₦airaland Forum

MaxInDHouse:
Scriptures you don't understand?

Oya mention any church that's free from what you are saying.

I mentioned Jehovah's Witnesses and instantly a neutral commentator attested to it.

I'm waiting Mr overwhelming scripture evidence to mention the name of any church that's not doing what you are complaining about here today!

Please, don't mention JW organisation as a church. You are an anti Christ organisation. And you know it. You punishment will be worse.

Truvelisback:
Mention them.

It's not necessary. They know themselves. Some of the victims have mentioned names on camera. Go to YouTube and search.

qtx:
For all i care, your statements are speculative and until you start talking in terms of evidence and specifics, you are a rumour monger.

Those I am talking to know themselves. Go to YouTube and hear out from some victims. You are a kid in ministry.

Andolive47:
Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm

I didn't mention specific names. So, your quote is uncalled for.

pimplucious:
Nothing like judgement don’t be fooled.

Judgement day is real. Jesus has been appointed to judge the dead and the living. And it is very close.

Seunomobo:
Which Judgement day?
Stop being delusional bro, if you can't give them their judgement here, sope otilor...
The reason why people hang on to judgement day is just to have a glimpse of hope that their enemies would be punished..but I kid u not, as far as Im concerned, they'll not experience any form of judgement...

Vengeance is the exclusive right of God. "I will repay says the Lord".

zionstaar75:
who are you to judge them?no wonder you're trapped on one spot camping on nairaland

I am not judging. I am exposing their evil works.

Ephesians 5:11 instructs us to expose unfruitful works of darkness.

I am not trapped. No one can trap me. I am too loaded to fail or be trapped.

It's like you are one of them.

femi4:
They are encouraged by the followers. Imagine if they face empty seats on Sundays back to back....their egos will drop

You are correct. Gullible followers who are loyal to a fault. Even if they found out that their G. O is a womaniser or a murderer, they are still ready to follow.

zoedew:
2. It is absolutely impossible to frustrate whom God has called. It is however not impossible to frustrate who starts out on his own to start a church.

It is happening. God established David as a King but King Saul frustrated him for several years.

The frustration means delay. But if you keep pressing on, you will certainly fulfil your ministry.

Dhon11:
Mind you. Churches of now days have been commercialized. Forget about calling the name of Christ. Its now a business center. It depends on what club you want to attend.

My mum still hold grudges against me because I've decided not to attend any. I prefare to say my prayers at home. Every Sunday she calls and ask if I go to church.

That is why you hear those unexplainable testimonies people give. Its just a way to trend. Once people hear of the church. The followers will boom. That means more funds will come in. And the leader will follow up with every necessary means.

Just few churches are safe. Because the pastor still looks hungry doesn't mean it's safe. He hasn't gotten his plug yet

Two wrongs can't make a right. You must belong to a local assembly to be on track for the heavenly race. Being a member of a local assembly is not a ticket to heaven but you must be part of one to stand the chance of making heaven. This is on the assumption that you are already born again.

The scripture gave us an instruction not to forsake the gathering together of the saints in Hebrews 10:25. And it says that those who violate this instruction are committing wilful sin that could cost you your salvation - Hebrews 10:26-31.

Please, go back to church and just serve him with your heart.

APOPTOSIS:
Jehovah's Witness is operating at a different level.
They have been steadfast, resolute and committed.
I hold no grudge against them. They downplay commercialization of churches.
They entertain persecutions a lot, in fact more than several Christian bodies.
Seems in their church everyone is at same level irrespective of your degree, financial acquaintance and contacts.
And it seems they obey the Bible the most:
-They hardly disturb neighbors during prayers.
-They frown at intimidation and flamboyant lifestyles.
-They ensure financial gifts are covered and never displeased at whatever they recieve.
-Their members would make good politicians but they frown at politics


I respect them. I judge based on actions and not what I'm told.

You comment noted but they are not Christians. I have proven it time and time again.

MaxInDHouse:
They all know there is no Hellfire that is why they do the worst things you can ever imagine.
They are modern day Pharisees!

