Sermon Notes

WE MULTIPLY CHURCHES

Acts 1:8 / 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

 “When God birthed our church, it was always for something bigger than our church.” - Vance Pitman

 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Acts 1:8

 “God has called us to join in his activity of extending the kingdom of God in Las Vegas, the West, and the World.”

How do we reach the West?

What percentage of the West coast would we have reached?

Answer: 0.001%

How many people would we have reached and discipled in just 10 years time?

ANSWER: 177,147,000 people

The entire west coast population is roughly 80,000,000. Research suggests that around 90% of the West Coast does not have a relationship with Jesus or is connected to a local church.

 “We Multiply Churches

 Every Jesus Follower has been invited by God to play a role in the multiplication of churches.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-20

ONE BIBLICAL REASON EVERY FOLLOWER OF JESUS CAN PLAY A ROLE IN MULTIPLYING THE CHURCH

1. GOD SAVED US TO SEND US

A NEW IDENTITY

2 Corinthians 5:17

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. - Colossians 3:3

ENTIRELY FROM GOD

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself

Jonathan Edwards Quote - “The only thing that you contribute to your salvation is the sin that made it necessary.”

A NEW MINISTRY

 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Matthew 28:18-20

 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

“The question is no longer if we are called to leverage our lives for the Great Commission; it’s only where and how.” J.D. GREER

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. - NIV

WHY WE CAN’T AFFORD TO NOT PLANT CHURCHES

1. THE EXAMPLE IS TOO CLEAR

“Virtually all of the great evangelistic challenges of the New Testament are basically calls to plant church-es, not simply to share the faith. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18–20) is a call not just to “make disciples” but to baptize. In Acts and elsewhere, it is clear that baptism means incorporation into a worshiping community with accountability and boundaries (cf. Acts 2:41–47). The only way to be truly sure you are increasing the number of Christians in a city is to increase the number of churches.” - Tim Keller

THE EFFECTIVENESS IS TOO OBVIOUS

Missiologist C. Peter Wagner says, “Planting new churches is the most effective evangelistic methodology known under heaven.”

2. THE NEED IS TOO GREAT

 “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

WHAT ROLE CAN YOU PLAY IN MULTIPLYING THE CHURCH?

5 roles you can play in multiplying churches

• Pray
  
  
  
  
  
  • “The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.” – Samuel Zwemer
  
  
  
  

• Make Disciples


• Care for Church Planters


• Give to the Mission


• Go for the sake of the Mission