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Discipleship and Intimacy with God

A Practical Workshop Outline

Neil and Dana Gamble

Father’s Hand Ministries

102 NE Colton Ln, Roseburg, Or. USA 97470

541-440-6532

ngamble07@yahoo.com

www.fathershand.net

Neil and Dana Gamble have had a remarkable ministry in many countries bringing believers, including leaders, into a more intimate relationship with God. Their view of discipling is urgently needed, to correct the common error of teaching abstract doctrine without bringing disciples into life-changing, intimate relationship with God. They do not neglect biblical teaching but balance it with an intimacy with God that is born of the Holy Spirit.

George Patterson

Definitions

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” Matt. 28:18-20

We are to go and make disciples like Jesus says, teaching them to obey all of His commands, the greatest of which is to love God. So, first of all, God wants people to be restored to fellowship with Him. That is why Jesus died, to restore us to a place of intimacy with the Father. We err if we train people for ministry without bringing them into intimacy with God first. Jesus’ ministry flows from intimacy with the Father; all that He has done was done as a result of this intimacy.

People hear differently according to the positions they inhabit in a relationship. What and how you hear depends on where you hear from (the position you have with the one you are listening to). Let us apply this to listening during prayer.

God is about intimacy. All discipleship must lead toward this. Discipleship should bring people into a place of understanding their relationship with God the Father, show them who they are in Christ, and lead them into close fellowship with Holy Spirit. We tend to disciple people to enable them to do ministry and be a believer, but without bringing them into a close covenant relationship with our Creator. Our discipleship should help people to understand that they are sons and daughters of God, with the corresponding responsibilities. This workshop outline focuses on intimate love, and on hearing from the Father and our Lord through the Holy Spirit. We want all leaders and believers to gain understanding of this relationship and to pass it on to others. Our ministry, our witness for Christ and our discipleship should all stem from our intimate relationship with God and be the result of knowing Him. This will bring an even better understanding of God’s Word.

Lord, teach us to love you and your people the way all need to be loved, not the way we desire to love.

Love (God’s Love) in the Greek = agape and means to love dearly, a giving love that shows compassion for others’ need. It has the power to change that which cannot be changed. It is a miraculous intervention into the lives of people by God. The Greek word agape that Jesus used may have originated in the Hebrew word agab (aw-gab'), a primitive root; meaning to breathe after, that is, to love sensually or dote, also to breathe against, as during an intimate kiss of passion, mouth to mouth, as when God breathed into man the breath of life and man became a living soul, Gen. 2:7. Jesus also breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John in John 20:22). We were created in intimacy, lost it, but have been restored to intimacy through Jesus sacrifice. Intimacy requires honor, obedience, and sacrifice.

“Know” is another word that describes the Lord’s feelings about us. We are to know Him and be known by Him (Matt. 7:23 and Luke 13:27). To “know” in Scripture means not only to learn about something, but to experience it, to come to know intimately. To “know” was the Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman. These biblical definitions reveal that we are to have a close relationship to the Lord. Our relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is to be an every-day experience of love, intimacy and friendship.

Discipleship Workshop Outline

In the early church the disciples had only one thing working in their favor, the Holy Spirit. They did not have the New Testament or training materials. The Lord was with them, His blood had redeemed them and Holy Spirit was upon them. This was sufficient. Let us also build on this foundation if we want to see God move today as He did then.

I. Purpose

The purpose of this workshop is discipleship. The result that we aim for is church planting. We do not aim to teach you a method or program, but simply discipleship. The objectives are to…

· Help you to find and develop leaders through discipleship, and to have a multiplying effect on the church body.

· Teach you to follow New Testament training guidelines. 2Tim.2:2

· Show you how God does the work as we honor His Word. Jn.14:15; 15:14; Mt.24:35

· Demonstrate how discipleship done in Jesus’ way results in church growth and willing obedience to His commands.

· Use the Bible as our only standard and tool. It will be the foundation.

· Throughout this training you will find that intimacy and hearing the voice of God are essential ingredients in all that we do.

