Category: BiVo Ministry

Knowledge vs Action

Many times I assume that once a person knows what to do they would automatically do it. So for many years I focused on sharing the truth of scriptures with people.

But now I am learning that it is better to focus more on helping people to obey the truth that they discover from a discovery bible study.

For example you and I know the benefits of exercise, eating right and so on but do you always do what you know is right? Only a few people make every effort to practice what they know consistently.

It’s true that waiting for new disciples or people who want to know more about God to discover truth in scriptures and to take the necessary action seems slow. However I find that it builds in them the important habit of taking action. It also makes you to take action on these scriptures as well.

How do we help people to obey or take action?

After discussing scriptures we ask “What will you do differently this week as a result of what you have learned from this portion of scripture?”

The power of this question is only fully realized if you remember to ask if they did what the said they would do the next time you meet.

And I also enjoy the fact that they in turn keep me accountable because I have to take action as well.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James‬ ‭1:22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

So now I focus more on helping people take action. What are you doing with all that you know already 😀?

People want to know God but…

They don’t want to be controlled by other people. They don’t want to know our ideas. They don’t want to forced to dance at church. They don’t want to look life fools at church meetings because they are not used to activities of the church. They don’t want to have to do things that they are convinced about just because they are outnumbered.

So what do we do?

We can become the church to them. Don’t invite them to church. Go to them.

Read the Bible with them and let them engage with the scriptures. Let the Holy Spirit convict them. You can go to them with just one other believer and encourage them to invite other interested people.

This is the power of the Discovery Bible Study!

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—” John‬ ‭6:44-45‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Consistency

When we work on a project with consistent effort, we get good results. I think we all know this. However, I find that it’s takes a lot of discipline to stay consistent and not be distracted.

So how can I be more consistent or more diligent?

I believe there are a few things that you and I can do. What has helped me in the past is this:

I have clear written goals that I believe are part of God’s plans for me. I think of how things will be when the project is completed. I experience the joy of it.

Whenever I get distracted, I simply think of the joy of finishing the project and I receive new strength. I also read a lot about people who have gone ahead, people who have done similar projects so that I can know more about the challenges to expect.

In disciple making I imagine the joy that my neighbor or friend will experience when they finally receive the salvation that Jesus has bought for them, I also imagine the joy in heaven. I think about how there will be more light on earth.

Then I find myself motivated again to keep praying, to keep loving and to keep sharing the good news of the Kingdom of God.

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews‬ ‭12:2 ESV.

To be consistent at a project, I must say no to many other good and interesting projects. That is why I start with clear goals that I believe are part of God’s plans.

Do you know God has no grandchildren?

The word church refers to the family of God. And in that family every human is a child. Not everyone human on earth is a member of God’s family but everyone on earth is a potential member!

Jesus told a story in Luke 15 that shows to us that everyone on earth is either a child in the family of God or a child that that is lost due to rebellion.

You are a child of God. You have access to God as your father. Let’s rejoice in this truth and give our all to prayerfully call all the lost children home!

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” John‬ ‭1:12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This is a good time to remember that no spiritual leader can ever become father to a church. We have one Heavenly Father.

However, there are situations where we see a person become a father figure to a child of God. They take responsibility for the total well being of the child of God and mentor them spiritually. In this case we can call that person a spiritual father of that individual, like the relationship of Paul and Timothy!

This is true especially when the leader was involved in the salvation process of the newer believer.

“I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭4:14-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Paul here is encouraging the Corinthian church to understand that he loves them like a father. That they should live fully for God like he does!

You are a child of God! Live fully for Him!

Churches are people not buildings 😁!

We need to update our dictionaries. The only way we can achieve that is for all of us to stop referring to buildings as churches!

“As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭16:4-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Buildings don’t get encouraged!

Let’s stop saying we went to church! Let’s just stop and let’s correct ourselves when we forget. Let’s even try to explain to people around us who are not yet disciples of Jesus that churches are people not buildings!

Maybe in a few years we can change our dictionaries!

What makes a church a church?

If you walked into a building that has a sign on it that reads “The Cornwall Library” and you walk in only to find rows of tables, with people eating and waiters and waitresses serving them. What would you say?

