Leadership Archives - King's Grant Baptist Church

Noble Man Breakfasts – with David

Introducing Dr. Patrick Edwards

Raised by two godly parents in Richmond, Virginia, the Gospel was sown in me throughout my childhood. At age seven I understood that I did not have the relationship with God I was intended to have and that trusting in Jesus, who was fully God and fully human like me but without sin, was the answer to this problem. Though I did not understand the full nature of my sin and the nature of the work of Christ, I did know my need for Him and professed faith, being soon thereafter baptized. At age ten the reality of my sin and Christ’s death as a substitution for that sin became clearer and my Christian walk began in full at that point.

At the University of Virginia, I began to sense a call to full-time vocational ministry. I served in the local church with Clear River Community Church while also serving for three years as President of the UVA huddle of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. These opportunities afforded me the chance to learn how to lead in a ministry as well as chances to explore the ins and outs of ministry in the local church.

Upon graduation I began theological studies and ministry preparation at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, where I also had the privilege to come under the mentorship and discipleship of Dr. Andrew Davis at First Baptist Church, Durham. In both capacities I was able to understand where God had equipped me for the service of His church, jumping into pastoral ministry under Dr. Davis for nearly a year, before pursuing full-time vocational work in ministry.

Teresa and I met during my transition to seminary on a missions trip to Romania. Quickly we fell in love and married in the spring of 2009. Teresa grew up in Virginia Beach where her parents, sister, and many extended family members still live, and still calls the beach home! She and I are blessed with two children, Aiden (11) and Charlotte (9), and, best of all, a Golden Retriever named Bennett (Go Hoos!). The kids enjoy playing sports, swimming, and video games. As a family we love being outside and so we can’t imagine a better place to live than the beach!

My wife and I have long been burdened for the nations and how God would use local churches to reach them. I love preaching God’s Word, meeting with members of the church for counsel and encouragement, as well as serving my staff and leaders helping them thrive in their ministries. Finally, I am passionate about local and international missions. Overall, I strive in all I do to glorify God by edifying and equipping believers to be called out of the world while immediately being sent back into it following King Jesus in the demonstration and declaration of His victory!

If you missed worship on June 9, here is the message from Dr. Patrick Edwards.

Pastor Candidate Preview Weekend

Block out the weekend of June 8-9 to meet our pastoral candidate! Our Pastor Search Committee will share a few details at the June 2 Family Meeting, one week prior to the big weekend.

On Saturday June 8, we will gather in the sanctuary at 6:00 PM for a time of introduction with questions and answers with our pastoral candidate, followed by a reception at 7:00 PM in the fellowship hall. Everyone is invited to participate.

On Sunday June 9, there will be one worship service at 10:00 AM (with no small groups or classes that day) followed by a special called business meeting to decide about calling this candidate to be our next lead pastor.

Until then, pray for God’s will to be done in the life of this family and in the life of King’s Grant

The 21 Laws of Discipleship

Discipleship is Messy
What is a Disciple?
What Does a Disciple Look Like?
The Easy Yoke?
The Law of the Mind
The Law of Training
The Law of Worship
The Law of Community
The Law of Habit
The Law of Spirit
The Law of Example
The Law of Effort
The Law of Faith
The Law of Talk
The Law of Pain
The Law of Gospel
The Law of Service
The Law of the Way of Escape
The Law of Commitment
The Law of Time
The Law of Prayer
The Law of Replacement
The Law of Confession
The Law of the Kingdom
The Law of Sovereignty
The Discipleship Method of Jesus

The Church of 2032 – Carey Nieuwhof

Carey Nieuwhof gave a talk at the BGAV on November 15, 2022, and he had us take a look at the church in 2032, to see what that church did in order to survive and thrive in the decade prior.

A key lesson is that everything has changed. The methods of the past will not take us to where we must go in the future. Will we adapt or die?

It’s 2032. Here’s What’s Left of the Church.

Christian America Died. And the leaders who kept looking back never moved forward.
Growing churches are now digital organizations with physical locations. Dying churches saw digital church as an obstacle, growing church saw it as an opportunity.
The majority of church attendees are no longer in the room. Dying churches confined ministry to the building, growing churches did not.
On-demand access now greatly surpasses attendance of live events, on-demand access reaches people when they’re ready, not when we’re ready.
Growing churches shifted their focus from gathering to connecting.
Community and connection matter more than content consumption.
Growing churches staffed for digital.

