For three months in August, September, and October, Village Church Planters will devote themselves to prayer, fasting and daughter church planting. This is a time to humble ourselves, look for persons of peace and proclaim the Good news of Jesus. To learn more about this opportunity to humbly implore God for his grace and salvation to be poured out,

For three months in August, September, and October, Village Church Planters will devote themselves to prayer, fasting and daughter church planting. To learn more about this opportunity to humbly implore God for his grace and salvation to be poured out,

Relationship= discipleship is not just for the moment but building a relationship for the future, many teaching moments those times we can pour into lives comes down the road. It is because of the investment into a person’s life the investment of time in the relationship that we then have the right to speak truth into their lives. If we have not given of the time investing into them, if we have not been engaged in their lives what we pour in will simply run off because the heart will not receive.

As servant leaders, let us motivate our followers and avoid trying to manipulate them. Followers see through attempts to manipulate, and this often results in resistance and resentment. Nehemiah’s ability to motivate the people helped them to remain focused upon the task.

Applying scriptures to our prayers shall indeed MOVE MOUNTAINS! By asking the Holy Spirit to lead us to a promise to pray for ourselves, others and even the nations will fuel our prayers as it unites us with God Himself!

As a master motivator, Nehemiah knew who the most influential leaders in Jerusalem were.  It was the high priest and those serving with him.  And Nehemiah tapped them to set the example for the people.  • Here is a lesson for us.  Leaders find the influencers in their organization and engage their support and involvement early on.  By taking this approach, others are much more likely to join the cause and become engaged.

Church planters often find it difficult to delegate spiritual responsibility. They are relieved when they can delegate administrative and logistical tasks. But spiritual responsibility is another matter! But the Apostle Paul did not seem sto struggle with this. His words to the young church he started in Thessalonica show his commitment to avoiding dependency through empowerment.

Affirmation and Challenge are two aspects of leadership that must always be kept in balance. Too much affirmation and people become complacent. Too much challenge and people become discouraged. The Apostle Paul was a master at both.

Nehemiah has the rather unique combination of visionary gifting as well as a strong ability to plan and organize.  I do not see this very often. More frequently the Lord uses a team of leaders with skills and giftings that complement one another.

I also observe one additional important leadership behavior in verses 11 to 16. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, Nehemiah carefully assessed the situation. He inspected the condition of the walls. Once more he sets a helpful example for us; he does not rush into the situation trying to fix it. Rather, he took the time to gather the necessary information before taking action. May we be like Nehemiah, leaders who hear from the Lord and develop a plan.

Courageous leaders are also willing and able to make difficult decisions in the midst of uncertainty or ambiguity. Reluctance or failure to make a decision when a decision is necessary can sometimes be as detrimental as the wrong decision. I have often said that “failure to make a decision is actually a decision by default … it’s a decision to do nothing.” This can result in frustration and discouragement for those who follow us.

Nehemiah did not merely pray for the forgiveness of “their” sins. He, himself, “owned” the sins of the Israelites. In the last episode I quoted Ezekiel 22:30, and I repeat it here. The Lord, “looked for someone among them who would … stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Once again, I would suggest that leaders are called to “stand in the gap” in intercessory prayer.

Daniel models for leaders, and for all of us, the appropriate posture before the Lord and how we are to acknowledge His holy and perfect character. Something else very apparent to me is that throughout the first 19 verses Daniel uses pronouns such as “we”, “us”, and “our”.

I have several observations about this situation. Those who were jealous of Daniel must have known about his practice of prayer. That is why they conspired to persuade Darius to make the decree.The king’s edict had no effect upon Daniel’s prayer life. He continued to pray three times per day … with the windows open!The prayer habit that got Daniel into difficulty is also what rescued him from his difficulty.

One definition of favor is “an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual.” I’ve learned in my life that there have been seasons when I, or a ministry in which I served, have experienced God’s favor, that is, His goodness beyond what might be considered usual. I believe that Village Church Planting is currently enjoying such a season.

As leaders, we need to speak with both wisdom and tact. And we need to do so not only when the situation is going well but also when it is not. In this instance, Daniel’s very life and the lives of many others were at stake.

One of the best ways you can assist a disciple as he or she begins to plant a church is to go with them and do ministry together. Of course, you have many more ministry experiences than your disciples do. So they will often defer to you and try to make you do the hard parts.

First of all, Jesus portrayal of the new covenant with bread and wine shows his love for others. He was not focused on his own problems, his own pain, his own struggle. Jesus, although he was about be killed, turned his focus to his disciples and invited them to celebrate with him his covenant of grace.  What amazing love.

This word “resolved” captured my attention. What is its meaning?  What are the implications?  However, “resolve” in our text has a much stronger meaning.  To resolve means to decide firmly on a course of action, to determine, and to come to a definite or earnest decision.

Sometimes when we plant daughter churches we delay baptisms and the serving of the Lord’s Supper, even when there are people in the new church who have repented and believed the Good News. There are many reasons why baptism and the serving of the Lord’s Supper to born again believers is delayed in newly planted churches.  But none of those reasons is a good one. In his Great Commission, Jesus commanded his disciples to baptize.  Why do we delay? On the night he was betrayed, Jesus broke bread and served wine saying, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Why do we delay?