How to Receive the Holy Spirit (sermon)

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The image of the teenage David, single-handedly slaying Goliath and rescuing the nation from the Philistine invasion, is one hundred per cent applicable to our situation. We are facing a battle where the odds are impossibly stacked against us.

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Recently, we restated our mission and purpose as a church by affirming our deepest aspiration, which is “to influence our society for Christ and to extend that influence overseas.” We believe that God created us and loves us. When people wander away from him, he is ready to receive them back into his family, welcoming them as lost sons and daughters. We uphold the trustworthiness of the Bible and maintain its moral standards. We have no desire to compromise the authentic teachings of the New Testament on any single issue. Even when that goes against the tide of popular opinion. Our vision is to raise up true disciples of Jesus Christ.

We extend Jesus’ influence throughout London through a network of congregational gatherings and cell groups and through an active membership, effective for Christ wherever they are. This means being prepared to make a Christian difference right where the Master has strategically placed us – in London, the heart of the nation.

Central to our strategy is the cell vision through which every member has the opportunity to be personally discipled as well as be trained to raise up other disciples in line with the Great Commission of Jesus: “Go, and make disciples of all nations.”

We have become a major sending centre of radical Christianity reaching out from the heart of the Capital to the heart of the need among some of the most spiritually and socially deprived nations of the world. Our missions focus is the 10/40 window – the part of the world that sits between 10? north and 40? south of the equator.

This strip of world geography comprises the majority of the world’s unevangelised populations and the world’s poorest peoples. Through the GAP Missions Programme (Gospel to All Peoples), our vision is to train and deploy hundreds of KT members into these nations to make a difference overseas as well as here in Great Britain.

The Triangle of Influence

A number of years ago we attempted to express our vision through a simple diagram. We came up with ‘The Triangle of Influence’ (see above).

The base of the triangle represents the foundational part of our ministry: to build a strong, vibrant, multi-ethnic, London wide church. London City Church (LCC) is the name we give to all that we do in London. It consists of thousands of people networking through central gatherings in Kensington Temple, scores of congregations meeting in the KT Satellite Churches and hundreds of cell groups operating across the length and breadth of greater London. The apex of the triangle represents the central thrust of our purpose: to reach out to London and world through the life-changing gospel in obedience to the Great Commission of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20).

The two sides of the triangle represent our mandate to be a blessing to the wider body of Christ (churches other than Kensington Temple) and to serve the wider community influencing our whole society for Christ. This balanced and well-rounded approach is now established as part of our vision and values. It expresses who we are and what we are called to do. All that we do is, in one way or another, an outworking of this ‘triangle of influence’.

We serve other churches through our conferences, television programmes and an extensive itinerant ministry in Britain and overseas. The Primary 12, those who head up the cell network, carry out a programme of preaching, teaching and evangelism across the nation as well as overseas, including such nations as France, Mauritius, Brazil, Mali, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Sierra Leone.

The Giants Of Influence

Society is made up of many institutions and distinct areas of influence. Any plan to influence our nation must take these into account. We have identified 12 major ‘giants of influence’ at work in our culture. Members of KT/LCC who are involved in these areas meet in one of the Giant’s Forums to formulate and coordinate strategies of Christian influence.

Already, we have people working in the areas of thought and philosophy, politics and government, media and arts, business and finance, religion and belief, education and training, sport and leisure and marriage and the family. More forums are in the pipeline for this year. We will be holding a major Giants Summit Conference in April.

Penetrating society – taking the giants

Below is a list of the giants of influence we are taking for Christ
• 1. Business and Finance
• 2. Thought and Philosophy
• 3. Education and Training
• 4. Media and Arts
• 5. Politics and Government
• 6. Law and Order
• 7. Medicine and health
• 8. Religion and Belief
• 9. Ecology and Environment
• 10. Science and Technology
• 11. Sport and Leisure
• 12. Marriage and Family

I encourage every member of Kensington Temple to seize the opportunities that God is giving us every day here in London. Our training programme, both through the full-time IBIOL courses and the regular weekly training seminars on Tuesday evenings, will equip you for your ministry both in the church and in the market place. Your place of work is not just a means of earning your living; it is a calling to be and to bring good news to those around you. You have been strategically positioned to serve Christ and make a mark for him.

Begin by being an active cell member. You will only fulfil your calling to make, mature and mobilise disciples for Christ if you yourself are part of a group dedicated to that task. Through the cells you can penetrate London with pinpoints of light bringing hope, salvation and sanity through the pure teaching of Christ. Our city needs it, our nation is desperate for it and the world is waiting for it.

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The concept of the five-fold ministry comes from Ephesians 4,11 ‘It was he who gave some to be (1) apostles, some to be (2) prophets, some to be (3) evangelists, and some to be (4) pastors and (5) teachers.

The body of Christ can only grow and be built up as every single part is operating effectively according to its own unique capability. This can only happen when all the ministry gifts of Christ function according to God?s purpose. The fivefold ministry is not ultimately about the ?prominent? ministries: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. It is about releasing ?ordinary? members of the body of Christ into their ministry. The task of the Ephesians 4:11 ministries is to ensure that every member of the church is trained, equipped and released into effective service for Christ.

Five capacities of the ascended Christ

After the crucifixion and the resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven to take his place at the right hand of God. He became the executive Ruler of the universe and the glorious Head of the church. When Jesus took up this position, he released the gift of his perfect ministry, dividing it up into the five great capacities he himself possessed on the earth. When he ascended into heaven, he passed his ministry on to the church, beginning with these five areas of leadership gifting. That is why the fivefold ministry gifts are also called the Ascension Gifts of Christ.

