Church Planting - How To Inform and Motivate People About Starting New Churches!
Text - Acts 1:8, 16:10-40
Statement of Problem - What do we need to know, believe, and practice in order to start a new church?
Introduction - Throughout Nigeria new churches are springing up every week. The Evangelical Churches of West Africa estimate that the Lord is allowing them to start an average of two new churches every week. While ECWA’s roots for church planting go back to 1904 when the first church was started in Patigi, today ECWA can thank the Lord that there are nearly 2,500 churches and another 500 preaching points throughout Nigeria.
Some of these churches reflect qualitative and quantitative growth of their denomination. Other churches are just growing due to divisions between members, competition between rival groups, or some men’s desires to build their own kingdoms here on earth.
Whatever the reasons for the growth of the church we must learn how the Spirit of God may use us more effectively to start new churches in seeing that the kingdom of God grows qualitatively (In spiritual fruits, worship, service, maturity, and fellowship) as well as quantitatively (Numbers of churches, converts, members, and new areas reached for the gospel).
Example - Abdou Traore was a Muslim sorcerer who lived in a small village in Burkina Faso. As a Muslim Abdo knew the secrets involved in sorcery. He possessed names of five evil spirits, each written in Arabic on special individual papers. One day Abdo took his valuable papers, tore them to pieces, dug a hole with a hoe and buried all those fragments.
Only three days before he had felt God calling him to follow the ``Jesus road.’’ He had listened to a cassette tape giving the testimony of an ex-Muslim leader who had experienced salvation in Jesus Christ. He now felt called of God to preach the gospel.
After hearing about Abdou’s newly acquired power, the chief sorceress in Burkina Faso invited him to preach to her people the Samoghos. Even though the missionaries advised Abdou that the evil woman was planning to kill Abdou, he went in the name of Jesus Christ. Abdo did not know Makoura was the most powerful person in the region, nor was he afraid to go meet her.
On the way, Abdou’s bicycle burst into flames, consuming the steel with the evangelist barely escaping with his life. The evil spirits of the wicked sorceress were trying to kill Abdou before he reached Samogho village.
On arrival, Makoura exclaimed, ``What are you doing here? you are supposed to be dead.’’
Abdou answered, ``You invited me, and I’ve come with the power of Jesus.’’ Abdou was invited to share this source of power with Makoura. The evil woman thought if she learned the secret of his power she could use it for her own wicked purposes. Instead, Makoura got news that her evil spirit which normally took on the form of a snake had been sighted dead in the bush. On Makoura’s arrival the snake’s corpse accused her of giving it an assignment that was too difficult to do. Makoura lost control of herself and became a mad woman. She confessed to all the wrong that she had done in killing 300 people. Soon Makoura was sent to a village where she stayed with her first born son who had become a Pastor.
Together with other Samogho people, the mother became a Christian through the teaching of her won and the witness of the power of the Holy Spirit through the encounters with Abdou’s powerful Jesus Christ! (EMQ - Jan, 87)
In the same way, millions of people are trapped in their fears, beliefs in spirits, and lost in their sins because people have not confronted them with the wonderful liberating power of Jesus Christ. The best witness to people are the lifestyles of their Christian neighbors living the power of Jesus Christ out before them. The planting of churches in every people groups area will greatly help people throughout Nigeria to see, hear, and believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord!
Statement of Problem - What do we need to know, believe, and practice in order that more new churches are started in our areas?
I. Be Sure You are Being Led and Called by God (Acts 16:10-40)
A. Paul received a vision from God saying ``Come over to Macedonia and help us.’’
B. Paul prayed, asked others to pray, and went in faith.
C Paul prepared himself by walking with God
D. Paul prepared himself by seeing that he was a man equipped with every good work by studying the word of God. (II Tim. 3:16,17)
Example - One man knew the scriptures so well that he could tell anyone the main themes to any book, chapter, or paragraph in the Bible. The leaders of the church soon asked this man to teach an adult Sunday School class thinking that he had a lot to offer the people in the church. However, after several weeks of teaching an adult class, nearly all the people refused to attend the man’s class. When the Pastor visited several of the members who had sat in on the man’s Sunday school class he asked them, why they had stopped coming to the man’s class. One member said;
``It is not because the man does not know the scriptures, but because he does not know how to communicate to the people’s needs. The only thing the man wants to do is flaunt his knowledge of the Bible in front of others so they will admire him. Pastor, we want a teacher who not only knows the Bible, but can teach us in way that helps us solve our real problems not just impress us with facts!!!’’
