₦airaland Forum

Chapter 5 - Position Your Ministry at the Right Location

It matters where you locate your ministry. And it must be done by the leading of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. For instance, there are places you should never start your ministry. Places like the slumps, rural areas and locations that are difficult to access. The slumps and rural areas will not help your church to grow financially. Rather, they will drain you. You can establish branches later on in such places when your ministry has reached a level where you are willing to make sacrifices.
I have however seen ministries that didn’t have an initial good location that is central but grew mightily. If you have a message and lives are getting blessed, people will locate you wherever you situate your ministry. But not everyone has this grace. It is therefore more advantageous to locate your ministry where people can easily trace you.

There are times however when financial limitations might force you to start your ministry at a remote location. In such instances, you need to work extra hard to achieve a meaningful level of growth. But as you grow financially, make transport arrangements for those in remote locations. This will obviously improve church attendance.

Like I mentioned in the previous chapter, you can also start from your living home provided it is in a suitable and accessible location. Or better still, you can rent a canopy and make use of the space in the compound with the permission of the landlord. One of the benefits of using your home is cost saving. You don’t have to spend extra money for rent and you also don’t need to spend money for transport fares. It however has its disadvantages. First, you may lose respect from some members who have the opportunity to see all that you have. Second, you may be denied some privacy which you will definitely need. Third, some members could take undue advantage of being in your home such as overstaying after service. Fourth, it could expose you to temptation especially if you are not yet married. But if you must start from your living home, ensure it will only be for a brief period of time.

You can also use rented halls at event centres or hotels. The only setback is that most of these halls are relatively expensive for ministries that are just starting unless you have partners that are willing to pay for such halls. God who gave you the vision will guide your footstep to the right place to start from and make provisions for the monies needed.
There are some locations that are not receptive to the gospel because of the stronghold of the powers of darkness over their lives. If you must start a church in such a location, you may have to spend months in intense prayer and fasting to break the powers of darkness over their lives. Otherwise, you will do all the preaching and teaching without it translating to church growth.
Pastor Yongi Cho of blessed memory who pastored the largest single congregation narrated the difficulty he faced in winning souls in Japan. But when he took these same souls to Korea, they all responded to the gospel. But while in Japan, they didn’t see any reason to embrace the gospel. This brings to remembrance the scripture which says:

2 Corinthians 4:4
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Some cities or communities are dedicated to idol worship. If you must start a church in such a location, you will have to pray more. You must first break the influence of the powers of darkness over their lives to make it easier for them to receive the gospel.
Our Lord Jesus said:

Mark 3:27
27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Some communities can be likened to the strong man’s house while the strong man is the devil or evil rulers of darkness assigned to the communities. Before you start a ministry in such a location, you must first bind the strong man, which is the power or evil ruler holding lost souls captive in those communities.

This is why you must ask questions first about the community you intend to locate your church. In addition, find out if churches that are already planted there are doing well. Above all, be led by the Spirit of God before you start your ministry in any location.

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SmartyPants:
JJ had 15 goals so just below Musa. Always remember that he did this while running the midfield and no other midfielder is ahead of him in goals scored.

Noted

robosky02:
Just 12 goals and Osimhen will be Nigerias' greatest goal machine

Osimhen will hit 100 goals for Nigeria if he is injury free and if Nigeria plays more games. He is still very young.

Meanwhile, where is the name of the most celebrated Kanu Nwankwo and J J Okocha on the list?

MaxInDHouse:
God speaks in parables but you won't listen if i tell you.

In the Bible book of Genesis God said the blood of Abe is crying for vengeance {Genesis 4:10} what does that mean?

You have answered it yourself. Abel still lives on in the realm of the spirit. Spirits don't die.

Our Lord Jesus said that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And he is the God of the living. It's means that they are alive in the world of the spirit

Our Lord Jesus also said, Abraham rejoiced to see his days and he saw it. How could Abraham see the days of Jesus if he is not alive?

Your mind has been conditioned to reject truth. When you see truth that doesn't agree with your theology, you call it a parable or an idiom. You are the one who decides what is true and what is a parable.

You are under divine judgment I feel so sorry for your end. It will be regret upon regret. I will ask the Lord permission to see your torment in hell. You are sold out to the devil to oppose the word of God.

MaxInDHouse:
Funny churchian!
So you know better than the scriptures shey?
Why do you like to be a clown?
Ọmọ you can continue deceiving yourself with the Hellfire fairy tales not Bible scholars.
So continue dreaming with Hollywood on hellfire God's word said Death is the punishment for sin {Romans 6:7, 23 compare to Genesis 2:17} and at death the soul also dies. Ecclesiastes 9:5-10; Ezekiel 18:4

But don't worry jàre all what the Bible say will be trashed as God changes His mind to roast people alive because you want it that way! Jeremiah 7:31

If the soul dies, why did the soul of those who were killed cried to God for vengeance?

Revelation 6:9-10
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the SOULS OF THEM THAT WERE SLAIN for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10 AND THEY CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth.

I am sure you will find an explanation for this as usual. When truth stares at your face, you reject it to establish your lies. If you don't repent, your judgement will be worse than other sinners.

MaxInDHouse:
Are you saying souls don't die?
You are lying sincerely Pastor Piri!

Read the excerpt from my book, The Total Man

Chapter 3 - The Soul of Man

The word soul is used in two different contexts in the Bible. In the first, it means a person. So, the total man is sometimes referred to as a soul. In the book of Genesis, it said;

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7).

The word soul here is translated from the Hebrew word, nephesh which means a breathing creature or a living being. Hence, the New King James rendered the verse above thus;

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)

In another verse, we see where the word soul also translated from the Hebrew word nephesh which means a living being;

“And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, THAT SOUL SHALL BE CUT OFF from his people; he hath broken my covenant. (Genesis 17:14).

The bolded means that person shall be cut off.
The soul is used in another context to mean that part of man that lives on after death. This is translated from the Greek word, psuche which is the seat of feelings (emotions), will and mind. This part of the body just like the spirit lives on even after death.

The soul is the intellectual faculty of man. It is with our souls through the functions of the mind coordinating with the physical brain that we reason and make decisions on a daily basis.
At new birth nothing happened to your soul and body. It was your spirit that received eternal life. The salvation of your soul is your responsibility. Thus, James wrote;

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21).

James wrote to the church to receive God’s word which is able to save their souls. He didn’t say, ‘which is able to save your spirits’ because our spirit man is already saved.

So, the soul consists of your mind, will and emotions. The mind is the coordination centre of the soul. It is with our minds we receive information, process it through thinking and make decisions. The mind also has the ability to store information. However, the information stored in the mind is volatile just like the RAM of a computer but that stored in the heart is permanent like the hard disk of a computer.
The carnal mind has its desires;

“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2:3).

Our minds have both creative and destructive tendencies depending on what you dwell your thoughts on. Evil men today are using their minds to fight against the will of God. They event or create evil things that turn people away from God. Thus Paul wrote;

“Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, INVENTORS OF EVIL THINGS, disobedient to parents,” (Romans 1:30).
The Bible says the carnal or fleshly mind cannot please God or be subject to the Law of God

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:6-7).