You still believe the lies of Russell and Rutherford inspite of overwhelming Scripture evidence against it.

MaxInDHouse:
Jehovah's Witnesses will never arrest anyone for speaking against us just as true disciples of Christ who believe that it's normal for critics to speak against us even lie against us just as Jesus has told us they will do! Matthew 5:11-12

But keep malice with any member of JW who leaves. Don't you? The entire congregation will take him or her as an enemy. They won't greet that person or talk to him or her.

It's worrisome to see common trends amongst most GOS or Church Founders especially in Nigeria.

1. They abuse their powers by arresting and putting in prison anyone who speaks against them. What then is the difference between them and politicians?

2. They oppress younger ministers they perceive carry unusual grace. And when such ministers try to leave to establish their own ministries, they frustrate them.

I could go on and on.

These evil trends should stop. Otherwise, they will be cast away on judgement day. God is no respecter of persons.

Father, please raise new generations of ministers who will reflect your nature and be an example to people to follow in the mighty name of Jesus

Naira Dollar exchange rate might soon hit N2,000 or more to one dollar. This is not good news for Nigeria.

The man himself has the greater blame. He permitted himself to be where he is. As a PhD holder in Mathematics education, there are different ways he could earn money such as
1. Freelancing. He can teach Mathematics online
2. Selling online courses in Mathematics
3. Make YouTube videos on Mathematics
4. Write text books and sell.
5. Organize extra mural classes
6. Home lessons
Etc.

I think he has a very low IQ even though he is a PhD holder.

Chapter 12 - Have a Good Financial Budget

It’s imperative for you to have a financial policy based on scriptures and by the leading of the Holy Spirit. We can take a clue from the Old Testament practice and make modifications to suit our present needs and the focus of your ministry. In budgeting, however, we should be more people oriented than project oriented even though the projects we carry out are tailored towards ministering to the people in a more efficient way. If a servant of God can pass the test of integrity in the area of financial management especially when it concerns spiritual money, he will pass in every other area of life.

Budgeting will require you to determine the percentage allocation of income to different areas of church expenses such as Church Development funds, Training, TV programmes, Crusades, Staff Salary, Welfare etc. Gross financial mismanagement and misappropriation could affect church growth. Most of the time, special offerings may have to be taken to cater for these different areas of ministry. This is because the tithes and regular offerings are hardly enough to cater for every need of the church especially at the early stage of the ministry.

We do know that Tithing in the Old Testament was used for the welfare of the Priest (Pastors) and Levites (Full Time Staffs) - Numbers 18:1-32. But we do also know that periodically, they were told when they eat the tithes, they should invite the strangers, the fatherless and the widows (Deuteronomy 26:12). Church budgeting these days hardly includes the needy of those mentioned above. We must understand the mind of God and disburse the fund according to His purpose. You cannot exclusively lay claim on the tithe because you are the Pastor of the Church and the General Overseer. When your basic need has been met as a Pastor, make a budget to accommodate the widows, orphans, fatherless and needy in the church from time to time. If the income from tithe and regular offerings are too small to accommodate welfare needs, then raise free will offering from time to time to cater for such needs.

So, your financial policy can change from time to time depending on the income of the church. At the early stage, it may not even be enough to pay staff salaries. So, it is better not to even employ full time staff when you know you can’t pay their salaries.

But when the income that comes in is big enough to accommodate some of these needs, then make budgets for them and stick to it for a reasonable period of time. As the ministry income grows bigger, you will see the need to begin to make a budget for more areas as may be required.

Be careful not to treat the money that comes into your ministry as personal funds, unless it is part of the budget specifically approved for your personal expenses. So, as soon as the tithes and offerings are counted, first pay the money into the ministry account. If your ministry is not yet registered, use any personal account that you have or talk with your bank and they will guide you on what to do.
Discipline yourself never to spend from source. It gives room for the funds to be misused or misappropriated. And this will in turn affect the growth of your finances. So, pay the money into an account the very next working day. First separate your tithe and pay as a ministry to any ministry that you are connected to. The ministry must be ahead of you and the Pastor must be your role model or someone you want to tap into his grace. You must give up if you want to go up. This does not make sense to the natural mind. Why should you give to someone that has more money than you is the question in the mind of carnally minded people.

