth.
This earth is enemy territory. Satan is the god of this world and the ruler of this world. He is in rebellion against God, and tries to hinder God's work. Although God is sovereign, and ultimately His purposes will be accomplished, Satan can resist and oppose God's work in the short term, through his agents in the heavenly realm -- the "principalities and powers."
B. 2 Cor 4:4 -- Before it is possible to see men respond to the Gospel, the battle must be won in prayer.
The goal of all spiritual warfare, as in all ministry, is to help people and glorify God.
C. Luke 11:14-22 -- The 'strong man' must be bound, or overcome. How is he bound? By the 'finger of God'-- the power of the Holy Spirit
D. Daniel 10:1-14
In this chapter, Daniel prays for the understanding of a prophetic message.
1. vs. 12 - God decreed the answer and sends an angel to deliver it.
2. vs. 13 - The Satanic principality over Persia hinders the angel for 21 days.
3. vs. 2-3 - Because the answer is delayed, Daniel goes into intercession. He fasts and prays.
4. vs. 13 - God sends reinforcements, the spiritual battle in the heavenly realm is won, and Daniel receives the answer.
E. Eph 6:10-13
1. Devil has plans, and they are in opposition to God's plans
2. He has beings that do his work to carry out his plans. These are demonic forces. Sometimes these forces use people, even believers who open themselves up to evil influence. But, the people are never the enemy.
3. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against these demonic forces.
4. Prayer is one way we take the battle to our real enemy (v 18-19)
F. 2 Cor 10:3-5 -- We do not fight as the world fights -- defending ourselves when accused, trying to gain support for our side, etc. Our fight is spiritual, and our weapons are mighty. There are areas where the enemy has 'strongholds,' influence over people due to their openness to sin. We pull these down in order to effectively minister to the people, and set them free
Evangelism: Introduction
1. What is Evangelism?
Evangelism is the sharing of the good news of salvation by faith in Jesus with the goal of persuading others to accept this free gift.
2. The Importance of Evangelism
A. Evangelism is an expression of the heart and purpose of God -- God loves sinners!
1. The Father's deep love for sinners (Isaiah 65:1-2, Jeremiah 31:3, Matt 23:37, Rom 5:7-8)
2. Jesus came to save sinners (Luke 19:10)
3. God wants everyone to be saved (2 Pet 3:9, 1 Tim 2:4)
B. Evangelism is a response to human need
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." -- Acts 4:12
C. Evangelism is the primary task God has assigned to the church
ü. Matthew 28:18-20
ü. Mark 16:15
ü. Acts 1:8
3. Process of Coming to Jesus
Not everyone you talk to is ready to receive Jesus. Most people do not receive Jesus the first time they are preached to. Over a period of time, they move closer. We must learn to recognize where they are in relation to Jesus and deal with them accordingly.
The evangelist's goal should not be to try to force a person to receive Jesus, but to see where they are, and to help them move closer to Jesus until they are able to receive him.
Evangelism: The Process
Class Discussion:
- What is it that drew you to Jesus? What caused you to get saved? (Do not give a full testimony, but just share why you decided to get saved).
- In your experience, what is the biggest thing that brings people to Jesus? Why do most people get saved?
1. What Draws People to Jesus?
A. A demonstration of love (If the world sees your love, they will believe your message)
B. A demonstration of God's power (Romans 15:17-19)
C. A personal need or problem (Mark 9:24)
2. Principles for Effective Evangelism
A. Develop an intimate, experiential relationship with Jesus
B. Be genuine -- let your motivation be compassion (Matt 9:35-36)
1. Your goal is to help people and glorify God, not 'win converts'
2. Demonstrate that you care for the person, however the respond (Matt 5:43-48)
Love has nothing to do with the one loved – you love them whether they deserve to be loved or not (Rom 5:5-8)