The will of the carnal mind is usually contrary to the will of God. It seeks to fulfill its carnal desires. This is why it is important to renew your mind the moment you get saved so you can understand what the will of the Lord is and align yourself with it.

The soul is also the seat of feelings or emotions. There are positive and negative emotions. Some of the positive emotions are; joy, gratitude, hope, awe, surprise, affections and cheerfulness. Negative emotions include; fear, anger, depression, resentment, anxiety, impatience, and moodiness. If these negative emotions are not checked or controlled, it could ruin your Christian testimony and even cut short your life span.
Remember that it was impatience that made Abraham sleep with his maid, Hagar and gave birth to Ishmael whose descendants are still terrorizing the nation of Israel and the world till date. Moses could not enter the promised land because of anger and unbelief. It is therefore our responsibility to do something about the salvation of our souls which involves the renewing of our minds, aligning our will with the will of God and controlling every negative emotion that works against us. This will be discussed in detail in the next chapter.

MaxInDHouse:
Sodom and Gomorah was destroyed long before Jesus' birth and God's word said death is the wages of their sin {Romans 6:23} at death they have been acquainted of their errors! Romans 6:7

So when Jesus said Sodom and Gomorah he wasn't talking about those who has been judged but the thought that runs through your mind anytime you here the word "Sodom and Gomorah"

So, are you saying Jude 7 is wrong because it talks about them still suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. It was their bodies that were destroyed. Their souls are in hell suffering. My friend, deliver yourself from Russell and Rutherford teachings. There are too many scriptures that says otherwise.

Our Lord Jesus talks about people weeping and gnashing their teeth in hell. Could that be referring to physical grave?

Use your brain please.

And stop deceiving yourself. You will be judged of sins you didn't repent of after death. You don't understand what Paul said when he wrote: He that is dead is free from sin. He meant, death to the old man. It means those who don't let the old man control them cannot be dominated by sin.

I feel so sorry for you. So much damage has been done to your brain.

May God deliver you in the mighty name of Jesus.

MaxInDHouse:
You don't know anything yet arrogance has filled your brain!
God created the earth and made it good for life, He gave everything in it to Adam and finally He gave Adam a companion.
Adam had the prospect of living forever with his wife and children while he keeps teaching his children all the things he has learned from his father but Adam wasn't contented with all the things God gave him so he rebelled against God.
*Question!
As the first and foremost sinner where is Adam today?
According to God's word Adam returned to where he came from which is dust {Genesis 3:19} that is the punishment for his rebellion. Genesis 2:17
*Question!
At death what condition will Adam find himself?
God's word answered that the dead knows and feels nothing {Ecclesiastes 9:5-10} the same thing happens to all other creatures! Ecclesiastes 3:19-20
*Question!
Is God harboring anything against dead people who practices evil deeds?
God's word answered that at death the sinner has fully paid for his wickedness {Romans 6:23} so he has no issues with God again regarding his past deeds! Romans 6:7
*Question!
What about people who feels like seeing others die or experience agonizing torture?
God's word answered that it's totally evil from God's viewpoint and such a thing has never come across God's heart! Jeremiah 7:31
*Question!
Why are there instances in the New Testament where the dead are described as suffering?
God's word answered: Jesus referred to faithless people as DEAD {Luke 9:60} he builds up his teachings regarding faithless miscreants and how they feel in their spiritually dead condition {Luke 16:14-31} so the spiritually dead people are experiencing torment while the are alive not that they know anything else after they've paid with their lives at death! Romans 6:7, 23

Drop your Jw teachings. Read the Bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Your brain will reset. The JW teachings has programmed your mind in only one direction. They have made you see things only in their own light.

You can't go through the whole Bible especially the teachings of our Lord Jesus without concluding that there is indeed a place of torment where lost souls go to. I can quote over 20 verses for you but you still won't believe. Just take your time, read the Bible with open mind. I give you one month, if you are truly honest, you will renounce and burn all the books of JW. And please, use another translation other than the JW NWT which is full of wrong translation.

Do this for the sake of your own salvation and many others who have been deceived. Remember, there is no repentance in hell. Only weeping and gnashing of teeth day and night. Once you are there, you are there for eternity.

The people of Sodom and Gomorrah and still suffering after they were destroyed with fire. Their souls are in hell. Read the verse below:

Jude 7
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, SUFFERING the vengeance of eternal fire.

The word suffering is in present continous term.

Please, don't quote any other verse to show me what you believe. You should believe this one also. Or you want to call this verse an idiom since it doesn't agree with your theology.

MaxInDHouse:
God's word doesn't contradicts itself so if you call a verse "CONTRARY" in the Bible it's an insult to our God whose word doesn't contradicts itself.
We need to understand the Bible as a whole not choosing what we like to quote.
According to God's word the only wage for sin is death {Romans 6:23} and at death the sinner is acquainted from his sin {Romans 6:7} so if we now find verses not in agreement with this such should be idioms not literal.

So, you are the one who decides what meaning to ascribe to a verse and which one is idiom. You will soon become an idiom. You are indeed slain from the foundation of the world. Your brain is beyond repair.

MaxInDHouse:
If you're not interested in what Hades and Sheol really mean then i'm also not interested in your delusion!

You avoided the other parts of the post as it's the culture of JW. You are not ready to look at any contrary verses.

Now convince Nairaland that the verse below where hell is translated from Hades means grave.

Matthew 18:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Put grave in place of hell and see how it fits into the passage.

MaxInDHouse:
What is the meaning of Hades and Sheol that was translated Hell?

It's not about translation. There are several scriptures that has nothing to do with Hades, Sheol or Gehenna that points to the reality of hell. The evidence of Scripture are too overwhelming not to believe that there is a place of torment for lost souls.

For Instance, the scripture says:

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels.

Only this verse is enough establish that there is a place of torment beyond the physical grave.

First, it says EVERLASTING fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. And the goats will be cast into it.

You can't confine a spirit to a physical grave. There is no connection.

Even verses where hell is translated from Gehenna, more details was given that couldn't fit the valley of Hinnon you always make reference to. Read the passage below:

Mark 9:43-44
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

First, it mentioned hell which is translated from the word Gehenna. It now gave greater details. It says, into the fire that shall never be quenched.

Is there fire still burning in the valley of Hinnon? Certainly not.

It now added; where their worms dieth not. Is there any worm in our physical grave that doesn't die?

Please, go and burn all the books of JW. They will only quote verses that appears to support their pre conceived opinions and turn blind eyes to many more verses that teaches otherwise.

Use your brain. Throw away pride. Thank God you met someone like me who have repeatedly exposed the lies of JW. If after reading this post, you are still not convinced that you have believed lies all these years, then, there is no hope for you. You are as good as among those who have been slain from the foundation of the world. Put in another way, a son of perdition.