Effective Christian service can only happen through these supernaturally endowed gifts of Christ. The gifts and enablings Christ imparts are not mere natural abilities (though he enhances our natural gifts also). Rather, they are the result of his gracious endowments that come through his death, resurrection and exaltation at the Father?s right hand.

Jesus defeated death, hell and the grave! He has power over all things. Now, his ascension is ?higher than all the heavens?, and his presence fills the whole universe. And it is this same Jesus who has given gifts to the church. These are men and women with a life calling to one or more of the fivefold ministry gifts. They are functions not ?offices?, that is, they are God-given abilities rather than positions. The words ?apostle?, ?prophet?, ?evangelist?, ?pastor? and ?teacher? are descriptions of a person?s ministry gift. They are not titles we place before our name. Having a title does not guarantee that a person has the gifting to match the title. The emphasis in the New Testament ministry is on function and activity. A ministry is recognised by its fruit.

Some argue that these gifts are distributed equally throughout the entire body of Christ so that everybody is gifted as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or a teacher. But, it is clear that these are special ministries given to some and not all in the church. However, we can view these ministries as ?umbrella? ministries under which different members cluster according to the basic nature of their calling. They are, also, ?enabling? ministries that equip and prepare God?s people for the ministry.

This helps us understand the concept of equality in the body of Christ. We are all equal in dignity, worth and value, but we do not all have the same function. There are distinctions of ministry in the body. God has separated some for the specific activities mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. They are leadership functions and are clearly not given to everyone. But, on the other hand, they are given for everyone.

Equipping you for your ministry

There is only one ministry – the ministry of Jesus. It is the work that Jesus Christ performs through his body. The fivefold ministry prepares us for his ministry. So, if we want to see the body of Christ function properly, we must make sure the fivefold ministry of Christ is operating. When these ministries are released the body of Christ is equipped and built up; it becomes strong and mature. It can then fulfil its divine purpose – to bring God glory and be God?s agent in a lost and hurting world.

Jesus exercised all the five ministries while he was on the earth. Now, he continues these ministries through those whom he has chosen and anointed to carry them out. These gifts distributed to his body the church, make up the full complement of the ministry of Christ. The fivefold ministry gifts are a permanent part of the church?s ministry on earth. They are valid and necessary in every generation, and will be in operation,

…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13

Certain Bible teachers hold that some of these ministries were only temporarily given. Dispensationalists, for example, teach that once the apostolic age had passed there was no longer any need for apostles in the church. The Cessasionists, who believe that the ?supernatural gifts? have ceased, reject both the apostolic and prophetic ministries today. In some cases, even the ministry of the evangelist is said to belong only to New Testament times.

Stay within your calling

All these gifts are needed until the church, both individually and corporately, grows into the full maturity of Christ. Only then will the church be equipped to be God?s agent in the world and complete the mandate of God.

Often, one ministry is stressed to the detriment of the others. The only ministry recognised in many churches today is that of the pastor. This is perhaps the most abused ministry title in the church. Many Bible colleges graduate their students through a pastor-shaped door, and those who make it through, come out squeezed into a mould that is not necessarily of God?s making.

Think of the consequences of having an evangelist as a pastor. He or she wants the congregation saved every week! The people in the church are never properly cared for pastorally and they never mature through teaching, but they know how to raise their hand during the time of the appeal for salvation!

Imagine what it would be like if a prophet was forced to be a pastor. The prophet is the last one to lead the people like a shepherd to green pastures and beside still waters! The symbol of the prophet is a wooden spoon. The pastor says, ?Keep the lid on the pot, let it simmer.? The prophet says, ?Take the lid off, and give it a stir!? But, the body of Christ needs both – each in its proper time.

A balanced ministry

In order to bring the full complement of Christ?s ministry to the body all the five ministries must operate together. The teacher needs to be inspired by the prophet and the prophet needs to be tempered by the pastor. The evangelist needs the discipline of the teacher and the apostle needs the partnership of all the rest to fulfil the total call of apostleship.

Churches can get over-developed in one area and remain under-developed in another area. The result is lack of balance. One church can be known for its teaching and another for its evangelism, but God?s plan is for us to be strong in every area. Otherwise, the body will not be released to function properly. It will remain weak and ineffective.

What is the point of a church being taught the gospel well if it never goes and evangelises with it? And, what is the point of a church that is enthusiastic in evangelism without ever stopping to learn what the gospel is and how to teach new converts to live? Each ministry has its place and its special purpose so that every aspect of the ministry is covered.

God?s grace gifts

Every ministry gift or ability comes by the grace of God. They result from the work of Christ in us and not from human choice or effort. You have to be called by God to a ministry before you can function in it.

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Corinthians 12:28

You cannot choose your own calling. You must be called by Christ. It is he who gives some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and some to be teachers.

Set apart for special service

In every case in the Bible where God used people to serve him, they were called by God and set apart for that special service to him.

Speaking of the High Priestly ministry of Jesus, the writer to the book of Hebrews says, No one takes this honour upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

?You are my Son; today I have become your Father.? Hebrews 5:4-5

Paul knew God?s clear call to apostleship. His Damascus Road experience and the revelation through Ananias brought him face to face with Christ and the call of God. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man. Galatians 1:15-16

Timothy knew God?s call to service. Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight. 1 Timothy 1:18

Jesus, Paul and Timothy each knew their call and moved in the direction of that call. It was not accomplished overnight. A ministry may take a lifetime for every aspect of it to bloom and flourish. It first must be cultivated and brought to maturity before it can bear fruit. However, the potential is there all along.

