Spiritual Warfare and Church Planting

 

       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 greatest privileges of being a church planter is to be an ambassador of Christ. As the Lord’s ambassadors, we go to places where he is not known and proclaim the Good News. It is a beautiful thing to share the Good News. God saw us struggling in a broken world trying to save ourselves. He sent his Son Jesus to set up a new kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. Jesus defeated Satan by the power of his sinless life and his bodily resurrection.  This is the Good News we proclaim as ambassadors of Christ.

Even so, Satan, the defeated adversary of God, works to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10). He wants to prevent us from being reconciled with God. Each of us, when we began living in this world, was dead in our transgressions and sins. We followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among the disobedient at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (Ephesians 2:1-8).

So, as church planters, saved by the grace of God through the work of Christ, we go to places where Christ is not known. We invite those who are dead in their trespasses and sins to be born again as children of God.

This, of course, is an act of spiritual warfare. Every time you proclaim Christ, every time you announce his love, every time you lift up the name of Jesus, you are resisting the Adversary. Every time you clearly and truthfully proclaim the word of God, you are advancing the Kingdom of God. Every time a lost person repents of their sin and puts their trust in Christ, the Kingdom of Christ advances against the Kingdom of our enemy.

And Satan is not happy when the Kingdom of God advances against him. He fights back like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour. But we are not of those who fear and shrink back. As wise church planters, we put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10 – 18). To protect ourselves, we take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. We mobilize God’s people to pray for us and for the people who will find abundant life in Christ through our message. And we go forward. The battle is not easy. Our foe fights us at every turn. But greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

So, dear church planter, put on the whole armor of God. Pray without ceasing. Mobilize intercessors. Love your neighbor as yourself. Share the Good News in the power of the Holy Spirit. Trust God to deliver whole families from the power of the enemy so that they too might have abundant life in Christ.

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

 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #SpiritualWarfare

Why Make Disciples

 

         This is Multiply, a podcast to encourage village church planters and leaders. I am Brad Snowden, and today I want to look at the question: Why make disciples?

Jesus commands us to make disciples in Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

This is important for followers of Jesus Christ to do what He asks of us. We have work to do in helping people to grow in knowledge of Him. Go and make disciples of all nations. In the Greek, nations are defined as tribes, nations, or people. This covers everyone. We disciple them to grow in understanding, and one of the first steps, according to Scripture, is to testify of what Christ has done in our lives, and that public testimony comes in the form of baptism. Baptism is such a powerful tool God can use in our lives to teach what it is to serve Christ and follow Him. This step also sets up the opportunity to encourage others to step out, and this is a simple first step of discipleship; baptism is one of the ordinances of the church. The other ordinance of the church is Holy Communion. This is again a great moment of teaching and growth within each of our lives.

The celebration of each step is so important, and that is why Jesus gave us a simple plan in helping lives to grow in understanding of who He is and what we all can do to follow Him more closely. Discipleship is teaching God’s word and how to apply it to everyday life. We have a great responsibility to teach every follower to observe, and again, in the Greek, one definition is to keep, to hold fast. We must hold tight to God’s word when challenges come, and this can be taught to new believers. There have been many challenges in my life, and if I were not discipled to hold tightly to God’s promises, I would not have grown through the storms. This time of growing in God’s word equips believers to be mobilized to make disciples. We are preparing others to go and continue the work God has. Discipling disciple makers is how we continue the cycle of God’s plan for every village and for every household and every family.  

We have a wonderful opportunity to mobilize many followers of Jesus to go and complete God’s plan for every heart, every household, and every village. This is why we need to disciple so that there is a gathering of disciples to grow together in Christ to change households and villages. This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters. Who will you share this with today?

Work in the Present Pray into the Future

 

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

Farmers and church planters have a lot in common. Both farmers and church planters work by faith. Neither one knows for sure that the work they are doing today will result in a harvest in the coming months. But both work hard today so that there might be a great harvest in the near future. Farmers till the ground day after day getting ready to plant the seed. They carefully plant the seed so that it has the best opportunity to grow and produce a crop. They cultivate the growing field to control weeds and when harvest comes they work diligently to gather all of the grain. 

In the same way, church planters work hard today in hopes of a great harvest in the coming months. Church planters prepare the ground by praying for persons of peace. Church planters carefully and wisely sow the good seed of the Gospel in such a way that it will bear fruit. When the Gospel seed is received, they cultivate the hearts of new believers, teaching them to obey Christ. They help their people kill the weeds of doubt and disobedience that try to choke the faith of the church members before it can bear fruit. 

Farmers dream of having great crops that produce plenty of food. They hope that everything will go well. They want the rains to come at the right time and in the right amounts. They want a big crop; they want to rejoice with their family when the crop comes in. 