Truthseeker10:
Oga where is your trinity book na?

No book is written in one day. It will certainly be out soon.

Janosky:
John 11:11
" After he said this, he added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. But I am going there to awaken him."

Did any body have conversation with a sleeping Lazarus in the grave?

Definitely not.
Lazarus did not speak to anyone until after Jesus awaken him (resurrection) from sleep (death). John 11:11-14.

Did it really happen that a Samaritan picked up a jew beaten by robbers & spent his money to take care of the Jew?

Definitely not .
Illiterate LYING pastor wey no know the difference between parable and reality.

LYING illiterate pastor, Jesus Christ himself has exposed your folly about Lazarus.

If you want further exposure of your GIBBERISH, just type "YES".

Olodo, it's not the same Lazarus.

Parables are stories of events that could actually happen in reality from which we draw a moral lesson.

For instance, you can say in a parable that a lion was flying in the sky because lion don't fly.

So, if the rich man lifted up his eyes in hell, it means hell is real. Otherwise, why would Jesus use something that doesn't exist in a parable.

Mention any parable where the events stated cannot happen in reality. There is none.

Please, go back to school and sharpen your brain.

robosky02:
For female
Every level there are on fire

We have lost at the senior level to South Africa team before.

MaxInDHouse:
Someone is proud and stubborn yet humble enough to subject under the hardship of other humans?
How can a person know he is teaching lies yet doesn't know he is working for Satan?
Ọmọ you're just confused and deluded!

Have I not exposed your lies several times. Do you want me to start all over again.

You teach that hell is ordinary grave but I proved it to you that it's a lie.

If hell is grave, how could the rich man lift up his eyes in the grave and speak to Lazarus?

You said it was a parable. Can Jesus use something that doesn't exist as a parable? In parables, do you mention actual names?

You also said that Lake of fire which second death means they will no longer exist. But I proved to you that the beast and false prophet who will be cast in according Revelation 19:20 were acknowledged to still be in it after 1,000 years. And Satan joined them in Revelation 20:10

Is it the lie that you teach that Jesus didn't resurrect bodily. Jesus confirmed to Thomas that he has flesh and bones. You said he just materialized for that purpose and thereby calling Jesus a deceiver. Or have you lost your senses when trying to interpret scriptures.

Our Lord Jesus even said before his crucifixion that they should destroy this temple and in three days, he will raise it up. The scripture said he was referring to his body. But you teach otherwise and yet you don't know you are working for the devil.

In your book, You can live forever in paradise on earth, it taught that God will not use what we do on earth to judge us because after death, we are free from our sins. It therefore means we are encouraged to misbehave and do anything we want on earth now. Tell me, is this teaching not demonic. Or do you want me to quote the exact page in the book?

You don't know what you are doing. You are just like a zombie been uses by the devil to oppose the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Your eyes will clear when you see yourself in the very hell you deny doesn't exist. But, I urge you to repent why you still have the opportunity to and deliver so many you have led astray from the truth of God's word.

Chapter 4 - Take a Step of Faith and Engage its Principles

Perhaps, one of the greatest hindrances to the fulfillment of our God’s giving vision is courage. This is where faith comes in. If you believe that God called you, then step out in faith. A man of faith is always courageous. In addition, faith makes you bold.
Courage is daring to start. Boldness is an attribute that dares to face every adversity that may come your way in the course of carrying out your ministry work.
There is no successful minister on earth today that had everything before they started their ministry. They started from somewhere and got to where they are today. Ministry work is a journey of faith. And God honours faith. Hence it is written;

Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

It is true that you need a good venue for your church if you are just about to start. But the absence of the kind of venue you need shouldn’t pose a limitation. The church is not the building but the assembly of believers in Christ. Just find somewhere to start. It could be in a living home or even a small room. If you have a vision with an inspiring message, your vision helpers will locate you.
I started my first Sunday church meeting in a restaurant that could only take at most twenty persons. But we started all the same. The next service, we rented land and used the canopy for the next three services. After that, it was another space in a multi-purpose sports facility which was not enclosed. It took us about a year after we started before we eventually got a decent hall to use. And the good part is that we experienced growth in all these different venues we used. I also know about a church branch of a ministry that started their first meeting under a tree but today it’s a mega church that has given birth to many other branches. So, be bold and courageous. Start from somewhere and the God who called you will draw the right people to you.
When Apostle Paul who persecuted the church received his calling in the encounter he had with Jesus, the scripture said:

Acts 9:20
20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Paul started his ministry immediately. He didn’t look for a Bible school to enroll in. I am not against those who attend Bible school in preparation for ministry. It is an added advantage if you attend one. However, the best Bible school is to submit yourself to the authority of someone who is ahead of you in ministry and learn through obedience.
There are many things that Bible school will not teach you. So, many of the things you need to excel in ministry are learnt through practice. There is of course a place for formal training which you must receive from time to time either through a Bible school or organized seminars.

Three Important Elements of Faith You Must Engage
1. Your Mental Picture
It matters how you see. Our imaginative power is a major driving force of the soul that could set you on your path of achievement or destruction. Even God testified to this truth when He came down to stop what could have been the biggest building project that ever existed.
Genesis 11:6-7
6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

Seeing with the eyes of your spirit is more powerful than looking with the optical eye. Just as the scripture says:

2 Corinthians 4:18
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.


You become what you behold. Situations will crystallize to the mental picture you have of it. Every major accomplishment in life begins with a dream - a mental picture. If you can see it, you can have it. You may start a church with just three members, how many your church will be after a while is a direct function of the picture in your mind. This was the same principle that God taught Abraham:

Genesis 13:14-15
14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, LIFT UP NOW THINE EYES, AND LOOK from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Genesis 15:5-6
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, LOOK NOW TOWARD HEAVEN, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

The vision of your church will keep the fire burning on the inside of you. Even when attendance seems very low, you are not moved. There might even be times when nobody attends your cell meeting, your confidence in the growth of your church should never be shaken. There is yeast in every trained minister that will cause you to rise. No demon hatched from the pit of hell can stop your cell from growing. Have the right picture in your mind and you will even be amazed to see your target exceeded.
In addition, you can put a picture of a large congregation in places where you will always see it to help your imagination. It can be on your notice board, in your room and even at the entrance of your church. You can set such pictures as your screensaver on your tablet or personal computer. Each time you see such pictures, it helps to keep the mental picture alive. And as you continue to behold it, your ministry will become what you behold over time.
2. Your Vocal Expression
Words are containers of power. They can create or destroy. Thus, it is written;
Proverbs 18:21
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

What you say is what you have:
Mark 11:23-24
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Many a time, we allow our circumstances to influence what comes out of our mouth. If for instance, you are not having a good attendance in a church service, you now make comments like ‘some of my members don’t attend church services regularly, you have invariably attempted to stagnate the growth of your church. We do not say what we have but we should say what we want to see. We ought to make declarations such as, ‘my church is growing’, ‘my members are responding positively to services’ etc. The Christian life is a life of confession. We got saved through words and we also use the same positive words to chat our way through life. Life is spiritual and as such nothing happens by chance. Your victory is tied to your comprehension of spiritual laws and putting them to work. Your future is in your mouth. You may not see the manifestation immediately but keep saying it. The word of God will never return void of accomplishment. (Isaiah 55:10-11). Therefore:

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:23, 14-16, 35-36).