You are called to the ministry

God can activate the call through human agents. This was the case with Timothy. It is also a general principle of ministry. In his letter to the Romans, Paul says, ?I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong (Romans 1:11). The word translated ?spiritual gift? here, is pneumatikos, which means ?that which belongs to, or is activated by, the Holy Spirit?. God gave Paul the ability to impart a spiritual gift in order to confirm and establish the believers at Rome.

From this scripture we can discern three dimensions to the activation of ministry in the New Testament. The presbytery – this is the role of the eldership in recognising and confirming a ministry. The prophetic ministry – this is the supernatural identification and release of the gift of ministry. The apostolic ministry – the apostles provided the authority, the structure and the spiritual climate that facilitated this process.

Prepare for your ministry

You must be willing to submit your ministry to others in spiritual authority over you. There must be an external call that matches the internal call of the Spirit. One comes from the Lord working in your heart, and the other involves the body of Christ that recognises the call of God in you.

Alongside these things, there must also be: Responsive obedience – the only way to respond to the call of God is by loving, servant-hearted obedience. God expects you to respond to his call and to fulfil the ministry he has given to you.

Dedication and consecration – the Ephesians 4:11 ministries are life callings. There must be a whole-hearted dedication and total consecration to your calling. Never lose sight of the call of God and his purpose for your life. Discipleship and training – in order to develop your ministry to its fullest potential, you must be willing to learn and to take correction. You must be trained in the ministry. This happens best alongside others who are skilled and experienced in the ministry God has given you. That is why the discipleship principle as expressed in the cell ministry is so helpful to you as you discover your ministry and grow in the gifts God has given you. Discipline involves remaining within your calling. Learn to be who you are in your gifting. Never move outside that anointing, but always work in partnership with the other ministries that complement your call. Remember that you are not a ?one man band?. We all need each other to fully express the ministry of Christ.

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You are in the ministry, right now if you are a believer. God expects you to fulfil this ministry.

Discover your motivational gift

For example, I would say that my motivational gift is enabling. I know that because, over the years, that is what I have found myself doing more than anything else. Everything I do in ministry – the preaching, teaching, praying, prophesying and working with people – has enabling as its primary objective. You too may be an enabler. Or, you may be an encourager, or a motivator; you may be a listener, or a communicator. You may best describe yourself as an intercessor, or a thinker; you could be a promoter or a campaigner. The list is almost endless, but God has placed something special deep in each one of us, that will determine our best course in ministry.

The scriptures give us a number of ‘gift lists’, which are often referred to as spiritual gifts. For example, we have Romans 12:3-8; 1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 12:7-12, 18 &14:26. As you study these lists, you will find some examples of motivational gifts such as evangelism, or teaching, or caring, or administration. You will also notice some ‘spontaneous gifts’ that the Holy Spirit may show through your life at any time and on special occasions. For example, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, faith, and miracles.

Get to know what God says about spiritual gifts

As you get to know these gifts, you will be able to identify how they operate both in you and in others. That way you will begin to flow more easily in your ministry.

Do not despise your own desires for ministry because God says,

He fulfils the desires of those who fear him.?Psalm 145:19

If you have been careful to give God first place in your life, your desires will have been shaped by God to suit his purposes. If you take God seriously, then you will have a realistic view of yourself. Ask yourself what you would most like to do for God if all obstacles were to be removed. You may be surprised how close this comes to what God wants you to do with your life!

Once you believe you have identified the gift (or gifts) God has given you, look for ways of serving with your gift and developing your ministry. Always keep open to the Lord, and constantly review what he is saying to you. He will be leading you step by step, and developing you now for what he has for you in the future.

Begin your ministry right away

I would advise you to begin your ministry, right now, right where you are. Find a need and fulfil it even if you do not think it is your ultimate ministry. After all, there is no need to receive divine revelation about the things so clearly spoken of in scripture.

We have the Great Command of Jesus – to love.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbour as yourself.?Luke 10:27

This is your ministry to God and to others. The apostle John explains that this involves practical service. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 Everything you do, do for the Lord, no matter how practical or seemingly insignificant, it appears to be.

Be faithful in small things

It is important to develop a servant attitude from the beginning. Often what is needed most in ministry is practical service. Do these ‘little things’ with great joy and faithfulness. Do not draw attention to yourself. God will reward you as Jesus says in the parable of the talents,

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!?Matthew 25:21

Don’t look on certain things as unimportant. Many of those who have major ministries today started off quietly, serving behind the scenes. They collected the garbage, cleaned the toilets and swept the stairs!

Often enthusiastic Christians come to me thrilled with their calling to ministry. They have a vision to be a pastor, an evangelist, a missionary or some other kind of ‘major minister’. I always ask them about the fruit they have already produced in their ministry. Usually, my questions will focus on their cell ministry, as this is one of the most effective ways of discovering and developing ministry.

Sometimes I am disappointed by the responses I receive. It appears that the cell ministry is not grand enough for some people. They seem to think that they will suddenly become effective ministers for Christ just as soon as they get some title, are appointed to lead a church or travel a thousand miles from home! The plain truth is, there is no other ministry than the ministry of Christ – making, maturing and mobilising disciples. The cell ministry centres on these essentials directing all our manifold gifts and talents toward the one great objective – the Great Commission.

