WEBVTT 00:00:00.441 --> 00:00:03.850 Welcome to this video! I'm so excited to talk about church here. 00:00:03.850 --> 00:00:07.331 I have Justin, I have Brook, and we have little Zion with us, 00:00:07.331 --> 00:00:09.525 the youngest of four kids. 00:00:09.525 --> 00:00:11.917 And we want to talk about church. 00:00:11.917 --> 00:00:15.503 I have just come out with a new book called "The Call of Jesus" 00:00:15.503 --> 00:00:20.622 and I'm just excited about it. And I really believe it's time to see a new movement, 00:00:20.622 --> 00:00:26.998 when it comes to seeing new, organic, powerful house fellowships start. 00:00:28.248 --> 00:00:30.400 We will hear their story, what they have seen. 00:00:30.400 --> 00:00:34.986 I want to say that, many years ago, when I got introduced to the house church, 00:00:34.986 --> 00:00:38.059 organic church, simple church, it has many names. 00:00:38.059 --> 00:00:42.327 I was a part of a network of Simple church in Europe, before we came to America. 00:00:42.927 --> 00:00:45.168 There were many, many things that were good, 00:00:45.168 --> 00:00:48.835 but when I took a turn around, much of this, 00:00:48.835 --> 00:00:51.009 I felt there was something that was missing 00:00:51.009 --> 00:00:55.180 and some of the things I saw, in some of those circles, 00:00:55.180 --> 00:01:01.200 we talk so much about the importance of having an organic structure. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:03.488 And I believe in that. 00:01:03.488 --> 00:01:08.181 But, we didn't talk so much about the wine you put into the wineskins. 00:01:09.261 --> 00:01:13.585 You can have a good wineskin, but if you put a wrong wine in it, 00:01:13.585 --> 00:01:15.584 it doesn't change anything. 00:01:16.134 --> 00:01:21.282 And what I really see now, I hope it will be clear in my new book, 00:01:22.002 --> 00:01:25.651 it's really first and foremost about the life. 00:01:25.651 --> 00:01:31.450 It's about the gospel, it's about discipleship, it's about setting people truly free, 00:01:31.450 --> 00:01:34.654 healing the sick, casting out demons and all of that, 00:01:34.654 --> 00:01:41.096 but when that is correct, if you then put it in the old system, 00:01:41.096 --> 00:01:42.667 you will break it. 00:01:42.667 --> 00:01:46.476 But if you put it in the good structure, you will multiply it. 00:01:46.476 --> 00:01:50.738 And this is what we want to talk about here. I hope you are ready. 00:01:52.128 --> 00:01:55.493 You have an amazing story. You experienced God. 00:01:56.423 --> 00:02:02.270 You have been on a mission trip in Africa and Nepal. You've been all over. 00:02:02.270 --> 00:02:06.606 But 18 months ago you really started with house fellowships. 00:02:07.366 --> 00:02:10.796 The focus was not house fellowships. The focus was: let's make disciples. 00:02:10.796 --> 00:02:14.928 Can you say what brought you there and then a little what have happened? 00:02:15.308 --> 00:02:21.242 We noticed that there was lack in people, in the body of Christ, actually, obeying Jesus. 00:02:21.242 --> 00:02:24.642 That it was very knowledge based. So we took it, kind of upon ourselves. 00:02:24.642 --> 00:02:29.006 We felt the Lord was asking us to bring people in our home for discipleship, 00:02:29.361 --> 00:02:32.759 which later ended up forming into actual churches, 00:02:32.969 --> 00:02:36.579 which is great because the command is to make disciples. 00:02:36.579 --> 00:02:40.037 So, when we brought people in we realized that there was a lack 00:02:40.037 --> 00:02:43.153 in a lot of just a foundations of the faith. 00:02:43.473 --> 00:02:47.043 Not only people didn't understand how to share their own faith, 00:02:47.043 --> 00:02:50.587 they had not experienced parts of the gospel themselves. 