One thing we must know is that there is always a time lapse between the events that have already happened in the realms of the spirit and the manifestation in the natural realm. For instance, when God made the heavens and the earth in 6 days, everything He made did not appear immediately. It took a process of time. The record of the creation in the first chapter of Genesis gives us an erroneous view of the creation story. The phrase, ‘and it was so’ appeared after each phase of creation. It is not an incorrect expression but our interpretation has been incorrect. As far as God was concerned once He said it, it was done even if there was no visible evidence. Let’s take a critical look at one of the phases of creation - the creation of vegetation.

Genesis 1:11-12
11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

This gives us a picture of instant manifestation. However, a later record reveals it wasn’t so.

Genesis 2:5
5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field BEFORE IT GREW: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

This second record shows that the plant did not appear immediately. God had to water the earth with rain first. There was no such thing as a full grown plant overnight. With that understanding, you should never get discouraged when what you are saying does not manifest when you expected it. Just keep saying it; it will definitely come to pass. Your church is ordained to grow because it is born of God.
The same goes for your finances. Plan your budget based on your revelation of God as your source and keep declaring that your needs are met according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19).
Sometimes, we make remarks like, ‘most of my members are not working, and so we couldn’t plan an outreach programme or pay for our venue’. With such remarks, you just made your members jobless and your church poor. Instead say what you want to see in the lives of your members. Declare they have jobs and they are financially committed to the church ministry. Sooner or later, they will come with testimony of jobs and make their input financially.
3 Your Actions of Faith
The scripture says;

James 2:26
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

You must back up your confession with corresponding action. For instance, if you make a declaration that you will be 100 or whatever number in attendance in your next church service; you should also make arrangements for such a number by getting more chairs to line up with your faith. But if on the contrary, you make arrangements for much fewer chairs, you have stepped out of faith. Ministry work is a faith venture. God honours our faith for;

Hebrews 11:6
6 …without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The book of Luke gives us a beautiful account of the power of faith.

Luke 17:11-16
11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

The lepers took a step of faith as they went to show themselves to the Priest. They knew the Priest they were going to see was not the healer but believed in the word of the Master even though they had not seen the evidence of their healing.
Another way you demonstrate your faith concerning your cell meeting is arriving early to the venue of your cell meeting. Those who go late to their cell meetings do that because they have a low expectation. When you have faith that your next cell meeting will be well attended, it will motivate you to be at your meeting venue early and begin to intercede.

Faith will always win:

1 John 5:4
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, EVEN OUR FAITH.
Jeremiah 1:12
12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

Put in another way, he watches over his word to bring it to pass. The scripture says;

Isaiah 55:9-10
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.

In the same way, the words you speak will not return unto you void. We are created in the image and likeness of God. We therefore have the ability to function like God. In fact, we are the ‘gods’ of this world. - Psalms 82:6.
Besides, we have a high Priest, Jesus Christ our Lord who ensures that your words are fulfilled. He said in his word; “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14). Therefore;

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (Hebrews 10:23, 35-36, 1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Never look unto any member for the provisions you need in ministry. Put your absolute trust in God. God is the one that will connect your ministry partners to you. But if you take your focus from God and look unto them, God will take them away from you. Let God alone be your sponsor. Those who partner with you are only connecting themselves to the grace at work in you. It is an opportunity for them to be blessed and lifted to a new level in their finances. God will supply your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

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Nigeria is always doing better in aged group football competitions. I don't know why it can't be replicated at the senior levels.

MaxInDHouse:
The truth is you people will perish just as Jesus foretold for not believing us {John 3:16} at that time you and your folks will have become manure for our soil to plant food! Jeremiah 16:4; 25:33; Revelations 19:21
We will only remember how you people were ruining our planet home {Revelations 11:18} with your nonsense while claiming you are fighting for your right {Revelations 6:3-4} so only peaceful and humble people will be allowed to live with us forever {Psalms 37:7-11} on this planet earth! Psalms 37:29; Matthew 5:5

You are just proud and stubborn. You know what you are teaching are lies from the pit of hell. You are working for the devil without knowing it. It will be too late when you find yourself in that burning hell.

Gabrielshow24:
🤔🤔🤔To them they are doing God a service 🙃!

It's really quite unfortunate. Well, they have no excuse. They are just being proud and stubborn. Their lies are exposed by the scriptures. They just want to hold on to those lies because they are destined for destruction..

MrPresident1:
Which church you belong to?

Church of Christ
I am a part of every church where Christ is preached and glorified.
I am on a mission to strengthen the universal church and contribute to its unity.

MrPresident1:
Consistent church growth of Pentecostal church?

I don't belong to the pentecostals

Janosky:
Illiterate LYING pastor thinks that Jesus lives inside his Father's bosom while his Father conducted heavenly meeting with sons (angels) of God in Job 1:6/Job 2:1.
Job 1:6/Job 2:1/Psalms 82:1 is a meeting of the divine assembly of (angels ) sons of God.
Jesus Christ was present in that meeting because he is one of the sons (angel ) of God.

LYING pastor have ZERO capacity to figure out the Bible meaning of bosom
..

How will you feel when you see yourself in hell? What would you say to yourself? Reflect on this because this is where you will end up if you don't repent from your wicked ways. To turn people away from the truth is the highest form of wickedness in case you don't know.

Chapter 3 – The Place of Preparation

Having received a clear vision from God concerning your ministry, there is a need for you to prepare yourself to fulfill that calling and get results. This is the first step to church growth. Our Lord Jesus said during one of his teachings:

Luke 12:47-48
47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Foundation for a Consistent Growing Church or Ministry

1. Prayers
Effective and fervent prayer is not negotiable if you are starting a church ministry or if you already have one and you want to experience an uncommon growth rate. Our Lord Jesus laid the example of the need to pray when he fasted for forty days and forty nights before he started his ministry. And he maintained a constituent prayer life throughout the days of his earthly ministry.
There are powers that must be dealt with in the place of prayers. The physical world is controlled by the spiritual world. There are spirits that are in charge of families, communities and even nations. Hence, Apostle Paul said;

2. Attend Training Programmes
It is important to mention here the need for training. There is of course in-house training in the local assembly where you chose to serve if you haven’t started your own church ministry. There is also training you must get outside the ministry where you chose to serve. You can enroll for some of the training online or be part of a zoom conference webinar.

3. Attend a Bible School
Attending a reputable Bible school is another way of preparing yourself for ministry. Though, it is optional especially if you are receiving adequate training where you have chosen to serve. It is however an added advantage if you attend one.