When Abraham gave the tithe of all he had to Melchizedek, it is not that Melchizedek needed the goods and money but Abraham needed the blessing. So, when you pay your tithe to a ministry you are connected to, you are tapping into the blessing or grace upon that ministry. Sooner or later, you will begin to experience the same result that ministry is experiencing.

You can make withdrawals thereafter according to the budget you have made but they must be carefully documented so you can give account of how the monies are spent.

Financial records must be kept if you want to be a good manager of the funds that come to your ministry. When the funds are carefully managed, it is the Spirit of God himself that will draw people to your ministry and be a part of what God is doing. Misappropriating or mismanaging the funds that come into your ministry will hinder the growth of your church. Besides, it can cut short your life. Remember what happened to the two sons of Eli when they made themselves fat with the offerings of the people of Israel and even despised the lay down procedure for the Priest’s offering.
Hear what God told little boy Samuel he will do to not only the two sons but also to their father, the Priest who did not retrain them and their entire lineage:

1 Samuel 3:11-14
11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, THAT THE INIQUITY OF ELI'S HOUSE SHALL NOT BE PURGED WITH SACRIFICE NOR OFFERING FOR EVER.

Priest Eli had gotten an earlier message from a man of God sent to him to warn him. Read what he said to him:

1 Samuel 2:27-26
27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, TO MAKE YOURSELVES FAT WITH THE CHIEFEST OF ALL THE OFFERINGS OF ISRAEL MY PEOPLE?
30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, AND THEY THAT DESPISE ME SHALL BE LIGHTLY ESTEEMED.
31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

Gross financial misappropriation and mismanagement affects the growth of your ministry. You must be financially disciplined if you want your church or ministry to experience continuous growth. And most importantly, if you want to live long on earth. So, many ministers die before their time because they refuse to judge themselves in this area.

It is God who adds to the church such as should be saved. But, if you don’t do things in the ways that it pleases God, you will not have a divine backing that will ensure sweatless growth of your ministry.

Chapter 11 - Be Resourceful

Running a ministry requires lots of resources such as money, land, halls, equipment etc. And as it grows, the demand for more resources even increases. You must by the wisdom of God know how to get the resources you need and use them efficiently. God who has called you has a way of ensuring that you get some of these resources without having to pay for them. There are testimonies of people who received free lands, halls and even some equipment for ministry purposes. You don’t however have to wait for free donations for you to operate your ministry.
One of the resources I would love to give attention to here is money. Money is a vital tool that facilitates the fulfillment of God’s given mandate. Thus, the scripture says; “... but money answereth all things.” (Ecclesiastes 10:19).

The one who called you will ensure that your personal and ministry needs are met. As the popular saying goes, where there is a vision, there is a provision. The visionary however does not allow money to be a major factor in the fulfillment of the vision. You don't need to wait for a sponsor to begin your ministry. You are the number one sponsor. We mentioned this in an earlier chapter.
The major initial sacrifice must be made by the visionary himself. As such it is not uncommon to see great visionary sell off their cars or valuable assets and invest the money in the ministry they are just about to begin. As you faithfully yield to the calling, God will definitely bring sons of consolation to back you up in the ministry.
Jesus received support from some women he had healed and delivered from demonic oppression. Just as it is written:

Luke 8:1-3
1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Apostle Paul commended the Philippians church for their unflinching support when he said:

Philippians 1:4-6
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 FOR YOUR FELLOWSHIP IN THE GOSPEL from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

The word fellowship here is from the Greek word koinonia which literally means partnership or distribution. They were involved in supporting Apostle Paul financially and materially. Hence in another section of the same letter, he said:

Philippians 4:15-16
15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

No wonder he blessed them by saying; “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).
He however did not fold his hands and trusted that there are people out there to meet his needs.