3. Find out about them
4. Honor people -- they are created by God! They are worth Jesus to God!
See people, not just what they do
C. Learn to operate in God's supernatural power
1. Evangelism is a supernatural activity
2. God's power is available through His gifts
3. Pray for people in any setting -- even if they do not believe
4. Pray for deliverance, and set them free from oppression of enemy
D. Share your testimony
1. Paul shared his often (Acts 22:1-15; 26:9-20)
2. Think it through, and always be prepared
a. describe your life before being saved
b. how you got saved
c. how your life is different now
E. Be willing to sacrifice to reach people (2 Tim 2:10, Col 1:24)
F. Build relationships with unbelievers, and lead them to Jesus through the way you live your life
G. Be led by the Holy Spirit (what to say, when to stop, who to talk to,...)
H. It is more important to introduce people to the person of Jesus than to be sure they understand all your arguments.
1. Do not need to prove you are right, win arguments, etc.
2. Show what Jesus has done in you -- demonstrate the life of Jesus through you
3. Clearly Presenting the Gospel
When we decide to preach the Gospel to people, it is important that we know what we need to tell them. As ministers, in addition to encouraging believers to share the Gospel, you need to teach them how. Following are some important points to include when preaching to unbelievers:
A. Understand that God is reaching out to you in love (Jn 3:16-17)
B. Sin separates us from God and leads to death (Rom 6:26)
C. Admit that you have sinned, and been in rebellion against God (Rom 3:23)
D. Jesus has solved your guilt problem (He has paid your penalty -- Rom 5:6-8)
E. Confess Jesus as Lord, and believe God raised Him from the dead (Rom 10:9-10)
F. You are free of guilt and condemnation (Rom 8:1)
G. God makes you new! (Jn 3:3; 2 Cor 5:17)
"Lord Jesus, I now receive you and the forgiveness you provide. I believe you are the Son of God who died for my sins. Please come into my heart, and make me the kind of person you want me to be. Thank you for paying the penalty for my sins, removing my guilt, and giving me eternal life."
How to Follow-up on a New Convert
1. The Need for Follow-up (New babies need care -- 1 Cor 3:1-2)
2. Levels of Follow-up
A. Immediate follow-up (to give greater understanding of what happened -- Matthew 13:19)
B. Next day follow-up (Satan will lie to the new believer, telling him what he experienced was not real)
C. Ongoing follow-up (Draw the new believer into Christian relationships, incorporate them into the church, help them develop habits of daily time with God, etc.)
3. What to Cover in Follow-up
A. Assurance of salvation (If you received Jesus, you have eternal life -- 1 John 5:11-13; Eph 2:8)
B. The role of feelings (Feelings will come and go, do not base your faith on them)
C. What happened when you received Christ
1. Christ came to dwell within you (Colossians 1:27)
2. Your sins were forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14)
3. You became a child of God (John 1:12)
4. You received eternal life (John 5:24)
D. What you will need to grow in your relationship with God
1. Obey God in baptism
2. Become part of a good church
3. Spend time with God every day (prayer, praise, Bible study)
4. Trust God with every detail of your life
5. Receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit
6. Tell other people about Jesus
Discipleship
1. What is a Disciple?
One who follows the teachings of a master and helps spread these teachings
2. What is Involved in Becoming a Christian Disciple?
A. Forsaking the old life -- symbolized in baptism (Col 2:12)
B. Seeking him above all else (John 3:30)
C. Seeking to do his work (John 4:31-34)
3. How Do I Make Disciples?
A. Teach (by your words) the things of God
B. Show them (by your life) a Godly example
C. Give them opportunity to serve
D. Give encouragement and correction
4. What Do I Teach a Disciple?
A. Put Christ as the center of your life (Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 5:17)
B. Spend time in prayer (John 16:24; 1 Corinthians 14:15)
C. Learn the Bible (Ps 1:1-2)
D. Spend time in fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25)
E. Witness for Jesus (John 1:43-45, Acts 1:8)
F. Obey Jesus (Luke 6:46; 1 John 1:3-6)
Discussion Group:
- Describe how you do follow-up in your church. Does it work well? How could you improve it?
- Describe how you help people in your church to grow as disciples. What are some ideas for how you could improve?