II Overview

We will explore these areas together:

· Your goals and vision

· Some church statistics.

· What does a normal church look like?

· What a New Testament church is.

· The three levels of authority for what churches do.

· Seven basic commands of Jesus.

· Choosing and making disciples.

· Choices create.

· Risk.

· Leaders and purpose.

· Your allies and enemies.

· Prayer and prayer walking.

· ‘End’ visioning (planning steps that lead to strategic results)

If time permits we can also discuss: Holy Spirit, Being sons of God, Loving one another and Giving.

What we believe to be true will not change the truth, but when we accept “the truth” it will change us. We can then start to have hope for the future.

III. What Is a Healthy Church?

What does a healthy church look like? In general, house churches(simply small interactive groups) exhibit better health than traditional churches. In house churches around the world there are:

· Few or no paid pastors

· No visible church buildings

· Severe persecution and the stigma of being a sect

· Very few bibles in the right languages

· Intensive discipleship training

· Few traditional bible colleges

In traditional Western-style churches there are:

· Mostly paid pastors

· Visible church buildings

· Little persecution

· Abundant Bibles available

· Little or no discipleship training.

· Many Bible colleges

Southern Baptist researchers say that 85% of all new churches world wide from 1990-2000 started with a miracle of God. Victor Choudhrie (house church leader) says that 95% is his experience in India. The house church movement is the fastest growing movement in the world and it is powered by the Holy Spirit. Miracles and obedience are integral parts. Discipleship is the norm.

The only church that will stand in the end is one with “no compromise” stamped in the people’s heart. It is the one that embraces a true prophetic word, and where people are willing to die to obey Jesus’ commands and see His will done on earth.

More statistics:

· Evangelical church buildings are used by a congregation on the average two days a week, sometimes only 4-5 hours’ total time.(what kind of business is only opened 4-5 hours a week?)

· Mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples are open 7 days a week for at least 10-12 hours a day.

· House churches, being ‘homes” can be God’s “houses of prayer” open seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

IV. New Testament Church

Definition of church: The people of God, believers who gather together.

Purpose of church: To multiply and spread Jesus’ mercy.(to seek and save the lost, and to destroy the works of the enemy)

Essentials of church:

· Prayer.

· Evangelism.

· Discipleship.

· Fellowship.

· Worship.

· Giving

God calls church members to…

· Be ambassadors of Christ’s kingdom. We are to take what is His and bring it to bear on earth.

· Not to simply exist but to be co-creators with Him, completing His work.

Moses told the Lord that unless He went up with the Israelites to the Promised Land, that they would be no different from the pagans who were all ready there: “Then he said to Him, ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth’.” (Exodus 33:15-16)

Similarly, Jesus promised His disciples that He would send them ‘power from on high’ (the Holy Spirit, Luke. 24:49). We must have His Presence with us to make a difference.

Characteristics of the meetings of the first New Testament church (Acts 2:41-47):

· Instruction, 2:42

· Fellowship, 2:42

· Breaking bread, 2:42

· Praying as a body, 2:42; 4:29-31

· Worship, 2:47, Jn4:24

· Effective outreach, signs and wonders, 2:43,47

· Agreement, 2:44-47

· Mutual assistance and giving, 2:44 (Phil.2:1-4)

New Testament No buildings	Traditional churches Buildings and costly maintenance
Anyone can lead	Clergy lead, division between clergy and laymen
Intimacy	Superficial relations between most members
Accountability to disciple makers	Little if any accountability
Main goal = discipleship	Main goal = membership
All share	Few share
Go to ‘church’	Be church, come to our house
Visible, and invisible when circumstances favor secrecy	Very visible, subject to government control
Everyone has the same ministry focus	Not focused
Healing, signs and wonders are common	Little healing, few signs and wonders

V. Three Levels of Authority

1) New Testament commands (Matt.22:37-39, 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; Jn.14:15, 15:14)

· We obey these commands without question or voting.

· We never hinder or needlessly delay obedience to them by exerting control.

· Not understanding Jesus’ commands should not keep us from obeying them.

