Hearing God Part 2

Listen with your heart!

How we listen to people around us is the way we listen to God. This may be shocking but it is so true. 

When we listen to someone, we are often more concerned with how we feel about what they are saying than we are about hearing them. We keep looking for a place to insert our story into the conversation.

When we listen with our heart, we ask questions from a vantage point of sincere interest in the other’s well-being and genuine curiosity about their experience.

To listen with our heart, we must slow down our minds and allow divine curiosity to permeate our thinking. If we do not allow for time to listen truly, we will gradually lose our ability to listen. When we lose our ability to listen to others, we lose our ability to listen to God.

When we listen to others, we give clear evidence that we value what they have to say, and therefore we show that we value them. True listening draws us closer to one another; it helps us become more whole, healthy, and holy.

Proverbs 12:15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice (NRSV)

James, the half-brother of Jesus, tells us to be swift to hear and slow to speak. We must listen more and speak less. How much strife and division could have been prevented if true listening had been practiced instead of hasty speech and voicing impetuous opinions.

Steps to listen with your heart.

1. Be curious. Curiosity creates a passion to listen. If we already know it all we will never learn anything new. We should have a desire to grow and learn new things every day. If you continue to learn you will not grow old.
2. Be humble. Humility sensitizes our ability to listen, whereas pride dulls our ability to hear.
3. Be teachable. Realize that others - no matter how we see them – can teach us something. Look for a lesson in every encounter.
4. Understand that the way we listen to our spouse, employer, teacher, colleague, friends, and our children, is the way we will listen to God!

Hearing God –Part 1

 Hearing God -Part 1

For much of my life, I have been fascinated by water and boats. While in high school in Illinois, we lived on a small lake and spent a lot of time on the water swimming, fishing, and water skiing. It didn’t require much imagination to decide how to get from the small beach in front of our house to anywhere around the lake. When I wanted to go to another beach or a favorite fishing spot, I could see it from our pier. All I had to do was get in the boat, start the outboard motor and steer toward the destination. Years later, we lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We had a bigger boat, more water, and a wider choice of destinations that were mostly beyond our vision. Fog and precipitation often obscured even nearby destinations. A safe voyage then required charts, navigational aids, knowing your boat, and understanding the weather. We joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary and took their classes so we would not get lost or drowned.

When you are out in deep water and are looking for a harbor, you rely on navigational aids provided by the Coast Guard – charts, buoys, channel markers, and range lights. Range lights provide the ship pilot a unique aid. Usually, they consist of two or three lights on poles that are arranged in such a way that they will line up one on top of another when viewed on a unique line at sea. The pilot – nearing the shore – positions the ship at a point where the range lights appear one on top of another. He then steers the ship directly toward the lights, keeping them in the same position. If he were to go off course the lights would become misaligned. Depending upon the pattern of the lights the pilot would know how to correct his course.

Our Christian walk can be seen as a voyage of discovery. If we are adventurous, we can go places we have never been and see things we have never seen. Okay, you can be a Christian and stay safely at home and never go to sea, but Jesus calls us to much more. We are called to follow Him and do His will. Each one of us has a unique role to play in the body of Christ and it is up to us to follow through.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NKJV) There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

So if we are called by God to a unique ministry, how do we know what to do or when to do it? If you are like me, the fog and precipitation are so intense that it is difficult to hear God or see where He wants me to go. We need to understand ourselves (our boat), and use the navigation aids God has provided.

God has provided us with four range lights for the direction to which we are being led. His range lights are Scripture, urging of the Holy Spirit, circumstances, and spiritual authority.

Too many of us tend to run ahead of God then we end up in trouble because we missed one or two of the range lights.

Scripture: 

Whatever we are about to do must line up with scripture. Too often people decide what they want to do and then try to justify it by taking God’s word out of context or inserting their own opinions.  

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Scripture provides an objective direction in that it is often very clear as to how we are to act and respond to the Lord. However, we must be cautious these days because of some unorthodox theologies which have become popular in some places.

Urging of the Holy Spirit: 

There are many ways that the Holy Spirit will influence our actions. He may speak to us in any of a number of ways: a still small voice, an audible voice, in a dream or vision, or He may just give us a sense of what you are to do.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."  Revelation 2:7

Unfortunately, the urgings of the Holy Spirit can be objective. If not careful, we can allow our feelings and opinions to color what the Spirit is saying to us.

Circumstances: 

Circumstances reflect God’s Divine Providence and may also be subject to misinterpretation.