Establishing a Congregation
Building Leaders
1. The Importance of Building Leaders (2 Timothy 2:2)
A. A one man ministry is limited to the amount of ministry one man can do!
B. Raising up many leaders will make you more effective
C. Biblical examples of leadership training:
1. Jesus and the 12
2. Paul and Timothy
2. How to Build Leaders
A. Identify needs and goals (you cannot lead without knowing where you are going)
B. Identify potential leaders (qualities to look for)
1. Faithfulness
2. Availability
3. Teachability; humility
4. Sound in doctrine
5. Filled with the Holy Spirit
6. Recognize God's calling (remember God looks at the heart, not the outward things)
C. Challenge them with a ministry assignment (keep in mind their abilities, interests, experience and maturity)
D. Give careful training
1. Give careful instruction on what the task involves.
2. Set an example (do the job yourself and let them watch you).
3. Let them do it, and you watch them.
4. Let them do it on their own and report back to you.
5. Give them responsibility to lead and train others.
E. Maintaining their commitment
1. Develop a relationship with them.
2. Reward them with your time.
3. Pray for them.
4. Cheer their successes.
5. Show them how to increase their effectiveness.
The Value of Teamwork
1. Biblical Examples of Ministry Teams
A. Jesus and his apostles (Mark 3:13-19)
B. Peter and John (Acts 3 and 4).
C. Paul and his teams (Acts 13).
2. Purposes and Advantages of Teams
A. Team ministry provides living demonstration of the principle of body ministry (1 Corinthians 12).
B. Team ministry will produce greater results (Ecc 4:9-12).
C. It provides balance and protection (Proverbs 11:14).
D. Team ministry provides strength and encouragement for the ministry itself (Exodus 17:12).
3. Principles of Team Harmony
A. Understand that a major part of your ministry is your relationship with each other -- Jn 13:34-35
1. Make it a priority
2. Devil will attack it
3. Must fight for unity in prayer and in love
4. Need each other (Rom 12:3-10; 1 Cor 12:14-26)
B. Submit to one another and to authority (Eph 5:21, Heb 13:17)
C. Let love cover all interaction (1 Cor 13:1-7)
D. Pray for one another
E. Walk in the Spirit as an individual (Gal 5:22-23)
F. Be vulnerable -- be yourself
Handle others' vulnerability and treat with care
G. Carefully confront alone (Matt 18:15)
with humility, do not go to others for "advice" or "prayer"
H. Seek forgiveness (Matt 5:23-24)
1. Relationship before worship
2. Be the one to take initiative, even if the other person is mostly in the wrong
Ministry in the Church
1. What is Ministry?
A. Two Kingdoms
1. The kingdom of this world (Satan is ruler)
a. People are separated from God
b. People are enslaved to sin
c. People are oppressed by the enemy works of Satan: sickness, pain, hunger, need, hatred, and anger
2. The Kingdom of God
a. People are reconciled to God
b. People are living holy lives with their sins forgiven
c. People are set free from the oppression of the enemy by the works of God: healing, restoration, provision, peace and joy
B. A definition of ministry -- Isaiah 61:1-3
C. Ministry is people – not preaching, counseling,… (these are tools we use)
Bringing people out of darkness into light
Delivering them from Satan and the effects of sin
Transferring them from the kingdom of this world, into the kingdom of "His dear son" (Col 1:13)
D. Ministry is for and by and focused on Jesus, not the minister
2 Cor 3:4-6; 4:5-7; 5:17 – 6:1
2. Who is to do the Work of Ministry? (Ephesians 4:12)
A. Every Believer is to do the work of ministry 1 Pet 2:9-12
1. Evangelize, heal, counsel, deliver, comfort, encourage, bind up wounds
2. How do we learn to do these things?
B. God has established five leadership gifts to equip the saints
1. Apostle -- lays foundation for church, sets in order
2. Prophet -- speaks God's mind to people
3. Evangelist – focused on winning the lost
4. Pastor -- tends and cares for church
5. Teacher -- gives direction from the Bible, adds solidity and maturity to the body
C. Caution to leaders – do not simply "use" people for the sake of the Church, but build them
1. Every person is different
Take note of differences in interest, gifting, styles, maturity, etc.
2. Every person will not be as active in church ministry
Do not make those with less time to give to the Church feel guilty or left out of church life.
3. Not all ministry takes place under the direct leadership of the church
Mothers minister by taking care of the home and family. Both parents minister by raising the children to know God. People minister by being witnesses at their places of work, being good neighbors and family members, and generally being salt and light.
4. Not all ministry directly benefits your local church
Some members will develop ministries in the community that benefit other churches more than yours. That is good, and is part of God's plan.
5. It is the responsibility of leaders to equip people for ALL kinds of ministry, not just local church ministry.
3. The Role of the Pastor and Church Planter
A. To do the work of ministry (Win people to Jesus and build them to maturity)
B. To train others to do the work of ministry
1. Show them how ministry is done by your example
2. Teach them how to do the work of ministry
3. Give them opportunities to minister
Ministry to the Lord
Praise and Worship
1. Praise
Praise is honoring God and giving Him thanks for what He has done. It is a celebration. We praise God through music when the church gathers together. We are also to praise Him by speaking our thanks and honoring Him with our words throughout each day.
