In 1966, while in the United States Air Force stationed in Misawa, Japan, I had the opportunity of climbing the famous Mt. Fuji. It was a wonderful and memorable sightseeing experience. In later years, while serving with an international publishing and broadcasting ministry, I was invited to be part of some fact-finding delegations in a few foreign countries. Over the years, I have reflected on those experiences and realized there are many valuable insights and lessons that can apply to witness and ministry efforts.
Cultivating a Prayer-Care-Share Lifestyle
A few years ago, as a follow up to an Orality Training Workshop, we launched a prayer walking initiative, which is more than praying and more that walking. The purpose was to immediately activate and apply the training in real life situations. The idea of cultivating a Prayer-Care-Share Lifestyle is about equipping followers of Jesus to be alert to the opportunities we have every day. Wherever we go, we can always be sightseeing and fact-finding. That is maintaining an alertness to our circumstances and the people around us. We can connect with people, have conversations, establish rapport, which can often lead to spiritual conversations.
The Power of Observation
When it comes to sharing or communicating the love and message of Jesus, and making disciples, it’s often better caught than taught. Observation, engagement and personal conversations are more effective in most cases than lectures, books, instructional manuals or sermons. Those natural, spontaneous opportunities can happen regularly in our normal traffic patterns. We all live in a mission field, made up of our families, neighbors, co-workers or fellow students, and friends, as well as other connections we might have anywhere we encounter people.
Important Topics
Disciple Making and Church Planting Movements are important topics of conversation among global church and mission leaders these days. Following are some important questions to consider:
- What does it take, and who is qualified to plant a church or make a disciple?
- What would a biblically based, culturally relevant church look like in your community or city?
- What are the most important ingredients to begin a reproducing, multiplying church planting/disciple making movement?
Based on Scripture, we know that every follower of Jesus can and should be a disciple maker. Furthermore, properly understanding what a church exists for, that every follower of Jesus can be instrumental in churches (groups of Jesus followers) being planted. We are not actually commanded in Scripture to plant churches, but to plant the Seed of the Word of God, the Gospel. We are to communicate the Good News of Jesus to everyone and to make disciples of all people. I’d like to suggest that there are some simple, practical steps to get us on the journey of doing just that.
Click here to read more.
SOURCE: Assist News Service, Jerry Wiles
When you purchase a book below it supports the Number #1 Black Christian Newspaper BLACK CHRISTIAN NEWS NETWORK ONE (BCNN1.com) and it also allows us to spread the Gospel around the world.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
