January Meeting 2022

What is Revelation Church?

Revelation Church is a kingdom church.

We are a multi-racial, multi-generational church.

We are an apostolic church in terms function and mandate, not as denomination.

We are an apostolic, prophetic and deliverance ministry.

We are seeking to incorporate all of the gifts and functions here at REV church.

And we are going to start operating as one.

Starting Now!

Team Questions

Ask about a nursery team rotation?

Did you guys pray about these things?

What did Holy Spirit tell you?

We’re developing a council starting now.

New Converts

We need to bridge the gap between Evangelism and Pastoral Ministry. There is a difference.

How do we stay “relevant,” yet maintain sacred space?

Evangelism teams?

Small groups?

Discipleship programs?

We need fathers and mothers.

We need to fast.

We’ll do different types of fasts on a monthly basis.

We must pray!!!

Every move of God and every successful church plant was birth through intense prayer.

Main Goals for 2022

The focus is discipleship!

Jesus made disciples before he sent them as Apostles.

Ministry is all about servanthood not about the spotlight.

This is the year of activation!

2022 Website.

Leadership must send a picture and bio.

We will be having a leadership meeting the first Friday of every month.

We are having Friday Night Fires on the last Friday of every month.

Friday Night Fires are for the leadership team only for prayer and activation. We will all rotate and minister collectively. The main focus is revival. Leaning how to flow in the holy spirit collectively.

Raise up leaders to minister on Saturdays.

We are starting with Josh in January.

Revelation Church is just the beginning… We will eventually be a missional ministry planting churches worldwide.

Shift gears to be an apostolic hub (explain global vision).

In 2023 we will operate as one!

Reverse Pyramid

1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV

28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

Apostoles

Prophets

Teachers

Pastors

Evangelists

Just flip them upside down.

Remember it’s all about servant hood

Apostles are Reformers and Innovators

Apostles are reformers.

The dictionary defines “reformation” as “to shape again.”

And they are innovators because they find new and better ways to expand the kingdom, in terms of procedure and infrastructure.

And it leads to multiplication and reproduction.

Reproduction

From Church Plantology

Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches (Exponential Series) Introduction

Eighty percent of churches in America are plateaued or in decline. Out of the 20% left, only 7% grew by planting new congregations to carry the torch into the future. So 93% of the church is no longer reproducing itself. The church in America is in trouble.

Reproducing churches - Means a church planter plants a church or a handful of churches by using a method of multiplication.

In other words, someone plants a church that plants a church, that plants a church, that plants a church.

These are called Level 5 Churches

5 Church Levels (P. 16 In the Introduction.)

Level 1—A church that is in decline (symbolized by a – sign)

Level 2—A church that has plateaued (symbolized by an = sign)

Level 3—A church that is growing by addition, or merely increasing in size (symbolized by + sign)

Level 4—A church that has reproduced by planting a campus or church (symbolized by a / sign)

Level 5—A church that has multiplied to the fourth generation (symbolized by a x sign)

Level Statistics

1 and 2, either shrinking or plateaued. At the moment. - Sadly, 80% of the churches in America are at level 1 and 2, either shrinking or plateaued.

Level 3 churches reached a zenith during the church growth movement but have also experienced self-limiting growth barriers due to the model itself. At the moment, 16% of the churches in America are growing by addition.

Level 4 churches reproduce either by multisite or church planting - but their growth is not yet multiplication. Only 7% of US churches currently reproduce.

The Different Messages These Levels Communicate.

At levels 1 and 2 the message is Please stay.

At levels 3 and 4 the message is Please come.

At level 5 the faith community is a launchpad saying Please GO!

We are a level 5 Church!

The majority of church structures do not allow for the development of level-5 leaders

Few are willing to pay the price of church planting.

Level-5 multiplication is even costlier.

What is Church Plantology? (P. 10)

Plantology is the study of mission as modeled by Jesus and the apostles that results in church planting.

Plantology involves the overlap of biblical principles, best missionary experience and practice, and church history. Where these three overlap, it is reasonable to conclude the discovery of timeless principles.

Scriptute + Practice + Church History = Church Plantology

“Biblical church planting follows the way modeled by Jesus and imitated by the Apostolic Church for global disciple-making. It is a methodology and strategy for bringing in the harvest, raising up leaders from the harvest, and sending leaders to work in the harvest fields.” - J. D. Payne

Church Starting VS. Church Planting

Much of what is called church planting is really church growth packaged as an ecclesial business startup.

