Do Not Delay Baptism

 

Welcome to Multiply, a Podcast for Village Church Planters, pastors, and Christian leaders, and I am your host today, Daneille Snowden. 

We are going to continue our discussion about water baptism and enter the question: Why do individuals delay their baptism? When asked by a populace of people, the reasons they give are fear, unworthiness, conflicting traditions, and maybe believing one must be formal and wear formal attire, etc. 

To Delay, is defined as the act of postponing, hindering, or causing something to occur more slowly than normal  The Verb for Delay in the Greek is derived from Chronos, meaning to take time, tarry, or linger.

 Yet, we witness in God’s Word that there was no delay after one accepted Jesus as their Savior. 

In Acts 16:31-33, the apostles did not delay baptism once people believed.

Paul, who was Saul, was immediately baptized: Acts 9:17-19.

And in Acts 2:41, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” 

We all must be reminded of what is happening when someone is baptized. We can begin with Jesus' baptism. This powerful act revealed His identity as the Son of God; it displayed the Trinity and told of His death and resurrection for the sins of mankind. 

And after His baptism, He left a private life to pursue His mission publicly. 

For you see that “Baptism affirms each believer’s union with Christ. It is an act of faith that proclaims a new relationship with God.” (NVP Trainer’s Guide Tm.1 Ed.2)

During the summer months, my husband and I are part of a team that hosts what is called ‘The Jesus Rallies’. We have witnessed several people give their hearts to Jesus. Towards the end of the worship time, we have a tank of water where we have witnessed several people, through the years, being baptized. 

As we are baptized, we become identified with Christ Jesus’ death and resurrection.  “Baptism affirms belief in Christ, forgiveness of sin, and unity with Christ.” (Train & Multiply Term 2)

The baptism experience truly is life-changing for the believer and those who witness it. It builds the faith of fellow believers and testifies to others who are still searching for hope. For me, when I was baptized, my soul truly felt in unison with my Jesus; I felt closer to Him as I stepped out in obedience and love. 

This has been Multiply. Will you please share this podcast with others? Visit our website: vcpencouragement.org to discover this podcast and more. 

God bless!

Leadership Development - Jesus’ Prayerful Selection and Selective Call

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

Our topic for 2026 is Leadership Development. In my past several podcasts, I shared insights regarding leadership development from VCP Director Claude, Assistant VCP Director Peter, and Fidélité, our Supervisor for Dynamic Women in Africa.

Today and in a series of podcasts to follow, I want to explore Jesus’s approach to leadership development. We begin with the observation that when it was time to appoint his 12 apostles, he did so prayerfully. Related to this, his call was selective.

In Luke 6:12-13, we read, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.”

The selection of Jesus’ 12 apostles was an extremely important decision for Christ. These were the men with whom he would spend the next three years, the men who would be entrusted to carry on His work after His return to heaven. It should be emphasized that Jesus was fully God and fully human during His time on earth. And before selecting these 12 leaders, the Scripture tells us that he prayed all night.

The principle here is that, as leaders, we must be prayerful in selecting emerging leaders who will be invited to join the work. Over the years, too often I have seen these decisions in the church taken too casually. A person is needed to fill a ministry role, and a “warm body” (this is an idiom meaning someone who just happens to be available) is found and placed into the position without prayerful consideration. Such a selection process almost never works out well.  

Related to prayerful selection, a second principle is that Jesus made a selective call. The context in verse 13 is that Jesus was with a group of his disciples (or followers). From this larger group, Jesus selected 12 to be his apostles.

The leadership development principle that I see here is that as we consider the choice of emerging leaders, we must be selective. I refer here to my 24 April podcast in which I summarized some characteristics that I look for in potential leaders. You may have a list that is somewhat different; the key point is that we are selective based upon important qualities we desire in future leaders.

* An Identity firmly rooted in Christ  

* Humility

* Their history or track record 

* Areas of aptitude or competency

* Take Initiative

* A Strong desire to learn and grow

* A Teachable spirit

* Pleasant to be around

* Their reputation both inside the church and with outsiders

* A strong, Christ-centered marriage

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.

Prepare New Believers for Baptism

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis, and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Jesus’ command in Matthew 28 gives us our marching orders. Our Lord said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” When we read the Acts of the Apostles, we see how the Apostles and their disciples obeyed the Great Commission. An important part of disciple-making is to baptize. And in the book of Acts, a consistent principle emerges: Baptize without delay.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter instructed his listeners in Jerusalem to “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 2:38). Soon about 3,000 people were baptized. When Philip preached to the people of Samaria many believed. The Bible says in Acts 8:12, “When they believed Philip as he proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

Soon after, when the Ethiopian treasurer understood the Good News as Philip explained it to him, he said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And Philip baptized him.  The baptism of Saul in Acts 9, of Cornelius and his household in Acts 10, the baptism of Lydia and her household as well as the Philippian jailer and his household both recounted in Acts 16, Crispus and his household in Acts 18 all tell a similar story. The apostles and their disciples baptized without delay after people heard and understood the Good News of Jesus.

