Volunteer workers support themselves and serve
the Body of Christ
Those who teach children should read study #58 for children.
1. Prepare
your heart and mind by prayer and the Word of God to recruit new workers.
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, we love you and want to serve you. Please, prosper the work of our
hands, so that we can meet our daily needs, can continue serving your Body, and
can extend your Kingdom into neglected places.”
In many places shepherds and apostles must have another
job to support themselves while serving the Body of Christ, as
a. Where
believers are starting many new congregations and cells.
b. Where
you, or the apostles that you send, need to demonstrate a proper attitude
toward labour, as Paul did for lazy Thessalonian Christians,
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13.
c. Where
civil authorities are hostile towards followers of Jesus.
d. Where
believers are too poor to pay their shepherds and must train many new leaders
rapidly.
As your flock reproduces by starting new cells and
congregations, you must recruit new leaders and help them to know what they are
to do, and to serve steadily. As you start new flocks in other towns and
far-away places, perhaps you or the apostles you send can start a small
business to support themselves.
Find in
Acts 18:1-3…
·
What kind of small business
·
What city they left and brought their
business with them. (2)
·
Who was the evangelist they were
able to employ when he needed work. (3)
Find in Acts 18:24-26…
·
To whom
·
Where they met Apollos. [A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer.]
Find in
Romans 16:3-5…
·
How the Apostle Paul described
·
Whether the place they and Paul
worked in together was a safe or was hostile. (4)
·
Where the congregation that they
attended met. (5)
2. Plan
with your co-workers activities for the week
and for starting new flocks.
Review
with your co-workers what you learned about
Describe
what kind of small business they should develop.
·
It should be a business that can
be taken to another town or city.
·
The business should be small
enough to manage by themselves.
·
They should be able to employ a
co-worker who also works to start new flocks.
·
It should be easy to start, using
a simple technology and inexpensive materials.
·
It should provide contact with people
of the local community.
·
It should allow bi-vocational
workers to choose their own working hours.
·
It should enable them to serve the
Lord in their own home.
Pray to discern the Lord’s will about
the business.
Discuss
what kind of shepherding work they should do. Since they will not have many
resources or a lot of free time, they must…
·
Lead a new flock in their own home
until others open their homes.
·
Make disciples in small flocks,
not in public places or chapels.
·
Train new leaders privately or in
very small groups.
·
Quickly put new leaders in charge
of new flocks.
·
Obtain training materials like the
study you are reading right now. Studies should be cheap, easily-copied, and
menu-driven (having options from which to choose).
3. Plan
with your co-workers the upcoming worship.
Choose activities that fit current
needs and local customs.
Read
the Bible texts listed under part 1, and tell the story of
Act
out parts of the account of
Ask
questions about what you found in the verses you studied in part 1. Encourage
the believers to talk about bi-vocational work.
Let bi-vocational workers give a testimony of how God has blessed their
work.
Encourage
the believers to look for ways in which they can serve the Body of Christ while
earning their own living.
Have the children present the drama, poem and questions that they have
prepared.
To introduce the Lord’s Supper, read Matthew 22:1-14 about the man who
attended a wedding who did not wear the proper garment. Compare that to Aaron who had to wear the
special priestly costume when serving at the altar. Explain that we, too, must
“put on Christ” as our spiritual clothing when we come to the Lord’s Table.
Memorize
together Acts 20:33-35.
Have the believers form small groups to encourage one another, plan together and pray one
for another and for people living in neglected towns.