2) New Testament practices that were not commanded (ways in which disciples showed obedience).

· Examples include baptizing immediately (Acts 2:41) and procedures of fellowship (1 Cor.14:26-40).

· We should follow these principles when possible. They are the methods the disciples used to keep Jesus’ commands, but they are not commands.

· We must not prohibit creativity or force people to follow “these or our” practices because only Christ has the authority to make laws for His church.

3) Ethnic customs or traditions with no New Testament basis:

· Many traditions are fine. We need established customs, such as when and where to gather; they establish who we are ethnically and socially and enable us to maintain order and to work in agreement.

· We need to nullify established church traditions or customs if they delay, hinder or replace obedience to God’s commands.

Church traditions need to be examined against Jesus’ commands. Religious customs or traditions can become gods to the crowd, and not a one of us can completely avoid homage to this idol in one way or other.

Discuss which of the three levels of authority the following activities fit.

· Baptism.

· Baptizing immediately.

· The Lords Supper.

· Requiring that only ordained clergy officiate the sacrament.

· Only one man doing all the teaching.

· Praying with our eyes closed.

· Having a more ornate church building than other religions have.

VI. Basic Commands of Jesus

We do and teach these commands out of our love for Him. See John14:15 and 15:14.

These seven commands are general and elementary, they should receive first priority (compare them to Paul’s elementary principles of Christ Heb.5:12—6:1-2).

Repent, believe and receive the Holy Spirit (be saved) (Mark.1:15, Jn.3:15-17
Be baptized (Matt. 28:18-20)
Make disciples who receive the Spirit of Power with signs following (Mark16:15-18, Lu.24:49, Acts 1:4)
Celebrate the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26-28, 1 Cor. 11:23)
Love God, neighbors, brothers, and enemies with supernatural agape love. (Luke10:25-37, John13:34-35, Matt.18:21-35)
Pray (John16:24, Luke18:1, Luke. 21:36, Matt.7:7)
Give (Luke 6:38, Luke 16:10-13)

Go and Make disciples (Matt. 28:18-20, 2 Tim. 2:2) is one of the commands of Jesus after He rose from the dead. We use, do, and teach His seven basic commands as we fulfill this “Go” command.

Excuses are never valid reasons for neglect of duty. God’s servants must be available to Him for supernatural service, because the Gospel is a demonstration of Spirit and Power (Lu. 4:18, Mark 16:15-18; 1 Cor. 2:4, 4:19-20).

In traditional churches a few people do all the work. Pastors and elders do what God meant for the whole congregation to do. Discipleship sees the abilities of others and empowers them. Pastors and elders should be serving the others so “the others” can do the work of the ministry of Christ. Discipleship releases the resources you have into usefulness and obedience to do Christ’s ministry..

God is seeking world-changing Christians, not leaders who control others.

VII. Choosing and making Disciples.

Who would you disciple? What are the requirements to be a disciple? We are to judge by the Spirit not the flesh. What are some of the attributes that you would want in a disciple? Honesty? Integrity? Faithfulness? Loyalty? Substantial education? Good work ethics? Should they have the attributes of an elder?’

How do Jesus’ disciples fit the requirements you have for a disciple?

· Peter (Matt. 4:18-20, Mark 1:16-20, Lk.5:1-9). Peter was not stable, nor was he honest nor did he remain loyal.

· John (Matt. 4:21-22, Mark1:19-20, Lk.5:10-11). John was one of the “sons of thunder.” He was the only one that wrote saying, “he is God’s favorite”. He did not remain loyal. Peter and John are both shown to be uneducated men in the book of Acts.

· Nathaniel (John 1:44-51). Nathanial put down Nazareth and said that nothing good could come from there—he was bigoted. Also he was lying under a fig tree during the work day—he was lazy. He also deserted Jesus

· Matthew (Matt. 9:9-11). Tax collector, thief, crook, sinner. Even with His experience Jesus did not give him the money to handle.

· Judas. The betrayer, Jesus knows this before He chose Him. Why would anybody choose someone who will betray to be killed, to be a disciple? Judas was given all that the rest of the twelve were given. Why?

