1. COMMUNITY CHURCH PLANTING
Encouragement
Disciples multiplying disciples
Pastors multiply pastors
Churches multiplying churches

3. Encouragement

4. Encouragement

5. Encouragement Mahatma Gandhi said,
“You Christians have in your keeping a document with enough dynamite in it to blow the whole of civilization to bits, to turn society upside down, to bring peace to this war-torn world. But you read it as if it were just good literature, and nothing else.”

7. Encouragement Strengthens others Essential to healthy communities
Faith, source & object of encouragement
Holy Spirit – our Chief Encourager
Encouragement, empowered by the Holy Spirit

9. Encouragement Distinct spiritual gift
Strengthens both recipient and giver
Facilitates harmonious community life
Command given to all believers
Continuous activity of Christian practice

11. Encouragement Strengthens recipient and giver
1 Th 3:1-8, in trial & persecution, Paul sent Timothy to strengthen the Thessalonians
Timothy returns bringing good news about their faith, leading to their encouragement.
Faith, source and produces encouragement in the heart of the giver

14. Encouragement Essential for communities & church planters
Early Christians -- People of the Way and instructed in the way of the Lord or God
You believe in the way of encouragement, so you practice encouragement, therefore the community transforms
Protrepo is to urge people to move deeper into their faith

16. Encouragement Faith, source & object of encouragement
Your faith stirs my faith
Faith produces encouragement, ignites faith
Persuades and strengthens our walk
Faith, means for encouraging
Your encouragement increases my faith
My faith now encourages you
We now mutually encourage each other

17. Encouragement

18. Encouragement Inspired & empowered by the Holy Spirit
Christians, advocate for each other
Aid each other in our walk of faith
Presence of Christ - the Paraclete in you
Holy Spirit - source & power to aid others

20. Encouragement Encouragement a spiritual gift.
Ro 12:6-8 some uniquely equipped ‘We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith… if it is encouraging, let him encourage… let him do it cheerfully.’
Encouragement, comes naturally to those gifted & flowing in the Spirit

22. Encouragement Facilitates harmonious community life
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 1 Th 5:14
Encouragement – God’s antidote for sin
Sin reigns when encouragement is absent
Encouragement, oil for the Church motor
Without encouragement, believers rub against believers, friction abounds, church life will rapidly deteriorate

23. Encouragement Command
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. He 10:23-25
Spurs
Calls us out of unbelief, into favour of God

25. Encouragement Woven into the fabric of Christian practice.
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. He 3:12,13
An invitation, each day, to enjoy a fresh anointing from the Father

27. Encouragement Barnabas, paraklesis, Son of Encouragement
Hebrew & Aramaic etymology = prophet
Encouragement, discernment, prophecy
Saul & Paul
Ac 4:36 & 37 Donates a field
Generosity, submissive act earns enduring goodwill of Jerusalem Christians
Invites Saul to co-pastor in Antioch
In Iconium Barnabas & Paul called Apostles

28. Encouragement
John Booth, Abraham Lincoln, April 1865 Ford’s Theatre Washington, 9 recent newspaper clippings
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Th 2:16

30. Encouragement
Can a woman forget her nursing child? Will she have no compassion on the child from her womb? Although mothers may forget, I will not forget you. I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are always in my presence. Isa 49:15,16

31. A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after a success