II. Paul Prepared for the Beginning of a Church by Going to Potential Areas of Receptivity to the Gospel (Acts 16:13)
A. Paul chose a location where he would find God-fearing people who would be ripe to hear the saving message of Jesus Christ.
B. Paul built confidence in people by praying with people on the Sabbath outside the city gate.
C. Paul went to an area where it would be culturally effective to speak of religious affairs.
Example - Paul was a master at adjusting his message so as to make it relevant, contextual, and need meeting to his audience. When Paul went to Athens to speak to the Epicureans and scholars about the Lord Jesus, he first studied their philosophies, poetry, and classical literature so that he could discuss issues with them on the basis of what they already knew. This is the principles of teaching from the known to the unknown. When Paul stood before the Athenians that day on Mars hill he said;
``For in him we live and move and have our being, As some of your own poets have said, We are his offspring. Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone . . . For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.’’ (Acts 17:28-31)
Paul masterfully used the people’s cultural heritage as a springboard to a discussion of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. As good church planters we need to study the anthropological background of the people so that we can know how to best communicate the gospel in terms that will be most culturally effective, affinitive, and appealing!!!
D. Paul observed people’s responses and adjusted his approach to meet the felt, perceived, and real needs of the people.
E. Paul sat down and got on their level through identification, patient dialogue, and interest in them as people not just objects to preach at.
F. Paul made friends with people
G. Paul spoke to a group of people who would transmit his message to others.
H. Paul chose a location where his message would gain the most credibility, respectability, and visibility.
Example - Every day nearly 300,000 people on the earth die. The tragedy is not that they die but that approximately 250,000 of those people pass into a Christless eternity where they will live in the flames of hell forever!! How many times have we passed up an opportunity to tell people about the forgiven of sins found in Christ?
III. Paul Proclaimed the Good News of Reconciliation With God Through Belief in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:13-15)
A. Paul announced his purpose without deceit, but in love. (Eph. 4:15)
B. Paul identified himself as a man called of God to preach Jesus. Do not pretend to be something that you are not!
C. Paul combined knowledge, with beliefs, value, realities of his own experience, truths from God, his own activities, and his emotions about the truths of Christ. Paul preached the whole counsel of God.
D. Paul used Bible stories effectively from the Old Testament that would be familiar to his audience.
E. Paul addressed Lydia, a gentile from the a Greek background, in educated ways that would have appealed to her sense of logic.
1). Lydia, a businesswoman, had not yet become a full convert to Judaism, so she was following the moral teachings of the Bible without having faith in God until she believed through Paul’s preaching.
2). Lydia was meeting with the few Jews in Phillipi outside the gate of city along the banks of the Gangites River since there must have not been a synagogue as the Romans controlled the town.
IV. Paul Persuaded People to Make Decisions for Christ (16:13-15)
A. After Paul spent some time sowing the seed in their hearts he sensed some might be ready to make a decision to believe in Christ
B. Paul sensed that his message was now being applied personally to the hearts of his listeners.
C. Paul asked questions of the people to see how much they understood, believed, and were ready to act of the information given
D. Paul made it plain to them that they were entering God’s family. He include the responsibilities of one becoming a Christian
l). Have faith in Jesus Christ
2). Be willing to turn from serving sin to serving righteousness
3). Ask Christ to forgive one’s sins and make them the kind of person that God wills for them to be.
V. Paul Discipled the Converts Organizing Them Into Groups (Acts 14:22)
A. In Acts 2:41-47 we observe the activities of the early church members.
1). They met together to worship the Lord, sing, pray, fellowship, share their possessions whenever someone had need, taught one another and from house to house, took communion together, bore one another’s burdens.
2). They discipled others through their activities and chose those leaders who emerged to become their elders, overseers, and Pastors.
B. Paul strengthened the believers by encountering evil power with the powers of Jesus Christ. (Acts 16:16-21)
1). A fortune telling girl had a demon that was being used by unscrupulous men to make money from her abilities.
2). Paul cast the evil spirit out of the woman and city dwellers became so angry with Paul and Silas that they were stripped and beaten and thrown into jail.