00:02:50.587 --> 00:02:53.808 And so, one of the most important things, that I think, 00:02:54.548 --> 00:02:58.337 is needs to be discussed, it needs to be brought up, 00:02:58.337 --> 00:03:03.670 whether you're speaking with individual or a group, a community of faith, 00:03:03.670 --> 00:03:05.387 is the gospel itself. 00:03:05.387 --> 00:03:10.045 To make sure that everybody has fully walked through repentance towards God, 00:03:10.045 --> 00:03:12.344 that they have received the Holy Spirit, 00:03:12.344 --> 00:03:16.661 that they've cut off the old life through water baptism, all those things, 00:03:16.661 --> 00:03:19.084 and once they've experienced those things, they become stable, 00:03:19.084 --> 00:03:22.660 then you can begin to equip and train to go out in ministry. 00:03:22.660 --> 00:03:27.370 - So, you, actually, met with church people? - Yes. 00:03:27.880 --> 00:03:31.995 And you saw church people got what they were lacking. 00:03:31.995 --> 00:03:36.108 It could be repentance, for some people it could be true baptism, lay down the old life, 00:03:36.108 --> 00:03:40.879 it could be the Holy Spirit, or they walked with unforgiveness and hurt in their lives 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:43.252 and they need to put it off and they need deliverance. 00:03:43.252 --> 00:03:46.197 And then you started to see people get set free. Is that correct? 00:03:46.197 --> 00:03:47.318 That's right. 00:03:47.318 --> 00:03:49.232 And you started to meet and it just started to grow? 00:03:49.232 --> 00:03:51.150 Yeah, absolutely. 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:55.026 We started meeting with individuals. Once they would get that foundation laid 00:03:55.026 --> 00:03:59.012 and naturally the thing that takes place after that is 00:03:59.012 --> 00:04:01.256 they start to want to share with other people. 00:04:01.426 --> 00:04:02.661 And we encouraged that. 00:04:02.661 --> 00:04:06.271 Like, now you freely have been given, so freely go give out what you've been given. 00:04:06.271 --> 00:04:08.030 You can't keep it for yourself. 00:04:08.340 --> 00:04:11.540 So, we would teach and equip on the things of practical ways 00:04:11.540 --> 00:04:14.544 you can go and share what just took place in your life, 00:04:14.544 --> 00:04:18.068 and help them understand the gospel and help them feel comfortable 00:04:18.068 --> 00:04:20.302 on how to share that with people, so it starts with family members 00:04:20.302 --> 00:04:23.578 and friends, and things like that. in the matter of weeks we were seeing 00:04:23.578 --> 00:04:27.613 multiplication take place. And so that person in this original group 00:04:27.613 --> 00:04:30.895 that we started with, we would say: Now it's your turn to take those people 00:04:30.895 --> 00:04:34.862 into your home. Don't bring them back here, so where we can become a big church 00:04:34.862 --> 00:04:39.245 in a matter of weeks. Take them into their home or into your home, 00:04:39.245 --> 00:04:43.520 lay the foundation of the gospel, make sure they're born again properly, 00:04:43.520 --> 00:04:46.585 and then you start to lead them. All you have to do is be slightly farther 00:04:46.585 --> 00:04:48.561 than the person that you're discipling. 00:04:48.561 --> 00:04:51.158 And if you don't know the question they have, you have others who do. 00:04:51.158 --> 00:04:53.044 So you come to them and you ask questions. 00:04:55.584 --> 00:04:59.271 The last 18 years you have started nine fellowships and it's growing... 00:04:59.271 --> 00:05:00.430 18 months. 00:05:00.430 --> 00:05:04.740 18 months, sorry. So, in 18 months nine fellowships and it's growing. 00:05:05.590 --> 00:05:09.102 One thing that really needs to be there, is what we read in the Bible, 00:05:09.102 --> 00:05:11.992 the early disciples were forbidden to tell about Jesus, 00:05:11.992 --> 00:05:15.798 but they said: We cannot stop telling about what we've seen and heard. 