Likewise, church planters dream of having healthy growing churches in which more and more people come to know Jesus and learn to live as his faithful followers. As we dream, we pray. We pray for the future harvest, humbly asking God to bless, provide, and protect the work. 

But some church planters spend so much time dreaming about the future and planning and praying for future blessing that they neglect the work that needs to be done today. And there are some church planters who are so busy with today’s work they forget to plan and pray for the work that needs to be done in a few weeks or a few months. We must balance these two tendencies, but how? 

How can new church planters find the right balance between working hard on what needs to be done today and planning and praying for the future? The Four Fields Model can help. Church planters who follow the Four Fields Model know exactly what needs to be done today. They can identify the field they are working in and do the work that field requires. Today. But at the same time, they can see the tasks that will need to be done for the next field. So, they can pray for God to work and move and bless them so that as effective church planters, they will be ready to do those tasks when the time comes. 

The Four Fields Model is our guide. It helps us focus our work today and plan and pray for the future. So, follow the Four Fields Model as you work and pray. It will lead you to a more fruitful church planting future.  

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

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #FourFields Model

Leadership Development - A Promotion Story

 

   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 previous podcast, I spoke with VCP Assistant Director Peter Baraka and his wife Fidélité Ramla, Dynamic Women Supervisor for Africa, to obtain their perspective on Leadership Development.  During the course of our conversation, they shared with me a very inspiring story that demonstrates the principles of Matthew 25:14-30. We read in verses 21 and 23, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”

I first met Robert about 7 years ago when I was on a CMF trip with Peter and Fidélité. At the time, he was a volunteer (or unpaid) trainer. Over time, he proved himself to be faithful and competent. Over a period of several years, our VCP Supervisor and Coordinator (Peter and Fidélité) told me that they watched him carefully. 

Fidélité mentioned that at times he even used his own funds for VCP ministry which demonstrated his commitment and passion for the work. She commented, “even if the grant isn’t there, do they still work?” During these years, Robert was trustworthy in assignments, including managing well some chickens that were given to him. Peter and Fidélité told me that he often asked for guidance; he desired to become more effective in his role as a trainer. (To reference earlier podcasts this year, he was manifesting a “strong desire to learn and grow” and also a “teachable spirit.”)  

Peter and Fidélité also shared with me that their relationship with this man – and others whom they lead – is not “all about work.”  They also take time to talk about life, developing friendships while also serving in a pastoral role with them.  

As I close, I return to Robert’s story. When Fidélité recently accepted the role as Dynamic Women Supervisor for Africa, the need arose for a new VCP coordinator in Uganda.  Trainer Robert was the obvious choice for promotion because he had been faithful in his previous roles.  When they offered the new role to him, they did so in a meeting with Robert and his wife. They asked if she agreed as the additional responsibilities will impact her as well. Fortunately, both of them agreed to the promotion.  

May each of us be faithful in the responsibilities entrusted to us. As we do so, we qualify ourselves for promotion and greater responsibility. 

I very much appreciate Peter’s and Fidélité’s leadership and their willingness to share these thoughts with us. 

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

The Four Fields Model Your Guide

 

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

Have you ever asked a great musician, “How do you do that?”  If you have asked this question, you may have heard the musician respond with a question of his own. “How do I do what?’ Then you ask more clearly, “How do you know what notes to play, what rhythm to follow? How do you know how to make such beautiful music with that instrument? Some musicians will say, “I don’t know, I just watched others play and then I got an instrument, and I began to practice and now I just play the instrument.” 

Their way is a good one for people who are naturally gifted musicians, but it won’t work for most people. Most people will need to be taught in a rather systematic way if they are going to be good at playing a musical instrument. 

It’s the same with church planters. There are some great church planters who just started reaching out and gathering others for worship. They had watched pastors do their work, and they seemed to know what to do to start new churches without getting much instruction. But that kind of church planter is rare, and they generally don’t know how to teach others to plant churches. But just like most musicians need to be taught how to play an instrument, most church planters need instruction on how to plant a church. 

The Four Fields Model is the basic instruction ordinary Christians need in order to plant and multiply churches. It’s a great model because it is simple, easy to understand, and repeatable. All of us who want to plant churches would be strengthened if we consulted the Four Fields Model more often.  That is why it is printed on the back cover of new Village Church Planting student books every term. It’s meant to be consulted, and it’s meant to be shared with our disciples. 

The Four Fields Model answers the question. “How do I start?” You start with prayer for God to help you find persons of peace in a village where no church exists. You start by prayer walking. This means you walk around, with your eyes open and your mind alert, through a village that needs a church. You pray for persons of peace, people who are receptive, hospitable, and hungry to know God. 

