Date: Jun 30, 2003 [ 8: 21: 45]
Subject: Summary - Purity in the Church Plant
© 2003 BCP Harry Shelton Cole
Subject: Summary - Purity in the Church Plant
SUMMARY OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH PLANTING LIST
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Moderated and edited by Pastor Harry Shelton Cole
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Introduction: Keeping a church plant pure at the beginning can save a lot
of heartbreaks and headaches down the road. Here are a few thoughts and
ideas ffrom our list in May of 1996
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What problems should the church planter beware of
in starting a new church and keeping it pure?
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Malcom Fiestel, Taiwan, wrote
Although it is nice to have the extra bodies at services, most of those who
might attend and even join (if you accept them) from other denominations will
eventually give you many headaches. Even some of those who we "convinced" to
be scripturally baptized gave us grief. Those you lead to Christ, but who
were
from other churches are usually not part of this group. The solution is to
greet visitors from other churches, but don't seem overly eager to make them
feel at home, unless they need to get saved.
done>>>
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Bob Hines, Idaho, wrote
The church planter must be aware of his own potential of impurity. If the
church planter is not aware that he is going to be a target of Satan, and the
devices that Satan uses against us, he will be fair game for physical or
mental impurity himself. Here are some safeguards that we make the men that
go out from our ministry accountable for when they get to their area.
1. Their relationship with their wife. If a man has a good spiritual,
emotional, and physical relationship with his wife she becomes his greatest
defense against the temptations of Satan. She adds spiritual integrity,
emotional strength, and physical resistance against Satan's greatest
temptations.
<< Editors note: My wife is my spiritual barometer -- >>>
2. A strong personal devotional life. A man who stays in the Word of God
and prays fervetly for his family and his flock will have a close personal
walk with God that not only strengthens him...but also strengthens his church
and puts a shield around them.
3. Building a group of men to be accountable to...preferably not church
members. This is one of the most important safeguards a man can have. When
he knows there are some other fellows who are going to ask him the hard
questions, it can be a source of strength in the hardest of times. It then
sets the pattern for men of the church to follow.
None of us is above reproach...but we cannot take a stand on purity if we
cannot model it ourselvs. People cannot be "brow beat" into moral lives.
They must want it, then must have the tools to live it when they are
surrounded by in "impure" society. The standards and mechanizms we place in
our lives as leaders will go along way to building a wall of protection
around ourselvs and our churches.
Brother Hines for his contribution to the group >>>>>>>>>>
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