We really need other Christians

by | Apr 24, 2020 | Faith Builders

OUR DILEMMA – Too many have trusted Jesus as Lord but don’t know they not only need Jesus but each other!”

I. WHEN THE LORD SAVED US HE CALLED US TO A GREAT MISSION.

  1. Have you considered Gods evidence and have concluded:
    1. There is a God! or there isn’t.
    2. That God created everything! or He didn’t.
    3. That God wants to have a relationship with us! or He doesn’t.
    4. That God has made promises to mankind and kept them! or He didn’t.
    5. That God communicated with mankind through people and the Bible!  or He didn’t.
    6. That God became a man! or, He didn’t.
    7. That God came by miracle birth!  or He didn’t.
    8. That God, who became a man did miracles! or He didn’t.
    9. That God, who became man, lived a sinless life and became the sacrifice for sinners! or He didn’t.
    10. That God, the one who became a man and died on a cross, arose from the dead!  or He didn’t.
    11. That God sent the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, God’s righteousness, and the judgment to come.
    12. That The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian and empowers them to be on mission with God! or He doesn’t.
    13. That God continues to give evidence in history that the Bible is His word! or He doesn’t.
    14. That God changes people!  or He doesn’t.
    15. We cannot only know there is a God we can know Him!  or we can’t.
  2. The Lord called and empowered us to be on His mission with Him because:
    1. All the lost need saved…not some.
    2. All the saved are to be discipled…not most.
    3. All the disciples are to become disciple makers… not a few.
  3. He intends us to join Him in His mission to reach the whole world for Jesus one person at a time:
    1. Some disciple makers become apostles
    2. Some disciple makers become prophets
    3. Some disciple makers become evangelists
    4. Some disciple makers become pastors
    5. Some disciple makers become teachers
    6. Some disciple makers become deacons
    7. Some disciple makers become older women
    8. Some disciple makers become elders
    9. Some disciple makers become pastors
    10. But all disciples are to become disciple makers.

II. WHEN THE LORD SAVED US HE STARTED WORKING ON US INDIVIDUALLY:

  1. The Lord intends every one He saves to grow from spiritual infancy to becoming a spiritually reproducing disciple.
    1. He started working on our original parents in CREATION. (Genesis 1:263)
    2. He started working on us as individuals in PROCREATION. (Psalms 139:13-16)
    3. When sin separates us from God He begins again to work on us in RECREATION!
  2. It is important for each of us to clearly understand our present spiritual progress, maturity and mission:
    1. Please consider this visual and identify your present progress and need:
      1. Which visual best represents your present progress and needs?:
      2. Why I believe this is my progress:
      3. List what you can thank the Lord for and celebrate:
      4. List the areas or issues that are holding you back from reaching the next stage of your development:
  3. Take time to see what your personal needs are so you can find help and mature.
  4. Before you move on please think through the similarities of a physical baby without parents and a family and a Christian without a Church family.

III. WHEN THE LORD SAVED US HE PLACED US INTO HIS FAMILY THE CHURCH TO PREPARE US FOR BEING ON MISSION WITH HIM:

  1. Please consider the following visual and discover:
    1. God is Lord of all.
    2. He assigns His Vision and Mission to those He saves and holds them accountable.
    3. He gives specific responsibilities to those He raises up as leaders. Note that He does not make them responsible for those who have not committed themselves to the Leaders oversight.
    4. He places every individual Christian into His family the Church and under the oversight of leaders in a local Church family.
  2. Consider what God’s Word says about the relationship between God, His assigned leaders and those He places in His Church.

IV. CONSIDER HOW THE LORD USES OUR PHYSICAL FAMILY TO APPRENTICE US FOR BECOMING SPIRITUAL LEADERs IN OUR HOMES, CHURCHES AND MISSION:


Note how the God assigned responsibility for parents and church leaders are similar.

V. IT IS ALL RIGHT FOR YOU TO BE AT THE SPIRITUAL STAGE YOU ARE IN … BUT IT IS NOT ALL RIGHT FOR YOU TO STAY THERE!

  1. The Lord wants you to be discipled to become spiritually mature disciple makers.
  2. He wants you to visualize one of His disciplemakers coming along beside you to help you grow from spiritual infancy to becoming a disciple who makes disciples!
  3. The following visual is intended to help you ask the right questions, find the Lord’s answers and begin to be on mission with God!

VI. YOU ARE INVITED TO VISIT WWW.ANSWERSFORREALLIFE.ORG TO FIND MANY PAGES OF TOOLS, PROJECTS AND VISUALS TO HELP YOUR MARRIAGE, FAMILY AND CHURCH TO STAY ON MISSION WITH GOD:

VII. WHERE TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL HELP:

  1. Bill Putman bill@reallifeministries.com    
  2. www.answersforreallife.org
  3. Including all the materials used on GODISNOWHERE APP.
  4. A free book from Bill and Bobbi Putman – LIFE SURE IS CONFUSING.
  5. An increasing number of helps for your life, marriage and ministry.
  6. The Barnabas Team Ministry – Helping Churches in Mid-life crisis.
  7. Developing a ministry to identify, track and check on every absent member. (Team One)
  8. BOOKS BY JIM PUTMAN: (A goodreads author)
  9. Check out www.reallifeministries for information RELATIONAL DISCIPLESHIFT training.
  10. Church Is A Team Sport: A Championship Strategy For Doing Ministry Together. By Jim Putman – Baker Books.
  11. Real-Life Discipleship – Building churches that make disciples. Jim Putman – Navpress
  12. Real-Life Discipleshift Training Manual: Equipping Disciples Who Make Disciples. By Jim Putman, Avery T Willis Jr., Bill Krause.
  13. The Power Of Together – Discover the Christian Life You’ve been Missing. By Jim Putman – Baker Books.
  14. The Power of Together Workbook. By Jim Putman – Baker Books
  15. Exponential Series Complete Set: Essential Resources for Church Planters and Missional Leaders by Dave Ferguson, Jon Ferguson, Jim Putman (Goodreads Author)
  16. Hope for the Prodigal: Bringing the Lost, Wandering, and Rebellious Home by Jim Putman (Goodreads Author), Bill Putman