00:05:16.138 --> 00:05:19.922 The woman at the well, she ran down and told everyone in Samaria: 00:05:19.922 --> 00:05:23.355 Hey, I met a guy who told me everything, who I am. 00:05:23.355 --> 00:05:29.695 And there was excitement when people really experienced that true life. 00:05:29.695 --> 00:05:33.943 And that needs to be the foundation. That is the wine - that true life. 00:05:33.943 --> 00:05:37.287 And if you study the house church movement in China, 00:05:38.017 --> 00:05:43.239 I know that 90% of all of those, when they started, many years ago, 00:05:43.579 --> 00:05:47.745 they were like evangelists, because they could not stop telling about it. 00:05:48.155 --> 00:05:53.735 So, it's not like: Hey, now we take church people and we need to just 00:05:53.735 --> 00:05:55.435 whip them and say: You have to tell about Jesus. 00:05:55.435 --> 00:05:58.728 No, we take church people, we get them soundly saved and born again 00:05:58.728 --> 00:06:03.912 and excited about the life, and then the growth, somehow, happens automatically. 00:06:03.912 --> 00:06:05.984 So, how did the growth start to happen? 00:06:06.204 --> 00:06:09.052 Is it from person to person, relationships? 00:06:09.052 --> 00:06:11.263 Yes. Many times through relationships, 00:06:11.263 --> 00:06:14.668 but the thing I want to speak about also is that... 00:06:15.828 --> 00:06:18.937 In all of the excitement in the beginning, when people were being set free, 00:06:18.937 --> 00:06:22.190 in the fellowship church people being set free, filled with the Holy Spirit, 00:06:22.190 --> 00:06:24.363 delivered, all those things, it's very exciting, 00:06:24.363 --> 00:06:28.594 but once everybody is stable, if you don't share this message 00:06:28.594 --> 00:06:32.327 with your community, if you don't continue to see the power of God work through, 00:06:32.327 --> 00:06:36.710 becomes very boring, because your eyes begin to turn towards yourself. 00:06:36.710 --> 00:06:40.915 And what we've noticed is that, they had a certain period of time after some months, 00:06:40.915 --> 00:06:44.379 where everybody was stable, where we had to make sure that 00:06:44.379 --> 00:06:47.720 when we came together, our focus was on Jesus Christ. 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:51.303 And when our focus was on Jesus Christ being in our meetings, 00:06:51.303 --> 00:06:56.119 He would remind us of the mission. And that mission is not church. 00:06:56.119 --> 00:06:58.863 Right? The church, actually, has a mission. 00:06:58.863 --> 00:07:01.948 So, the whole goal is not for us to just get together. 00:07:01.948 --> 00:07:05.155 It's to get together so we can encourage, edify and equip each other 00:07:05.155 --> 00:07:08.504 in the presence of Christ and go out and share the gospel with the world. 00:07:08.504 --> 00:07:12.432 In the introduction in my book "The Call of Jesus" I talk about three things; 00:07:12.432 --> 00:07:15.111 I talk about the church, the mission and Christ. 00:07:15.111 --> 00:07:19.479 That very often we start with the church, and our system, and our culture, 00:07:19.479 --> 00:07:22.618 and traditions of men, and out of that church building, 00:07:22.618 --> 00:07:26.613 with everything that comes with it, we think: Oh, we ought to do mission, 00:07:26.613 --> 00:07:31.737 and in the middle of mission... because it's in the box now, 00:07:31.737 --> 00:07:33.259 we forget Christ. 00:07:33.259 --> 00:07:37.943 But if we turn upside down, and we start with Christ... 00:07:37.943 --> 00:07:43.166 you can never look at Christ and say: Oh, I have seen it all. 00:07:43.166 --> 00:07:46.512 There is always excitement. There is always something new. 00:07:46.512 --> 00:07:50.316 And then it's about Him and obeying Him and following Him, 00:07:50.316 --> 00:07:54.547 and then we do mission, not in our way, but in His way, 00:07:54.547 --> 00:07:56.710 and we will automatically end up with church. 