The fourth range light is spiritual authority.

Spiritual authority: 

The Lord has placed over each one of us spiritual authority. This could be a pastor, teacher, or another person that you can trust has your best interests at heart as well as someone that is close to God. He or she should feel free to speak truth into your life without a personal agenda. If you do not have any spiritual authority in your life, it is imperative that you find someone before you set off on any perilous voyage.

We have all heard about TV evangelists and powerful church leaders who have lost their way because they did not have anyone they felt were worthy to have authority over them.

All four Range Lights must be in line. 

As you enter into strange waters - going places you have never been, make sure that the range lights are lined up. If anyone of them is off, it indicates you are not in the right place or heading in the right direction.

  If they are not in line, stay where you are until they line up. A premature sailing on an unknown course can land you on the rocks.

Heal Like Jesus

What to do Until God Shows UP

Is impatience really a deadly sin?

Waiting is not easy for me. Choosing the right line at Walmart the bank, or the DMV is - for me - an unsolved mystery, which is rarely solved correctly. Now, the local McDonalds has opened a second drive-thru line. Traffic delays are the worst. I Saw a bumper sticker the other day that read,

"The Road To Happiness Is Almost Always Under Construction."

We live in a culture of push buttons, fast foods, and instant gratification. When something interrupts that smooth, rapid flow we get testy. We just hate to wait.

We are currently in the season of Advent. “Adventus” is the Latin translation of the Greek word “Parousia,” which commonly refers to the Second Coming of Christ.

For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from three different perspectives:  

·       In the flesh in Bethlehem;

·       In our hearts daily, and

·       In glory at the end of time.”

This season offers us the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming. Advent is a season of expectant waiting and preparation for the coming of the Christ. We are awaiting the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, as well as His promised return at the end of the age.

Some four hundred years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Jerimiah prophesied.

Jeremiah 33:14-16 (NIV) "'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. ¹⁵ "'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. ¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.'

The Jews waited over four hundred years and after over 2000 years, Christians are still waiting. The early church thought He would return in a few days. The Jews have been waiting for 3000 years.

It is in these times of waiting that our relationship with God faces its greatest challenge. Our faith in His promises begins to suffer.

If anyone knew about waiting for God it was Abraham. He obeyed God and waited for decades and never saw all of God’s promises fulfilled. The Apostle Paul was called by God to be the apostle to the Gentiles, but waited for over ten years before the Lord’s promise would be fulfilled.

The things that God does in us are not so much planned and organized as they are born. Birthing is a process. There is the conception stage, a gestation period, then the birth. There seems to be a correlation between the length of the gestation period and the size of the baby. The gestation period for a field mouse is seven days and the baby is about the size of your pinky fingernail. The gestation period for the elephant is twenty-two months. 

Every Hero of the Bible was forced to wait. Moses spent forty years in Pharaoh’s palace learning about leadership, and another forty years learning desert survival. Only then was he able to free God’s people from slavery in Egypt.

What do we do while waiting?

How do we wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled? How do we wait for His imminent return? We often think that waiting is a passive activity, kicking back with our feet up, watching a ball game on the TV, and waiting.

Early Adventists predicted dates, got all their finances in order, and then went to sit on a mountaintop to wait.

• Abraham didn’t wait in Haran. He began the journey. While waiting he was moving down the road. While waiting for God to tell him where to stop, Abraham kept going.
• Paul spent the ten years in Tarsus, but was not cooling it by the pool. He was preparing himself. He spent days at a time in prayer and scripture study. When Jesus was ready for him, he was ready for the task. 

Waiting for God is not standing still, it is:

1. Preparation. Prepare yourselves.
   

   
   Get the things that you will need on the journey.
   
   
2. Taking action - Start moving
   
   Once prepared, we start the journey. Like ships sailing through the ocean, we can be turned by a tiny rudder in the rear. That little rudder is like that still small voice of God. But if we are not moving, the rudder can turn wherever it wants and we do not change course. We have to be moving.
   
   
3. Avoiding the “Self Help Syndrome.”
   
   
   Although Abraham was a man of faith, he had his moment of failure. He took matters into his own hands. After waiting many years for God to answer His promise to be a father of many nations, he acted at Sarais urging to help God fulfill His promise. Abraham then had a son by one of his maidservants. A common practice in that culture. It was not God's plan and it has continued to cause problems till today. 
   
   It is tempting for us to run ahead of God. God does not need our help in fulfilling His promises. Creating Ishmaels takes us on painful detours and cannot be erased.
   