I am most disturbed, however, when people seem to want to express their ministry in the context of traditional church models. For the most part, these models work against the New Testament vision of every member ministry. How can we expect to see the fullness of Christ in his body unless the entire church is structured to facilitate this vision of the Lord? Small group ministry is vital. Don’t despise ‘the day of small things’. Everything in the kingdom starts small – even the baby Jesus! The essence of the ministry is carried in the cells. There is no need to think that you must graduate from the cell ministry, even if you do have a calling to one of the five major ministry gifts of Christ. Start doing the ministry in the cells, and keep on doing the ministry through the cells and just watch the results. You can multiply many, many disciples through the cells and grow into everything God has for you. If Jesus the greatest minister of all time, spent the better part of his ministry developing his closest disciples and then releasing them on the world, why shouldn’t you do the same?

Minister in the ‘market place’

I find many people think of Christian service either as being ‘full-time’ in the church, or as doing a job in the church. These things are important and have their place, but the real ministry is out there in the world. Every calling is a holy calling, not just the calling to be a preacher or a teacher who stands in front of a congregation in the church building on Sundays.

The Holy Spirit is bringing a fresh appreciation of ‘market place ministries’ – those called to serve Jesus full-time in their home, their place of study, or employment. Real ministry is not just doing work in the church but doing the work of the church in the wider community. That is where we must act as salt and light and draw people to Christ.

That is why you should be prayerful about what job you take or what profession you choose. This is the main location for your ministry, and the place where you can be most effective for Christ. Your home, neighbourhood, place of study or workplace, will probably be your best opportunity to reach those who would never normally come to a Christian meeting. Jesus ministered both in the synagogues and the market places of his day. He performed some of his most powerful miracles in the public place where the multitudes were.

Training is the key to success

Make every effort to train and prepare yourself in your gifting. Enrol in a training programme that will help you develop your calling. Spend time with people who have the same gift and learn from their experiences. Let their wisdom and knowledge rub off on you. Study what the Bible says about your particular gifts and about the use of the Holy Spirit’s gifts in general.

Ask trusted friends if they have seen God’s blessing upon you in any area of ministry. Give them a copy of the Spiritual Gifts Discovery Chart and let them fill it in for you. Then compare your assessment with the one they have made about you and discuss any distinct differences. But only do this if you are willing to listen to what they have to say!

Discovering God’s plans is not a logical pursuit. Rather, it is a matter of revelation which flows from the relationship you are building with him. So through prayer and waiting on the Lord, keep seeking him to guide you, until you receive a clear word from him.

Don’t forget the Great Commission

We have already spoken about the ‘Great Commission’ which is to evangelise the world and make disciples of all nations. But, it is necessary to continue to stress that this is the one, over-arching call upon all our lives. Everything we do must be in obedience to the command of Jesus, given in Mark chapter 16, and in Matthew 28:

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”?Mark 16:15

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”?Matthew 28:18-20

Both these scriptures set out clearly and unmistakably what the ministry really is. It is about making, maturing and mobilising disciples of Jesus Christ. This is Jesus’ command to every one of us. It is not just for the socalled full-time ministers, as we are all full-time for the Lord! Neither is it just for those who carry special gifts and anointings of the Holy Spirit, because we are all anointed to follow Jesus and to serve him.

People seem to believe that to be successful in business or political life, to become someone important in the world, is an adequate substitute for obeying the Great Commission. It is not. True success is measured by obedience to the things Jesus has called us to do. Unless your life is lived for the express purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission, then you have made a ‘great omission’ in your life. You will have failed in God’s purpose for you – whatever else you may have achieved for him.

The same applies to those who consider themselves pastors or ministers, that is, leaders of congregations. Many people want to become pastors or full-time leaders because they wrongly identify the ministry with these things or they believe that is the only way they can be effective for God. Sadly, they are mistaken. In fact, many people who take the (often unnecessary) step of being ordained by a denomination, or leave their former profession, to go fulltime in the ministry fail to do the work of the ministry itself. They fail to raise up the body of Christ to do the work of Christ – that is the real ministry.

The professional ministry today is one of the gravest problems we face – people who carry titles and perform a whole range of (sometimes necessary) tasks in the church can forget the real purpose of the ministry, which is to make disciples of the nations.

Don’t fall into that trap – you are in the ministry, right now if you are a believer. God expects you to fulfil this ministry. Right where you are, you can grow many disciples and bear much fruit, and your fruit will remain. We have many so-called lay leaders who are more effective and are bearing more fruit than many people in the formal ministry. Through the cell ministry people are leading hundreds of believers, many of whom they have won for Christ and are discipling for the Lord. Some cell leaders have more people in their groups of cells than the average pastor has in British or European churches today. If Christ has truly called you to one of the five ministries in Ephesians 4:11, get busy with the ministry now. Lead people to Christ, disciple them in the faith, and release them to do the same. That’s exactly what Jesus did, and it is still his ministry today. Trust the Lord, that as you do this, he will raise you to the levels of leadership that are consistent with your calling.

Grow in your ministry

Once you have discovered all this and committed your life to these things, you will immediately want to find ways of serving with your gift and developing yourself in the ministry. Make every effort to train and prepare yourself in your gift and calling. Let me emphasise, once again, these four key elements of preparation:

1. Enrol in a training programme that will help develop you.
2. Spend time with people who have the same gift and learn from their experiences.
3. Study what the Bible says about your particular gifts and about the use of the Holy Spirit’s gifts in general.
4. Pray and wait on the Lord, seeking for him to guide you.

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Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men

A disciple is a follower of Jesus. To be a disciple means you are a learner or a little-follower of Jesus or, to use a modern term, an apprentice of Jesus. It means you are following his teaching – that is you are living according to his teaching. But to do this you need to be taught in the ways of Christ. Teaching is not just communication of information, but it also involves demonstration and impartation.