How and why did Jesus select His disciples? Jesus did only what the Father told Him to do. Jesus did not choose them, the Father did. Jesus simply obeyed and trusted.

Only God can show you whom to disciple. He has the plan. He is looking for a few Godly men, not just good men. (see 1 Cor. 1:26-29). Look to Jesus. He did not happen by accident to find His disciples nor the way that He trained them. His Father guided Him (John.8:28-30). Jesus knew what He wanted them to be before He began (Jn.17:20-23).

What is the fruit of an orange tree? When is an orange tree truly fruitful, from a biblical viewpoint? The fruit with its seed is only a part of the tree. The true fruit is another tree that grows from the seed. Anyone can count the seeds in an apple or orange, but only God can count the apples or oranges in a seed.

You cannot birth what you are not. Make disciples the way Jesus did, by helping them to know and be like Him, to love Him enough to joyfully obey His commands before all else, doing the Father’s will. You must walk the path you want them to walk.

· Jesus started with obedience, John 14:15.

· Jesus had His disciples do what they knew. Jn. 4:1-2

· He empowered them, Mark 3:13.

· He asked them questions that touched their hearts, and then answered the questions in their hearts. Mark 9:33.

· He provoked them to ask questions about things He did that they could not seem to do and then answered their questions, Mark.9:28, Luke 8:9.

· He let them experience the miraculous and did miracles with them, Matt.14:13-21. Jesus only blessed the bread, they saw it multiply in their hands and were able to feed the multitudes.

· He sent them out, without accompanying them, to use what He had empowered them to do, Luke 9:1-2. After they worked with him for a while, then he let them work by themselves for a short period.

· He empowered the ones whom they were discipling. Luke10:1. The 70 whom Jesus sent out never had any intimate time with Jesus that is recorded, the disciples had to be sharing with them, while Jesus slept or was doing other things. Either that, or they were new disciples and He gave them power at the beginning, trusting them with no intimate training to do what the twelve close disciples had been trained to do.

· Finally, Jesus left His disciples physically, Luke 24:51. He gave them the responsibility to complete what He had begun. The disciples had all failed Him, left Him and abandoned what they had learned. Jesus went, found them and gave them the Kingdom. He did not start over with new people nor did He force them out of His church because of their failures. He empowered them again and let them take over the leadership of the movement that He started. They were not cast out or stripped of their authority like we would have done if someone deserted us.

Jesus’ discipleship brought the disciples to a new place in their relationship with Him. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” John15:15

Jesus brought His disciples to a place of oneness (Jn.17:20-23) and called them ‘friends.’ The discipleship process became one of interaction among friends, and was no longer that of a master over servants. He made them into a family!

· Take time to follow Jesus through Scripture as He called his disciples and led them.

· Look at what the disciples did.

· Look at Jesus’ attitude and goals for them, and how He continually exhorted them to be like Him.

· See how discipline and the need of obedience were brought into their lives not by control but as they walked and did things with Jesus.

· Find out how Jesus made disciples.

MODEL, ASSIST, WATCH, LEAVE

A good trainer is a disciple-maker who does not teach his students what they can learn for themselves. Trainees learn more when they think that they discover answers by their own efforts.

What are you really teaching your disciples? What they do is really what you have taught them, no matter what you have said. If believers are simply sitting, it is because we have taught in some way that being idle is acceptable. About 85% of all Christian believers are sitting, not serving. If this is the case in your church, with those you have taught, you must truthfully confess that the believers are idle because that is what you have taught them, in spite of what you may have spoken with your lips.

Discover Jesus’ and Paul’s model for discipling in these passages:

· Luke 10.

· Mark chapters 5 & 6 shows Jesus’ example of not being worried about the outcome of obedience (Jesus went, miraculously healed the man who was tormented by the ‘Legion,’ was rejected, left, came back later and saw the harvest. He did not fight or try to force the people to believe.)

· Matthew 28:18-20

· 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:5

Facts about good discipling:

· If you have no passion, then neither will the people who follow you. Passion is contagious. God does exhibit emotions; so should we.

