Church Planting Foundations
Some foundations for a new church plant according to Ephesians
- Proclamation of the Gospel (kerigma)
- Ephesians 6:19-20 (NKJV) 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
- Corporately
- Individually
- Discipleship
- The equipping of the saints for works of ministry (diaconia)
- Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
- Ephesians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
- Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
- Edifying: promoting the spiritual growth and development of character of believers, by teaching or by example, suggesting such spiritual progress as the result of patient labour. (Vine’s)
- Ephesians 4:13-16 (NKJV) 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
- Timothy and Epaphroditus: Phil. 2:20,25-30
- Paul on Timothy, Philippians 2:20 For I have no man like-minded—None of all my fellow helpers in the Gospel have the same zeal and affectionate concern for your prosperity in every respect as he has. He is ισοψυχος· of the same soul; a man after my own heart. (Adam Clarke's Commentary.)
- Paul on Epaphroditus Philippians 2:25 Here is a very high character of this minister of Christ; he was,
- A brother—one of the Christian family; a thorough convert to God, without which he could not have been a preacher of the Gospel.
- He was a companion in labour; he laboured, and laboured in union with the apostle in this great work.
- He was a fellow soldier; the work was a work of difficulty and danger, they were obliged to maintain a continual warfare, fighting against the world, the devil, and the flesh.
- He was their apostle—a man whom God had honoured with apostolical gifts, apostolical graces, and apostolical fruits; and,
- He was an affectionate friend to the apostle; knew his soul in adversity, acknowledged him in prison, and contributed to his comfort and support. (Adam Clarke's Commentary.)
- The fellowship of the saints (koinonia)
- Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV) And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
- Taking every opportunity to come together to build each other up.
- Church is nothing we do for a couple of hours a week; Church we are, 24/7.
- Worship
- Ephesians 5:19-20 (NKJV) 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- To create a place where God would like to be
- To facilitate a place where to encounter God
- Alway giving generously: Giving honour, love, respect, thanks, goods/money as Paul put it in Philippians 4:17-19 (NLT2) 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. 18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And [therefore!!!] this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
- Giving always cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (AMP) 7 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his giving].
- Ephesians 3:2 (NKJV) if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
- God gives most things to us not for us, although some things are for us indeed, but, generally speaking God gives unto us for us to steward unto others.