[ Here is the Full Article with his Seven Main Points ]

Green Eggs and Ham – a Parable

Your pastor of discipleship had an epiphany in the middle of the night not all too long ago… making change in the church can often be like reading one of my favorite books as a child, Green Eggs and Ham. Let’s look at the two characters in this story.

Sam-I-Am is a pushy little pastor who embodies the spirit of global evangelism, relational discipleship, and life transformation by encouraging his people to always ask the question, “How can we make this church better than it already is?” and reach more people with the gospel. The summer of 2022 may appear to be an endless barrage of “time for change” and “something new is about to happen” language that the average church member may feel like the other character in the story. In Dr. Seuss’ story, Sam-I-Am is essentially breaking down the other character’s will to resist green eggs and ham by pestering him endlessly. I trust that “pestering” is not your actual feeling, but your discipleship leadership team is hoping that the congregation will see the ultimate benefit of this new schedule, which puts the church in a position of growth and simplicity. Sam-I-Am’s marketing scheme is simplicity itself: he keeps asking the other fellow whether he would like to try his strange, unappealingly colored product in a number of various and increasingly preposterous scenarios: here or there, in a box or with a fox, in a house or even with a mouse. How many of our people in your classroom have simply discounted the time change all together, even before we have done one day of the new schedule? They’re saying, “I do not like green eggs and ham, Sam-I-Am, you leave me be.” I seem to remember a line from my past, regarding the seven last words of a dying church — “We’ve never done it that way before.”

The other character in the story is twice as tall as Sam-I-Am but otherwise remarkably similar in appearance. His first words are that he doesn’t like Sam-I-Am, which seems to indicate that he has been the target of the little marketing genius’ advertising strategy before. It appears that from the start, Sam-I-Am is the enemy to be avoided, like he’s saying, “I’m not buying what this guy’s selling.” Pastors are like that. We come up with all sorts of ideas to reach people with the gospel and make church a better experience for outsiders, always asking the question, “What can be done to make church better” and “to reach more people?” The larger character starts out with a cold resistance to Sam’s non-stop sales pitch, but ultimately makes the worst mistake any consumer can ever make: agreeing to try the product as a means of getting the sales guy to finally stop. After tasting the unpleasantly colored ham and eggs, he discovers it tastes delicious and becomes a devoted and, likely, a lifelong raving fan of future ideas by Sam-I-Am.

I hope that months and years down the road, we can look back at the summer of 2022 and come to the conclusion that all the turmoil surrounding time changes, class schedules, worship style, and church leadership, perhaps seeing that none of these brought down the church like we feared it would. Perhaps the changes made this summer will actually benefit the vast majority of the congregation. We feel this schedule fixes the problems discovered with the 2021 schedule. We are positioning ourselves for growth. We will become proactive rather than reactive when it comes to people showing up because they sense God is at work here. We have to ask ourselves the hard question, “Will God show up here if we don’t follow his leadership?” Are we not really saying, “We just want to go back to Egypt no matter what may be waiting for us in the Promised Land.” So, here is the parable, “Try green eggs and ham, maybe just try them. You may just like them, we will see.” My friends, maybe, just maybe, this new schedule will work out very well, so the question that each of us must ask ourselves, “Why am I so unwilling to give it a go?”

I hope that Sam-I-Am, the pastor who is trying to help the congregation experience something new (to see if this schedule really does work better), that perhaps he will have earned your trust, acknowledging that he had your back all along, just encouraging all of us to grow in faith, follow Jesus closer, look at the needs of others more than ourselves, to reach people who have not yet walked through our doors, for us all to serve enthusiastically in ministry, and to intentionally welcome people with the love of Jesus as they enter this place. Even Jerry said, “The best is yet to be.” He did not say, “This is the best it will ever be.”

[ Borrowed from an idea from Timothy Sexton, at gradesaver.com ]

Seminar on Responding to Church Bullies

On April 19 at 7:00pm, Scott Chafee will participate in this online seminar in the Fellowship Hall and invites any King’s Grant people to attend with him. The topic is on “Responding to Church Bullies.”