Paul worked with his hands and invested the money into the ministry work. However, don’t engage in the kind of work that will distract you from focusing on your calling. This form of distraction is one of the reasons many ministries don’t grow. The man of God is never around to oversee the daily activities of the church because of his pursuit for money.

The idea of full time ministry does not necessarily mean you should not work. It depends on the individual. We are all bestowed with different grace. If you have ideas that can translate into wealth without being distracted from your calling, it is permissible especially at the early stage of the ministry.

If you are under authority and you were posted to Pastor a church in a remote location as a full time minister where you probably had to stay, it is the responsibility of the ministry to provide for basic needs such as accommodation and other things as may be required.

You must also teach the people you are sent to how to give. This is important for them to get blessed. It also helps to cater for your welfare and acquire things you need to effectively do the work in your ministry. God can also meet your ministry needs beyond the financial strength of your congregation. It should be noted here that you cannot run your ministry based on only the Tithe and regular offering that comes into the ministry. Besides tithes and regular offerings are not primarily meant for the logistics cost of the church. You must teach the brethren to give willingly for other projects as the need arises.
Tithes under the Old Testament are meant to support the Levites who work full time in the sanctuary. Today, we also have workers who are full time workers that receive their salaries through tithes given by the members. Whenever there is any major project to be carried out, freewill offerings are raised. So, the brethren must be taught to give beyond their tithes and regular offerings if your ministry must have a good financial status.

There are times you might experience temporary financial draught. At such a time, know that it is the handy work of the enemy. Just command the devil to take away its hands off your finances and lay claim on your financial and material needs. Command angels to direct men to bring the monies you need. Put your absolute trust in God and he is able to supply all that you need both for your personal upkeep and ministry work according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Reno is looking for relevance. He is jobless

Chapter 10 – Set Up a Home Cell Structure

The Cell structure popularly known as home cells is a vital structure for church growth. This structure is needed not just for multiplied church growth but also for leadership development.
Church meetings should not only be held in our central churches. It should be taken to homes and other venues where people meet in smaller numbers. With the cell structure, virtually everyone is cared for and also given the opportunity to develop their gifts to serve God.
The early church had this structure. This was how they were able to manage the thousands of the initial souls that were one by Apostle Peter on two different occasions – Acts 2:41 & Acts 4:4. Thus the scripture says:

Acts 2:46
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.

Apostle Paul also took advantage of this structure to teach:

Acts 20:20
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house.

In the letters Paul wrote to some of the churches, he mentioned churches that met in homes:
Romans 16:5
5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
Colossians 4:15
15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

Home cells typically have 5 to 10 members. And as they grow to about twice the membership, they split to form new cells thereby translating to church growth. The people assigned to handle these cells are lay leaders. It is done voluntarily. Some of these volunteer cell leaders later become full time ministers of the gospel.
It should however be noted here that the primary purpose for the cell structure is not just to manage the members of the church but to reach out to lost souls. In other words, the cells are the outreach arm of the church. So, when the cells grow, the church grows. It is also important to mention here that the cell fellowships are not necessarily limited to homes. Meetings can also be held in conference halls, decent restaurants or eateries. There are also some specialized cells that can be held in offices and shops.
The cell structure has so much advantage over the traditional church structure. By traditional church structure, I mean one which the major groups that members identify with are the men’s fellowship, women’s fellowship and the youth fellowship.

Benefits of the Home Cell Structure over the Traditional Church Structure

1. The Cell System Carries Virtually Everyone Along
It affords everyone the opportunity to be involved in the work of the ministry which is God’s plan for the church.
Ephesians 4:16
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which EVERY JOINT supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of EVERY PART, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Notice the phrase, ‘every joint’ and ‘every part’ in the above scripture. God wants every one of his children to be vitally involved in the work of the ministry. The cell system is the only system where this vision can be realized. The traditional church system makes most members perpetually bench warmer till Jesus comes and they may eventually lose their salvation. The Bible says,

Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish….