The Four Fields Model tells you what you do when you find a person of peace: Help him trust Christ as his Savior. Teach him to invite family and friends to hear the Good News of Jesus. Help this group learn to obey all that Jesus commanded.  Finally, the Four Fields Model tells you to train leaders for your new church and release them to go to other villages, villages without churches, to start the cycle all over again by praying and looking for new persons of peace. 

So, the Four Fields Model is a practical guide.  But it is also a prayer guide. We must pray for the Holy Spirit to work in each of the four fields. We need God’s help to find persons of peace. We need his help to clearly and powerfully share the Good News. We need wisdom from on high to make disciples and start worshipping groups. And we certainly need God’s help to equip and release leaders to work in our new church and to plant churches in other villages. 

As you move forward with church planting, let the Four Fields Model guide you. You may not feel gifted, but God will help you as you trust him to apply the Four Fields Model with great love for lost people. 

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters, and I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?” 

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters  #FourFieldsModel

Leadership Development - Thoughts from Peter and Fidélité

 

      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 previous three podcasts, I shared VCP Director Claude’s thoughts about the process of leadership development.

During our recent VCP Supervisor meeting in Nairobi, I invited VCP Assistant Director Peter Baraka and his wife Fidélité Ramla, Dynamic Women Supervisor for Africa, to share their thoughts on leadership development with me as it is very important for me to understand and communicate an African perspective.

We began with some characteristics or qualifications for leadership. The first things mentioned were “are they humble? Do they lead with love? And are they honest?”

At this point, we transitioned to some conversation about the leadership development process, and Peter made two very important points. He teaches those whom he is preparing for leadership “according to the program,” and he watches them to see if they follow instructions.

Peter shared during our conversation that as a VCP Supervisor, he invests much time in the field “inspecting the work.” He likes to ask his coordinators to take him to training centers and to churches that have been planted, and he observes closely if the coordinators know the locations. If they do not, it may be an indication that his coordinators are not visiting the field frequently enough.  

Fidélité talked about the method of Model, Assist, Watch, and Leave as an important part of developing new leaders. This approach is consistent with 1 Corinthians 11:1 where Paul wrote “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” She commented that she is always preparing someone who can help when she is not around. As a mentor she involves others in training events and other activities so they can see how she does things. As a next step, she invites them to assist her as she leads.  She told me that she initially assigns them to the easier tasks so they can build competence and confidence.

The next step, Watch, is very important in the development of emerging leaders. Fidélité gives her mentees lead, or primary, responsibility for training events or other activities. But she does not watch passively; she provides coaching and feedback. She affirms what was done well and suggestions for improvement.

Lastly it is time to Leave and entrust the responsibility to the new leader, and this can be very difficult. But, it is necessary. We will explain Model, Assist, Watch, and Leave in greater detail in a future podcast.

I very much appreciate Peter’s and Fidélité’s leadership and their willingness to share these thoughts with us.

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

Leadership Development - Director Claude's Thoughts Regarding the Leadership Development Process - 3

 

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 previous two podcasts, I shared VCP Director Claude's thoughts about the process of leadership development. Today I want to continue with his insights from that morning.

At this point in the conversation, I asked him a very important question. How do you discern when someone is ready for promotion?

His first response is that he wants to know if someone has an interest in the work. A passion for the work. A sense of God's calling for it. We do not want to promote someone who is only looking for a job.

His next point about readiness is an assessment if they have mastered the key tasks required. In one of my earlier podcasts, I talked about someone's "track record" or their history. This is what Director Claude had in mind with this statement.

At this point, Director Claude also spoke about an assessment that he makes of their leadership ability. You may recall my teaching last year from Matthew 25:21 (and 23). "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things..." When someone is being considered for promotion, it is important to know if they have successfully demonstrated effective leadership in the past.

Director Claude next described the importance of an intentional and keen observation of someone's spiritual and emotional maturity over time. Are they growing in their discipleship? Do they treat others well? Do you know how to interact with people in a healthy way?

There is also a very, very important spiritual component to the discernment process involved with knowing when someone is ready for promotion. Director Claude spoke about how someone's name may come to his mind frequently when he is praying. This is firstly a prompting from the Holy Spirit to pray for that individual, and secondly it may indicate that the Lord has something new for this person.

To round out his answer to the question, Director Claude once again returned to his theme of observation. He described to me how it is very important to observe, or assess, someone's capacity. When I asked him to describe "capacity," he spoke about one's spiritual and physical energy level. Will they be able to keep up with the pace of leadership? He also spoke of educational capacity; have they attained a level of formal education that will bring about respect from Church leaders?

I very much appreciate Director Claude's leadership and his willingness to share these thoughts with us.

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