Below is Dr. Mac Jordan’s invitation

Nine Steps to Being a Great Group Member

At King’s Grant, we encourage class teachers and leaders to be all they can be for the kingdom’s sake, but how often do we encourage group members (or coach them) on how to be a good group member? I found this article refreshing…

[ From the Adult Ministry Department at Lifeway – by Cheri Liefeld ]

As ministry leaders, we spend time training our group leaders and helping them succeed. But 90% of the group is made up of group members who are not leaders. Our small groups will only be as great as the people attending and their involvement. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a great group member? Here are nine steps to being a great group member.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is small_groups-18.jpg

Communicate. Basic communication with your leader and your group. Respond when they reach out. Engage in group texts. Let them know you will be there, and if you have to miss, please let them know. They would rather have a heads up instead of a “no-show.”
Show Up. In my experience, only 1/3 of people who sign up for small groups make it to the first meeting. The others are missing out. Be the one that overcomes first-night jitters and joins. Then keep showing up. It is hard to fully experience the small group and build the relationships you desire if you attend sporadically. Fight the urge to stay home when you feel tired. Once you get there, you’ll be glad you did. Showing up is a simple key to success both in your group and your life.
Listen. Show your group you value them and want to get to know them by being present and actively listening. Yes, people overshare, but haven’t we all at some point? Fight the urge to look at your phone or drift off. Remember how you feel when someone is present and engaged as you talk. Listening is one way to honor your group. This creates a safe space for people to wrestle and grow in their faith.
Join the Conversation. We want to hear from you. This can be challenging for those who are shy or don’t have a friend in the group. Be courageous and share your thoughts. You have something important to contribute to the group. Nod your head, especially on Zoom groups, to show you are engaged and listening. Be willing to be vulnerable. When we can be ourselves, honestly share our struggles, and celebrate our wins, we grow closer to each other.
Do the work and be prepared. We all experience busy weeks, and there will be times we don’t complete the homework. Let that be the exception, but still show up. Honor your group by being prepared, ready to engage and contribute to the discussion. It can be discouraging for a leader to ask a question and be met with silence because no one read the book or watched the video. It’s like hosting a potluck, but only one guest brings a dish. Dinner isn’t quite the same. You get out of the group as much as you are willing to contribute.
Encourage others. We live in a challenging season; everyone could use a bit of encouragement. Affirm other’s contributions. Ask how they are doing. Follow up on a prior prayer request. Little acts of kindness tell others you value them, and that is how great friendships begin. Text someone in your group each week. Write a note of encouragement. Send someone money through Venmo for coffee. These gestures are contagious and will spur others on to do the same (Hebrews 10:24-25). You won’t regret it.
Serve Your Group. Offer to bring a meal when someone is sick. Reach out if someone is absent to see if they are ok. Invite someone to coffee to hear their story. The Bible says to outdo ourselves in honoring and loving others (Romans 12:9-10) and to serve others, faithfully using our God-given gifts (1 Peter 4:10).
Take Initiative. Offer to bring snacks or plan a social event for the group. Be courageous and pray at the end of the group. Ask how you can support your group leader. Offer to lead when they want to take a week off. This type of support is meaningful to your leader. When we take next steps, relationships start to grow.
Pray. Take time each week to pray for your group and your leaders. Pray over their requests and for their families. Ask God to bless your group and create community among you. One of my leaders said of their group members, “I love how they pray for each other and support each other on their own. It is so beautiful to see how they have a supportive community within the group.”

Which of these resonates most with you? Which would be an area of growth for you? Try one of these steps this week and see how it impacts your group.

Cheri Liefeld is the Director of Small Groups at Eastside Community Church in Anaheim, California. She was previously Director of Women’s Ministry at Mariners Church. She is a writer and loves to gather people around the table. You can read more at adventuresinthekitchen.com.

The Crash Course – October 2020

What? Another class offered at the church?

Yep. This one is so important because it’s all about simplicity and clarity. It’s one thing to have a “connection class” for new members and regular attendees, but it is another thing to share information about the church to new comers, and those in the church have no clue what we are teaching! Let’s all get on the same page!

On Saturday October 31, 8am-10am, I’m inviting all church leaders to an abbreviated Crash Course (sort of like a crash course of the Crash Course). By church leaders (so no one will think this is for someone else) I mean if you are a deacon (active or not), Sunday school teacher or a small group leader, a ministry team leader, a committee member, choir member, praise team member… this class is for you. Did I miss anyone?

**[ Click Here and “Ask to Join” the Group ]**

Shepherding Young Sheep

Shepherding God’s People Series:

Zechariah 11:16 – Today we come to the Young sheep who are very vulnerable and impressionable. The pattern that is set for them in those early years of their newly found faith is usually characteristic of the rest of their Christian lives. So, getting off to a good start is vitally important. A newborn in the natural world needs lots of attention; parents who don’t provide such care are often accused by authorities of child neglect and/or other abuses. It’s really no different in the spiritual world. We need to take care of these young sheep.

