COMMUNITY CHURCH PLANTING FAITH Disciples multiplying disciples Pastors

COMMUNITY CHURCH PLANTING FAITH Disciples multiplying disciples Pastors multiply pastors Churches multiplying churches

FAITH • • • No Faith – Little Faith – Weak Faith – Dead Faith – Useless Faith – Great Faith – Full of Faith – Steadfast Faith – Rich in Faith – Precious Faith – Holy Faith – Mk 4: 40 Mt 8: 26 Ro 14: 1 Js 2: 17 1 Co 15: 14 Lk 7: 9 Ac 11: 24 Col 2: 5 Js 2: 5 2 Pe 1: 1 Jude 20

EXAMPLES of GREAT FAITH • • Noah Abraham Moses Joshua

FAILURE & SUCCES • He 11: 6 Without faith impossible to please God • Js 2: 19 Even demons believe & tremble

FAITH • • • Faith sees Kingdom reality Faith, hope and love an intricate bond Faith, unshakeable confidence Faith ensures Kingdom provisions Faith enables God to do Great things

FAITH • • • Pray for God to increase our faith Faith levers our other spiritual gifts Growing faith expands ministries Community multiplies our faith God’s Promises inspire Precedents, which in turn inspire others to Faith

FAITH & Kingdom Reality Ø Guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith. Mal 2: 16 Ø But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him. " Heb 10: 38 Ø we live by faith, not by sight. ’ 2 Co 5: 7 Ø Our work is centered in the spiritual realm

FAITH & Kingdom Reality • We appose spiritual forces, win spiritual battles • Through faith we are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Pe 1: 5 • In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Eph 6: 16

FAITH Faith, hope & love • ‘now these three remain faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. ’ (1 Co 13: 13) • Love is the Greatest Command (Mt 22: 36) and stands shoulder to shoulder with the Great Commission (Mt 28: 18 -20). • The love of the Father for the world birthed the mission of Jesus into the world. • Our love for the lost moves us to obey our mission

Faith, hope & love & intricate bond • We go to the lost world, not out of compulsion, guilt, obligation, and selfaggrandizement -- love compels us • ‘The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. ’ (Gal 5: 6) • ‘We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. ’ (1 Th 1: 3)

FAITH, hope & love an intricate bond • Love sees the need, hope sees the answer, and faith works toward the fulfillment of the vision. • We must constantly remember ‘If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ’ (1 Co 13: 2)

FAITH unshakeable confidence • ‘without faith it is impossible to please God’ (He 11: 6) • ‘faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (He 11: 1, 6) • Why would I commit my life to a cause shrouded in doubt ?

FAITH unshakeable confidence ‘and what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies’. (He 11: 32 -34)

FAITH ensures Kingdom Provisions for His Assignments • We are not all called to conquer Kingdoms and shut the mouths of lions. • Faith is a spiritual gift, given by God in proportion to our Kingdom assignments. • ‘Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith’. (He 12: 2) • ‘Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ’ (Js 2: 5 -6)

‘Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ’ Lk 12: 27 -34

FAITH ensures Kingdom Provisions for His Assignments Faith does not worry; • • Faith seeks God’s Kingdom, • Faith knows God’s provision, • Faith understands God is pleased to give us the kingdom • Faith means purses do not wear out and treasures will not exhaust.

FAITH Trusting God to do Great Things • Faith works miracles • ‘Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored. (Mt 9: 29 -30) • Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted. " And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Mt 15: 28) • God comes alongside our faith and works Kingdom miracles.

• FAITH Trusting God to do Great Faith enables us. Things to Trust God to do Great Things with VCP ministries • Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand caught him. "You of little faith, " he said, "why did you doubt? " Mt 14: 29 -31

FAITH • Pray to See His Limitless Possibilities Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea, ' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. " (Mt 21: 21 -22) • ‘I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ’ (Jn 14: 11 -13)

FAITH: Seeing & Trusting God for His Limitless Future • Scripture supports the idea of a relationship between faith and Kingdom successes. • ‘The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea, ' and it will obey you. (Lk 17: 5 -6)

FAITH Leverages our Spiritual Gifts • ‘We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. ’ (Ro 12: 6 -7) • Little faith will mean little prophecies while greater faith, greater prophesies. • A little faith issues in little miracles, greater faith in greater miracles.

FAITH Leverages our Spiritual Gifts • Faith heals, casts out demons, has successful prayers, and moves mountains, • Doubt excludes, confines and inhibits. • Coupling doubt to our spiritual gifts sees them underutilized and wasted • Coupling faith to our gift mix takes our ministry to a completely new level. • We must join the disciples is saying to the Lord Jesus "Increase our faith!" This faith is paramount as we set out on our assignments.

Growing FAITH expands God-Centered Ministries • ‘Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand’. (2 Co 10: 15 -16) • As we begin to understand God’s vision for transforming the unreached regions of our lands, and we hear Him say, “Go!”, we embark on a journey that can only be fulfilled with the highest levels of faith. • My and my co-laborers faith must increase if our ministry is to expand.