2. The Cell System Helps You to Develop Many Leaders at the Same Time
These leaders in turn reproduce other leaders. For instance, in a church where you have just one youth fellowship and a few executives, you are just developing just a few leaders for the next level of leadership if any exist. But in the cell system the youth fellowship can be broken into 5 or more fellowships depending on the membership strength and as such, more people are being developed for the next level of leadership which is properly defined in the cell system.

3. With The Cell System Growth Is Not Just Added, It Is Multiplied
The traditional church system only grows arithmetically while the cell system leads to geometric growth.

4. With an Effective System, You Can Never Have Stagnated Growth
Even if you get to 100,000 memberships, you will still keep growing with effective restructuring.

5. The Cell System Brings About Healthy Competition and Therefore Brings the Best Out of the Leaders
The youth president in the traditional church setting might become complacent because he has nobody to compete with.

6. Church Planting Becomes Easier and Faster
This is because you will have enough leaders that have been trained and tested with their commitment in the cell system. “He that is faithful in little is faithful in much” the Bible says.

7. The Cell System Is a Perfect Setting for The Development of All Categories of People - Men, Women, Youths, Teenagers and Even Kids.
The traditional church systems do not give much room for the development of the younger group especially into lay Pastoring.

8. People Receive Better Attention through the Cell System Because There Are Relatively Fewer People to a Leader
This was the relief Moses had after he implemented the counsel of his father -in- law, Jethro.

9. It Is Difficult to Destroy a Church That Operates the Cell System.
To do this you have to destroy all the homes and venues where all the cells meet. Even if the main church auditorium is taken over by the government and the church does not have an immediate venue to relocate to, with an effective cell system, you can still retain your members.

10. The Cell System Makes It Easier to Take the Gospel to Where the Sinners Are
The traditional church setting waits for the sinners to come in. A few of the traditional church settings are though involved in reaching out to the lost but the retaining of such souls is much easier with the cell system.

11. The Cell System Enables Us to Reach Some People That Seem to Be Unreachable Through the Traditional Church System.
This is made possible by specialized cells designed to reach a particular group of people.

12. You Spend Much Less Money Trying to Grow Your Church.
When you operate the cell system, the burden of church growth is transferred to the cell leaders. Churches that do not have the cell structure in place spend so much money organizing programmes just to ensure growth.

Place order for my book, ‘The Cell System Dynamics’ to clearly understand how to set up an effective cell structure.

The Cell System Dynamics. 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BLYKGLG

Chapter 9 – Set Up Follow-up and Visitation Structure

Follow-up is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks in growing a church. It is one thing to win a soul and it is another thing to retain that soul. A large percentage of souls usually won are hardly retained because of ineffective follow up structure. In some cases, it is even nonexistent.
It is therefore imperative to set an effective follow up structure if a large percentage of the souls won must be retained. Follow up is not for new souls only. It is also needed to retain old members who might be tempted to leave the church for one reason or the other.

Apostle Paul followed up on the churches he planted so they can be established in the faith:

Acts 15:36
36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, LET US GO AGAIN and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.

Notice the phrase, ‘let us go again’. It means they had visited before. They were committed to the task of visitation and follow up.

Apostle Paul also followed up through the letters he wrote to the churches he planted. These letters are now part of the New Testament books contained in the Bible.

Without effective follow up structure, the time invested in soul winning activities will be a waste. So, we must put up a structure designed to retain a large percentage of the souls won. Even our Lord Jesus emphasized on the need to retain the souls we win:

John 15:16
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and THAT YOUR FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

The church must have a counseling unit that attends to visitors who come to the church for the first time. But if the ministry is new, the pastor himself or a capable assistance is the counselor.
A counseling space or building free of distraction should be in place after a while as the ministry is growing. The most important task of the counselor is to ensure that their personal details such as their names, addresses and phone contacts are properly documented. This is to ensure that further contact or follow can be carried out on them.

Besides, they are trained to give them a very warm welcome. First impressions matter a lot. Make these first timers feel loved and welcome. And they will notice it in the manner and ways they were received.