Shepherd’s Responsibility Seek (or look after) the Young Sheep – This illustrates how I will give this nation a shepherd who will not care for those who are dying, nor look after the young, nor heal the injured, nor feed the healthy. Instead, this shepherd will eat the meat of the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves. – Zechariah 11:16

So, what do you do with Young Sheep? How do you effectively look after them?

1. Connect them with a disciple maker who will watch over their soul – Hebrews 13:17 tells us to Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.

A young sheep needs a mature believer to what after them, to take them under their wing (if I may mix my metaphors). Those who have been around the block with Jesus for a longer period of time need to invest into the young sheep so they can become mature in the faith. A shepherd watches over their soul, he doesn’t just teach them the Bible. Young sheep don’t know what they need to become mature so the shepherd must help them to understand the seriousness of their need for Christian maturity and how to get there.

As leaders in the group, we need to develop other leaders and shepherds who have a heart of compassion and also love discipleship enough to invest into these young sheep. Many times we can’t find such people since they were never properly discipled themselves. One cannot pass on that which they have never experienced, so the shepherd must teach people how to become shepherds and disciple makers.

2. Help them become acquainted casually with members of your small group. Get to know them outside the group before ever inviting them into the group. They cannot feel that they are your next discipleship project. They must know and feel that you are interested in them for who they are, not for who you desire them to become. This takes time, and patience, and time, and helping them make good choices, and time, and making regular contact with them, and did I mention time? This is what kills most discipleship relationship; we make it into a meeting and information transfer rather than sharing life together. Admittedly, this part is easier for extroverts than it is for us introverts, but we all must come to the conclusion that this part is extremely important.

3. Encourage them to attend your small group. As you share life together, let them meet your other friends in your group. They will have likely already been praying for your new discipleship relationship, so this is a natural next step. Encourage a social event for the group before gathering for a Bible study; ease them into being comfortable with your group, then talk about the benefits of having these friend involved in your life. I have recently been calling the men I meet with each Wednesday my “wise guys” because there is a lot of wisdom when we get in the same room together. I learn from them as we discuss life and pray for one another.

I like the idea of group evangelism, too. If your group is already praying for your new young sheep, it is natural that they will also desire to be invested in this evangelical relationship. The group may even seek to find ways to influence your young sheep toward a commitment to Christ.

4. Assess where they are in their spiritual journey. As you get to know your young sheep, you will constantly assess where they stand with Christ. Are they still in the pre-commitment stage? Have they crossed over into faith in Christ? Are they a new believer? Are they a scattered sheep who is not coming back into the fold? If this is the case, perhaps they are actually a young sheep because they were never properly discipled the first time. Try to understand their spiritual background, and their understanding of what it takes to go to heaven. Take about their devotional time and prayer life. The Bible talks about not judging people, but it is so important to assess where they are spiritually, sort of like being a fruit inspector. How are they displaying the fruit of the spirt in their life?

5. Help them understand that they can not lose their salvation. If their profession was genuine, they are secure in Christ. They don’t have to wake up every morning wondering if they are saved. We don’t have to wonder if we lost our salvation since we still sin. We have eternal security. But that security is not a license to sin. Warn against those who might try to continue to sin knowing that Jesus will forgive? Let’s emphasize that grace is not cheap, it was costly, it cost the life of God’s unique Son, the sinless sacrifice sent to take away the sin of the world. They need assurance of their salvation; knowing they have received justification and are now on the road toward sanctification, becoming more like Jesus over a lifetime. Here are a few wonderful verses…

John 10:27-29; My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Romans 8:38-39; For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Corinthians 1:22; who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
Ephesians 1:13; In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 4:30; Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Philippians 1:6; For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
1 John 5:13; These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Jude 1:1; …To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

6. Assist them in preparing their personal testimony. There is nothing like have a good story to share about what Jesus has done for us. A personal testimony is telling the story of what happened to them. It’s about how God has dealt with them, and how they responded to the message of the gospel. People will need to be able to share what they did to receive salvation and why this is so important to them. We like to share about the most important things that happen to us in life, and Jesus’ salvation is no exception.

Challenge them to write it out. Make it a concise as possible without churchy words that need a lot of clarification or explanation. Encourage them to make it long enough to cover the basics yet short enough to share at a bus stop, fast food line, or on an elevator.