2. Worship
A. Worship is an act of response.
God has promised to be with you always. Your response to His presence is to worship Him. Worship is acknowledging the presence of God.
B. Worship includes all of your life
Your whole life is to be a sacrifice of worship to God (see Rom 12:1-2). There are certain times when we feel God's presence more strongly, especially when we are gathered together as a church singing "worship songs." However, we worship Him continually by faith – trusting that He is with is because He promised to be.
C. Worship is centered on Jesus.
Worship is not primarily an "experience" to be sought nor a feeling to achieve, although it can lead to both of these. It is the gift of ourselves to Jesus. It is for Him.
Prayer
1. Prayer is a key factor in your spiritual growth and your church's success.
2. God makes many promises concerning prayer:
A. Romans 10:12
B. Matthew 7:7-11
C. John 14:12-14
3. We see the pattern for prayer in Matthew 6:9-13
A. Acknowledge God as your Father. Praise and exalt him (v. 9)
B. Pray for God's kingdom and will to be manifest (v. 10)
C. Pray for your needs and the needs of others (v. 11)
D. Confess your sins and forgive others (v. 12)
E. Pray for protection from the evil one (v. 13)
F. Acknowledge that the kingdom, power, and glory are His (v. 13)
Ministry to the Person
The Ministry of Healing
1. Healing in the Bible
A. Old Testament Promises (Isaiah 53:5)
B. The Ministry of Jesus (Matthew 8:16-17)
C. The Ministry of the Disciples (Matthew 10:7-8)
D. Healing in the Church (James 5:15)
2. Questions about Divine Healing
A. Does healing always happen right away? No
Mark 8:22-26 -- it may be in stages
B. Does divine healing rule out the use of medical treatment? No
1 Timothy 5:23 -- Paul instructed Timothy to take some wine for his ailing stomach. Wine was used here as a medicine, not as a drink for enjoyment.
C. Does everyone who has faith get healed? No
2 Cor 12:7-10; Gal 4:13-14; 2 Tim 4:20
D. Why are some not healed?
1. Lack of faith (Mark 6:5-6; Matthew 17:14-21)
2. Sin not dealt with (James 5:16)
3. Not God's timing
4. Unknown reasons -- we do not know everything!
a. 2 Tim 4:20
b. 2 Cor 12:7-10
3. Learning to Minister Healing
A. Teach about healing to build people's faith
B. Be sensitive to God's leading
C. Be confident that God wants to heal.
The Bible teaches us that God desires to heal people. Matthew 4:23 says, "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news, and healing every disease and sickness."
D. Some people have special giftings, but all believers should pray for the sick (Mk 16:18).
E. Do it, and teach others to as well. Take the risk
F. Do not put trust in methods, but in Jesus
G. Focus on Jesus. He is the healer -- not you. Take time to focus on Him. Do not focus on the results -- what is going to happen when you pray. Put your thoughts on Jesus.
4. Suggested Method of Praying for the Sick
A. Ask questions to determine the nature of the illness
B. Try to discern cause
1. contracted disease naturally
2. injury
3. sin (unforgiveness, anger, etc.)
4. emotional stress
5. demonic oppression
6. curses
C. Begin praying
Invite the Spirit to come, be sensitive for words of knowledge. Pray as you are led. Possible ways God may lead you to pray include the following:
1. ask for healing
2. rebuke the sickness
3. pray in tongues
4. bind or cast out demons
5. pronounce healing
D. Observe what is happening
1. Feel free to ask questions (is there heat, pain, movement, sensation?)
2. Pursue what God is doing
3. Encourage the person to be honest. If he has not been healed, he should be free to tell you so. Then you will know how to continue praying.
E. Give the person direction and counsel
"Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases. . ."
-- Isaiah 53:4
The Ministry of Compassion
1. What is Compassion?
The deep feeling of sharing the suffering of another, together with the inclination to give aid or support or to show mercy.