Plans must be in place to follow them up immediately. For effective follow up, they should be visited within 24 hours of their visit to your church. Regrettably, many ministries make little effort to reach out to these new souls. Those that do only do so via phone calls or text messages. There is a place of visitation that inspires these visitors to want to become members of the ministry. Besides, it is only through visitation you can find out if they are truly born again or not. Although, such validation is also carried out by the counselors when attending to them. But it is more effective when you meet with them one on one in their homes. There are however some of them who don’t want to be visited for personal reasons. And it’s important we respect their privacy.

Place order for my book, ‘The Methodology of Follow up’ to guide you on how to set up an effective follow up structure.

Follow Up Methodology  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BLYQWY6

Johncuppa:
But how were you able to respond to every quote?

I attended Day Stars Business Academy, during financial accounting class, I was lost, it looked like it's nonsense they were doing.
It's the same when I took Pascal programming in uni.

You don't argue with people like these.
They are correct. They are saying what they know and believe should be.
They are sure not your target audience, and responding to them should be a no - no in the first place.

Well done for putting those resources together.
God is your strength.

Shalom!

I understand your point. Thanks

samfrancis1:
yea don’t sell at all.. sell other things…

Why is the Bible being sold?
Selling spiritual information is not a sin. The important thing is to make it affordable.

Chapter 8 – Set Up a Soul Winning Structure

The need to set up a soul winning structure cannot be overemphasized. There is no way any church or ministry can grow consistently if there is no plan to win souls. It is however sad to see so many churches without a soul winning structure. Instead of setting up a soul winning structure, they build a beautiful worship auditorium and invite sinners or lost souls to come in. The truth is that most sinners don’t go to church. The church is not fashionable to them. Even when they do, they hardly hear the kind of message that will stir them to accept our Lord Jesus as their Lord and personal Saviour. The result of this is that we have a lot of church members who just get churchy but are not truly converted.

The instruction of our Lord Jesus is that we should go and fish for lost souls. We have to go to where the sinners are. He said:

Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Notice the phrase, ‘go ye therefore’. The church is doing just the opposite. We are staying back within the four walls of our churches and expect sinners to come in. There is no fisherman that expects fishes to jump out of the river into his fishing net or boat. You must cast the fish into the net to catch them. Hence Jesus told Peter and Andrew:

Matthew 4:19
19 …Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
So, there must be a structure set up that is designed to reach out to the lost souls. And it should be on a daily basis. The early church had souls added to their numbers on a daily basis:

Acts 2:47
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Inspiring your members to participate in soul winning activities begins with what they see you do. This is why it's important you lay a good foundation for your ministry. The disciples of Jesus didn’t find it difficult to be involved in soul winning because that was the orientation they received.
So, you must step out in the field first before you can demand that your members get involved. And there should never be a time you retire from field work even though your commitment may not be as it was at the beginning because of many other things that will be competing for your attention.
Founders of some of the mega churches in Nigeria are evangelically inclined. Even after several years in ministry, you still see them participate in soul winning activities. A good example is Rev. Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian church. As busy as he is, he still finds time to participate in their yearly ‘go a fishing’ soul winning campaign.
The church must return to the pattern laid by our Lord Jesus and his Apostles. They took soul winning campaigns to the streets and homes. Our Lord Jesus was always on the go. He didn’t build one beautiful auditorium and ask people to come in. He sought for lost souls on the streets and in homes. Hence he said:

Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

For details on how to set up a soul winning structure, place order for my book titles, Dynamics of Soul Winning.

Dynamics of Soul Winning.
 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0SNCWA

samfrancis1:
why then is saving life a business to you .. why not let them have the books for free.. are you not trying to win souls?

I am already offering it for free by posting the chapters on this forum. And I will post all the chapters.

And countries that have access to kdp can also read for free on Amazon.

samfrancis1:
this is to let you know it’s totally business ./ he went to to Korea to learn the skill to lure people into his business center.. he wouldn’t go anywhere to learn of God truly builds the church…

Yes. It's business; business of soul winning, which is the most noble profession on earth. Didn't you read when our Lord Jesus said he ought to be about his Father’s business?