Once they develop their story, help them work on God’s story, the actual plan of salvation. Help them use the Bible to walk someone through God Word, detailing God’s purpose, man’s problem, God’s provision, and man’s response. Their personal testimony and the plan of salvation are powerful tools in the arsenal of a follower of Jesus.

John 4:39; From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”
Revelation 12:11; And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

7. Invite them to submit to believer’s baptism. While baptism doesn’t save anyone, how can someone be saved without it? What I mean is this… since baptism is the first public act of obedience, how can we believe they are going to follow through in discipleship if they disobey this very first command?

The issue is not getting into the water, but identifying with the person of Christ, the message of Christ, the mission of Christ, and the body of Christ. A new believer has a new identity, they are a totally new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Matthew 28:19; Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Acts 10:48; And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
1 Corinthians 6:11; Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

8. Inform them of the spiritual warfare that they will experience. – The World, The Flesh, and the Devil. Commitment to Christ brings a whole new set of challenges, namely that the enemy will bring on the attack. The devil will get them to question what they have done. He will cast doubt on the genuineness of their decision and commitment. He will remind them of their unworthiness to be saved and seek to accuse them before God of their evil. They need to understand spiritual warfare, that it is real, and that they can have victory in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
Galatians 5:16-24; talks about the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:10-18; talks about the armor we have to be used in spiritual warfare.
Colossians 3:5-10; Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead… then Paul writes out a long list of the deeds of the flesh.
2 Thessalonians 3:3; But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
1 Peter 2:11; Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
1 Peter 5:8-9; Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
James 1:13-16, 27; Here James writes about the temptation process and our downward spiral into destruction.
James 4:1-10; James write more about sin and then invites the reader to submit to God, draw near to him, resist the devil, and cleanse and purify your hearts.
1 John 2:15-17; 4:4; John writes wise world about not loving the world and it’s pleasures, and resistance is possible because “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

9. Train them how to carry on a conversation with their new Heavenly Father. Prayer is so important, and we need to be connected to our source of strength. The disciples watched Jesus pray regularly and they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, so how much more will disciples today need to be taught how to pray. They need to know what it is, that it is connection to and communication with God. Prayer is about talking with God, not just talking to God. Prayer also involves listening to God. There are many times that we must simply be quiet in his presence and let his Holy Spirit speak to use through his Word and through prayer.

1 Peter 2:2; like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

10. Help them to identify and experience a total deliverance from any strongholds in their lives. The enemy will continue to attack them using the strongholds that have been set up. Where are they the weakest? The enemy will use those weak points to bring them down and make them fall. He wants nothing less than to destroy the witness of the believer, and also the effectiveness of that witness. Taking thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ is so very important.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
2 Timothy 2:22; Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart

11. Offer to evangelize their lost friends together. While the young sheep will have lost friends around him, their primary fellowship is the church. We need the new convert in the church to grow in their faith but also connected to his lost friends. Offer to help him reach his lost friends with the same gospel your new convert has embraced. We don’t need to send them out to battle on their own. Yes, the battle belongs to the Lord, but we are in this together and can help reach lost friend together. John 4 has an awesome lesson for reaching our circles of influence…

John 4:35-37; Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’

Related Topics:

Change Dynamics: Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-6; John 8:32,36; Romans 8:2,28-29; 13:13-14; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 5:17; Ephesians 4:17-32; Colossians 1:9-11; 2 Timothy 2:22; Hebrews 3:13 10:24-25; 2 Peter 1:5-8

Credit for the original teaching goes to my mentor, teacher, and friend, Rick Leineweber.

Shepherding Scattered Sheep

Shepherding God’s People Series:

Ezekiel 34:4-6, 8, 16; Matthew 9:36-38 – Scattered sheep are exactly what it sounds like. These sheep have wandered away from the fold for one reason or another. The truth is, the longer you wait to retrieve scattered sheep, the less likely are to return. Some have strayed on their own for a variety of reasons but some have been “driven away.” It’s the shepherd’s responsibility to make a sincere and conscientious attempt to bring them back.

Shepherd’s Responsibility is to Bring Back the Scattered Sheep

1. Clear Conscience if appropriate. Evaluate your situation and dealings with your scattered sheep to see if there is some sort of relational conflict on your part, or with anyone in the group. It is so important to maintain a clear conscience as your have conversations with them.

Acts 24:16; In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.
1 Timothy 1:19; keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

2. Request or offer forgiveness. If you discover you have done something to offend them, do everything in your power to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Conversations are always a good place to start. We need to communicate with our people to better minister to them. If we have done something to cause them to fall away, let’s admit it, and seek reconciliation if possible.