Growing FAITH expands God-Centered Ministries • The faith of our Members, Deacons, Elders, Pastors, Superintendents must continue to grow if our work is to expand. • Little faith inspires less faith, and we plant a few little churches. • Great faith inspires greater faith, and we will plant more and larger churches.

Growing FAITH expands God-Centered Ministries • Increased measures of faith inspire larger vision • Cast large vision & set larger faith goals • Large vision does not necessarily give us a large head and make us conceited. • God confounds the wise by choosing the poor and unnoticed to do the great tasks He purposes. • We can prayer, think, and act extensively if we remain intimately connected to Jesus and heed his caution. • ‘Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. ’ (Ro 12: 3)

Committed Communities Multiplies our Faith • ‘Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. ’ (1 Th 3: 10) • We must work together in establishing VCP projects believing that together we will accomplish significant feats for His Kingdom. • The faith from a shared vision best serves Village Church planting and enhances through the active fellowship of a committed community of believers. • A community ignites and multiplies faith, your faith stirs my faith, and together our faith is greater than the individual parts. • We must heed Scripture and seek after faith, ‘pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. ’ (1 Tim 6: 1112)

God’s Promises inspire Precedents which inspires the Faith of Others • By faith, David was able to slay Goliath – He claimed the Promises of God & set a precedent for slaying giants (1 Sam 17: 45 -47) • David’s men, having seen the precedent for slaying Philistine giants, kill four others – With promise & precedent they army of God rises to the challenges of giants (1 Sam 21: 1522)

Faithfulness • • • His persevering Faithfulness inspires Ours A Mark of Successful Christian Service Faithfulness ensures Divine Support Faithfulness is a Fruit of the Holy Spirit God Commands us to Faithfulness - Finishing Our Life Work

His Persevering FAITHFULNESS Inspires His Disciples • ‘Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is • • the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. ’ Dt 7: 9 Faithfulness is an attribute of God and is characteristic of his loyalty and love for his covenant people God’s steadfast, enduring love as well as our personal experience of this love, evokes a corresponding loyalty and love ‘But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. ’ 2 Th 3: 3 -4 A hunger in our hearts to reciprocate his love

FAITHFULNESS - a Mark of Successful Christian service • "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' • "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master, ' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more. ' • "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Mt 25: 20 -23

FAITHFULNESS - a Mark of Successful Christian service • "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master, ' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you. ' • "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. • "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ’ Mt 25: 24 -30

FAITHFULNESS - a Mark of Successful Christian service • Those faithful with a few small things will be entrusted with much more kingdom responsibility • We cannot expect more until we are first faithful with what we have • It is not enough to preserve our talents; we must invest wisely in breaking new ground • Use or loose Kingdom resources

FAITHFULNESS ensures Divine Support • ‘To the faithful you show yourself faithful…’ Ps 18: 25 • ‘He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. ’ Ps 25: 9 - 10 • ‘For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off…’ Ps 37: 28 • ‘Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. ’ Ps 97: 10 • ‘My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. ’ Ps 101: 6

FAITHFULNESS a Fruit of the Holy Spirit But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Ga 5: 22 -23

FAITHFULNESS a Command of God • ‘Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. Rev 2: 10 • ‘So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. ’ Pe 4: 19 • ‘So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ’ 1 Co 4: 1 -2

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • • Jesus was intent on obeying and finishing his work Finishing our life assignment brings glory to God Finishing our life assignment brings peace in death Finishing requires focus to conserve energy and avoid distractions Finishing requires willing compliance Finishing requires encouragement, eagerness, and planning Finishing requires us to remind and encourage Finishing requires perseverance along a clearly demarcated path

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • Jesus was intent on obeying and finishing his work • “My food, ” Jesus said to them, “is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do” (Jn 4: 34)

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • Finishing our life assignment brings glory to God. • After 3 years of ministry Jesus could say to His Father, “I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do. ” Jn 17: 4

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • Finishing our life assignment brings peace in death. • On the cross, Jesus drank the wine and said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Jn 19: 30

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • Finishing requires focus to conserve energy and avoid distractions. • “That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches. ” 1 Co 9: 26

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • Finishing requires willing compliance and encouragement. • “My opinion is that it is better for you to finish now what you began last year. You were the first, not only to act, but also to be willing to act. ” 2 Co 8: 10

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • Finishing requires encouragement, eagerness, and planning. • “On with it, then, and finish the job! Be as eager to finish it as you were to plan it, and do it with what you now have. ” 2 Co 8: 11

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • Finishing requires us to remind and encourage. • And tell Archippus: "Be sure to finish the task you were given in the Lord's service" Col 4: 17

FAITHFULNESS Finishing Our Life Work • Finishing requires perseverance along a clearly demarcated path. • “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ” He 12: 1