   
4. Expecting God to guide you.
   
   
   Colombian Indians, deep in the Amazon jungle, go to church at night carrying small tin cans with a candle inside. They provide very little light. I want a huge spotlight. When I think about all of the poisonous snakes, the wild animals, and creepy crawly things, I want a huge spotlight.
   
   When I talk like that, its as if I am saying, "I am perfectly capable of handling every situation as long as I know what’s going on."
   
   God gives us the next right step, we want to know what's at the end of the road. God's direction often comes almost like a seed which is unfolded gradually.
   
   
5. Anticipating “Divine Chaos.” There will be difficulties
   
   
6. Depending upon God. 
   
   We have to be hungry, humble,  and teachable. The mark of spiritual maturity is a childlike spirit. We often do not look at the Apostle Paul as needy and childlike, yet he wrote;
   
   
   1 Cor. 2:3-4  I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,

In this Advent season let us all learn to wait in the same way that Abraham, Moses, and Paul waited for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

As we wait we must:

·       Prepare ourselves

·       Take the step we know to take

·       Stop trying to make it happen

·       Expect guidance from God

·       Expect Chaos

·       Depend upon the Lord

My Christmas Card to You

You may have heard this story, but it is worth repeating at this time of year. I came across it as I was looking through some old stuff.

What do you want to be?

Once upon a mountaintop, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. 

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" 

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!"

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world."

Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. 

The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With swoops of his shining axe, the first tree fell. 

"Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" The first tree said.

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With swoops of his shining axe, the second tree fell. 

"Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. 

"Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining axe, the third tree fell. 

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, with treasure. She was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead, the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean or even a river; instead, she was taken to a little lake.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

Many many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams.

But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox.

"I wish I could make a cradle for him." her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful," she said.

And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world. 

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. 

And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong.

And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.

That was better than being the tallest tree in the world. 

Where is God When You Need Him?

Two weeks ago, our furnace went out while we were under a severe winter weather warning. After a couple of days suffering while a technician tried a number of fixes, they pronounced the furnace dead. The cost of the new furnace busted our budget.

This discouraging incident was very tough financially, but there are so many others around us who suffer so much worse things such as being homeless in freezing weather and the loss of a loved one. In difficult times we can often become discouraged and wonder why God seems so far away.

“Where is God when we need Him?

St. John of the Cross, went through a time of feeling totally separated from God, coining the phrase "Dark Night of the Soul." If you are seriously trying to follow God, you will go through your own "Dark Night of the Soul" at some time. What can you do in difficult times?

Adverse circumstances discouraged God’s chosen people.

Seventy years after the Jewish nation was taken into Babylonian captivity, a remnant returned to their homeland. These were not bad people, they were a holy remnant. Hundreds of thousands had been taken to Babylon, but only fifty thousand returned to Israel. These were the ones most committed to the Lord and to the restoration of Israel. 

Their work was hard to rebuild and restore after 70 years of neglect.  They didn’t have a lot of money or manpower. They suffered crop failures, hostile enemies resisted their work, and they remembered easier times in Babylon. Each of these circumstances made them feel that God was far away.

Eighteen years after they returned they had made little progress due to any number of difficulties and setbacks. They were completely discouraged and wondered, "Where is this God we are serving? 

"Why was He so far away? Where is God?”

We have to remember that God has not moved! He may be waiting for you to do something.

Return to Me

The Lord responded to their questions through the prophet Zechariah.

"Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Return to Me," says the Lord of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the Lord of hosts." [Zechariah 1:3 (NKJV]

God assures them that He is not distant. If they would return to Him, He would return to them. In all of Scripture, this is the one prerequisite to receiving God's blessings and is stated in various ways; "Seek the Lord while He may be found," "Call upon Him," "Turn to Me with all of your heart," "Return to Me and I will return to you."

Turning back to the Lord is repentance. Personal repentance is always a prerequisite for fellowship with the Living Lord. Once they returned to Him, they would receive the spiritual blessings promised to Israel in Zechariah’s the eight visions that follow these words of God.

This is one of the strongest and most intense spiritual calls to repentance to be found in the Old Testament. God would not bestow comfort on unrepentant hearts. God's covenants with Abraham and David rendered certain the fulfillment of His purposes for Israel. But these covenants did not nullify the need for each generation of Israelites to be obedient to God in order to experience His promised blessings.