Matthew 18:15-35; – this passage is about church discipline, and then how many times we should forgive someone who errs against us (and the parable of the outrageous debt and the servant).
Luke 17:1-4; Jesus talks about forgiving a repentant brother.
Ephesians 4:31-32; Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Colossians 3:13; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

3. Avoid listening to accusations. People talk, and there is always talk in the hall. Talk to people directly, don’t just listen to accusations. When someone comes to you with a concern, approach the situation is the spirit of prayer and concern.

1 Timothy 5:19; Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.
Revelation 12:10; “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.
Matthew 18:15-17; “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

The point is that we need to talk directly to people rather than listening to the accusations of others. Talk to the people involved!

4. Remind them that love covers a multitude of sins on both sides. It really is amazing what people will put up with when they know that love is in the mix. We tolerate a lot of bad behavior when we love each other. Just think about your own family! But accepting bad behavior may not be the healthy thing to do, we often need to confront poor behavior, because we love that person. We love them too much to allow them to go down a bad path.

1 Corinthians 13:7; [love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Peter 4:8; Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

It’s amazing what people can do and endure when love rules the relationship.

5. Discuss reasons for leaving that are healthy: Our church is not the best place for every person, as hard as it is to hear and accept that statement. Some people leave a congregation for the right reasons. Not everyone is running away from something and choosing to be scattered sheep. Here are a few positive reasons to leave the church…

· Leaving to have a genuine spiritual need met elsewhere.

Ephesians 4:16; from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Colossians 2:19; and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

These verses tell me that our needs are met as we live together in authentic community. If we can’t sense this unity from the head [Christ] or the body [Christians] then perhaps leaving is the right thing to do for your own spiritual health.

BUT, leaving and not finding another faith community is a cop out. You must always remember that you can 1) be a part of the solution or 2) you can be a part of the problem. There is a real possibility that your leaving for another faith community brings the same spirit of discontentment and disunity that you were attempting to leave. Hey, just something to think about. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy! We think we are leaving because of a problem in the church, but could it be that we are the problem that we are bringing to another congregation?

· Leaving to plant another church. If God calls you, you need to be obedient and leave the congregation that you love to get involved in the mission or church plant to which you are called.

Acts 13:1-4, While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Romans 10:14-15; How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

· Leaving to serve another church. This is also a part of the calling we have as disciples of Jesus. We like where we attend, and we love these servants at our church, and we are saddened when God calls them away from us. In my small group, I challenge people that if you are still in my group after a few years, I have failed, because we are called to go out into other areas and pass on what we have experienced and learned. We are called to serve, not to sit and to soak!

Acts 18:27-28; And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:5-8; What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

We are not tied to God’s servant but to our Savior. We go where he leads, even if that leading takes us away from the congregation we love.

· Leaving over doctrinal error. If you can’t correct the error, you may have to leave a congregation when error has crept in. Wow, this is tough because we have to think through whether this is truly a doctrinal error or just a difference of interpretation. We may not know a lot of theology but we know people who can help us sort through what we have heard and experienced in a classroom or in the pulpit.

Jude 1:3-4; Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

· Leaving because of persecution. While legitimate, I hope that I would persevere through the persecution rather than leaving because if it. But in the Bible, the dispersion was all about persecution in Jerusalem and because of it, the gospel went into all the world. God can use persecution to get his church out of their comfort zone and back on mission.

Acts 8:1-4; Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. 4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

· Leaving because disagreement with the direction of the church. When you have a difference of opinion regarding the direction of the local church, sometimes you conclude that leaving that congregation is the right thing to do. So many people will fight the God-called leadership of their congregation, and when people fight, the church gets a black eye from unbelievers in the community. Even faithful people in the church may choose to concede to these strong-willed members in the hopes of unity. We cannot encourage church people to create disunity over personal preferences that may differ from the pastor or other leadership in the church. Certainly, people can express their differences but when the church moves in a certain direction, we all need to be on board, rather than seeking ways to sabotage the efforts of the majority. If the direction of the church is not what you like, rather than fight, leaving to join another congregation may be just the needed remedy.

Acts 15:1; Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Hey, this was such a problem that the first Jerusalem Council gathered to settle the issue. By the way, while settled here, it was not settled because it seems that the Judaizers contended with the early church and the teachings of Paul for years to come. Sometimes those in the minority who dissent would rather fight than leave. When people fight, enter in the factions…

1 Corinthians 11:19; For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.

So, what can you do?

