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(More customer reviews)Pastors tend to follow church growth fads. We are always on a lookout on what is new in church world. We get updates on churches that grew and try to follow the thing s they did. Unfortunately we end up with the same number.
Pastor Steve's book is not for pastors who are looking for fads to growth. It is clear through the experience of Victory that growth doesn't happen overnight. It takes deliberate effort to be focus on what God has called the church to do: HONOR GOD AND MAKE DISCIPLES.
Since the new Testament times, Jesus has instructed the church to make disciples. His last words was for us to go into the whole earth to make disciples.
Classic books like The Masterplan of Evangelism trumpets the same message. Seminary students reads it, pastors have access to the book but it seems few follow the biblical principles to church growth (quality and quantity)
Now this new book by Pastor Steve trumpets the SAME OLD MESSAGE - MAKE DISCIPLES. Every church planter, pastor (the established and the clueless) should get this book. Pastors planning to jump start a discipleship based church - this is a must read.
It chronicles the story of Pastor Steve's call to plant a church in the Philippines. The growth of the Victory Philippines as a movement and why it continues to grow. The book is easy to read, practical and engaging. As I read the book, I could imagine Pastor Steve as a coach for young pastors like me. He comes out of the pages of the book. It is like having coffee with the author without actually having coffee with him. The practicality of this book might let you scratch your head and say "Why am I not doing this?" numerous times.
The chapter that spoke volumes to me was about leading with the next generation. It gives me a greater appreciation of the culture that Pastor Steve has built in Victory. I pray that I will be secure as a leader to get out of the way when the time comes somebody else is leading the church.
What I got out from this book is priceless. A renewed vision and passion to make disciples. I have seen some things I need to adjust as a pastor and as a leader. I am excited to start making disciples and raising up new leaders.
Click Here to see more reviews about: WikiChurch: Making discipleship engaging, empowering, and viral
Most Christians agree that discipleship is important, even essential for Christian maturity; few understand biblical principles and even fewer apply a biblical process when it comes to discipleship. Discipleship isn't complicated, but it can at times be difficult. The difficulty lies in applying the following four principles to your specific context. Simply put, here's how anyone—young or old, male or female, pastor or entrepreneur—can make disciples.
1. Engage culture and community—When Jesus told His original twelve to go and make disciples, they did not interpret His command to mean, "Find people who are already following Me and help them become better followers." They interpreted His "great commission" to mean that they should go and find people who were not yet followers and help them know and follow Jesus. The starting line of the disciple-making process must be evangelism that engages both our community and culture.
2. Establish spiritual foundations—If we want our disciples to survive the storms of life, we must help them establish strong biblical foundations.
3. Equip believers to minister—The biblical job description for professional ministers is to equip the "non-pros" for ministry, then get out of their way.
4. Empower disciples to make disciples—Jesus expected all of His original disciples to make disciples. He empowered them, knowing they would make mistakes. Because Jesus expects all His disciples to make disciples, we must not only equip them, but we must also empower them.
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