Encouraging Concepts Workplace Ministry
Steve Mann
Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Agenda
• Eyewitness Account: Watching God Work • Getting Practical: God @ Work • The Challenge: God Working Through You
Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Watching God Work • Bible Study – 2010 – Shane • Multiplication Challenge – 2011 – Lindsey + 2012 / 2013 / 2015 / 2016 Pete
Cindie
Millennials
• It’s about Christians:
LTC
Susan / Jim
• It’s about non-believers:
Brian / Rick
Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Encouraging Concepts – Foundational Concepts Key Principle – This is God’s Work, not ours. Scripturally Based –
Matthew 28: 18-20: Great Commission: Make Disciples by Going, Teaching, and Baptizing (we leave this last one to the “formal” church), and remember that God is with us ALWAYS 2 Timothy 2:2: We teach others who can teach others Ephesians 6:12: Our battle is a spiritual one and we must employ spiritual weapons Joshua 1:1-9: Joshua’s commissioning before conquering the Promised Land: Know that God is with us and the enemy cannot stand against us (v.5, 9) Be strong and courageous - this has a cost and it won’t be easy (v. 6, 9) Be holy – obey the Law of God (v. 7) Let God’s Word be central – it will do the work of the heart (v. 8)
Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Encouraging Concepts – What it Is Three Distinctives: • God’s Word • Prayer • Love one another Other Guiding Principles: • Simple and Repeatable • Each group develops its own personality (not a franchise) • Develop lay leadership • Self re-producing – not dependent on a leader And Keep Reminding Ourselves: Find our “first love”, as we want to be careful what we ask others to follow Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Why Multiplication? Method #1 - Addition (Share with 1,000 people each day) Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
People Reached 365,000 730,000 1,095,000 1,460,000 1,825,000 2,190,000 2,555,000 2,920,000 3,285,000 3,650,000 4,015,000 4,380,000 4,745,000 5,110,000 5,475,000 5,840,000 6,205,000
Year 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
People Reached 6,570,000 6,935,000 7,300,000 7,665,000 8,030,000 8,395,000 8,760,000 9,125,000 9,490,000 9,855,000 10,220,000 10,585,000 10,950,000 11,315,000 11,680,000 12,045,000 12,410,000
(20,000 years to reach the world)
Method #2 - Multiplication (Bring in 1 person each year) Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
People People Year Reache Reached d 1 18 131,072 2 19 262,144 4 20 524,288 8 6 years @TR 21 1,048,576 16 22 2,097,152 32 23 4,194,304 64 24 8,388,608 128 25 16,777,216 256 4 more years? 26 33,554,432 512 27 67,108,864 1,024 28 134,217,728 2,048 29 268,435,456 4,096 30 536,870,912 8,192 31 1,073,741,824 16,384 32 2,147,483,648 5 years on earth 32,768 33 4,294,967,296 65,536 34 8,589,934,592
(34 years for everyone to be in a small group)
The emphasis is not on the numbers, but on impacting lives one by one by one.
Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Encouraging Concepts – What it Isn’t A “Church” – We are part of God’s church on earth, but EC strongly encourages its participants to attend and be committed to a local church. Denomination Specific – We have a wide representation of different denominations. God’s Word is the focus of the ministry. Allows us to major on the majors. Something that interferes with work – We instruct our participants to make up any work time missed due to an EC gathering An officially recognized group within TR – Concern over how “Corporate oversight” might influence our approach. Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Encouraging Concepts – Meeting Structure Open in prayer 5-10 minute opening – current issue, testimony 25-30 minute Bible study – read designated passage and discuss. Many variations of the same questions: What does this say to you? How can you apply this to your life? Who can you tell? Work through a book of the Bible vs. topical (His message, not ours) Topical discussions mixed in if grounded in God’s Word 10-15 minute prayer time - Prayer, praise or pass (everyone talks) Distribute prayer request via email to entire group
Be flexible and open to the Holy Spirit’s leading Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Encouraging Concepts – Additional Thoughts • Making it work-friendly: • Meet every other week – not too burdensome • Invitation titled “Discussion Group” – safe for calendars • Come as you can – no pressure if sessions are missed • Send out material covered in advance of meeting • Keeping it multiplication-oriented: • Encourage lunches, coffee, etc. between meetings • Exercise caution to preserve purity (male/female guidelines) • Leave title at the door • Keep the inviting mentality in the forefront • Use Leadership Training Class (LTC) to grow future leaders
PRAY! PRAY! PRAY! Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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Getting Started Don’t overcomplicate this • • • •
Pray / Pray / Pray Find other Christian(s) to partner with Invite some friends Start!!!
Transferrable to • Other workplaces • Neighborhoods • Friends or relatives
Want to talk more? • • • •
Contact:
[email protected] or 612-845-0215 Happy to share resources Welcome to visit a session or take LTC We’d love to meet to discuss
Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
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The Challenge Isaiah 66:2: “To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My Word”
• Make relationship with God the priority – ministry flows out • Tremble = Obedience – DO IT!
John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” • We must disappear, it’s not about us. • This is His ministry – we are just His instruments.
Matthew 16:18: “On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” • Be prepared for battle • We are on the winning team
Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17
Notes/Ideas/Questions/Application
Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth – John 17:17