2. God's Example of Compassion
A. Compassion and healing (Matthew 14:14)
B. Compassion and miracles (Matthew 15:32)
C. Compassion and deliverance (Mark 5:1-19)
D. Compassion and teaching (Mark 6:34)
E. Compassion and raising the dead (Luke 7:13)
The Ministry of Counseling
A. Purpose of counseling is Spiritual growth (Col 1:28)
B. Counsel in the power of the Holy Spirit -- Trust God to do the work -- do not think it is up to you to solve the problems
C. Counsel from the Bible (2 Tim 3:16; Ps 119:130)
D. Be patient -- most problems will not be solved instantly.
People often want an easy answer that will solve the problem quickly. However, this does not usually happen.
E. Always bring hope to the person -- God does have an answer! (1 Pet 1:3)
F. Develop good listening skills
G. Give advice -- do not make decision for them.
1. Try to help the person face the problem, and together seek God for the solution. Remember, your task is to help in their spiritual growth, so just telling them what to do will not help them in the long run. It will just keep them dependent on you.
2. Sometimes you can ask questions to gently lead them to the best answer. Have them read scriptures, and tell you how they can be applied to the situation.
3. The person needs to be willing to make hard decisions and do the right thing. You cannot force them.
H. Be careful about counseling people of the opposite sex.
If possible, do not do this. Try to have someone else in the church who can help them (such as your spouse). If you must counsel someone of the opposite sex, develop guidelines and keep them. For example:
1. If possible, have someone else with you as you counsel
2. Do not counsel behind a closed door, or where no one can see you
3. Do not counsel about certain issues, such as sexual problems
4. Let your spouse know who you are counseling
5. Develop other guidelines as needed together with your spouse and church leaders.
I. Find out if the person is being counseled by someone else. Be wary of people just looking for someone to agree with them.
J. Do not condemn or "talk down to" the person
K. Speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15)
L. Keep everything confidential
M. Remember you do not have all the answers. Do not be afraid to say, "I don't know."
Action Steps: Write down some things you will put into practice as a result of the teaching about ministry to the person (healing, compassion, counseling):
1
2
3
Ministry to the Body
Class Discussion:
Describe how you prepare to preach and teach in the church. How do you decide what to preach about? How do you plan the message?
Preaching and Teaching
1. The Importance of Preaching and Teaching
A. Jesus' Ministry -- "And Jesus was going about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease. . ." Matthew 4:23
B. In the Church -- Preaching and teaching gives the pastor the best opportunity to
1. promote spiritual growth,
2. promote biblical understanding,
3. provide biblical counsel for difficult situations, and
4. provide encouragement
2. Goals in Preaching and Teaching
A. To open the whole counsel of God found in the Bible to your congregation (this means preaching / teaching from difficult passages as well as those which are less difficult)
B. Always to be true to the Word of God
C. To help others understand God's will for their lives
D. To be a model for your congregation:
1. model your respect and love for the Word
2. model how to read and learn from the Word
3. model how to apply the Word to your life
3. How to Preach
A. Take time to prepare.
Do not just prepare a message right before you are to preach it. You can even begin on Monday to prepare for the next Sunday. The Holy Spirit knows what people will need, and He can often use you better when you take time to prepare.
B. Pray – this is the foundation of all your ministry
C. Choose a passage or a specific topic to preach about
D. Determine the main point you want to communicate.
E. Plan the message. Everything you say should help to strengthen the main point.
F. Make it personal – give stories, illustrations, and examples from your own life. Be sure to share your failures as well as victories.
G. Be practical – help the people to see how they can apply these truths in their daily lives
Small Group Ministry
Discussion Groups:
- Do you have small groups in your church? Have you ever been in a church that uses them?
- Describe your experience with small groups – what happens in the group, how is it organized, etc.
- Do you think that small groups are helpful in the church's ministry? What are the benefits? What are the problems?
1. The Biblical Basis of Small Groups
A. The ministry of Jesus
1. He ministered to the multitudes
2. He ministered to the twelve disciples
B. The early church (Acts 2)
1. They met in the Temple
2. They met from house to house
2. Needs Met in Small Groups
A. Small groups provide fellowship in the church.
People do not have true fellowship from just attending services in the church. Small groups provide an opportunity to learn to know and love one another in the body of Christ.
B. People need a place to discover and develop their gifts and ministries.
Not everyone can minister in the church on Sundays. However, everyone can minister in some way in a small group. As they develop these ministries in the group, they will be able to grow in them. In time they can be given the opportunity to minister in other settings, such as Sunday morning.