00:07:56.710 --> 00:07:59.277 And also what you said, it was not like... 00:07:59.277 --> 00:08:03.362 Jesus has not said: Go out, do church. And maybe disciple those people. 00:08:03.362 --> 00:08:05.710 He said: Go out, make disciples, and I will build my church. 00:08:05.710 --> 00:08:10.840 It was your focus in the beginning. It was just like, how do we disciple people, 00:08:10.840 --> 00:08:15.040 how do we build people up, and you saw how Jesus was building 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:17.356 them as living stones together. - That's right. 00:08:17.356 --> 00:08:20.528 How did it look like? Can you come with an example how one person 00:08:20.528 --> 00:08:23.972 knew somebody, and knew somebody, and how it forms? 00:08:24.392 --> 00:08:30.129 We had a time where we started with this group of five couples 00:08:30.129 --> 00:08:33.835 and we were meeting together, and we made sure they were born again, 00:08:33.835 --> 00:08:38.293 and like you said: Christ was the forefront, your relationship with Him, 00:08:38.293 --> 00:08:42.588 and now you have a mission to go out into the world and to make disciples of yourself 00:08:42.588 --> 00:08:46.518 and then the church faith formed, so once we had those three revelations, 00:08:46.518 --> 00:08:50.786 it just naturally took place. So, for instance, we had one couple 00:08:50.786 --> 00:08:54.598 who started to share with their parents. And their parents were like: 00:08:54.598 --> 00:08:57.924 Okay, we want to know more. So they had us come over. 00:08:57.924 --> 00:09:00.408 And we shared with their parents what was going on, and eventually, 00:09:00.408 --> 00:09:05.135 their parents got delivered and born again. And now in that group of people 00:09:05.135 --> 00:09:09.941 those parents are meeting with their children and they are now multiplying 00:09:09.941 --> 00:09:13.561 and that person there were two parents, they are in traditional church right now, 00:09:13.881 --> 00:09:17.648 she's actually has a paid position in the church and she's stepping down, 00:09:17.648 --> 00:09:21.357 and she's actually taught sharing her faith with her neighbor 00:09:21.357 --> 00:09:24.021 and other people in the church, and they're like: Tell me more. 00:09:24.021 --> 00:09:27.963 And they're becoming interested. And out of that a natural family is birthed, 00:09:27.963 --> 00:09:31.165 in that place. So, that's hoped to happen over and over again. 00:09:31.165 --> 00:09:34.414 One family, we went into their home, we started ministering and talking 00:09:34.414 --> 00:09:37.888 to them about what is church. Like, church is not a building, 00:09:37.888 --> 00:09:41.014 it's not an event. You are the church. So, why do you go to church 00:09:41.014 --> 00:09:45.346 and do these rituals and these traditions that nullify the Word of God? 00:09:45.346 --> 00:09:48.734 You have to, actually, take what you're learning in the Scriptures 00:09:48.734 --> 00:09:51.803 and give it to other people's lives. And they're like: We have seven couples 00:09:51.803 --> 00:09:55.021 that I know would wanna do this. And I said: Meet with them, 00:09:55.021 --> 00:09:57.101 break bread with them, take communion with them, 00:09:57.101 --> 00:10:00.521 speak about holiness, speak about the gospel and see what will happen. 00:10:00.521 --> 00:10:03.560 So, they brought them in and started relationship with these couples. 00:10:03.560 --> 00:10:06.804 And then they asked us to come in and lay a foundation of the gospel, so we did. 00:10:06.804 --> 00:10:10.727 And some of these people were like deacons in churches. 00:10:10.727 --> 00:10:13.419 And they are repenting for the first time in their lives. 00:10:13.419 --> 00:10:15.845 They're being baptized. They're getting delivered. 00:10:15.845 --> 00:10:18.613 And right there you have a group of 20 people meeting together, 00:10:18.613 --> 00:10:23.746 all set free, all filled with the Holy Spirit, of one truth, and now they are multiplying. 