But baptism without delay has not always been the practice of the churches that have been started after the time of the Apostles. Many churches have imposed requirements of long periods of catechism or baptismal classes before baptizing believers. Others have delayed baptism because they were waiting to see the fruit of repentance or simply because they did not trust the new believers. But this was not the pattern or practice of the Apostles.

What is the practice of your church?  What do the elders, pastors, president, or bishops of your church teach about when to baptize and what preparation is needed for baptism? If you do not know, I encourage you to respectfully inquire.

But here is a principle that I can lift up to give you guidance about when to baptize new believers. Baptize them without delay. Make sure they understand the Gospel. Talk with them to make sure they have freely and sincerely crowned Jesus as the King of their lives. Teach them about baptism and its meaning. Makes sure they understand that the blood of Jesus cleanses our hearts and that the water of baptism represents that cleansing. Help them understand that when they rise up after having been baptized, they are rising up to a new life in Christ. Help them share the Good News with their family.

But do not delay their baptism. Preach the Good News, prepare for baptism those who understand the gospel and put their trust in Christ, Make sure these new followers of Christ are baptized without delay.

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #BaptizeWithoutDelay

Believe the Good News

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis, and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four biographies of Jesus that we call “The Gospels.” Mark gets right into the story of Jesus in chapter 1, verse 14 saying. “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the Good News!”

The instruction to repent and believe the Good News is the first of what we now call the seven basic commands of Christ. We teach these seven basic commands to help people live as disciples of Jesus. As church planters we know that peoples’ lives will be transformed if they trust and obey Christ. We understand that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; but that Jesus has come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10). And we know that all kinds of people are looking for a fuller life, a life of peace and hope and purpose, a life filled with love.

So why is it so hard for some people who hear God’s big story and the story of Jesus and his love to repent and believe the Good News?

Maybe it’s because they do not really believe that the Kingdom of God has come near. People who practice traditional religions believe in God, but they think he is far away from them. People who practice Islam often emphasize the transcendence of God, that he is utterly beyond and independent of the created universe. Many nominal Christians believe that God is too busy with big, important matters to be concerned about them.

But Jesus said that the kingdom of God has come near. If people can believe that the kingdom of God has come near, it will be much easier for them to repent and believe the Good News. So, a big part of our work as church planting evangelists is to help people know that the Kingdom of God really has come near. Our evangelistic work is to communicate that the powerful, loving King, Jesus, is here with us now, to forgive and heal, to redeem and to save. If people can just believe that the Kingdom of God is near, it will be much easier for them to repent and believe the Good News.

There are three main ways we help people believe that the Kingdom of God has come near. We share our testimony, we share the story of Jesus and we pray. We tell what Jesus has done for us. We speak clearly about his power and his love at work in our lives. And we tell of his mighty works and his amazing love when he lived in bodily form on this earth 2,000 years ago. And we pray with people and for people so that they see the power of God revealed in answered prayer. When people hear our story and the story of Jesus; when people see God answer prayer, faith rises up within them. They begin to say, “Maybe the kingdom of God really is near. Maybe Jesus really can give me an abundant life full of hope and joy, peace and love and purpose.” It is at that point that we should clearly but gently invite them to repent and believe the Good News about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. When our friends know that the Kingdom of God is near, they too will repent, believe and be transformed by the power of God.

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #RepentAndBelieve

Repent and Believe the Good News : Repent

 

 

Hello, this is Multiply, a podcast to encourage village church planters and leaders. I am Brad Snowden, and last week the podcast was “Why Teach the 7 Basic Commands of Christ” 

The first command of Christ was to repent. God’s word tells us in 

Matthew 4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus started with this word, REPENT to think differently, for this is a powerful transformation that must happen. Our life in Jesus starts with being sorrowful for our sins and asking Him to forgive us. He then washes us clean with His blood and makes our hearts white as snow spiritually. This is not a one-time event in our lives, because our way of thinking must always change. We can help people have a different way of thinking simply by sharing the Good News. You can have a different life, and this will bring up many questions. How can I have a different life? I cannot afford a different life, and how much will this new life change me? The list could go on for a long time, but this will allow you to share the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ with them. Hearts can be changed simply by understanding simple truths that the word repent is not a bad word, but it is a great word because now the heart is open to receiving the Good News of love and forgiveness and hope for a tomorrow. Who would not want to learn about hope? The world's idea of having hope is having enough money to never worry about having enough food, and yet hope goes much deeper than that. To be a follower of Jesus, there must be a change in the way we think. It was many years ago that there was a quote that came out: WWJD= What Would Jesus Do? It was my understanding that this was supposed to help us change our lives. It could go much deeper to change how we think. Lord, I repent because my thoughts were not lined up with your word, and my life is not proving that my thoughts are different.

