three_promises_of_jesus.html

INTRODUCTION

?  Startingnew churches is more strategic than winning strangers to faith, and startingnew

churches isthe most effective way to evangelize whole populations.

?  Threepowerful promises make church planting effective wherever believers apply them.

1. JESUS WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH, AS WE WILL ALLOW HIM.

Matthew16:18-20 GNB ?Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will buildmy church,

and not evendeath will ever be able to overcome it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdomof

heaven;what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit onearth will

bepermitted in heaven.? Then Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone thathe was the

Messiah. 

?  Peterwas the first to confess that Jesus was the Messiah, so he would have theprivilege of

using theKeys to introduce Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles into Jesus? new church.

?  Peterand the other apostles normally formed new believers into home-basedfellowships

like he didfollowing Pentecost and did with Cornelius? family and friends.

Thispromise is repeated in?

2.  GODWILL DO WHATEVER WE ASK, AS WE AGREE TOGETHER.

Matthew18:18-20 GNB ?And so I tell all of you: what you prohibit on earth will beprohibited in

heaven, andwhat you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. And I tell you more:whenever

two of youon earth agree about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by myFather in

heaven. Forwhere two or three come together in my name, I am there with them.?

?  To planta church, agree together with one or two others, pray to exercise yourauthority,

and cometogether as Jesus? followers.

? Experiencing the real Presence of Jesus in your midst is what make a church areal one.

Thispromise is repeated in?

3. JESUS IS WITH US, AS WE OBEY HIM.

Matthew28:18-20 GNB Jesus drew near and said to them, «I have been given all authorityin heaven

and onearth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptizethem in the

name of theFather, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have

commandedyou. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.» 

?  Our taskis to make disciples. The apostles? main method of making disciples was to

baptizerepentant seekers and form into new, little churches.

?  The maintask of churches is to teach folks how to obey all of Jesus? commandments.

CONCLUSION

?  Startnew churches everywhere, within every social group and economic class, now.

?  You andyour friends have all the authority you need to do so, already.