Who is the church planter?
God so loved the world that he gave us his beloved Son (John 3: 16). Church Planters firstly, consider them as if they are the ones who are planting churches. However, it is God who is planting a church with Us. Not me or you planting a church. Secondly, church planters think of having nice building, nice worship team. The first thing you have to do is to build a team of people. Imagine if you are a Socker Player and you want to play without a Team. Many churches fail because Planters don’t take time to build team. Christianity is a team sport. Jesu called us as team not as individuals.
How did Jesus make disciples?
Don’t think yourself as a church planter, think of yourself as a church planter, think of you as a disciple maker. When you are making disciple, you have to teach people and be example. People become your community. “If you plant a church, you may end up making disciples. But, if you make disciples, you will have to plant churches” Bob Haytt. Making disciples is to help people in the church to accept Jesus.
The church come from the word Ecclesia= community. You have to go in the community to make disciples. How did Jesus make disciples? He invited people to come with him. Some said yes others said no. He lived with people and after they become chosen. He invited people to come to him. He built relationship with them and then he taught them.
Why Churches have trouble to make disciples?
Most church leaders give information to people. They don’t teach them. They tell the people what God wants them to do. They don’t give example and be the role models. They should ask people to follow Jesus the way they follow him. We have to make people live the life in three directions: Up (Fellowship together in church); Out (Fellowship with others outside the church); and In (Showing love to one another in the community).
“Can you try how I follow Jesus?”
You can organize Bible studies with some people using three questions:
- What the passage tells me about God?
- What the passage tells me about myself?
- What the passage tells me to do?
Church is not big building and successful worship team. It is the place where God is being worshipped. It is easy to get people gathered, entertain them but it is difficult to make them disciples of Jesus. NGOs are not the churches; Clubs are not churches. But they gather people together to entertain them. In order to make disciples create a community of Jesus not a community of worship service. Teach them Love: Love your God, love your community, love your neighbor.