I guess you would say I thought this was a library and not a restaurant. Why would you say that? There are some basic things that makes a library a library.

What makes a church a church? The best place to find answers would be in the Bible! One thing we are sure of is that a church is not a church just because it has a sign that says “Something church”!

Today I only have a question! If you are up to the task please provide at least one fundamental feature that must be found in all churches.

“Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭16:3-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Do you know the joy of the first fruit?

I can still remember the day around 2007 when I checked my Adsense account and found about 10cents in there. I was so happy. It was not the amount of money that mattered but the fact that I could make money from my website by writing articles to help people get visas just like I got mine a few years earlier. That was only the beginning!

I was excited about the possibilities of being rewarded over and over again for the work I had done on the website.

I also remember very well the joy I had and I have had over and over again when I see people come to Jesus and are transformed by Him.

I remember how joyful I was when I held Demilade in my arms on December 15 2006.

I know what it means to work hard and see the fruit of your labor.

I can only imagine the joy in heaven when another lost son comes home!

“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”” Luke‬ ‭15:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

That’s why I know you really want to see a friend, family member, coworker or neighbor come to the saving knowledge of Jesus. Or just anyone!

What it takes is diligent prayers, obedience to God’s words, continuous sowing of the word of God, demonstration of love and patience.

Sometimes we wonder what to do or what to say because you know that you don’t want to loose your friends. There is no need to loose your friends. You can lead people to Jesus without loosing your friends.

All you need to do is share with those who are hungry! Share with people who want to know more. I can’t share all the details here. But know that there are always people who want to know more around you.

Back to the story of my online discovery. We made over $100K from that website before google algorithm changed and the income practically disappeared. (Story for another day)

Why am I sharing this? I want to use something very simple like making money in a way that is not obvious to show that if you invest some time into loving the people around you and praying for them! You can see not just one person changed but thousands of people!

A Powerful Message from a convicted Murderer?

Charles Peace was a burglar and murderer that lived in England between 1832 and 1879! He was sentenced to death by hanging for killing his neighbor. Just before he was hung, the prison chaplain was reading to him about hell. Here is what Charles Peace said:

Sir, if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living, just to save one soul from an eternal hell like that!

Do you believe that there is an eternal hell? Why then are we not willing to do whatever it takes to save as many souls as possible from it?

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”” Luke‬ ‭19:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We know that Jesus is doing it. All you need to do is join Him and say I am ready to do whatever it takes to save as many as possible!

If you want to learn how to make disciples with more ease and as a lifestyle, take the free BiVo Minister course.

July Books – Packets of Wisdom!

I enjoy reading and I learn a lot from books. I believe that books are packets of wisdom. In the first week of every new month, I would post a list of the books I read in the previous month and the books I have bought or borrowed to read in the next month. I hope that I would be able to inspire you to read some of these books and share some good books that you have read with me. At the same time, I hope that this habit would inspire me to read more :).

Completed in July

Here are the books I completed in July. This means that I finished reading the book or listened to it on Audible. It does not mean that I started reading or listening to it in June. I may have started earlier.

Currently Reading

These are books that I am currently reading or listening to on audible. Yes, I read more than one book at a time.

Hope to start reading this Month

These are books that I have already purchased or borrowed and I look forward to reading.

Have you read any of these books? Do you know some good books that you think I should read? Please suggest them in the comment section below. I got some recommendations last month and I look forward to more. Thanks.

Addition vs Multiplication

This is one thing I wished I had put more emphasis on when I started my walk with Jesus over 35 years ago! The Lord is interested in multiplication! Off course addition is good but multiplication is the key to finishing the great commission. I thought that multiplication would happen automatically. But I know much better now! A different approach and mindset are needed for multiplication.

addition vs multiplication of disciples

“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”” Genesis‬ ‭1:28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This is the instruction that was given to Adam and Eve! It is similar to the instruction that was given by Jesus to the disciples.

“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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19-20‬ ‭ESV

Now I focus on making disciples that make disciples that make disciples that make disciples….

And we all can join the multiplication team!

I have made up my mind to stand with everyone who wants to multiply disciples!

Let me show you how to make disciples who make disciples in the BiVo Minister course.