All this implies proximity. You cannot be discipled from a distance – even the distance from the pulpit to the pew is too great! You must be in close contact with those discipling you so that you can see and follow their example. Mere words are not enough. That is what Jesus meant when he called his disciples to follow him. Matthew records one such encounter, Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 Jesus later called his 12, to be his closest disciples, and Mark puts it like this,

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons Mark 3:13-15

To be a disciple of Jesus means that you are following Jesus and growing in your lifestyle to be like him. The goal of discipleship is to be like the Master. And this means you are being trained to do what he did. It means you are being formed in your character and your ministry.

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40

This is an important principle of discipleship because it shows how you can be discipled and learn to how disciple others. Discipleship best takes place in small groups. Jesus had a group of 12 so that he could be with them constantly and show them the life and ministry of the kingdom of God. So we today, can also have groups of 12 so that we, like Jesus, can train and release others in the work of the kingdom of God.

Discipleship training is not passive, theoretical learning but practical, hands on training and releasing. For this to happen, the more mature disciples must become leaders, models, mentors and trainers of the new disciples.

You are called to be a disciple of Jesus, and this involves close contact with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, and through leaders and other believers who are serious about walking the path of discipleship together.

Discipleship is not some optional extra in the Christian life. All believers are called to be disciples. But this is not automatic. We must choose to become a disciple and live as Jesus has called us to live.

In the beginning believers were first called ‘disciples’ before the term ‘Christian’ was used. It was discipleship that gave rise to the term ‘Christian’. Probably their pagan counterparts intended this term to be an insult to the believers, but it actually was a great compliment! It showed that the disciples were following their Master and known by his name.

The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch after a year of teaching by Paul and Barnabas. This shows that the real purpose of teaching is to form disciples, people who are like Jesus in their lifestyle, character and ministry.

Acts 11:26

We see from the book of Acts that making disciples was not confined to the ministry of Jesus in the Gospels but that the early disciples obeyed the Great Commission of Jesus and went out to make disciples of others. Making, maturing and mobilising disciples was the main focus and the principal work of the Church in Acts. This was the secret of their growth.

The call to discipleship is the call to be trained, equipped and released into ministry. In Kensington Temple training opportunities abound. We also have the structure for people to put their discipleship ministry training into practice from the very beginning. The cell groups provide the means and the opportunity for every believer to get busy with the work of Christ. This is how we obey Jesus’ call to be his disciples in the 21st Century.

The call is personal

The Greek word for disciple is mathetes, which literally means a ‘learner’. Mathetes comes from manthano – ‘to learn’ – and shows that reflective thought should be followed by an attempt actually to do something. Mathetes reveals that real disciples are not people who obey unthinkingly or legalistically; rather, they listen to a teacher, think about what the teacher has said, and then try to put it into practice.

It should be clear how this concept of discipleship naturally follows on from a biblical understanding of repentance and belief. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus calls us to learn from him personally – this is true discipleship. Just as he does not call us to follow a set of ideas or rules but to follow him, so he does not call us to learn merely from a written code or a book, but rather to learn from him himself.

The call is corporate

Although each of us must respond personally and individually to Jesus’ call to become disciples we must not forget that we are also called to follow Christ together as his people. We are his community of disciples and this corporate dimension is absolutely essential to a true understanding of God’s kingdom. Jesus has established his Church as a fellowship of discipled people with a responsibility to disciple others. The Great Commission of Matthew 28 makes this clear.

Each of us must be discipled within the Church and take up the mandate to disciple others. We cannot ‘go it alone’ as if our personal call were independent of all those who are following Christ. Jesus especially modelled this process of discipleship with his twelve spending most of his quality time with them. He taught them, trained them and finally released them to go out and ‘make disciples of all nations’. Modern day disciples of Jesus are rediscovering this dimension to discipleship through small group ministry, or cells.

The call is urgent

The Gospels record many stories about people who were called to follow Jesus – to become disciples. In every one the call is most urgent. They had to respond when he asked them, even if that involved considerable disruption to them and the people around them. For example:

• Simon, Andrew, James and John – Matthew 4:18-22
• Matthew – Matthew 9:9
• The rich young man – Matthew 19:21
• An unnamed person – Luke 9:59
• Philip – John 1:43.

We can see in these stories that some people immediately began following Jesus, but that others made excuses and did not. The calls of the kingdom may be compelling but they are not compulsory. God always wants us to respond in love. He does not make us if we will not follow him on his terms, at his time.

The call is conclusive Not only was the call urgent, but it was conclusive. They were called permanently to forsake all and follow him.

• Luke 9:62 shows that there was to be no looking back.
• Mark 10:33 states that Jesus must not be disowned before men.
• John 8:31 makes it plain that disciples must hold to Jesus teaching.

Becoming a follower or disciple of Jesus is not merely an emotional response or mental assent to his teaching – it is a permanent decision to follow Jesus, to learn from him, to obey him, to keep close to him.

The call is costly Mark 1:16-20 & Luke 5:1-11 tell the story of the calling to discipleship of the four fishermen, Simon, Andrew, James and John. By following Jesus’ direction, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets were in danger of breaking and their boats of sinking.

Luke 5:11 reports that ‘they forsook all and followed him’. The ‘all’ must have included the miraculous catch which they had just laboured to bring to shore. It must have been one of their most successful fishing trips ever, yet – as part of their response to Jesus – they left the catch on the beach for their friends and family.