4. Soak Yourself in Personal Bible Study
We are living in the days where so many ministries are springing up with half-baked pastors in the knowledge of God’s word. You must be acquainted with the whole Bible. First read it through as many times as possible, especially the New Testament. Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:

2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In another passage, he wrote;

Colossians 3:16
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

When you are so full of God’s word, it will beg for expression. And men will flock to your church because they are receiving good food of the spirit.
And try to use Bibles that have centre chain references, commentaries and concordance. Get other resources both online and offline such as Matthew Henry Commentaries, Strong Concordance and many others.
I will love to state at this point like I always do whenever it is necessary, to say that God’s word for us are the teachings of our Lord Jesus and his Apostles. If you attempt to teach everything you read in the word of God, there will be conflicts in doctrines because the new light of God’s word that Jesus brought differs in many areas when compared with some instructions contained in the Law of Moses. We will throw more light on this in Chapter 18.

5. Read Books Written by Great Men and Women of Faith
No matter the level of anointing upon your life, there are those ahead of you we can learn from what they did to succeed and the mistakes they made we should avoid. Get the great word of Robert Liardon titled, ‘God’s Generals’. It is eye opening and inspiring. I would love to recommend authors like Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copland, Oral Robert, John Osteen, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, T. D. Jakes, Yongi Cho, Myles Munroe, Mike Murdock and John Maxwell. We also have great authors in the local scene such as David Oyedebo, and Chris Oyakhilome.
Meanwhile, you don’t have to swallow everything you hear or read hook line and sinker. Always go back to the Bible and compare them with what the word of God says like the Berea Christians did:

Acts 17:11
11 These (the Bereas) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

6. Listen to Messages by Other Men of God That Inspires You
There is no single minister or teacher of the word of God that knows it all. As you feed your flock and others, you also need to be fed by other men of God. And this is how the unction to teaching and preaching increases in your life. When you teach or preach, you are giving out virtues that must be replaced if you don’t want to run dry. Most of these messages are even available for free download online. But don’t always look for free download messages. Make budgets for them and buy with your money.

7. Attend Minister’s Conferences
There is quite a lot to learn from other ministers in such meetings. Besides, it sharpens or inspires you to step up in your ministry. It is also an opportunity to connect with fellow ministers and even get doors of opportunity to be invited to other ministries to teach or preach when the time comes.

8. Serve Faithfully Where You Have Been Planted
This is where most people miss it. The real training you receive that prepares you for ministry is through the services you render where you are planted. There are some things you learn by observation. While others are learnt through the formal training and mentoring you receive from the pastor placed over you.
It is important to note here that your service does not start from the pulpit. You must be humble enough to do even menial jobs such as sweeping, cleaning and mobbing. Over time, you will be given the opportunity to mount the pulpit to receive further training. But the bottom line is that you must serve faithfully and be submissive to the authority placed over you.

9. Have savings or Investments
This aspect is often not given attention by most people who are about to launch into ministry. The Ministry requires finance. So, if you are currently working, begin to save or invest your money where it can yield profit to you especially if the nature of your calling demands your full time attention.
If you have to start buying basic equipment you can afford, do it. You are the number one financier of your ministry. Great men of God who have done exploits in ministry told their stories how they had to sell off some of their valuable assets and invest the proceeds in ministry. And the Lord has given back to them more than a hundred times over.

10. Pray Again especially when you know it’s Time
This is about the most important aspect of preparation especially when you are about to launch into your ministry. Our Lord Jesus said that without him we can do nothing – John 15:5.
And there is a right timing to launch into ministry. Don’t go ahead of God. Be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. And if you miss that timing, so many things could go wrong. Whatever else you do outside of your calling might meet with so much frustration if you do not respond at the right time.
Prayer is actually an activity you should be involved in at all-time whether you feel it’s time to launch into your ministry or not. However, you may have to devote more time to prayer before you step out in faith.
The place of prayer is where you receive direction and spiritual strength. It is in the place of prayer you disarm the rulers of darkness in the territory you have been assigned to start your ministry. If you don’t win in the realm of the spirit through prayer, you will not win in the physical.
Our Lord Jesus had to pray and fast for forty days and nights before he started his ministry. And he was consistent in his prayer life throughout the course of his ministry. We will discuss this in more detail in Chapter Sixteen.


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Janosky:
Pastor,Let me ask you a question:
Do you mean that Jesus Christ was in the bosom of his Father while the sons of God were having a heavenly meeting at Job 1:6/Job 2:1?

Everyone wants to learn something, please

You don't have the capacity to receive the truth of God's word. They will always sound foolish to you because of your carnal state. You must be born again first. Are you ready to be born again so I can guide you?

Janosky:
Where was Jesus when Jehovah interrogated Satan @ Job 1:6/Job 2:1?

LYING pastor wey no know him Bible.
Job 38:4-7, Aside Jehovah God, every other being & Jesus Christ in that heavenly meeting is a son of God.

Jesus was in the bosom of his Father. He existed before the world was. All things were made by Him and for Him.

Chapter 2 - Have a Clear Vision from God (Continued)

The Ultimate Goals of Ministries

1. Ministries Should Bring Salvation and Deliverance to Target Audience.

We have been called to reconcile men back to God. This is why Paul said that the ministry of reconciliation has been committed to our trust:
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Every ministry must set a soul winning structure. Any ministry that is not reaching out to the lost is lost. This is the word from the very lips of Reinhard Bonnke, the great evangelist of blessed memory.
And whatever office you are called to function; it should bring a message of hope, healing and deliverance and to your target audience. The difference is the mode of operations. Another scripture says:

1 Corinthians 12:6
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

What eventually makes people free is the Word of God they hear and put to work. Just as our Lord Jesus said:

John 8:32
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

In another place, the scripture says:

Proverbs 11:9
9 …through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

We must be very careful not to go into error and open the door for the devil to operate in our ministry. The fact that you can cast out devils or lay hands to the sick is not proof positive that you are called into the ministry because casting out of devils and healing the sick is a sign that should follow all believers and not only ministers:

Mark 16:17
17 And these signs shall FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.

Besides, the scripture says,

1 Corinthians 12:7
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY MAN to profit withal.

Notice the verse didn’t say that the manifestation of the gift is given exclusively to ministers of the gospel called into any of the fivefold ministry gifts. There are nine gifts of the Spirit enumerated in chapter 12 of the book of First Corinthians and any it can manifest through any child of God that is yielded to the Holy Spirit.

2. Ministries Should Feed the Flock Until They Grow to Maturity

Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesian church wrote;
Ephesians 4:11-12
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

The phrase, perfecting of the saints actually means maturing of the saints. And there is no way the saints can grow unto maturity unless they are fed with the word of God undiluted.
This is why our Lord Jesus told Peter:
John 21:15-17
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

It’s unfortunate these days that God’s word is not taught as it should be. Rather, it has been replaced with prophecies. Prophecy is of course scriptural but it should not take the place of the teaching of God’s word like it is in many denominations.
No wonder it is difficult to differentiate believers from unbelievers in society today. The church needs to go back to the basics. God’s word consistent with his provisions in Christ Jesus must be taught undiluted.