This is commonly known as Church starting.

Church Starting

Choose a sexy church name.

Design a sexy church logo.

Gather a group of Christians together.

Create a leadership team.

Market like mad.

Attain critical mass.

Church Planting

Begin with intense prayer.

Focus on bringing the gospel to the lost.

Enter the rhythms of the community.

Make disciples.

Pick a fight with something.

Move on and await divine opportunities.

Paul was able to plant churches at a high rate!

Romans 15:19 (ESV) -by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;

“Rather than attempting to reproduce the effects of the church growth movement, leaders should be seeking to reproduce the predictable results of implementing first-century practices. Without first-century practices, we will never witness first-century results.” - Peyton Jones

Disciple Making

Matthew 28:19 ESV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We are not called to plant churches, but to make disciples.

“If you plant churches, discipleship may or may not happen. Yet if you devote yourself to making disciples, churches will inevitably be planted.” - Ralph Moore

So what is our focus?

Make disciples.

Baptize them in Jesus name.

Teach them to obey Christ’s commands.

Go to all nations.

Preach the gospel.

When Acts chronicles the progress of kingdom expansion, it’s not measured in terms of churches planted.

Acts never summarizes Paul’s activity in any town by saying something to the effect of, “And a church was planted in Corinth.” Instead, the summary passages closing each section of the book focus on the number of disciples made:

“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (2:47).

“Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number” (5:14).

“So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith” (6:7).

“The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord” (11:21).

“He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord” (11:24).

“So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers” (16:5).

6 Most Common Strategies That Paul Used

INTENSE DEPENDENCE—13:1–3—Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark engage in fasting and prayer to entreat God to go ahead of them and be the first one there.

SUPERNATURAL WITNESS—13:4–12—The preaching of the gospel is followed with signs and wonders that affirm the message.

RHYTHMIC PRESENCE—13:15—They entered into the rhythms of the community, joining the gathering in the synagogue. Later, they adapted to cultural hubs such as Mars Hill and everyday marketplace ministry.

OBLIGATORY PREACHING—13:16–48—“We had to speak the word of God to you first.” This is emphasized by verse 46 and is supported by Paul’s affirmation elsewhere that “I am innocent of the blood of all” (Acts 20:26) and “woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” (1 Cor. 9:16)

STRATEGIC CONTROVERSY—13:49–50—Paul and Barnabas upset the local authorities who, in turn, expelled them from the city. Nevertheless, the word of God spread.

APOSTOLIC AGILITY—13:51–52—Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark possess the ability to reposition themselves, move on, and, as they engage in their mission, the disciples left behind continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit and continue the work.

The Church Plantology Model

1 They planted churches instead of starting churches.

2. They modeled their ministry after Jesus’s apostolic model.

3. They rejected top-down leadership and embodied Christ on mission together.

4. They resisted stationary entrenchment and formed apostolic strike teams.

5. They forsook pragmatism but listened to hear God’s heart for the community.

6. They refused to enable solo performers, but rather chose to equip team mobilizers.

7. They shunned bravado in favor of the Spirit’s empowerment.

8. They didn’t compartmentalize evangelism but lived as sent.

9. They sacrificed full funding for apostolically agile mobility.

10. They didn’t build upward but spread outward.

What Are We Up Against!?

Obstacles and Hindrances (They’re coming down in Jesus Name!)

Mammon

Jezebel

Baal (Leader)

Leviathan (Has been attacking the church.)

Talk about what the anointing is and what it isn't.

The In-Zone!

What I’ll be looking for in the leaders.

The overall goal is discipleship but this is what it looks like.

Humility - That you would think the best things about your fellow teammate, receive correction and swallow pride.

Loyalty - Have each other’s backs.

Dependability - To know that you will fulfil the tasks and assignments when given (especially when it comes to preaching)

Accountability - Make no excuses or shift blame. Own up to mistakes made and make them right.

Team Player - No one has the spot light. No one hogs the ball. Everyone passes it. The goal is to make the touchdown.

Tell the Peyton Manning Story.

I know I can make 8,000 feet.

Just hold the line!

Conclusion:

Army of Movement Makers

Let’s pray.