· Discipling requires that we listen more to people and to the Spirit, before we teach.

· If you are not doing what you teach, then neither will your followers. Your teaching method and example will make them controllers or liberators, tyrants or servants.

· Training is designed for the disciple’s need, not to promote our plans. Our interests and schedule of training should never be made more important than their needs.

· New churches and leaders need different training from mature ones. Once people are walking the walk, then teaching can change and use different formats, but discipleship can never stop!

· Discipling is meant to reproduce. Start with simple methods, training so that those whom you train can reproduce it as they train others. This is not just learning with the mind but doing the work. Emphasize intimacy with Christ, doing the work with Him.

Nuts and Bolts

Discipleship training or mentoring must be motivated by love, obedience-oriented and both natural and supernatural. It must…

· Be deliberate.

· Be empowering.

· Set people free to follow Jesus, without restrictive, man-made rules

· Be oriented to the each person’s literacy level.

· Be based on the examples of the New Testament.

· Be bathed in intimate prayer that hears from the Lord, not superficial, religious words that sound like prayer.

· Reproduce after its own kind (orange trees reproduce orange trees; good disciples reproduce good disciples).

· Be passionate and filled with love. Passion is contagious, and love never fails.

How many of people in your society died today with out hearing about Jesus?

VIII. Choices Create

God is not the only one who creates—He gave us the power to make creative choices. Our choices create.

God remains the same, creation continues to grow and change.

Fear of change is a fear of the future.

· We make choices and the choices we make produce change.

· Our choices change our world and our options and opportunities. They can even change our eternal destination.

· Have you changed? Has your church grown because of your choice?

· A sequel to the Acts of the Apostles is still being written because God’s apostles will continue His work until Jesus returns.

· Our choices have to do with life—birth, growth, change, movement, reproduction and death.

All actions are the result of decisions or “non-decisions”—Choices!!

If we fail to make a decision out of lack of will, we have willingly surrendered our initiative and freedom, and have made a choice to let others make our choices for us.

Death is a part of life. Some things must die to let others grow. Leaves that die fertilize trees. There is a time and season for all things. How we face death depends on choices that we make.

As humans, all of our choices and actions are based on incomplete, sometimes inaccurate or even contradictory information. Risks must be taken. Risk is a vital part of making choices and of life. Risk is vital, to truly live as a Christian.

“Chance” is not a threat, but an opportunity that we must be always ready to seize and follow through. Calling something a co-incidence is simply not recognizing God in our lives.

IX. Risk
(The danger of doing things differently)

Without risk we will go nowhere and do nothing.

The definition of risk is the possibility of loss or danger, taking a chance, to expose to danger or change. Here are some suggestions and thoughts about risk:

· Risk thinks, then acts outside of the box (not according to custom), “on the edge”.

· Risk dares to go into unmapped territory, where no one has gone before.

· Persecution will be normal when you do discipling and church planting. Some persecution will come from traditional churches.

· Thinking is not acting.

· Make your church a “going” church.

· Let people make mistakes. You have! Risk your reputation for them.

· Teach the reasons for tithing and giving—not just for your need!

· Stop building temples for men to see, build the Church (the body of believers).

· Be driven by passion. It is amazing what can be done when it does not matter if you get the credit or gain from your actions.

· Network with other ministries, be the first to do something new. Explore. Initiate.

Fear stops most of what God wants us to do. Not fearing people or failure means a big risk, but In Jesus we have power to resist fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and discipline ( 2 Tim. 1:7).

X. Leaders’ Purpose
Eph.4:11-16, 1Pet.5:1-4, Josh.18:3-4

The purpose of leading the body of Christ is to:

· Equip people for ministry. (give them tools), Eph. 4:12.

· Edify people for life in Christ and in His body (build them up) by bringing them to the unity of faith, knowledge of the Son, to a perfect man. Eph. 4:13.

· Bring people to the measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 3:13-21), so that they may grow up in all things, into Him, Christ.