3. Ministries Should Equip the Saints to Do the Work of the Kingdom.

Using the passage quoted above which reads:


Ephesians 4:11-12
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

The church must equip the saints to do the work of the kingdom or the work of the ministry. Any ministry where the larger percentage of its members are not involved in any activity in church has failed. Often, they have only a small workforce, typically comprising less than 5% of the total membership. This is not what God has called us to do. We must put structures in place that accommodate virtually everyone who is willing to serve. This will be discussed in greater details later.

4. Ministries Should Edify the Body of Christ
Still using our last passage which reads:

Ephesians 4:11-12
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

The body of Christ is supposed to be edified through our ministry. Denominationalism has done so much damage to the body of Christ. The body of Christ is one irrespective of denomination. There are so many unhealthy competitions among ministers and ministries today that shouldn’t be.
Instead of helping one another to grow, we fight one another and even exchange words in the public. We are too self centred. It is very rare to see a minister from one denomination reaching out to another fellow minister or ministry having one challenge or the other. Rather, they mock such ministers behind the scenes.
The church of Christ needs to repent and begin to walk in love. We may have differences in some of our doctrines but such differences shouldn’t make us forget that we are one body in Christ.
This brings us to the next point.

5. Ministries Should Bring the Body of Christ to the Unity of Faith

Let’s look at the complete passage of Apostle Paul’s letter concerning the purpose of the five-fold ministry:

Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 TILL WE ALL COME IN THE UNITY OF THE FAITH, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.
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.

The unity faith Paul talks about is what we believe in. Today, we have different beliefs on many subjects. But, I believe over time, we will gradually come to agreement on our belief on cardinal doctrines. And it will take the teaching ministry to bring us to this unity of faith.
There are lots more purposes that space will not permit us to add here. But I believe the ones we have discussed should inspire us to retrace our footsteps wherever we have missed it and together bring glory and honour to the name of our Lord as we carry out the work of the ministry committed to our trust.

The Place of Confirmation

When you are truly called by God, you receive confirmation at least twice from other ministers that God will bring you in contact with. The scripture says; “… that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” (Matthew 18:16).

Like I mentioned earlier, don’t feel called because you heard so and so person told you that you are called. God can however use them to confirm your calling. The ministry of Jesus was first confirmed by John the Baptist:
John 1:29-34
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 AND I SAW, AND BARE RECORD THAT THIS IS THE SON OF GOD.

God himself confirmed that Jesus is indeed his Son and the Saviour of the world on two occasions:

Matthew 3:16-17
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.

The second occasion was in the Mount of Transfiguration:

Matthew 17:5
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

The ministry of Apostle Paul and Barabbas was also confirmed:

Acts 13:1-2
1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work WHEREUNTO I HAVE CALLED THEM.

Notice the phrase, ‘whereunto I have called them’. It means they were already called. They didn’t feel called because the prophets and teachers who gathered on that day told them they were called.
So, don’t go into ministry feeling called because one Prophet told you that you were called. Hear from God personally and be fully persuaded beyond reasonable doubt that you are indeed called into the ministry. That conviction will serve as your anchor when the storms of life blow hard against your ministry. Yes, the storms will definitely come. But in all trials and temptations you are faced with, God will cause you to triumph through Christ Jesus and his name alone will be glorified.

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Chapter 2 - Have a Clear Vision from God (Continued.)

Difference between Vision and Ambition

An ambition is a desire to do something. And when it is related to ministry, it’s a desire to do something for God. It has nothing to do with God’s calling. But vision on the other hand is God asking you to do something for him which may not even be part of your desire in life.

Ambitions could be motivated by selfish gains. This is why you see so many people involved in ministry who have no business being in ministry. So, they get involved in all kinds of fetish work to ensure they make money out of it.

So, don’t go into full time ministry because of an ambition. Such ambition will not stand the test of time when it comes. There are however some good ambitions like desiring the office of a Bishop. A Bishop in the Bible days is like a lay Pastor appointed to oversee a church. He does not necessarily have to be called. But he does his pastoring under the authority of one who is called. So, you can desire the office of a Bishop or a lay Pastor. Hence, Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Timothy 3:1
1 …If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

However, the usage of the word Bishop has taking a different meaning in the present day church.
Other Facts about Your Visions

1. Your Vision Must Be Specific

The Vision you receive from God must be specific. Every ministry has its vision and the vision defines your calling. Apostle Peter was called to reach out to the Jews while Apostle Paul’s ministry was to the Gentiles. Hence, Paul wrote;

Galatians 2:8
8 For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.

A few attempts by Apostle Paul to reach out to the Jews failed and it almost cut short his ministry. You must locate your place in God. So, a visionary must recognize his target audience. Every ministry has its crowd. There are some people just by looking at them you can predict the ministry they belong to.

2. Visions Have Its Scope

The scope of your vision must also be known. Some visions have a limited scope while others are global. Whatever you try to do beyond the scope of your ministry will meet with frustration. For instance, a man’s calling might be just to reach out to a specific community while others are called to take the gospel to the end of the world.

3. Your Visions Determines The Kind Of Messages You Focus On.

God has not called anyone to preach the whole Bible. Kenneth Hagin who has passed on to glory said God called him to go and teach his people the message of faith. Others are called to major on prosperity. It does not however imply that you cannot talk about any other subject but your central message will still be consistent with the vision you received.

4. Your Vision for Ministry Must Fit Into One of the Five-Fold Ministry Gifts

It is also important to know the kind of ministry gift bestowed on you. And your calling must fit into one of the five-fold ministry gifts. Are you called to be an Apostle or a Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor or a Teacher? A lot of God’s ministers lay claims on titles when they do not even know what the titles represent. Know your ministry gift and abide in it.

I have seen people who claim to be Apostles but don’t even have a single church they have planted or even oversee. Such people were there even in the Bible days. Hence, our Lord Jesus in one of his letter to the churches in Asia Minor said:

Revelation 2:2
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.

5. Your Vision or Calling Is Backed Up With Spiritual Gifts

A Prophet for instance must have at least two of the revelation gifts at work in his ministry. The revelation gifts are; the word of wisdom, word of knowledge and discernment of spirit.
If you are called into the apostolic office, there are gifts of the spirit given to you to back you up. The Apostolic office is often backed up with great signs and wonders. And the result is large followership which often gives birth to several churches.
An evangelist must have the gifts of healings operating in his ministry. A pastor must be able to teach as also have some of the gifts of the Spirit operating in his ministry.

6. Visions Expands Over Time

Most of the time, you will not get a complete vision of what God wants you to do. But as you take a step of faith, you will begin to see the bigger picture over time.

This is evident in the story of some of our Mega churches today. They started small but as their ministry grew, other aspects of visions that weren't there at the beginning began to show up. For instance, a ministry might see the need to have a healing school which was not there at the beginning. To others, it could be having a Bible School to prepare people for ministry.