C. Paul used every opportunity to preach Christ (Acts 16:25-35)
Example - When some people travel they describe what they saw, who they met, what they talked about, what kinds of food they ate, and what kind of living accommodations they enjoyed. Not so with the apostle Paul. When he traveled, he seldom wrote in his letters about the scenery, the accommodations, the food, the externalities. Instead, Paul spoke, wrote, and lived his purposes of knowing Christ and making Him known. He set his face toward the goal of leading others to Christ, starting churches, teaching the scriptures to others, and solving divisive problems in the churches that he counseled with.
When we visit people are we using every opportunity to advance the purposes of our Lord or do we just visit about our own problems, concerns, and needs. Let us remember that when Jesus Christ came to Zaccheus’s house to visit, the first thing He said was;
``Today, salvation has come to this house.’’ (Luke 19:9)
VI. Paul Set Up Baptisms to Help the Converts Declare Their Allegiance to Christ Publicly
A. The early church recognized the significance of baptism as an expression of commitment to Christ and a leaving of the old ways of life. (Acts 2:41-47)
B. Responsible leaders came from those who were baptized
VII. Paul Set Up Organized Groups of Elders to Help Direct the Churches. (Acts 14:23)
A. Elders were appointed to oversee the flock of God
B. Deacons were appointed to serve the physical needs
VIII. Paul Provided Instruction for the Believers to Grow (Acts 18:8-11)
A. Christ commanded his disciples to ``teach them all things that I have commanded you.’’ (Matt. 28:19,20)
B. Jesus told Peter, ``Feed my sheep.’’ (John 21:17)
C. Paul told the Colossians,
``And we proclaim Him, admonishing everyman and teaching everyman with all wisdom, so that we may present everyman complete in Christ.’’ (Col. 1:27,28)
D. We may use Theological Education by Extension Materials to train lay-leadership in our churches.
E. We may send our young men to Bible Training Schools, Bible Colleges, and Seminaries.
Example - Sometimes people rely too much on their Pastors to do the work of spreading the gospel, discipling people, and sharing Christ with those who are lost and headed for hell.
By the second century A.D. one man said of Christianity’s growth, ``We are everywhere. We are in towns and in cities; we are in the army and the navy; we are in the palaces; we are growing faster than anyone.’’ By 300 AD, the church was spreading so fast that it appeared the entire world could be evangelized by AD 500.
Then a ironically tragic thing happened, Constantine, the most powerful military leader in the world, decreed that everyone in the empire was already Christian. Slowly the idea prevailed of a division between laity and clergy, for now non-christians did not think of themselves as unsaved since the emperor called them Christians by name.
Now Christians lost their motivation to witness because they felt that the Pastors should do the work of evangelists. Lay people thought of themselves as only spectators. From that time to the present most of Christianity’s great growth throughout the world has been barely able to keep up with the population growth of the world!!
F. We may offer seminars in studying the Bible
G. We should offer family Bible studies after the evening meal in our homes
H. We may begin prayer groups in our areas
I. We may begin local Bible Studies in the homes of some of our interested neighbors.
Example - During the summers of 1984-1988, the Jos Seminary students have been sent to cities of Nigeria to conduct urban church planting. During those four years, the students have been led by God to start 15 new churches. In nearly every case the students asked the local Pastors to help them locate seed families where they were able to start a home prayer and Bible study fellowship. Gradually, the neighbors would become interested in a group of people praying together to solve their problems of sickness, thieves, lack of money, family problems, marriage fights, in-law struggles, lack of employment, and devilish oppositions from all areas.
As the Spirit of God began to work, the people started to notice that the Lord began to answer the prayers of those people who participated by faith in the fellowships. The word spread quickly that if people wanted to have their problems dealt with a good place to go for help were these local prayer and Bible study fellowships. From each of these seed family locations, new churches are beginning to form.
When people can see that a local body of believers are able to meet their needs better than a large, impersonal, and distant church can they are willing to work toward building their own church, supporting their own pastor, and contributing toward the growth of their church in their own area!!!
J. We may begin teaching others in our areas of work, school, and living sectors
K. We may begin children story clubs in our neighborhoods
L. We may invite our contacts to church, Sunday School, or a film show at our church.
M. We may ask one of our friends to visit some of those people who are yet to receive Christ and teach them how to share Christ using the Four Spiritual Laws or other suitable tracts.