In today's church, there are some who would say, “We are New Testament Christians, that is Old Testament law and is no longer applicable.” But Zechariah’s words remind us of the words in the New Testament book of James;

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [James 4:8 (NKJV)]

4 Steps to Back to God

James 4:7-8 (NKJV) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

1.     SUBMIT  to God

There are too many that believe submission is letting people walk all over them. Submission is not being a “Doormat.” Submission is being an “Elevator."

 Jesus submitted to the Father out of His Strength. [Phil 2:5-8] In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus submitted to die for the church.

We submit to the Lord by elevating Him above ourselves - Putting His agenda above our own, His will above our will, and His desires above our desires.

2.   Draw Near  to God

For many of us, it is extremely scary to come near to God, the creator of the universe, the all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present. We come near with trepidation, fearing He will strike us dead. Jesus provided us a way into the holy of holies, through His cross. We do not need to fear His wrath. Our fear is of losing contact with the one who loves us more than any human can love us and wants to help us.

Prayer, fasting, scripture reading, meditation, and other spiritual disciplines are all ways in which we come near to God.

3.    Wash your hands

We rebel because we want control over our situations.  There may be areas of sin that we do not want to give up. Or there may be areas of our strength where we do not think we need God. Sinfulness keeps us from fully repenting. How do we deal with our sin? Confession and repentance from sin! After healing many Jesus told them, "Go and sin no more."

1 John 1:9 (NKJV)  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

James 4:4  Every list of sin in the New Testament begins with sexual sin.

4.    Purify Your Hearts

We touch two separate kingdoms - the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of this world. You do not become purified by ceasing to sin. We have a problem obeying the "Ten Commandments" let alone following Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount." We purify our hearts by being So filled with God that there is no room for anything else. Worldliness is being so full of the world there is no room for God. Check your calendar, where do you spend your time? Check your checkbook. where do you spend your money? Check your heart and mind, where are your thoughts?

Return to Him

Sometimes we might wish that God would force us to return to Him, instead of wooing us to return out of our own choice. Nevertheless, God wants our freely given love, so He prompts us to choose Him and return to Him.

Are people today any more heavenly inclined than those of Zechariah's day? No, we - like the people in Zechariah’s day - must be responsive to the lessons of history if we do not wish to be destroyed:  

God is genuinely and deeply concerned about the state of His people. God solemnly promised to restore Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. This was an especially comforting promise considering the lowly condition of the cities of the "Promised Land" in Zechariah’s day. About four years from the time of this prophecy the temple was rebuilt. The Jewish people took the prophecy seriously.

As we prepare for the birth of that child in Bethlehem, let us prepare ourselves by returning to the Lord! 

Do not get caught up in the worldly activities surrounding Christmas, but become caught up of the anticipation of God coming.

CHURCH PLANTING, by St PAUL

St Paul was probably the most successful church planter of all time.  Converted on the Damascus road about 33 AD, his ministry lasted for approximately 30 years.  Theologian, F. F. Bruce[1] attributes this phenomenon principally to, "the energy with which Paul, a Jew by birth and upbringing, spread the Gospel of Christ in the Gentile world....".

Roland Allen writes;

"In a little more than ten years St. Paul established the Church in four provinces of the Empire, Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia and Asia.  Before AD 47 there were no churches in these provinces; in ad 57 Paul could speak as if his work there was done, and could plan extensive tours into the far west without anxiety lest the churches which he had founded might perish in his absence for want of his guidance and support.”[2]

Certainly, Paul's methods of quickly planting and building lasting churches were effective in his context, but are they of use today in our context?  Certainly, today there is a need for evangelism and strengthening of the church.  As Evangelicals lament the growing secularization of society and the diminishing influence of Christianity, we should look to the ministry of Paul for his vision of the church of Jesus Christ and attempt to apply his methods to the church today.

The book of Acts provides an excellent history and insight into Paul's church planting and evangelistic techniques.  It was at Antioch in Pisidia that Paul's plan for evangelization and church planting took form.  This plan was continued, with some variation and a few exceptions, throughout his journeys.  As a traveling Rabbi, Paul would be asked to speak in the synagogue.  Many heard the message of Jesus and believed.  Others would become irate and a split in the synagogue occurred.  The Apostles would then flee to the next town leaving behind a group of believers, often with one of the missionary band stayed to nurture the new church[3].

1.   The Team Approach

Paul used a team approach to church planting.  Rather than being an individual itinerant preacher, Paul would bring others along to assist.  Commissioned by the church at Antioch, Paul began his first missionary journey with Barnabus and John Mark.  On his second missionary journey he was accompanied from time to time by Silas, Timothy, Luke, and Aquila and Priscilla. 