Just be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as you carry out what God has called you to do. Don’t copy what others are doing even if it’s working for them. Learn to hear from God and do only that which he has instructed you to do. You will labour in vain if you do your own thing. Just as the Psalmist wrote:

Psalms 127:1
1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Chapter 2 - Have a Clear Vision from God

The scripture says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18). The Bible in Basic English puts it this way; “Where there is no vision, the people are uncontrolled….” Every ministry must have a clear vision so that those who join will know the direction the ministry is headed for and channel their energies in that direction. Vision is the propelling force that will determine the actions you take. When you have a clear vision from God, you are guaranteed a divine backing. The scripture reads;


Psalms 127:1
1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

What is Vision?
Vision is receiving instruction from God on what you should be doing and the direction you should be heading. It has nothing to do with personal agenda. You cannot be guaranteed a divine backing if you decide to start a ministry based on ambition. However, when a person clearly hears from God, that conviction of his calling will be the anchor of hope in the face of contrary wind. Therefore, vision is the foundation upon which Church growth is laid. It is therefore vain to attempt to take the steps outlined in this book if you don’t have a vision from God to go into ministry.
Vision can also be defined as an inner picture of something God wants you to do for him or achieve. And the fire keeps burning inside of you as you ponder on it.
However, it is much easier to receive visions from God about your calling when you are filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus Prophet Joel wrote;
Joel 2:28
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.

This is why every child of God desiring to serve God must be filled with the Holy Spirit. The church should ensure that the Holy Spirit is ministered to new converts and members not yet filled from time to time.

How Visions for Your Calling Comes

1. By an Impression in Your Spirit.
A child of God is led primarily by the Holy Spirit. Hence, the scripture says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14).
When you have a calling from God, it begins by an impression in your spirit. You may not get a very clear picture yet. But, you just know that the Lord is calling you into ministry. And the more you think about it, the more push you have on the inside that you have a calling. The impression ignites a fire in you that stirs you up to action. This impression is also known as an inward witness.
You should be the first person to know that you are called. Don’t feel called into ministry because someone told you. God however uses people to confirm your calling over time.

2. Through A Still Small Voice
There are also instances that the Holy Spirit speaks to us through a still small voice. so, you can also receive your calling that way. However, not every voice you hear within you is from God. You have to judge what you hear by the word of God. The scripture says;

1 John 5:7
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: AND THESE THREE ARE ONE.

It is much easier for those who listen or anticipate that God will speak to them to hear that still small voice. Most people are often too in a hurry to leave God’s presence. Train your human spirit to hear God speak to you through meditations and practicing God’s word.

3. Through the Holy Spirit Speaking to You Audibly.
This is not the same as a still small voice. This time, the Holy Spirit speaks to you as though he is standing by God. This experience was what little boy Samuel had when he was just three years old. He heard an audible voice and thought it was Priest Eli that called him. He went to the priest thrice before Eli perceived that it was God calling him. And he counseled him thus;

1 Samuel 3:9
9 …Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

You don’t however request that God must speak to you that way. It is not scriptural. If you do, you will open up the door for the devil and the end could be disastrous.

4. Through Divine Encounter
Visions that come from a divine encounter are uncommon, but they do occur. You must not have a divine encounter to know that you are called. An example of someone who had a divine encounter was Apostle Paul. He was persecuting the church when he had the encounter. The scripture says;

Acts 9:1-6
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, AND IT SHALL BE TOLD THEE WHAT THOU MUST DO.
Apostle Paul immediately obeyed and he was later given details by the Lord Jesus himself. On one occasion, when he was arrested and was given the opportunity to make his defense, he said;

Acts 26:19
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.

This encounter which came in the form of an open vision was the anchor of Paul’s life in the midst of the persecutions and trials he faced while fulfilling his calling.

5. Through Dreams
God still speaks to us through dreams though it is not the primary way he does in the New Testament. Receiving visions through dreams helps to confirm your calling and strengthen you to step out in faith. And if the dream is a message from God concerning your calling, it is likely to repeat itself in different forms.
Joseph in the Old Testament dreamt twice about the lofty height God planned for him when he was very young. His brothers persecuted him for the dreams but the scripture said that his father kept it in his heart. And through strange circumstances, the dream came to fulfillment even bigger than what he thought.

6. Open Visions
Open visions occur when you see into the realm of the spirit and your physical senses are not suspended. This is the kind of vision Apostle Paul had in the divine encounter discussed above.
Ananias received a vision from the Lord concerning Paul though it was not certain if it was an open vision or just a trance. We will take it for granted that it was an open vision since the scripture never said he was in a trance. The narration of the vision goes thus;

Acts 9:10-16
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

After Ananias obeyed, we didn’t hear much about him again. That was probably one of the major assignments he was called to fulfill.
Kenneth Hagin of blessed memory had narrated the encounter he had with Jesus in an open vision. Though he was already in ministry before he had those visions, the vision gave him clarity as to what he has been called to do.
You don’t have to pray for God to speak to you through visions. It is not scriptural. He will if he chooses to but you are not supposed to request to see visions. A child of God who is filled with the Holy Spirit will naturally see visions from time to time. Hence Apostle Paul wrote:

2 Corinthians 12:1
1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

7. Trances
Trances are another kind of vision but this time, your physical senses are suspended. You are no longer conscious of your environment. Trances are not the primary way God calls his children but he does give us specific directions through it. And it can further confirm what God has called you to do.
Apostle Peter received a trance which got him wondering at the initial point. The scripture said:
Acts 10:9-20
9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,
18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

The trance marked a major turning point in the history of the early church as they understood through it that God had accepted the Gentiles to be a part of his family.

Click the link below and place an order for your copy:
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#Churchgrowth
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To be continued

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Church growth is never accidental. It is planned for. Church Growth like success is not an event, it is a process. It is not a destination; it is a journey. Every journey begins with a step. One additional step in the right direction will bring you closer to your destination.

It is important to note at this point that the church is not just an organization. It is a living organism. As such, it is ordained to grow in just the way every living organism grows.

The word church was translated from the Greek word, ekklesia, which means an assembly of believers in Christ both those in heaven and on earth. It is a body of believers called out of the world.

It is also important to mention here that the church is not the physical building even though it requires a physical building to congregate. There is one universal church irrespective of denominations. And Jesus is the head of this universal church. Just as the scripture says;

Ephesians 4:4-5
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

Our Lord Jesus made a divine proclamation concerning his church after Peter by the Spirit of God said that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. Hear what he said;

Matthew 16:18
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Though Peter also means rock, the rock Jesus was referring to here is not Peter. It is the revelation that came from the mouth of Peter that our Lord Jesus called rock. Put in another way, the church is built upon the revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

The church is ordained to overcome every evil works of darkness that attempts to frustrate its advancement. This is why our Lord Jesus said that the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

If you want to experience growth in your church ministry, you must first understand the primary goal of the church which is to reconcile men back to God. You must also know that growth will not happen in your own might or power. You have to completely lean on his power and grace to make things happen. There are of course things you must do and strategies you must put in place but the bottom line is that God must be in the centre of it all.