What is the fullness of Christ? What does it look like? Find the answers in Matt. 20: 25-28; Luke 22: 24-26 and John 13:13-17.

Leaders are to be like Jesus. Examples are David and Joseph.

Compare the likenesses and differences between the two great leaders, Moses and Jesus. What are the differences in obedience and what happened?

· . Moses was told to take the leaders of the tribes out to be in the tabernacle with God but he did not.

· Moses then had to do everything by himself and when he left to go and be with God, the people sinned. No leaders were left who had been in intimacy with God.

· Jesus put His disciples to work immediately, empowered them and brought them into intimacy with the Father and Himself.

· Jesus left His disciples to continue the building of His church and they did so. They had known Jesus intimately and thus obeyed Him fully and immediately, out of love for Him.

XI. Allies and Enemies

Enemies	Allies
The flesh, Rom.8:5-7	Jesus Name, Acts 4.12; Phil.2:9-13
The world, James 4:4; 1 Jn.2:15-17	Testimony and blood, Rev.12:11
Satan, John.10:10	Authority, Luke 10:19-20; Mark 16:17-18
Your traditions, Matt. 15:1-9	Word of God, Heb.4:12; 2 Tim. 3:15-17
Small expectations, Matt. 14:31	Faith, Matt.19:26
Following man, not God, Gal. 1:10	Following God, Matt. 4:19
Fear, 2 Tim. 1:7	Love, 1 Cor. 13:8
Pride, Prov.16:18	Humility, James 4:7
The tongue, James 3:1-12	God’s Word, Matt.12:36-37; Prov. 6:2; 12:6, 14
Gossip, James 4:11	Prayer, Eph. 6:18, James 5:16
Relying on our strength, 2 Chr. 32:8	Holy Spirit’s power, John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13

Prayer in the Christian life

It is one thing to have a name that is written in Heaven as being a man of God, but it is quite another to have your name feared in hell as being God’s man. God’s man is someone who knows who they are and who Satan is not (Satan is not able to overcome Jesus or Jesus’ disciples). Someone who prays in the powerful name of Jesus, Acts 19:15.

· Prayer is not a part of the Christian walk, it is the Christian walk. That is what Paul meant when he told us to pray without ceasing, 1 Thess. 5:17.

· Without practical, focused prayer, we will never see what we desire to see to the extent we would like to see it.

· Jesus did nothing but what the Father told Him to do; so He must have been in communion with His father constantly. Prayer is a two-way connection, not a one way conversation.

· Prayer keeps your heart open and in touch with the Father at all times.

· Prayer is not simply asking the Father what you want, but is conversation that brings us to understand the Father’s heart, to know what He wants and then to speak in agreement with that. To be truly effective in prayer or spiritual warfare, intimacy with the Father must come first: He has the answers and the authority

· Praise God for who He is, and cleanse your heart. Take your thoughts captive and bind the enemy from your prayer time. Let God search and try your heart.

· Invite the Holy Spirit to lead and talk to you in your prayer. Wait on the Lord and on His Spirit.

· Many Christians make plans without prayer, and then pray and expect God to bless those plans. Rather, strive to know the mind of God before you plan. Pray as a child of God, from position in Christ, for His desire and purpose.

XII. Prayer and Prayer Walking

Jesus did not only walk, He prayed, Luke 10:1-2; 18:1. Paul did the same, 1 Thess. 5:17.

Joshua at Jericho led the first prayer walk. Here is how to do prayer walks:

· Map the area, know the history, have God’s plan, do not simply start walking haphazardly. Num.13:1-3, 17-20, Joshua 2:1; Luke10:1-21.

· Go at least in pairs (take a younger disciple with you), Luke 10:1, Joshua 18:3-10.

· Be attentive, because Satan is stalking you, 1 Peter 5:8.

· Know how to listen while you pray and know who you are in Christ, in God’s sight.

· Be prepared—pray in groups before you go.

· Be looking for a ‘man of peace’ even as you begin. Expect God to lead! Luke 10:5-7

· If possible write down what you hear and see, everything that is impressed on you as you pray and find out if what you felt or heard is true. Add it to your map. This develops your hearing from the Lord and helps you to recognize what is of the Lord and what is not.