Johncuppa:
Pioneering work of church is like starting a business from scratch in the secular world.
You've done a great job sir.
God bless you.

Thank you

psucc:
Come on! You're adding another dimension to this argument.
He OP said the book will enhance Church growth. That's what bring me in. If the Church Growth he meant is to increase men who have turned their lives to Christ, then it is never the work of the book nor any man.

It's the work of the Holy Spirit!
Please read before commenting. It helps. Shalom!

The Scripture says that you should add knowledge to your faith. Doing things by the power of the Holy Spirit doesn't mean you don't need knowledge. It's the application of the principles contained in the book that will aid church growth, all things being equal.

Chapter 7 - Put Structures in Place

Structures are inevitable if you must have sustainable growth. Structure itself does not give growth but it does aid and sustain growth in the same way a computer will facilitate your work. So, it will be unwise for anyone to take it lightly.
Structure helps to place a workable system and departments in place. It helps define the relationship between various departments and establish the hierarchy of leadership.
We Have Different Kind of Structure Such as the:

The Administrative Structure.
Activity Group Structure.
The Leadership Development Structure.
The Cell System Structure.
Follow-up Structure.
Soul Winning Structure.
Staff structure.
Service Administration structure etc.

The Soul Winning Structure ensures souls are won on a daily basis which should reflect in the number of first times that visits your church on a weekly basis. The follow up structure ensures that they are retained why the cell structure ensures that they are nurtured till they too become part of the leadership team of the ministry.
The Activity Group Structure Also Include Departments or Units Created Such as:

The Ushering Unit
The Music Department
Decoration
The Technical Unit
Venue Managers
Counseling Unit
Children Church
New Believers Class
Finance Department,
Security
Outreach Unit,
The Media Unit etc.

There are some of the activity units that will also require a physical structure like the children's church department. It’s unfortunate that quite a few ministries don’t have space where the children can have their church. When you allow children to congregate with adults, they hardly learn anything except for a few of them who are in their pre-teens. They can also be a source of distraction.
Another unit that requires a separate space or building is the counseling unit. These are those who attend to the first timers and new converts. Most of the time, we just take them to a corner in the church and attend to them there. But, you will get a far better result if you dedicate a separate hall for that purpose. This of course may not be possible at the start of your ministry. You can however plan for it after a period of time.
Virtually everything you do in your church has to be structured. The structure provides a framework for which you organize your activities. It helps to create a platform for the effective functioning of every worker and leaders of the church or ministry. Structure is not static. There will be a need for restructuring after a period of time to accommodate the new membership strength, attend to new issues and plan for another level.
For instance, a church may not have to bother about having a department for those who guard vehicles while service is going on because there may be no vehicle to guard at all at the beginning. But after a while, the church will see the need for such a department.

The early church in the days of the Apostles of Jesus had to put structure in place to cater for the challenge they faced concerning the disputes that arose in their days. The account reads:

Acts 6:1-7
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Sometimes, you might need to consult with experts in any area you have little or no knowledge about. You certainly cannot be Mr. know all. Invest in training and invite resource personnel that have a proven track record in that area of need. There are times you will have to attend organized seminars to get the required skills you need to set up structure. You can also seek the help of ministries that are well ahead of you, especially the one you are connected with. With effective structure in place, there is no limit on what you can achieve and there is no height that you cannot attain.

Space will not permit us to talk about all these structures in detail in this book. However, we will discuss briefly in the next three chapters on the three most important of all the structures that must be put in place. They are Soul Winning Structure, Follow-up Structure and the Cell Structure.

Click the link below and place an order for your copy:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVWKXXVV

#Churchgrowth
#Christianbooks

If you want to buy on selar, check my signature and email me.

psucc:
If at all, remove the 1k book from the menu. The Bible has enough to address every facet of the christian life. Spread the word undiluted.

