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TRAINED AND EQUIPPED BELIEVERS IN THE CHURCH.
As ministers and shepherds to God's flock, if we have really done our job of feeding, building and equipping the Church and believers under our care and leadership, a situation like mass persecution, Church break up, or social lockdown, though negative, should turn out as an opportunity to see how effective our ministry has been so far. At every point many of our members should be strong, stable and equipped enough to function independently, whether alone in their homes or wherever they go. The Church should be making new converts and turning out trained, equipped and mature believers on a regular basis. That's the PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY of ministers of God in leadership.
Ephesians 4:7-16.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, He led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”
Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
The Church is a spiritual hospital where the sinner, sick and oppressed are healed and then discharged to do the work of the Lord. The Church is a spiritual school where the student saints are taught, edified and equipped for ministry. No teacher retains his students indefinitely. Jesus taught and sent out His disciples.
IT'S NOT THE WILL OF GOD TO KEEP RETAINING THOUSANDS OF GOD'S PEOPLE, LOCKED UP IN A CHURCH BUILDING WEEK AFTER WEEK IN ROUTINE CHURCH SERVICES! THEY MUST MATURE, LEAVE AND BE INDEPENDENT TO FACE CHALLENGES, EXERCISE AND MINISTER THE KNOWLEDGE AND GIFTS THEY HAVE RECEIVED DURING OUR POWERFUL CHURCH SERVICES.
If we, God's ministers and shepherds are not bold and God's Kingdom minded enough to let God's people grow, mature, go out to venture and expand God's Kingdom, God will employ any means necessary! The gates of hell shall not prevail against the advancement of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:1-8.
Saul was one of the official witnesses at the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria. But the believers who had fled Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the Good News about Jesus. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to what he had to say because of the miracles he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city. Please also read Acts 11:19-23.
NOTE THAT PHILIP AND THE DISCIPLES DIDN'T PREACH THE GOSPEL AND EXPERIENCE GOD'S GRACE FOR MIRACLES UNTIL THEY LEFT THE SECURITY OF THEIR HOME CHURCH IN JERUSALEM. AND NOTE ALSO THAT THE APOSTLES AND ELDERS (OTHER MINISTERS) DIDN'T FLEE FROM JERUSALEM BECAUSE OF THEIR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP EQUIPPING AND SENDING OUT BELIEVERS FOR THE CONTINUED WORK OF THE MINISTRY AND EXPANSION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD! Ephesians 4:7-16. THAT WAS HOW THE GOSPEL GOT INTO THE WHOLE WORLD!
Precious servant of God, this is an opportunity for your people to discover and exercise the powerful gifts, knowledge and vision your anointed ministry has imparted in them. They will never know what they have in them until an opportunity shows up that allows them to venture and function independently. Encourage everyone to STUDY, PREPARE, PRAY UP, AND KEEP LAYING HANDS ON THE SICK, CASTING OUT DEVILS, PRAYING FOR YOUR NATION AND KEEP HAVING CHURCH IN SMALL GROUPS, THEIR HOMES, AROUND THEM AND WHEREVER THEY GO. I assure you that you will hear testimonies that will be so spectacular and far beyond your wildest dreams and imagination! The Church is just about to explode globally. Satan makes grievous mistakes by attacking the Church of Jesus Christ, just as he made the mistake of implementing the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ; which inadvertently saved and blessed the whole world INSTEAD!
Every living Church makes new converts, and turns out trained, equipped and mature believers on a regular basis.
The church doesn't just act as a waiting room for heaven, but as a spiritual school, spiritual hospital and an engine for growth and a divine womb for reproduction.
It usually boils down to three continuous stages:
1) Evangelism (New Converts): The church is active enough in its community that people are constantly discovering faith for the first time.
2) Discipleship (Equipped & Trained): There is a clear "next step" for those new believers—teaching them the Word, how to pray, and how to live out their faith.
3) Reproduction (Mature Believers): Instead of just consuming spiritual content, mature believers begin to lead, mentor, and start the cycle all over again with someone else.
1 Corinthians 2:7-10.
No, the wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom of God, which was hidden in former times, though he made it for our benefit before the world began.
But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would never have crucified our glorious Lord.
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."
But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets.
In this model, the leader's success isn't measured by how many people attend a service, but by how many people are actually being transformed and prepared to lead others. It's the difference between a hospital that just houses the sick and one that actually heals them and trains new doctors.
Key Points of this Message.
Evangelism:
A vibrant church regularly brings in new people and makes new converts to the faith.
Discipleship:
It does not stop at conversion; it trains, equips, and helps believers grow into mature followers.
Consistency:
These actions happen on a regular, ongoing basis rather than as a rare event.
Hallelujah!
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The hospital-and-school picture is the strongest part of this piece. “No teacher retains his students indefinitely” is a line that stays with the reader, and pairing it with Jesus sending the disciples keeps the argument pastoral rather than merely organizational.
A few craft notes. The all-caps sentences fight the page; they feel shouted rather than reasoned, and the point would land harder in ordinary type with one short, firm sentence. The Ephesians 4 block is long for the length of the article; a few key verses plus your own summary would leave more room for examples of a congregation that actually sent people well. The closing also trails off at “so spectacular,” so the last paragraph needs a finished sentence.
You have a clear burden for a church that grows people up and then lets them go. Keep writing that call. The Body is better when shepherds measure success by who can stand when the building is empty.