Luke 14:25-33 describes how great multitudes went with Jesus. They were curious; they were interested – even fascinated; but they were not committed and they had not counted the cost. In this passage, we can see that the essence of being a disciple was absent – they had not reflected and thought carefully about what was involved in following Jesus. Unless they would forsake everything they could not be Jesus’ disciples.

Matthew 6:33 shows that we must put the kingdom of God first. Before everything else, we must seek God’s rule and his right way of living. The parallel passage, in Luke 12:31-34, shows that this right living is characterised by selfless generosity.

When, in Matthew 16:13-33, the disciples realised who Jesus was, he explained to them that this meant suffering and death. This was anathema to the disciples, so Peter took Jesus aside and remonstrated with him. But Jesus rebuked them, said that their well-meaning protests were evil in origin, and told them that the divine demand for self-sacrifice applied to them as well as to him.

He said, in Matthew 16:24 & Mark 8:34, ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me’. Luke 9:23 adds that this must be done ‘every day’. These words were spoken to those who had already begun to follow Jesus, who had seen God work powerfully through them, who now grasped that Jesus was heading for rejection and sacrifice. Now that they knew the truth, Jesus set them free to choose between self and self-sacrifice.

Death to self is not a calamity, but the fruit of commitment. It is not the end of everything, rather it is the beginning of abundant life with Christ – as we begin to allow his will to control and rule us.

To be a disciple is to say every day ‘death to self’. This is not a set of ascetic exercises, instead it is being unaware of ourselves and aware only of Christ. It is putting Christ’s will in place of ‘self’. It is having our eyes so fixed on the one we are following that we are blind to the path which is too steep for us and deaf to the pain which pleads with us to stop. It means knowing that nothing in this life compares with the glory awaiting us – if we stick close to Jesus’ bent and beaten back.

When we follow Christ, we must show that we mean death to self by taking up our God-offered cross. This is not an ailment or difficulty which is no different from those which are endured by all people. It will be some form of sacrifice, hardship or rejection ‘for the sake of Christ’ which is given to all those who follow him.

Each disciple who wants to follow in Christ’s footsteps has his own personal cross awaiting collection. Crosscarrying Christians are meant to consider themselves to have the same short life-expectancy as the people who live on the different ‘Death Rows’ round the world.

This self-death is not a calamity, but the fruit of commitment. It is not the end of everything, rather it is the beginning of abundant life with Christ as we begin to allow his will to control and rule us. The twelve heard these new requirements of discipleship, and not one of them walked away.

Sword of the Spirit

I have written a complete course in 12 manuals covering key topics: Effective Prayer, Knowing the Spirit, The Rule of God, Living Faith, Glory in the Church, Ministry in the Spirit, Knowing the Father, Reaching the Lost, Listening to God, Knowing the Son, Salvation by Grace and Worship in Spirit and Truth that build into a sound Biblical foundation.

Sword of the Spirit: 12 manuals covering key topics: Effective Prayer, Knowing the Spirit, The Rule of God, Living Faith, Glory in the Church, Ministry in the Spirit, Knowing the Father, Reaching the Lost, Listening to God, Knowing the Son, Salvation by Grace and Worship in Spirit and Truth

The Sword of the Spirit course has 3 study options:

Option 1?Buy the manual with the student workbook and study at your own pace.

Option 2?Register with?www.swordofthespirit.co.uk?for online videos, webtools and quizzes. Study all 12 topics and complete the final exams to receive a Sword of the Spirit certificate. Cost ?25 per topic including manual and workbook (or ?150 if you register for all 12 at one time)

Option 3?Register with?www.swordofthespirit.co.uk?as option 2 but with the added benefit of a personal tutor. Cost ?40 per topic including manual and workbook (or ?270 if you register for all 12 at one time)

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To reach the multitudes Jesus actually turns from them to his 12 disciples

At the beginning of his ministry on the earth, Jesus chose 12 men to be the core team that would carry on his work. It was to be a dynamic relationship that would last the rest of their lives. This was not an accident, but a deliberate strategy.

The permanent place that the 12 apostles have in God’s purposes can be seen from the book of Revelation which describes the New Jerusalem – the city of God. This is a picture of God’s people perfected in heaven. John says,

“Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:14

Nothing in our Model of 12 has anything to do with this kind of elevation of the original 12. That was unique to them. Neither does the Model of 12 uphold an erroneous theology that suggests there is some kind of unbroken spiritual or apostolic succession between the groups of 12 we have today and the original 12 of Jesus. We totally reject such authoritarian and sectarian approaches to church life. There are many ways of implementing the vision of Jesus, and the Model of 12 does not have exclusive rights over the Great Commission or the governing of Christ’s church on the earth.

What then are the benefits of the Principle of 12 and what basis does it have in New Testament practice?

The 12, a practical strategy

Jesus chose 12 and trained them to be his successors. This was God’s appointed method of reaching the multitudes and discipling them. Jesus’ choice of 12 establishes a principle for evangelism and discipleship. It points to a practical way that we can respond to his call to gather the multitudes – to brings the crowds of the marketplace (agora) into the gathered fellowship of disciples (ekklesia).

Jesus’ compassion on the multitudes was clearly visible and always led to practical action. He healed their sick, he taught them the truth of the kingdom, he fed them and he called his 12 to reach them.

Matthew 9 shows Jesus being moved with compassion at the sight of the crowds who were attracted to his ministry.