2 Chronicles 7:14: If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

It is a life of turning from the past life of sin to a whole life in Christ Jesus, humbling ourselves and saying, Lord, I am sorry; help me think of your life you are giving me differently, and I accept this good news of hope and Life.

This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters. Who will you share this with today? Lord bless you.

Help People Respond To God’s Big Story

 

       Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis, and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.  

One of the most important roles you will ever have as a church planter is storyteller. Not everyone likes to think of themself as a storyteller. But before we can be an evangelist, before we can be a disciple maker, before we can be a church planter, we must be storytellers. 

When Jesus began his preaching, teaching, disciple-making ministry, he said, “Repent and believe the Good News.” The Good News is the story about God’s plan of salvation that is fulfilled by Jesus through his exemplary life, his sacrificial death, and his victorious resurrection. There are many good ways to share this big story of God at work in the world. We can tell a series of stories from the Bible about God’s wonderful creation, about mankind’s rebellion against God, about how God chose a man, Abraham, to bring blessing back to the world, about mankind’s continued rebellion and the need for sacrifice and confession. We can tell God’s big story by showing the JESUS Film that begins with creation and ends with God’s promise that Jesus will return. We can share the Good News by drawing three circles and telling about our rebellion and inability to escape brokenness in our own strength. We can tell about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. 

All of these are good ways to share the Good News, but just telling this story is not enough. We have to help people apply this story so they can be transformed by the saving grace of God. You see a lot of people think God’s big story is about other people. They think it’s a story about God and Adam and Eve, about Noah and his children, about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And they are right; all these people play important parts in God’s story. But if you listen to God’s big story as an outsider who is focused on these big-name characters in the story, you will miss the point. 

The point of God’s big story is that he sent his one and only Son to die to save you and to die to save me. Yes, there are many other people in the story. But until you realize that you are a leading character in God’s big story, you will not be transformed. 

It’s not enough to know that God loves the world. It’s not enough to know that Jesus came to save sinners. What we have to help people understand is that Jesus comes for them and that Jesus comes to them.  

If we can help people see their place in God’s big story, great things will result. When people first hear God’s big story, the light begins to dawn. When they realize that it was their sin that brought Jesus into this world, the day grows brighter. When they realize Jesus died and rose again to save them, the light of the Gospel grows very bright indeed. But when people understand that by repenting and believing the Good News they can be forgiven, redeemed, and transformed, the light of the Gospel becomes glorious. 

So, tell God’s big story, tell it well, tell it often, tell it with stories, with film, with drawings. Tell it to one person and tell it to many. But always, always when you tell the story, help people understand that their response to the love of God is what makes the story complete. If you do this, you will see many lives transformed. 

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today? 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #God’sBigStory

Why Teach the 7 Basic Commands of Christ?

 

Welcome to Multiply, a Podcast to encourage church planters, pastors, and Christian leaders. I am your host today, Daneille Snowden. Matthew 28:18-20 says: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

The overall theme today is teaching obedience to Christ’s commands. God’s Word defines obedience as actively hearing, trusting, and surrendering to God's will. By obeying the commands of Jesus, it reflects a believer’s trust and commitment to Him. In that, let us never forget the obedient life example that Jesus gave as we read in Philippians 2:8, “And being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross." 

It is the objective of a church planter, pastor, and Christian leader to teach obedience. In that, keeping the thought process that as we obey Christ’s commands, we are also witnessing how it transforms lives and generations! This is making disciples! When Jesus came to each disciple, He said to them, “Follow Me…” As we follow Him, then we intuitively desire to please and obey Him.

Let us do a quick recap of the 7 Basic Commands of Christ:

1. Repent & Believe (Mark 1:15) 

2. Baptize New Believers (Matthew 28:19)

3. Love Your Neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39) 

4. Partake in the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:19-22)

5. Pray & Meditate on God’s Word (Matthew 6:9-13)

6. To Give (Luke 6:38)

7. Make Disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)

When I was training as a student at my Bible University, and the basic commands of Christ were taught, my heart was flooded with passion to simply ‘go’ and live out this for the rest of my life! As a young woman then and now a seasoned older lady today, the 7 Basic Commands of Christ are still pertinent for lives to be transformed for His Gory! As we teach this, we are delivering HOPE for all the World as we obey!

This has been Multiply. Please share this podcast with others today. Find us on vcpencouragement.org, Facebook, and on YouTube. Thank you and God Bless!