The Harvest & Paradigms

Welcome & Thank you !

I'm so glad you're interested in participating in the Acts 246 Project -

I believe you are interested in this training because you have a desire to work for the growth of the Kingdom of God and to fulfill Jesus' ordinance in the Great Commission of making disciples.

Let’s start talking about the Harvest (watch the movie)

The Harvest Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu9g4U_OeoY

THE MAIN THING IS TO FOCUS ON THE HARVEST

John 4:35 NIV84

35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

John 15:8 NIV84

8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

God's name is glorified when we bear much fruit

What does it mean to be a true disciple of Jesus?

My Father is glorified by the fact that you bear much fruit; and so will my disciples be.

Most Christians are bearing little or no fruit – surveys indicate that believers are not winning even 1 soul to Jesus per year. 365 days pass and we haven't won 1 for Christ.

Evaluate: If you are not winning souls for Jesus, you need to do so to truly be a disciple of Jesus.

Matthew 9:37–38 NIV84

37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

KEY TO GETTING WORKERS: PRAY

We are facing the possibility of reaping one of the greatest harvests in the entire history of Christianity.

Jesus tells us to open our eyes – wake up! – the fields are ready for harvest!

We need to be aware of the opportunities that present themselves to us.

The are people from all nations around us…

We have to take advantage of every situation – unemployment – loneliness – hopelessness – longing for their homeland, etc.

These are opportune moments to introduce Jesus: He is the only option that saves, heals, and transforms our lives!

Matthew 9:36 (NIV84)

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

We need to have the same feeling as Jesus when seeing the crowds.

The Master had compassion, as they were desperate, distressed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus knew that only the gospel of the Kingdom could change the eternal destiny of those people.

He knew they were doomed to eternal hellfire.

The Lord put himself in their place and had compassion.

This is the feeling that moves us to carry out and continue his work:

Compassion for the lost was Jesus' trademark. ®

Winning souls and making disciples cannot be secondary, eternity is at stake!

Has the Church been able to harvest the harvest?

Evaluating: NUBC is 29 years old – it is considered a good church – well pastored – zealous in teaching the Word – good ministries – good leaders – it has grown in numbers and assets – but it could have grown much more!

We have fluctuated our membership around 500 active members –

Our finances and number of volunteers do not match the number of members.

Our annual growth does not correspond to 20% - More people are entering through transfer than through conversion!

This needs to change! We are not bearing much fruit! John 15:8

What Needs to Change?

We need a new strategy to reach the lost.

And establish a continuous process of multiplying disciples and forming leaders.

The Paradigms

PARADIGMS ARE PRE-ESTABLISHED RULES THAT DEFINE LIMITS

THEY SHOW HOW WE SHOULD BEHAVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL

How Paradigms are Born

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-PvBo75PDo

Your glorious past can block your vision of the future

What do the following brands have in common?

Kodak company in 1970 dominated 80% of camera sales and 90% of photographic films.

But in the same decade he created what would end the brand once and for all: the digital camera.

Predicting that the digital camera would harm the sales of analog cameras and films, the company decided to shelve the technology, even though it was also the market leader, as it was a pioneer.

It went bankrupt in 2012, and although some products still exist, it's not what it used to be.

In 2005, Yahoo company was worth US$125 billion and was the largest portal on the internet. The mistake? Stop being a content portal and become a media-focused portal. The company, which already had the opportunity to buy Google for US$1 million, was sold for US$4.8 billion in 2008.

What do these brands have in common?

OLD PARADIGMS KILLED THESE COMPANIES!

And does the Church have Paradigms?

Have we done the Harvest in the best way possible?

CALVIN: “The reformed church must be in constant reform”

NUBC – Need to do better!

Program & Event Church Model

How many members to/ reach 1 person per/ year?

42/1

Small Group Church Model

Small Group Church Model: 4/1

CAN NOT CHANGE

The word of God‌

God's Authority

The Mission of the Church

CAN (and should) CHANGE

How to Proclaim

How to Structure

How to do it

‌

ESSENCE/FORM

The essence will never change, but the form you deliver it should change

Old Paradigm: “The pastor is responsible for everything” / New Paradigm: “Each believer is minister”

Old Paradigm: “it is necessary to have a profound knowledge of the Bible to be a leader” / New Paradigm: “It is necessary to train and capacitate people to lead”

Old Paradigm: Sunday School / New Paradigm: Leader training several days of the week.

Old Paradigm: Evangelism Department / New Paradigm: Evangelism is the mission of Every believer

Old Paradigm: The building is the church / New Paradigm: I am the church

All these companies mentioned above were unable to survive because they stopped in time.

We often act the same way.

We work with centuries-old paradigms, learned from our predecessors, which continue to be in force today by force of habit.

Our methodology needs to change.

We need to walk in the same direction as the church in Acts!

(Copy Slide PT)

1/3 50 MEMBROS

1/3 ATÉ 150 MEMBROS

28% ATÉ 350

5% MAIS QUE 350

“Churches that have no plan to train leaders plan, by default, to miss out on the harvest.” - Joel Comiskey

[Video a Matematica de Deus]

John 17:4 NIV84

4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.

Matthew 28:18–19 NIV84

18 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,

Has our church been able to harvest the harvest?

What need to change?

[Video]

What do we want to be part of: a museum or a movement?