“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.'” Matthew 9:36-38

We notice, first, the reason why Jesus was so moved with compassion for the multitudes. Matthew says Jesus saw them as “sheep having no shepherd” and “weary and scattered.” This introduces us to a strange concept – that of a scattered crowd. The crowd was part of the general agora or society of the day. Jesus wanted them to become his ekklesia, a community of disciples gathered to him but they were sheep without a shepherd. The issue was how to gather the lost sheep into the pastoral care of the Good Shepherd. Jesus says that the problem is not with the harvest but with the workers and how to gather in the plentiful harvest.

We focus on the harvest, but Jesus taught us to concentrate on the harvesters. This is a clear indication of Jesus’ call upon the church. We are to train, equip and release workers for the harvest field.

The passage doesn’t stop at this point. Jesus goes much further. Matthew 10:1 is part of the same passage. Look at how Matthew 10 begins.

“And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.” Matthew 10:1

Immediately, Jesus calls his 12 and Matthew records how Jesus gave them power to heal the sick and to cast out demons. Jesus equipped his 12 to preach the gospel of the kingdom.

Jesus left the multitudes to develop his 12

This show us what kind of workers Jesus wants to release into the harvest fields – workers like him. Matthew has shown us how Jesus reached the lost: by teaching, preaching and healing (Matthew 9:35). This now makes sense of the calling of the 12. It was so that he could disciple them at close proximity and train them for their work.

To reach the multitudes Jesus actually turns from them to his 12! We now see clearly the practical reason why Jesus worked with his 12. He chose to equip others so that they could do the work of the kingdom. This implies that he also taught them how to train and raise up others so that the process would continue uninterrupted until the work would be completed.

This clearly and unambiguously establishes the principle of discipleship as the means of the spreading the gospel, the growth of the church and the expansion of the kingdom of God. That is why the cell vision is at heart a discipleship vision. Paul draws on this principle when he writes to Timothy.

“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

Here we find at least 4 generations of spiritual communication – Paul, then Timothy, followed by those whom Timothy was discipling and, finally, those whom these men would go on to disciple. That is how the multitudes are won for Christ. Beginning with one person who follows this principle, it takes just 10 generations or cycles of discipleship before there are over 1,000 of followers of Jesus!

The continuing strategy of discipleship

Acts shows that all the 3,000 people who were converted on the Day of Pentecost were successfully assimilated into the church. This level of consolidation is almost non-existent today.

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42

The secret lay in the discipleship methods of Jesus in which the small groups played a crucial role.

“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.” Acts 2:46

This daily contact was more than just the opportunity for friendship and table fellowship; it was the ideal context for discipleship development.

So Jesus’ method of raising up teams of people, focussing on their discipleship training and releasing them to do the same is clearly established and indisputable. But what about the number 12? Why should we follow Jesus’ practice of raising up 12?

A workable strategy for today

There is no New Testament injunction that states every leader must grow and develop his or her own 12 in the way that Jesus did this. Choosing 12 is not a doctrine, but a strategy. Sociologists tell us that 12 is the optimum number for people to relate to each other and be involved with each other on a regular and personal basis.

The number 12 is the optimum number for a primary group to maximise the small group dynamic for effective relationships. This becomes the foundation for all else that can be achieved through a small group – friendship, nurture, training and discipling. Every person can get to know everyone else in the group at a level of depth and can have personal and intimate knowledge of each other’s character and life experiences. This intimacy is necessary for the effective discipleship and mentoring that the groups of 12 seek to accomplish. Mark records that Jesus’ primary purpose in choosing the 12 was that “they might be with him” and that this would mean he could equip them and send them out to preach the gospel.

“He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.” Mark 3:14

This means that the number 12 is an effective building block for discipleship. A primary leader can grow his or her 12 and release them to do the same, optimising the small group principle for the purpose of propagating the Christian faith. Therefore, we can say that a model of 12 developed for today is a practical way of implementing the example of Jesus. In this context, it would be a godly goal for everyone who wants to be an effective soul winner and discipler of others to develop and grow his or her own group of 12. Today, as in Jesus’ day, the principle of 12 is an effective model to follow.

The post The Principle of 12 appeared first on Colin Dye.

Pope Francis will wash the feet of prisoners in a youth detention centre near Rome on Maundy Thursday.

Gesture of humility

The new leader of the world’s 1.2bn Roman Catholics has brought a new sense of simplicity to the Vatican, reports the BBC’s David Willey in Rome.
He has decided to live in a small suite in a residence for clerics, eating with other priests in a common dining room, after deciding not to move into the palatial apartments occupied by his predecessors in the Apostolic Palace.
He has again broken with tradition for the foot-washing ceremony, which is normally performed on lay people in one of Rome’s basilicas.
This time the Pope will visit the Casal del Marmo detention centre on the outskirts of Rome.
Read the full BBC News article here

The Last Supper

The drama begins on the evening of the first day of the feast of Passover. Significantly, the Son was spending his last evening on earth by eating the Passover meal with his apostles in the large upper room of a friend?s home.
It seems that no servant was present, for there was no-one to wash their feet before the meal began ? and none of the apostles was humble enough to perform this menial task.
So Jesus put on a servant?s apron, poured water into a basin, and did what none of them had been willing to do. He then explained to the apostles that God?s love always expresses itself in humble service, and that the world would recognise them as his disciples only if they loved each other in a similar way.
 

