A Church Planter?s Scripture Menu
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         Instruct new church planters in how to do these 25 activities. Eachtime you coach a worker, choose an activity that meets a current need.See the numbers that follow the activity. The numbers refer to theBible texts that appear below. Discuss the text together and make plans.
- Send workers 1, 8, 9, 13, 14, 28
- Receive Jesus? authority 1, 4, 8, 11, 16
- Work without pay 1, 8, 9, 18
- Enter houses 2, 8, 9, 20, 21
- Preach, teach, proclaim 3, 8, 10, 15, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28
- Announce Jesus as risen 16, 19, 23
- Announce Jesus? death 16, 19, 23, 27
- Announce Jesus? power 6, 16, 22
- Announce Jesus? return 15, 27, 30
- Cast out evil spirits 1, 8, 11
- Have Joy 11, 12, 13
- Heal the sick 1, 8, 10, 22
- Holy Spirit 3, 14, 15, 17, 19, 23
- Repent & believe 17, 23, 25, 31
- Baptize new believers 6, 17, 24
- Love God and others 5, 13, 18
- Forgive each other 4, 17, 19, 23
- Pray using Jesus? name 9, 13, 18
- Celebrate communion 18, 27
- Make disciples 6, 18, 25
- Obey God 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 26
- Start new flocks 4, 17, 18, 25, 30
- Teach novice shepherds 6, 11, 28
- Appoint elders 25, 29, 30
- Beware of enemies 2, 3, 8, 10, 19, 25, 31
31 Church Planters’ Bible Texts
Review one of these texts every day of the month until you know them well.
Jesuscalled his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to driveout evil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness… Thesetwelve men were sent out by Jesus with the following instructions: ?Donot go to any Gentile territory or any Samaritan towns. Instead, youare to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. Go and preach,?The Kingdom of heaven is near!? Heal the sick, bring the dead back tolife, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive outdemons. You have received without paying, so give without being paid.Do not carry any gold, silver, or copper money in your pockets; do notcarry a beggar?s bag for the trip or an extra shirt or shoes or awalking stick. Workers should be given what they need. Matthew 10:1-10 Menu
?Whenyou come to a town or village, go in and look for someone who iswilling to welcome you, and stay with him until you leave that place.When you go into a house, say, ?Peace be with you.? If the people inthat house welcome you, let your greeting of peace remain; but if theydo not welcome you, then take back your greeting. And if some home ortown will not welcome you or listen to you, then leave that place andshake the dust off your feet. I assure you that on the Judgment Day Godwill show more mercy to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah than to thepeople of that town! Matthew 10:11-15 Menu
3. Beware of hostile authorities
?Listen!I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must beas cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves. Watch out, for there willbe those who will arrest you and take you to court, and they will whipyou in the synagogues. For my sake you will be brought to trial beforerulers and kings, to tell the Good News to them and to the Gentiles.When they bring you to trial, do not worry about what you are going tosay or how you will say it; when the time comes, you will be given whatyou will say. For the words you will speak will not be yours; they willcome from the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Matthew 10:16-20 Menu
?Andso I tell all of you: what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited inheaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. ?AndI tell you more: whenever two of you on earth agree about anything youpray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where twoor three come together in my name, I am there with them.? Then Petercame to Jesus and asked, ?Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning againstme, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?? ?No, notseven times,? answered Jesus, ?but seventy times seven. Matthew 18:18-22 Menu
Whenthe Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they cametogether, and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him witha question. ?Teacher,? he asked, ?which is the greatest commandment inthe Law?? Jesus answered, ? ?Love the Lord your God with all yourheart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.? This is thegreatest and the most important commandment. The second most importantcommandment is like it: ?Love your neighbour as you love yourself.? Thewhole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on thesetwo commandments.? Matthew 22:34-40 Menu
6. Teach Believers to Obey Jesus
Theeleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told themto go. When they saw him, they worshipped him, even though some of themdoubted. Jesus drew near and said to them, ?I have been given allauthority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhereand make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, theSon, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I havecommanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.? Matthew 28:16-20 Menu
Jesuscalled the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. Hegave them authority over the evil spirits and ordered them, ?Don?t takeanything with you on the trip except a walking stick?no bread, nobeggar?s bag, no money in your pockets. Wear sandals, but don?t carryan extra shirt.? He also told them, ?Wherever you are welcomed, stay inthe same house until you leave that place. 1 If you come to a townwhere people do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it andshake the dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them!? So theywent out and preached that people should turn away from their sins…The apostles returned and met with Jesus, and told him all they haddone and taught. Mark 6:7-12, 30 Menu