Ephesians 4:3; being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

· Leaving because they were disfellowshipped (Excommunication).

Matthew 18:15-17; At the end of church discipline, if they do not see the error of their ways, sending them away could be the right thing to do. But those in the majority, operating under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, are called to inflict punishment on those who are erring, to try and bring them back to sound doctrine….
2 Corinthians 2:6-7; Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7 so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

Did you get that? There can be a punishment inflicted by the majority, with the hope of restoring them.

BUT what if they refuse to listen and repent?

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13; Here, Paul writes some difficult words about not associating with certain so-called brothers. Certainly, read these verses for yourself!
Acts 5:11; And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.

After the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, all such dissension regarding the authority of the anointed apostles deceased significantly!

So, what to do with scattered or driven-away sheep… bring them back. We desire to be at peace with all of the flock but there are some situations where there is good reason for certain sheep to be scattered and driven-away.

The point is for the shepherd to understand the situation and make a sincere and contentious attempt to bring them back into the fold. BUT, always remember that God’s answer for unity in the congregation may be to allow some sheep to leave on their own.

Credit for the original teaching goes to my mentor, teacher, and friend, Rick Leineweber.

Shepherding Lost Sheep

Shepherding God’s People Series:

(Ezekiel 34:4,16; Zechariah 11:16, Luke 15: 1-7)

Thank you for joining this latest edition of Shepherding God People. First, I did the overview of the seven types of sheep we find in the Bible, then talked about our responsibilities toward weak sheep, sick sheep, and then broken sheep. Today I will talk about what to do with lost or perishing sheep.

Every flock is just one generation away from extinction. It is essential that we reach lost sheep with the gospel. As shepherds, we cannot rely on “transfer growth” (or sheep stealing as many would say) to increase flock size but must be evangelistically seeking lost people who are spiritually dying without Christ. This includes finding new and innovative ways to introduce church life to those who feel “cut off” or have fallen away. These people may feel there are no points of re-entry.

Shepherd’s Responsibility is to Seek the Lost – So, how can you best do that? We must learn how to do a spiritual inventory of our people, then actually learn how to share the gospel with lost people. Back in the day we called this the Evangelism Explosion outline. In the notes below on the church website, I have posted several methods of sharing the gospel with people. Take a look and see if any of it is helpful in your witnessing life.

Here are a few things you can do to minister to your Lost Sheep…

1. Ask about their spiritual background/upbringing. I use the FIRE acrostic…

Family and friends – Family of origin? Upbringing? Siblings? Parents? Best friend growing up? Favorite memory growing up? What was it like to grow up in your neighborhood? Your favorite family vacation?

Interests (like what’s important in their life) – What do you love to do? Hobbies? Sports teams? TV shows you like? What is the most important thing that has ever happened to you?

Religious background – What was your church experience growing up? What is your family’s faith tradition? What denominational affiliation? Are there any spiritual commitments you made back in the day? Have you followed through? Have you fallen away? Why or why not? What happened? Do you ever think about spiritual things today? What is the greatest thing that God has ever done for you? Are you active in a church? If not, what would draw you back to church?

Eternity – Do you think this life is all there is? How did we get here? Is there a grand design in the universe or is this all by chance over time? What do you think happens right after someone dies?

2. Ask them the two diagnostic questions: The first one is…

Have you come to the place in your life where you can say that you know for certain that if you were to die tonight you would go to heaven?

True disciples cannot be ambiguous about their salvation. Don’t settle for “I hope so” or “can anyone really know for sure.” Read to them 1 John 5:13 – These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. John is talking about the Bible being written so we can KNOW we are saved, not wonder about our salvation.

The second diagnostic question is…

Suppose you were to die tonight and stand before God and He were to ask you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” What would you say to Him?

We want to get at the heart of what they are trusting to get into heaven. Anything short of trusting in the finished work of Jesus on the cross is not the authentic saving gospel. It’s not about how they live their life, their morality, or even that they are on the class roll at church or are active in worship attendance at a certain church. The point is, they CAN’T put their trust in the fact that they walked an aisle at the end of a service or was baptized as a child.

3. Present the gospel to them. Here are a few things to cover…

The first topic is GRACE – there is a significant difference between a couple key words in our court system. Justice is getting what you deserve; Mercy is NOT getting what you deserve; but then there’s grace. Grace is all about getting something that you don’t deserve. THAT is what salvation is all about.