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True Discipleship

Making disciples

There is one characteristic of the Antioch church that we still need to achieve, which is true discipleship. Kensington Temple has one of the most effective discipling strategies in the world in the cell vision and we are, indeed, finding that people today are more discipled, trained and mobilised than ever before – but we do not yet eat, live and breathe discipleship. The Sunday services are still the major focus for many people. Yet, we are called to be disciples throughout the whole week – the church is not the church because we meet; we meet on Sunday because we are the church!
There is a prophetic urgency in my spirit because I know that there is only one hope for Britain and that is the discipling of the nation. Antioch was a discipling church. In Acts 11:26 we read that the disciples were first called ‘Christians’ in Antioch. The term ‘Christian’ was not used for the very first believers; instead they were called ‘those on the way’, ‘followers of the way’, ‘followers of Jesus’ and ‘disciples’ – because as soon as somebody committed to Christ they were discipled.
There are two great questions that we find being asked in the New Testament. The first is asked in Acts 16 when the Philippian jailer, impressed when he sees what is clearly a miracle from God and concerned that he is going to be executed because Paul and the other prisoners have escaped, asks in verse 30: “What must I do to be saved?” He understood the Gospel message and asked the most important question of all. Paul responds, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” Salvation comes through putting your faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are saved by faith, and faith alone.
The second most important question is asked in Mark chapter 10 by the rich young ruler who, having carefully obeyed the Law of Moses asked a different question, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” He is not asking about salvation; what the young man wanted to know is, “How can I get everything God has for me?”When you get saved you gain entrance into heaven, the promise of eternal life, but not a guarantee that you will get everything that God has for you. There is a question that confronts every believer – how much of God do you want? It seems that Christians today are content that they have a ticket to heaven and do not accept that it is only the beginning! Jesus challenged the rich young man on the call to discipleship. So, if the question is, “What must I do to get everything God has for me?” the answer is, “It is going to cost you everything!” That is true discipleship.

Imitating the life of Jesus

In Acts 11 we read of relatively new believers leading others to Christ but being unable to look after them.What are they going to do? The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas and Paul who, together, gathered the church – in fields, marketplaces and homes – and took them through what we would call the ‘consolidation’ process in Kensington Temple. For us, this consists of new believers’ Bible studies, a weekend ‘encounter’ with God, the Living Free course – and then leadership training. Acts 11:26 tells us that for a whole year Paul and Barnabas assembled with the church and taught them.When we hear that we think of classroom education. But when in the Bible we read of Jesus being called ‘teacher’ (or rabbi) it means that he discipled people, lived with them. He modelled the kingdom of God and he shaped their lives. The teaching ministry is the discipling ministry and for a whole year this is what Paul and Barnabas did and by the end of that time the new converts had been shaped and discipled – they had become like Jesus, having the Spirit of God in them. The discipleship ministry today is doing exactly the same – it is taking lives and forming and shaping in them the character, nature, knowledge and deeds of Christ in mission, ministry and morality.
In Antioch the disciples had become so like Christ that they were called ‘Christians’. This was actually intended as an insult but was one which the believers were happy to receive. But how things have changed! The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch but I would love for it to be recorded somewhere that the Christians were first called disciples at Kensington Temple. In that day all new believers were discipled and were called Christians; today we have many Christians but few disciples. If the most important question is, “What must I do to be saved?” then undoubtedly the second is, “What must I do to get everything God has for me?” Have you asked the first question? And the second?

Discipleship revolution

But we should seek to move beyond being just a disciple ourselves to becoming a discipler of others. An undiscipled church is a scandal. It is a church where people who call themselves Christians but do not follow the Lord in reality, where people are more concerned about their pleasures and comforts, and pursue the more palatable aspects of the gospel like health, wealth, prosperity and happiness but leave holiness for some other time. An undiscipled church is truly appalling.
We need a revolution! In Paul’s day the name of God was blasphemed among the nations because the Jews were not disciples of God. They preached one thing and did something else – and today the main criticism that the world legitimately levels against the church is that we teach one thing and do something else. There is a way to be a true follower of Christ in the 21st century. It is not easy but it is certainly not any harder than it was in the 1st century! It is time to hear afresh the word of Jesus, “Whoever desires me, whoever wants what I have, whoever wants me to be all that I can be for you, it is going to cost you everything. Take up your cross and die daily and follow me.” It is not an easy call but we remember the message of Easter and know that, after the cross comes the resurrection; after the agony, the suffering and selfdenial comes the fullness and satisfaction of walking in resurrection life and power.
I call upon you to hear the voice of the Spirit for time is short. Our nation is in desperate need and its survival depends on the church rising up and becoming a church of true disciples.

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Fruit that brings Joy!

?Jesus reveals to us the ingredients of joy. It all has to do with abiding in Him and His love.

It means we have confidence in His ability and enabling. It rests on the fact of Christ?s death for us and His friendship towards us. He gives us the confidence that our spiritual lives rest secure in His prior choice of us. It springs from knowing that He will meet our every need in answer to our prayers. And it results in a life of fruitfulness in place of frustration. And this joy is sealed by our response to His love for us. The joy-filled life is about loving Christ and loving one another.
 

Key Thought

 
The source of joy and victory, of fruitfulness and provision in your life is being joined to Christ. These things are the result of the life of Christ in you and in your fellow believers. You cannot be joyful or successful separated from Christ, the vine, or from the branches, your fellow disciples
 

Prayer

 
Lord, I choose to live in the vine and draw my strength to live and love today from You. Help me to bear fruit and for that fruit to remain. I rejoice today in the joy that You give to me.
 

Discipleship Steps

 
Take the ingredients of joy outlined in the explanation above and check out how far these things are at work in you. God wants you to enjoy the full experience of His joy and this is achievable as you continue to mix these ingredients into your life until they become a daily part of you. Today, make it your goal to be consciously resting and abiding in the vine, so that you are deliberately drawing your resources from Him. Remember, you can do nothing without Him.

Read: John 15:9-17

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