From the first visit to Antioch - Pisidia, Paul was the senior spokesperson of the missionary band but he relied heavily on those with him.  When Paul was alone at Athens he was not successful in starting a church and he did not begin a church in Corinth until Silas and Timothy had joined him there.

2.   Finding People

The first step in planting a church is to find people.  It was Paul's custom to first try to reach people at the synagogue.  The synagogues consisted of both Jews and God fearing Gentiles.  As he was asked to speak he would share the Good News of the kingdom of God.  At other times, such as at Phillippi, where there was no synagogue and at Corinth where he was not allowed to teach in the synagogue, Paul would look elsewhere. It is this "elsewhere" that is most important to understanding Paul's success.  The father of the church growth movement, Donald MacGavran[4]  points out that at Pentecost three thousand people were saved from all over the empire and each of these people had family back home.  It is his opinion that Paul was able to network by getting names of family members throughout the area of his travels. 

Paul was a great writer and a leader of people, but these characteristics were not responsible for his success in finding people open to the Gospel.

"...neither his dedication nor his communion with God in Christ was the sole secret of his amazing success.  That lay in the combination of his deep understanding of, and fellowship with, the living Christ, with his intuitive and unerring cooperation with God in the extension of these vast stirrings of the people whom God purposed to disciple.[5]

Paul became a part of what God was already doing in peoples lives.  He was able to see what God was doing and participate in it for the conversion of thousands.

3.   Paul's Message

When in a synagogue, Paul would speak about Jesus Christ beginning with the actions of God in Jewish history, the message of the prophets who foretold the Messiah, declaring Jesus the Christ who was crucified and arose from the dead and who is the forgiveness of sin.  Everyone who believes is justified from everything that could not justify them under the law of Moses.   He was not ashamed of the Gospel because it was the power of God for salvation (Rom1:16).  He preached not human wisdom but the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1Cor 1:17-18), ... not wise and persuasive words but with the demonstration of the Spirit's power (1Cor. 2:4-5).

4.   Developing Leaders

The development of leaders is still a mystery for many churches today.  The modern approach is to find a person who is successful in his work and put him in charge of a church committee.  Paul's team approach led to the rapid development of leaders and was an imperative considering the Jew's attempts to kill Paul.  Paul was able to delegate tasks and responsibility as his associates grew.  Paul believed the church to be a group of people with spiritual gifts and graces, given by God. This allowed him to cooperate with God in leadership selection.  Paul merely confirmed what God was already doing in the people before he moved on to the next town.  In some churches, Paul's stay was brief as leadership developed quickly.  This happened in Phillippi where he left Luke after only a brief apprenticeship.  At Berea, Paul left Silas and Timothy for a while until the church could sustain itself.  In Corinth, he stayed for a long time before heading for Ephesus with Priscilla and Aquila.  Then he left them in Ephesus to help lead that church.  From the Corinthian correspondence, he might have been better served by leaving Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth.

Conclusion

The pattern used by Paul for planting new churches in the first century is an effective means today for communicating the Gospel.  We must be careful however to maintain the vision and purpose to which God has called us.  If we seek church growth and church planting as a goal in itself, we run the risk of losing His perspective.  Our purpose is not to create or build a church, but to evangelize people, to bring them to a reconciliation with God and then equip them to do likewise. 

If we merely try to attract people to our church and assume that somehow, sometime Christianity will rub off and they will turn their hearts over to God, we are not following Paul's pattern.  Paul first led people to Christ, then brought them together into the body.  This is why he was able to move on to a new territory trusting the Holy Spirit to guide and direct the leaders of the new church even though they did not have years of theological training.  Those churches then continued the ministry of reconciling people to God. 

Paul's concern was not to build large churches but to convert large numbers of people to a faith in Jesus Christ.  He was very proficient at this because of his faith in God and the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of converts.

---

[1] Bruce, F.F. Paul The Apostle of the Heart Set Free, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company,  Grand Rapids, 1977, page 17

[2] Allen, Roland, Missionary Methods: St. Paul's or Ours,  Eerdman's Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 1962, page 3

[3] Barklay, William, The Mind Of St. Paul, Harper, San Francisco, 1958, pages 231-233

[4] MacGavran, Donald Anderson, The Bridges of God, Friendship Press, New York, revised 1981, page 18

[5] ibid page 26-27