Romans 6:23b; …but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 2:8; For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Titus 2:11; For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

The next topic involves MANKIND. We try to do good things, like keep some cosmic moral law, but can we really keep God’s law? What is the purpose of the Law? It is likely a no brainer but mankind is sinful and we don’t like to be reminded of that, but the Bible is clear on the subject…

Romans 3:23; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a; For the wages of sin is death… (Then you might bring up the topic of the Bible, or Old Testament Law)…
Romans 7:7; What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
Galatians 3:24; Therefore, the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
James 2:10; For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
Ephesians 2:8-9; For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Titus 3:5; He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

The we talk about our DILEMMA, God is a complex mixture of Love and wrath… on God’s Wrath…

John 3:36; He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Romans 1:16; For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 5:9; Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. … (But we cannot leave our God’s Love, because this is God’s plan to save us)…
John 3:16; “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Romans 5:8; But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Here is the greatest news, God has PROVIDED a way for us to be saved, so here, we talk about Jesus – like, who is he, from where did he come, and for what purpose was he born?

John 1:1-3,14; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth… (This passage is so lofty, and theology filled, but people need to know about the uniqueness of Jesus).
John 14:6; Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
1 Timothy 2:5-6; For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.
1 Corinthians 15:3-5; For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to… [many]
Romans 4:25; He who was delivered over because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification.

Now talk about the way we actually get saved. It’s not just about what you believe, it’s about having FAITH…

James 2:19; You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder… So, lead them toward faith, which is a step beyond just believing.
John 1:12-13; But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God… (What is the next step of faith? It is actually receiving Jesus into your life. Be assured, that if you can’t think of a time you received Jesus, be assured, he’s not in there! Jesus does not enter your life by accident!) Check out this verse…
Romans 10:9-10,13; that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation… All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved… (This is such a simple yet profound declaration of faith in the finished work of Jesus).

4. After all this, then ask them the qualifying question… · Does this make sense to you?

Begin this conversation of clarity. Help them to think through this new information they’ve just received, or perhaps they have been challenged to see Jesus in a new way. Allow them to take some time to think about this important step but remind them that we are never guaranteed one more day.

Remember 2 Corinthians 6:2, “for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”

5. Finally, try to close the deal. Ask the commitment question… If this makes sense to you, would you like to receive this gift of eternal life?

Don’t leave the person hanging. Maybe they’re ready to make a commitment to Jesus but don’t know their next steps. Ask! You have not because you ask not! We are inviting them to do something with the information they just discovered.

6. They might have a few more questions, so clarify their questions of commitment. Here are a few things to talk about…

Repentance of your sin – Mark 1:15; tells us, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

While repentance doesn’t save you, how can we say we are saved without it? Turning from sin and toward God is the essence of following Jesus.
(Luke 5:32; 15:7,10; 24:47, Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20; Romans 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Peter 3:9).

Clarify the concept of transferring TRUST – Mark 10:24 NKJV; – And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!

It is this trust that defines a believer. Will they trust their former sources of authority or will they trust Jesus, the one who has their back and looks out for them?

Then emphasize RECEIVING Jesus as Lord and Savior – Following Jesus is more than just believing the right stuff about him. The Bible is clear about receiving him…

John 1:12; But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
Romans 5:17; For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:1 – Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then [or received it], and you still stand firm in it.

Finally, if they are ready, lead them in a PRAYER of commitment.

Try something like this: “God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. With your help, I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness – the gift of eternal life! Amen!”

You can pray this as they listen, or you can ask them to repeat after you, line for line. But don’t let them think there is some salvation magic by saying these words. God knows your heart and the commitment they are making.

8. Since the enemy is going to come after them, wanting to cause doubt about what they have done with Jesus, share a few verses of assurance…

John 6:47 – I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.
1 John 5:13; These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

9. After all of this, set-up a time to follow up with them.

Think about it, if we neglect actual children in our society, that’s a crime, so it is so important to follow up and care for our spiritual children. Left to themselves, they will fade away and die. Don’t neglect them. Take responsibility for their lives. Invest into them on a regular basis.

That’s it, the gospel presentation that can lead someone to faith in Jesus. It’s really not that hard. With a little practice, you can build your confidence in sharing the gospel with your lost sheep.

Also, in a few subsequent videos, I have recorded other ways to methods to the gospel using…

Check those out for the method you like the best.

Thanks for joining me today and caring for the lost sheep in your small group!

PS: If you just began your journey with Christ, let me know. Use our staff contact form.

Credit for the original idea goes to my mentor, teacher, and friend, Rick Leineweber.