Jesuscalled the twelve disciples together and gave them power and authorityto drive out all demons and to cure diseases. Then he sent them out topreach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick, after saying to them,?Take nothing with you for the trip: no walking stick, no beggar?s bag,no food, no money, not even an extra shirt. Wherever you are welcomed,stay in the same house until you leave that town; wherever people don?twelcome you, leave that town and shake the dust off your feet as awarning to them.? The disciples left and travelled through all thevillages, preaching the Good News and healing people everywhere. Luke 9:1-6 Menu
Afterthis the Lord chose another seventy-two men and sent them out two bytwo, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself wasabout to go. He said to them, ?There is a large harvest, but fewworkers to gather it in. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he willsend out workers to gather in his harvest. Go! I am sending you likelambs among wolves. Don?t take a purse or a beggar?s bag or shoes;don?t stop to greet anyone on the road. Whenever you go into a house,first say, ?Peace be with this house.? If someone who is peace-lovinglives there, let your greeting of peace remain on that person; if not,take back your greeting of peace. Stay in that same house, eating anddrinking whatever they offer you, for workers should be given theirpay. Don?t move around from one house to another.
Luke 10:1-7 Menu
Wheneveryou go into a town and are made welcome, eat what is set before you,heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, ?The Kingdomof God has come near you.? But whenever you go into a town and are notwelcomed, go out in the streets and say, ?Even the dust from your townthat sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that theKingdom of God has come near you!?
Luke 10:8-11 Menu
11. Teach More to Fruitful Workers
Theseventy-two men came back in great joy. ?Lord,? they said, ?even thedemons obeyed us when we gave them a command in your name!? Jesusanswered them, ?I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Listen! Ihave given you authority, so that you can walk on snakes and scorpionsand overcome all the power of the Enemy, and nothing will hurt you. Butdon?t be glad because the evil spirits obey you; rather be glad becauseyour names are written in heaven.? Luke 10:17-20 Menu
?Myfood,? Jesus said to them, ?is to obey the will of the one who sent meand to finish the work he gave me to do. You have a saying, ?Four moremonths and then the harvest.? But I tell you, take a good look at thefields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! The one whoreaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life;so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. Forthe saying is true, ?Someone plants, someone else reaps.? I have sentyou to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others workedthere, and you profit from their work.? John 4:34-38 Menu
Ilove you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. If you obey mycommands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father?scommands and remain in his love. ?I have told you this so that my joymay be in you and that your joy may be complete. My commandment isthis: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love you canhave for your friends is to give your life for them. And you are myfriends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants anylonger, because servants do not know what their master is doing.Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heardfrom my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you togo and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so theFather will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. This, then, iswhat I command you: love one another. John 15:9-17 Menu
Itwas late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered togetherbehind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewishauthorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. ?Peace be with you,?he said. After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. Thedisciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. Jesus said to themagain, ?Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.? Thenhe breathed on them and said, ?Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:19-22 Menu
Jesussaid to them, ?The times and occasions are set by my Father?s ownauthority, and it is not for you to know when they will be. But whenthe Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and youwill be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, andto the ends of the earth.? After saying this, he was taken up to heavenas they watched him, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 0 They stillhad their eyes fixed on the sky as he went away, when two men dressedin white suddenly stood beside them 1 and said, ?Galileans, why are youstanding there looking up at the sky? This Jesus, who was taken fromyou into heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go toheaven.? Acts 1:7-11 Menu
?Listento these words, fellow Israelites! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whosedivine authority was clearly proven to you by all the miracles andwonders which God performed through him. You yourselves know this, forit happened here among you. 3 In accordance with his own plan God hadalready decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killedhim by letting sinful men crucify him. 4 But God raised him from death,setting him free from its power, because it was impossible that deathshould hold him prisoner. Acts 2:22-24 Menu
