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- Homegrown Discipleship
Yesterday I talked about step 1
1) Consistent fishing
Now onto step 2:
2) Homegrown discipleship.
This step is HUGE.
Most pastors know they need a team.
And most pastors also lament that their team isn't quite enough to fulfill their God-given mission and vision.
I've never met a pastor that said, "We have too many volunteers, group leaders, and potential ministers!"
It's always the opposite.
But what I also hear all the time is the wrong perspective.
It's what I call the "free agency" model of leadership and discipleship.
Waiting for fully grown leaders and disciples to come walking through the door of the church...
Can it happen?
Sure!
Every once in awhile...
But it's not the biblical pattern.
The biblical pattern is homegrown discipleship.
In other words, raising up your own leaders and disciples from the existing flock God has brought to you.
Faithful in little...trusted with much.
Tracking with me?
It's woven into the fabric of the Bible...
God provides the seed and expects us to tend it.
Did you know the leaders you need are sitting in the pew/chair right in front of you?
Yes, they are!
Don't look at the harvest...look at the seed.
All you need is to identify 1-10 people with a willing heart and then invite them into training.
I personally lead a mentorship group for men on Tuesday nights.
In that group I challenge them and nurture them.
It's not just a Bible study.
Yes, we study the Bible...but we also talk about work, marriage, and kingdom mission.
My goal is stir these men with Godly passion to win souls and achieve their God-given purpose in the world.
I'm raising up ministers.
They might never be paid staff or officially called "pastors" but they will absolutely be on mission.
That's homegrown discipleship.
Find the willing ones.
They don't have to be gifted or perfectly developed in their spiritual maturity.
Just willing.
Because God can turn a seed into a great harvest.
And believe me, when you spend 3-6 months pouring yourself as a leader into a group you're going to see some growth!
And that team becomes mighty.
Then do it again and again.
It works!
In the meantime, if you're a pastor that wants to see the church break barriers and grow I'd love to help you through UpLevel Leader.
UpLevel Leader is a coaching community for pastors (and their team) that is focused on growth and discipleship.
We use a simple 3 step system that helps churches grow!
We help pastors plan and prepare a winning strategy for their church...
For growth, discipleship, increased finances, and leadership development.
But there's limited space in Uplevel Leader right now. We keep the numbers down so we can serve the member churches better!
Talk soon,
Pastor Jake
PS - We’ve got room to help a few more churches this month but open enrollment will end soon as we approach the fall. Then it will be an application process. If you’d like to chat before joining UpLevel Leader please click here and fill out the form and one of our team will be in touch!
How We’re Helping Churches/Businesses Get The Employee Retention Tax Credit (avg. $18,000 per employee)
Right now I’m helping churches get connected with a firm that assists them determine their eligibility for the ERC tax credit. The average check to the church we’ve seen is $18,000 per employee. Incredible right? It’s already been a HUGE blessing to hundreds of churches across the US. But there is a TON of misinformation, misunderstanding, and even scams out there so getting the right help is important. If you’d like more information please click here.
Free Resources
Here’s a couple of cool FREE resources I’ve come across that I wanted to share with you!
Want to write, publish, and profit with your own book? This will show you the process.
The Pour Over: Politically neutral, Christ-first, news source.
The biggest news of the day, summarized in a way you'll actually understand and enjoy, paired with brief Christian perspectives.
Eat God’s Way: FREE Newsletter
Daily encouragement to ditch the Standard American Diet, get healthier & happier, and save money on groceries... without giving up the foods you love or spending all day in the kitchen!
Click here to get it. (page might take a few seconds to load)
Telling better stories means being a better communicator and inspiring people to change and grow!
Recommended Tools:
Here are some of the best tools I use for business and ministry!
1) Email Newsletter Software - Beehiiv
Want to start your own newsletter? For church communication, leadership development, discipleship, or something else? Beehiiv is my go-to tool. I use it everyday and it works great. Totally FREE up to 2500 subscribers!
2) Group Software - Skool
Skool is hands down the simplest, easiest, and BEST group software available right now. I use it for UpLevel Leader coaching and it’s fantastic. Community. Classroom. Calendar.