N. In Yola, the Lutherans, Brethren, and Pagans are sending their children to the ECWA Sunday Schools to see that their children learn about Jesus Christ.
O. We may begin a discipleship class in our church, home, or neighborhood for men and women who are sincerely interested in growing in Christ. (II Tim. 2:2)
IX. Paul Taught the Young Churches the Important Immediately of Reaching Out to the Lost Around Them (Acts 6:7 & I Thes. 1:1-7)
A. From the outset of the new Testament church, the members saw it as their responsibility to start other churches, to lead other people to faith in Jesus Christ, and to disciple those who came into the church afresh.
B. Other house churches sprung up around the new churches
(III John 4)
X. Paul Saw That the Churches Would Learn to Grow Qualitatively (Spiritually Maturing) and Quantitatively (Numbers, Size, and Influence) (Acts 9:31)
A. We hear that the church was multiplied throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria.
B. We see that the church of Phillipi contributed to the growth of other churches. (Phil 4:17-19)
Example - People sometimes wonder how you can tell is growing spiritually? Jesus said; ``By this you will know that they are my disciples if they have love one for another.’’ (John 13:34,35)
XI. Some Practical Suggestions for Starting New Churches
A. Pray and ask the Lord for the abilities to start a new church.
Example - One seminary student that went out to start churches in Bauchi admitted that he had never tried to begin a church by himself. When the seminary gave him 300 for his expenses during the long vacation the student did not even know what to do with the money so he had people come and ask him for so many things that within two weeks all the money was gone. Yet, by faith, this student asked the Lord to do great things through his life during the months in Bauchi. He prayed;
Jesus you said in your word in John 14:12: ``He who believes in me the works that I do, she he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go to the Father.’’
Even though that student’s experience was small, his faith was great. At the end of the summer, three new church fellowships had begun in and around Bauchi!!!
B. Study the scriptures to see how to plant churches as the apostles did in the book of Acts
C. Consult men of learning, experience, and faith to learn from their wisdom about starting churches in your area.
D. Study the culture of the people you are going to.
E. Understand the felt, perceived, and real needs of the people whether they be physical, mental, social, emotional, or spiritual.
F. Try to dress appropriately so as to maximize your identification with the people
G. Communicate with the people in the language they are most familiar with
H. Greet the chief or the local authorities seeking his cooperation in starting a new church in his area.
I. Farm or work with the people and let them observe your hard-working dedicated lifestyle.
J. Study the history and traditions of the people to see if there are any bridges like stories, fables, or unfulfilled legends that you might use to more effectively share the gospel.
Example - Albert Brandt, an SIM missionary in Ethiopia in 1940, had been preaching to the people for several years without any visible success. One day he sat underneath a particular tree to rest. Suddenly, he noticed that the people of village were coming around him by the hundreds. He immediately opened his Bible began to read,
``For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have ever-lasting life.’’ (John 3:16)
Afterwards, hundreds of people became Christians. He wondered why they would become Christians at that place and no where else.
It seemed, that to those villagers’s legends, a certain man would someday sit underneath that tree, read from a black book, and declare to them the truth that they had been waiting thousands of years to hear. God had prepared their hearts through this fulfillment of the preaching of this young missionary. They had eternal needs written in their hearts by God!!!
We need to look for traditions that we can use the scriptures to fulfill, God has written eternity into their hearts.
K. Find seed families that can be used to serve as starting points for your new church.
L. Survey the area to find out where the most opportune place for you to begin the new church.
M. Purchase property as soon as possible as this will give your effort an element of permanence.
N. Begin your services in a school, town meeting hall, or in your own home or in the home of the seed family.
O. Pay respect to the local authorities by visiting them and establishing a rapport with the local people.
P. Establish close and continuous lines of communication and support with your local church or local missionary society like EMS.
Q. JOIN Evangelical Missionary Society AND SERVE WITH MEN OF EXPERIENCE
R. Seek to apply the principles of homogeneity as the beginning stages of starting your new church. (BIRDS OF THE SAME FEATHER LIKE TO FLOCK TOGETHER)
S. Pray that the Lord will raise up a local leader that the people can look up to and follow. (DA DAN GARI AKE CIN GARI) If you want to conquer a town you should use an indigenous son of the town to help you learn the ways of the people.