Honestly, having the means, I would make this a personal engagement visiting your flock God has entrusted in your care to see how you feed them 1 Pet. 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;.
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

It's a great call that needs not be trivialized.

Maranatha! Shalom!

You are a spiritual babe to say that you don't need to read any book that will equip you in different areas of ministry. While it is true that the Bible is our final authority in all life related issues, we still need to read books that throws further light on things we must do to get desired results in different aspects of our lives and ministry.

Chapter 6 - Engage the Right People to Carry Out the Vision

In Chapter two, we quoted the verse which reads, “Where there is no vision the people perish…”(Proverbs 29:18). The converse is also true, “Where there are no people, the vision perishes”. God is a team player. We too are not expected to do it all alone. You need helpers in ministry to help you fulfill God’s given vision. Our Jesus Himself had to first select His team before He started His ministry. Getting the right people to help you carry out the work of the ministry committed to your trust must be done prayerfully. This was exactly what Jesus did:

Luke 6:12-13
12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.

Many a time, God Himself is the one that will orchestrate your steps to meet with the vision helper and when you see them, you will know them. These are the initial leaders that must be trained and they form the inner circle of the ministry or church. Their level of effectiveness will determine the growth rate of the ministry.
But you will locate them in the field and not when you are sitting idle in your home doing nothing. Virtually all the disciples Jesus chose were chosen while he was in the field doing his Father’s business. Let’s look at a few examples;

Matthew 4:17-20
17 From that time JESUS BEGAN TO PREACH, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, SAW TWO BRETHREN, SIMON CALLED PETER, AND ANDREW HIS BROTHER, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

In the passage above, Jesus was already doing the work of the kingdom alone before he located his disciples. So, you may have to start alone. And you must step out onto the field. As you do, God will orchestrate your path to meet with your destiny helpers.
Immediately after finding Peter and Andrew, he located John and James. Read the narration below;

Matthew 4:21-22
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

There are those who avoid the field even at the start of their ministry. They rent beautiful halls, print banners, and make handbills to invite people. And they provide refreshments as an incentive to draw souls. In the process of time, they chose their disciples from the few people who show some degree of commitment. The setback in this pattern of starting a fresh work is that you are laying the wrong foundation. Those you make your disciples or leaders didn’t have any field orientation. You are not even sure if they are born again. As such, it will be difficult for them also to go out into the field to do the work of soul winning.

So, to keep the church growing, you will have to keep organizing programmes every now and then and invite people to attend. And this pattern of ministry is the direct opposite of what our Lord Jesus asked us to do. He said we should 'go into the world and make disciples of all nations,' but we've turned it into a 'come ye all' church. As a result, anyone can join, but in the end, they become members of the church rather than true members of the body of Christ.

Regardless, the people you choose to work with must first be discipled or trained to become effective and ready to be sent out. They will not fall from the sky. God will connect them to you as you do the work of the ministry. Virtually all the disciples were chosen in the field and in the place of their vocation. This means that God uses busy people to work for him.

Don’t make people who are completely jobless your inner circle of leaders. They will become a liability to you rather than assets. Jobless members most of the time want to serve with their attention focused on gains. Some of them might even defraud the church when given the opportunity to carry out certain tasks. Engage busy people who are willing to make sacrifices for the kingdom work. And always ask God to send more labourers into the harvest field through your ministry as our Lord Jesus recommended – Matthew 9:38.

Be watchful of those that the devil will also send to cause distractions and confusions. They are everywhere and they are usually among the most committed members at the beginning of your ministry. Some are there to seduce you or any of the workers in church. Others are there to steal souls and draw disciples after themselves.

It is also important to note that not all the people you engage will discharge their duties at the same level of effectiveness. For instance, Pater, John and James were the most notable amongst the Apostles of Christ. Apostle Paul who persecuted the church did exploits that marvel even those who were Apostles before him.

Click the link below and place an order for your copy:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVWKXXVV

#Churchgrowth
#Christianbooks

If you want to buy on selar, check my signature and email me.