C. People need a place to learn to pray (ex: praying for the sick)
Prayer is best learned by doing it. When believers pray together in a small group, young Christians will learn how through the example of others.
D. People need a place where they will be accountable
Small groups can help to keep people accountable. They can help members in overcoming sin, and help to make sure they are growing in Christ.
3. Establishing Small Group Ministry in the Church
A. Maintain a strong commitment to the members of your group
B. Make the regular meetings of the group a high priority
C. Be honest and open with your people
D. Seek to train your people to minister
Ministry to Children
Class Discussion:
- Do you have a children's ministry in your church? Why or why not?
- If you do, describe the ministry. Who leads it, what do they do, what is the purpose, etc..
- How important is it for a church to have children's ministry?
1. What is Children's Ministry?
A. Vision:
1. To lead children to faith in Jesus Christ
2. To raise up a godly heritage, beginning in early childhood
B. Scriptural Basis:
1. Matthew 19:13-14; Mark 10:13-16
2. 2 Timothy 3:15; Mark 9:36-37
2. How to Minister to Children
A. Through storytelling
B. Through object lessons
C. Through songs
D. Through Scripture reading and memorization (Psalm 119:9-10)
E. Through enjoyable activities (Matthew 21:15)
F. Through touch, laying on of hands (Mark 10:13-16; 9:36-37)
G. Through spoken blessings (Matthew 19:13-14)
H. Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit
Ministry to the World
Class Discussion:
Can your church have an impact on other parts of Uganda? of Africa? of the world? If so, how?
The Biblical Basis for Church Outreach
1. Key Texts
A. John 17:18-23
B. Acts 1:8
C. Galatians 1:15-16
D. Matthew 28:19-20
E. Romans 1:1-5
F. Romans 16:25-27
Goal: To bring all peoples to faith and obedience
2. New Testament Examples of the Growing / Outreaching Kingdom
A. Fishing -- Luke 5:4-11
B. The Banquet -- Luke 14:15-24
C. Harvest Laws -- Matthew 9:36-38; John 4:35
D. Sowing and Reaping Laws -- Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23
E. The Fruit Tree -- Luke 13:6-9
F. Lost Sheep -- Luke 15:4-7
G. The Lost Coin -- Luke 15:8-10
H. Proclamation -- Matthew 10:1-14
And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." -- Mark 4:26-29
Developing a Vision for the World (Become a Sending Church)
1. Why is this Important?
Romans 10:13-15
2. Biblical Examples
A. Isaiah 6:1-8
B. Isaiah 42:6-7
C. Jonah 1:1-2
D. Luke 10:12
3. How can We Develop a Vision to Spread the Gospel to Other Places?
A. Prayer
B. Finances
1. Tithe your church funds to taking the Gospel to other places
2. Take special mission offerings
C. Work for the goal of training and sending out your own ministers / missionaries.
". . . for whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent. . .?" Romans 10:13-15
4. The Burden of the Gospel Worker
A. to see the need for reaching the unreached with the Gospel, as Jesus sees (John 4:3-7, 35).
B. to see the need for establishing new believers in local churches for continuing fellowship and instruction (Acts 2:42).
C. to pray for the Lord to send forth workers (Luk 10:2) and for people to be saved (Rom 9:3, 10:1)
"That he might send them forth to preach, and to have power"
- Mark 3:14, 15
5. The Commission of the Gospel Worker
A. To preach Christ (Acts 8:5-8, 1 Cor 2:18-23), to do "the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim 4:5)
Note: Evangelism is essential if new churches are to be established with new believers.
B. In the power of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; Romans 15:18-20), the Lord working in wonderful ways as the Gospel is preached (Acts 8:5-8; 14:1-3; 6-10; Mark 16:20).
C. Motivated by love and God's Spirit (2 Cor 5:14; Acts 11:12)
D. Trained in his Word and work of God (2 Timothy 2:15)
E. Sent forth by fasting and praying (Acts 13:2-3)
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
-- Isaiah 6:8
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." -- Matt 28:19-20
Prayer Time:
Spend time praying together for the world.
· Pray for the lost, and for the Lord to send laborers into the harvest fields.
· Pray for God's work in other parts of Uganda
· Pray for God's work in other nations of Africa
· Pray for God's work in other nations of the world