No matter the opposition you face in ministry, if you apply the steps outlined in this book, the growth of your church or ministry will happen without struggle. We all certainly will not grow at the same rate, but we all should experience meaningful growth from time to time.

This book is not designed for existing churches or ministries only. The principles outlined in it will also work for those starting a fresh work.
It is my earnest prayer that the diligent application of the steps contained in this book will result in consistent and continuous growth of your ministry even beyond your wildest dreams and imaginations in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

33 Steps to Consistent Church Growth is a powerful, practical, and biblically rooted guide for church leaders who desire to build vibrant, thriving ministries that align with God's vision. With a step-by-step framework, this book equips leaders with actionable strategies to achieve sustainable growth while maintaining their spiritual integrity. Key highlights include:

Vision and Preparation: Start by receiving a clear vision from God (Chapter 2) and laying a solid foundation through thorough preparation (Chapter 3)

Strategic Foundations: Learn the importance of faith, choosing the right location, and assembling a competent team (Chapters 4-6).

Effective Systems: Establish essential organizational structures, including soul-winning strategies, follow-up systems, home cells, and financial management (Chapters 7-12).

Planning and Execution: Master goal-setting, strategic planning, and implementing high standards for ministry operations (Chapters 13-15).

Outreach and Engagement: Embrace effective publicity, fervent prayer, and innovative outreach programs to connect with your community (Chapters 16-18).

Empowering the Church: Prioritize teaching the Word, empowering members through the Holy Spirit, and fostering a culture of love and trust (Chapters 19-25).

Leadership Development: Build strong leadership through training, delegation, mentoring, and motivating your team (Chapters 26-32).

Sustainability and Growth: Conduct regular appraisals, restructure when needed, and reward efforts to ensure continuous growth (Chapters 33-35).

Transform your church into a dynamic, Spirit-led ministry that impacts lives and glorifies God. 33 Steps to Consistent Church Growth provides the roadmap you need to achieve this.

Start your journey to consistent growth today—get your copy now and take the next step toward fulfilling God’s vision for your ministry!

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

immaculatesense:
Ken
1. I don't have issues with any denomination. If we hold everything against ourselves, we will all be guilty. What matters to me is not what a person professes or confesses but the life the person lives. That's all.
2. I am a strong believer of Jesus and a full fledge Christian, but I do not believe that everyone who do not believe in Jesus will go into the lake of fire.
A. We have people who have never heard about Jesus. How will God judge them.
B. We have people who believe in Jesus but they live a wicked life. How will God judge them.
C. If God judges every man by what they believe and not what they do, how will that be a fair judgement from a just God.
D. When the rich young man asked Jesus what he can do to be saved. Why didn't Jesus say, believe in me? Why did he say, keep the law. But when the rich man justified himself, thought Jesus was happy with him, but the response of Jesus was that if the rich man wants to be PERFECT, then he should follow him.
D. From the conversation of the young rich man and Jesus, I can deduce that living right place a role in eternal life while faith in Christ brings a perfect life that is worthy of being a leader and ruler in the world to come.
E. My submission. In the world to come, every good man from every tribe and religion of good intent will be there, while believers in Christ will reign and rule in leadership over them in a way that everyone will know and accept that God is a just God.

You may disagree, and if you do, you are right. But I do not agree that everyone who is not a Christian will go to the lake of fire.

Thanks.

You just wrote your opinion and not scriptures.

The scripture addresses those who have never heard about Christ. God will judge them according to the natural law placed in their conscience.

But those who hear and do not believe will be dawned. Jesus said so. The Apostles affirmed it.

Those who believe and commit sins without repenting will also be damned.

JW is not a denomination. It's an organisation set up to oppose the truth of God's word.

immaculatesense:
Ken
Smile. None of the two of you is going to the lake of fire. I don't think anyone of you is wicked enough to be there. I know we have our lapses and our differences but to be cast into the lake of fire, it is for those who totally belong to the devil and I don't think any of you have that lifestyle that can be termed devilish in Bible context.
See Ken. Bible interpretation problems is something that has been in existence since that time of the Pharisees and Sadducees (on resurrection), even among the Apostles (salvation, faith, the Gentiles etc). They will not end until the coming of our Lord.
The confusion arises from three things and it will be difficult to come to an agreement on what this three things means.
1. Eternal which literally means forever.
2. Torment which literally means excruciating pain
3. Death which literally means to still living or existing.

All the three above have been interpreted in different ways.
1. Some believe that the eternal torment is a state of pain, punishment for all ages unending. And this group also interpret second death as a permanent departure from the grace and mercy of God. This group using the Parable of Lazarus and the rich man as their major argument. (I believe you belong to this group).
2. Some others believe that death means to cease to live or exist or to go into extinction,which means they can't feel nor experience anything. They also believe that the use of eternal does not mean forever but for an age. Thereby interpreting eternal torment to be a temporary state of eternal regrets (probably of the live they had live and the judgement being passed on them)before they finally go into extinction. This group uses Romans 6:7 as there argument.(I believe Max holds this view).

WHAT DO I BELIEVE?
I believe either way may be right. Both can be backed by scriptures. So therefore, since I live my life through the grace of God, I do not need to bother about the state of the wicked. Whether or not they will suffer forever or they will cease to exist. It doesn't matter to me since my portion won't be with them because I will be living forever with Christ.
So, when people ask me. I just present the two views to them and tell them that none of the two is good or preferred to the other, why not choose eternal life.

Thanks.

I don't agree with you on who is cast into the Lake of fire or not. The scripture is very clear on the subject of eternal destiny. It's not about how wicked one is. So many good people are in hell and many more will go to hell. And so many so called wicked people made heaven and many more will make heaven if they embrace the grace of our Lord Jesus that brings salvation.

First, I don’t think you know much about the doctrines of JW which Max is heralding. They are anti Christ. They are not Christians. They oppose every truth of God's word and derail people away from the path of salvation. Let me give you a few example:

1. They don't believe Jesus rose from the dead bodily which the scripture clearly teaches. They assert in an earlier publication that God melted his body with chemical that it disappeared. In their recent publication, they said that God took the body.
2. They don't believe that salvation is obtained by grace alone. They emphasise work.
3. They don't believe that Jesus is God. They call Jesus a god and an angel.
4. They don't believe that the Holy Spirit is a person. They call him a force or wind.
7. They don't believe Jesus is coming back to rapture the church. They said he already came back 1914.
8. They don't believe every believer in Christ will go to heaven. They teach that only 144,000 is destined for heaven.

I could go on and on.

Concerning the subject of Lake of fire or hell, I repeat; it's not about how wicked you are. Anyone who rejects Jesus as Lord and Saviour will be cast there.

Our Lord Jesus said that those who don't believe in him are already condemned- John 3:18.

Max is an agent of darkness; teaching doctrines of devils. I have been studying the doctrines of Jehovah Witness for about 40 years now. They are a false religious cult.