Petersaid to them, ?Each one of you must turn away from your sins and bebaptised in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will beforgiven; and you will receive God?s gift, the Holy Spirit. For God?spromise was made to you and your children, and to all who are faraway?all whom the Lord our God calls to himself.? Peter made his appealto them and with many other words he urged them, saying, ?Saveyourselves from the punishment coming on this wicked people!? Many ofthem believed his message and were baptized, and about three thousandpeople were added to the group that day. Acts 2:38-41 Menu
18. Teach Believers to Worship
Theyspent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in thefellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers. Manymiracles and wonders were being done through the apostles, and everyonewas filled with awe. All the believers continued together in closefellowship and shared their belongings with one another. They wouldsell their property and possessions, and distribute the money amongall, according to what each one needed. Day after day they met as agroup in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes,eating with glad and humble hearts, praising God, and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their groupthose who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47 Menu
19. Obey God instead of People
Theybrought the apostles in, made them stand before the Council, and theHigh Priest questioned them. ?We gave you strict orders not to teach inthe name of this man,? he said; ?but see what you have done! You havespread your teaching all over Jerusalem, and you want to make usresponsible for his death!? Peter and the other apostles answered, ?Wemust obey God, not men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus fromdeath, after you had killed him by nailing him to a cross. God raisedhim to his right side as Leader and Saviour, to give the people ofIsrael the opportunity to repent and have their sins forgiven. We arewitnesses to these things, we and the Holy Spirit, who is God?s gift tothose who obey him.? Acts 5:27-32 Menu
Thefollowing day Peter arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was waitingfor him, together with relatives and close friends that he had invited.As Peter was about to go in, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, andbowed down before him. But Peter made him rise. ?Stand up,? he said, ?Imyself am only a man.? Peter kept on talking to Cornelius as he wentinto the house, where he found many people gathered. He said to them,?You yourselves know very well that a Jew is not allowed by hisreligion to visit or associate with Gentiles. But God has shown me thatI must not consider any person ritually unclean or defiled. And so whenyou sent for me, I came without any objection. Acts 10:24-29 Menu
21. Go to Folks whom God Has Prepared
Corneliussaid, ?It was about this time three days ago that I was praying in myhouse at three o?clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man dressed inshining clothes stood in front of me and said: ?Cornelius! God hasheard your prayer and has taken notice of your works of charity. Sendsomeone to Joppa for a man whose full name is Simon Peter. He is aguest in the home of Simon the tanner of leather, who lives by thesea.? And so I sent for you at once, and you have been good enough tocome. Now we are all here in the presence of God, waiting to hearanything that the Lord has instructed you to say.? Acts 10:30-33 Menu
22. Tell Folks about Jesus? Power
Peterbegan to speak: ?I now realize that it is true that God treats everyoneon the same basis. Those who fear him and do what is right areacceptable to him, no matter what race they belong to. You know themessage he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the Good News ofpeace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know of the greatevent that took place throughout the land of Israel, beginning inGalilee after John preached his message of baptism. You know aboutJesus of Nazareth and how God poured out on him the Holy Spirit andpower. He went everywhere, doing good and healing all who were underthe power of the Devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses ofeverything that he did in the land of Israel and in Jerusalem. Acts 10:34-38 Menu
23. Proclaim Jesus? Death and Resurrection
Thenthey put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But God raised himfrom death three days later and caused him to appear, not to everyone,but only to the witnesses that God had already chosen, that is, to uswho ate and drank with him after he rose from death. And he commandedus to preach the gospel to the people and to testify that he is the onewhom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead. All theprophets spoke about him, saying that all who believe in him will havetheir sins forgiven through the power of his name.? Acts 10:39-43 Menu
WhilePeter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came down on all those whowere listening to his message. The Jewish believers who had come fromJoppa with Peter were amazed that God had poured out his gift of theHoly Spirit on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speaking instrange tongues and praising God?s greatness. Peter spoke up: ?Thesepeople have received the Holy Spirit, just as we also did. Can anyone,then, stop them from being baptised with water?? So he ordered them tobe baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to staywith them for a few days. Acts 10:44-48 Menu