· Expect to see changes, bad and good, as the Spirit moves in response to the Lord and your prayers. People will get glad, mad, or sad. There will be anger and change!

See the spiritual things in (or through) the natural things around you. Wage battle, find victory in the Spirit, and see the results in the natural realm.

Information that may prove helpful for informed praying includes:

· Racial and ethnic makeup of the people

· General social and economic needs of the community as a whole

· Material of the community (roads, water, etc.)

· Common physical and material needs of the people

· Religious presence

· Names (if available) of Christian workers who serve in the area

· Possibilities of future ministry

· What spiritual activity is already under way, including opposition

· Do not underestimate the need to live in your armor, always! Eph. 6:10-18. Satan does not sleep. He will not give you the ground you desire without a battle. He is a deceiver and a liar.

· Use every piece of armor mentioned in Eph. 6:12-18.

· To deal with demonic oppression, follow Luke 10:19-20.

· Romans 8:14-17 (God’s assurance that we are His sons) should be your confidence.

· Be aware of spiritual forces sent to stop your prayer.

· Be spiritually prepared. Remember that we struggle not against flesh and blood but against demonic powers, Eph. 6:12.

· Talk and listen to God in a conversational manner.

· Use scripture in your prayer, either direct quotes or paraphrases.

· Do not feel uncomfortable during times of silence.

· Smile and be pleasant to people you meet. Pray for them.

· It is normal if prayer walking feels awkward the first few times.

· Singing is often an effective way to do spiritual warfare; worship and praise God.

· Be flexible as the Holy Spirit leads. Listen and pray, do not try to understand everything in a rationalize way that you hear and see, 1 Cor.1:18-30.

· Pray together as a team at the conclusion of the walk.

· Keep a daily journal at the conclusion of each day.

· Keep your focus—winning souls to Christ.

XIII. ‘End’ Vision

Aim for Strategic Results

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. Luke14:28-32

· Look beyond your limitations and the barriers that surround you.

· To plan your work, start at the end, envisioning the final results, and then work back toward where you are at the present.

· This is like a carpenter looking at a house plan, and then working through the each part of it. See the finished design first, then build.

· Plan easy steps toward your final goal. Each step must be obvious, simple, easy to do, and must lead directly to the next step.

Prayerfully determine to succeed before you begin:

· Know what God wants you to do. He said, “My people perish for a lack of knowledge,” Hos.4:6

· Jesus had a plan, from the foundation of the world.

· Plans must be purposeful and bathed in prayer

· Let God give you a big vision; do not put limits on what God can do through what you do.

· Some Christian workers find it helpful to make a general plan for the next three years’ work. Then they add a more detailed six-month plan with simple steps.

Obedience is victory. Jesus showed the way; we leave the results of our obedience to God the Father, but we expect His Word to stand. The church and discipleship are Jesus’ vision. He has determined the purpose. We simply obey.

The process of ‘end vision’ has four simple steps.

1) Consider what your vision or goal will look like when it is fulfilled.

2) Consider what steps you will take to get there.

3) Make your plans by thinking backwards step-by-step, starting with your final goal, and seeing what must happen prior to it to prepare for it. Keep thinking backwards until you arrive at your present position.

4) Work forward through each step, modifying your plans when you discover conditions different from what you foresaw.

Large projects require a large vision, with many complicated steps toward your goals. End vision, or planning backward, is the most effective way to plan. To reach a large number of people with the Gospel, visualize by faith in your heart what things will look like when you achieve your goal.

End vision helps you to see your need for others’ help and to incorporate their visions and ministries into your plans. You can not do it all. “WE” are the Church!

How many disciples will you make?

I would like to acknowledge George Paterson and his influence on us and what we do as well as Galen Currah. Some of the original outline points came from George’s teachings and our association with him. He continues to be a great encouragement to us. I would also like to mention Bill and Susan Smith and thank them for all the encouragement they have given us. There are many others who have mentored us and put up with us Thanks.

Neil and Dana