25. Appoint Elders in New Flocks
Pauland Barnabas preached the Good News in Derbe and won many disciples.Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and on to Antioch inPisidia. They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remaintrue to the faith. ?We must pass through many troubles to enter theKingdom of God,? they taught. In each church they appointed elders, andwith prayers and fasting they commended them to the Lord, in whom theyhad put their trust. Acts 14:21-23 Menu
26. Lead Folks to Believe and Obey
TheGood News was promised long ago by God through his prophets, as writtenin the Holy Scriptures. It is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: asto his humanity, he was born a descendant of David; as to his divineholiness, he was shown with great power to be the Son of God by beingraised from death. Through him God gave me the privilege of being anapostle for the sake of Christ, in order to lead people of all nationsto believe and obey. This also includes you who are in Rome, whom Godhas called to belong to Jesus Christ. And so I write to all of you inRome whom God loves and has called to be his own people: May God ourFather and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Romans 1:2-7 Â Menu
Ispeak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Thecup we use in the Lord?s Supper and for which we give thanks to God:when we drink from it, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. And thebread we break: when we eat it, we are sharing in the body of Christ.Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us, though many, are onebody, for we all share the same loaf? For I received from the Lord theteaching that I passed on to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the night hewas betrayed, took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, andsaid, ?This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me.? Inthe same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, ?This cup isGod?s new covenant, sealed with my blood. Whenever you drink it, do soin memory of me.? This means that every time you eat this bread anddrink from this cup you proclaim the Lord?s death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 10:15-17; 11:23-26 Menu
28. Let Novice Leaders Train Others
Asfor you, my son, be strong through the grace that is ours in union withChrist Jesus. Take the teachings that you heard me proclaim in thepresence of many witnesses, and entrust them to reliable people, whowill be able to teach others also. Take your part in suffering, as aloyal soldier of Christ Jesus. A soldier on active duty wants to pleasehis commanding officer and so does not get mixed up in the affairs ofcivilian life. An athlete who runs in a race cannot win the prizeunless he obeys the rules. The farmer who has done the hard work shouldhave the first share of the harvest. Think about what I am saying,because the Lord will enable you to understand it all. Remember JesusChrist, who was raised from death, who was a descendant of David, as istaught in the Good News I preach. Because I preach the Good News, Isuffer and I am even chained like a criminal. But the word of God isnot in chains? 2Â Timothy 2:1-10 Menu
29. Empower Coordinators to Appoint Elders
Ileft you in Crete, so that you could put in order the things that stillneeded doing and appoint church elders in every town. Remember myinstructions: an elder must be without fault; he must have only onewife, and his children must be believers and not have the reputation ofbeing wild or disobedient. For since a church leader is in charge ofGod’s work, he should be without fault. He must not be arrogant orquick-tempered, or a drunkard or violent or greedy for money. He mustbe hospitable and love what is good. He must be self-controlled,upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the messagewhich can be trusted and which agrees with the doctrine. In this way hewill be able to encourage others with the true teaching and also toshow the error of those who are opposed to it. Titus 1:5-9 Menu
30. Teach Shepherds to Serve Humbly
I,who am an elder myself, appeal to the church elders among you. I am awitness of Christ’s sufferings, and I will share in the glory that willbe revealed. I appeal to you to be shepherds of the flock that God gaveyou and to take care of it willingly, as God wants you to, and notunwillingly. Do your work, not for mere pay, but from a real desire toserve. Do not try to rule over those who have been put in your care,but be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, youwill receive the glorious crown which will never lose its brightness.In the same way you younger people must submit yourselves to yourelders. And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve oneanother; for the scripture says, “God resists the proud, but showsfavor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand,so that he will lift you up in his own good time. 1 Peter 5:1-6 Menu
31. Prepare Believers to Suffer
Leaveall your worries with him, because he cares for you. Be alert, be onwatch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, lookingfor someone to devour. Be firm in your faith and resist him, becauseyou know that other believers in all the world are going through thesame kind of sufferings. But after you have suffered for a littlewhile, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal gloryin union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness,strength, and a sure foundation. To him be the power forever! Amen. 1 Peter 5:7-11 Menu
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