00:10:23.746 --> 00:10:27.114 That group, there's two couples in there that are ready to make disciples 00:10:27.114 --> 00:10:30.952 and they are staring their own groups that we have nothing to do with. 00:10:30.952 --> 00:10:34.300 Because we don't know those people. Those people aren't gonna listen to us. 00:10:34.300 --> 00:10:37.047 They don't know who we are. So the people that are leading that group 00:10:37.047 --> 00:10:40.050 are gonna help these disciples start their own fellowship. 00:10:40.050 --> 00:10:43.703 And that's how it naturally multiplies and it starts slow in the beginning, 00:10:43.703 --> 00:10:46.993 because of small in number, but when multiplication gets bigger in number, 00:10:46.993 --> 00:10:49.362 it's a mass number, that comes to know Christ. 00:10:49.362 --> 00:10:51.233 And these aren't just half-hearted disciples. 00:10:51.233 --> 00:10:53.928 They are fully sold out surrendered people who are ready 00:10:53.928 --> 00:10:56.141 to take the Great Commission to the ends of the earth. 00:10:56.141 --> 00:10:59.096 And it starts in one place. So, it's exciting. 00:10:59.386 --> 00:11:05.417 You said so many amazing things here. I want to say, it started here, with... 00:11:05.417 --> 00:11:07.445 - Obedience with two people. - Two people. 00:11:07.445 --> 00:11:10.813 Those two people had something you don't have. 00:11:10.813 --> 00:11:15.678 They had a relationship. They had a circle of people around them. 00:11:15.678 --> 00:11:17.971 But you had something those two people did not have. 00:11:17.971 --> 00:11:20.249 You have the know-how and knowledge. 00:11:20.689 --> 00:11:25.592 And that became a beautiful contact point, where they had the relationship, 00:11:25.592 --> 00:11:30.794 you have the knowledge, and you come together, and you go in, 00:11:30.794 --> 00:11:36.427 and you impact their network. Their network get influenced 00:11:36.427 --> 00:11:39.596 and they get discipled at the same time, because they see how you're doing, 00:11:39.596 --> 00:11:43.488 and then they have a network. And it's spreading from this. 00:11:43.888 --> 00:11:46.047 I talk about that in my book. 00:11:48.257 --> 00:11:52.772 I believe we are called to go out and find a person of peace. Jesus said that. 00:11:52.772 --> 00:11:57.468 But He also said: When you find a person of peace, stay in their house. 00:11:57.468 --> 00:12:00.025 - Don't move from house to house. - That's right. 00:12:00.025 --> 00:12:05.746 Because when we come into a household, oikos or network, 00:12:06.146 --> 00:12:09.416 we want to impact everyone in that network. 00:12:10.806 --> 00:12:15.445 I believe in going out on the street, but if you already have people 00:12:15.445 --> 00:12:18.417 you are working with in your network, don't leave them and go out 00:12:18.417 --> 00:12:22.182 to try to build new relationships, when you have people there. 00:12:22.182 --> 00:12:25.396 Because out on the street it can be difficult, 00:12:25.396 --> 00:12:29.091 because there is that skepticism and you first need to build that relationship. 00:12:29.091 --> 00:12:32.049 - And it's not natural. - No. - Relationship is natural. 00:12:32.049 --> 00:12:35.247 So, I would say, work with what you have, work with what you have, 00:12:35.247 --> 00:12:38.967 but if you suddenly come to a stop and there is no more to build 00:12:38.967 --> 00:12:44.028 within that relationship, then you need to go out and build new relationships. 00:12:44.028 --> 00:12:47.057 But when you have relationship, work with relationship, 00:12:47.057 --> 00:12:49.212 from person to person, from person to person. 00:12:49.212 --> 00:12:52.801 And Jesus even says, like, look up, the harvest is plentiful, 00:12:52.801 --> 00:12:55.337 but the laborers are few. So, find the laborer. 00:12:55.337 --> 00:12:57.303 Where you're gonna find them? In the harvest. 00:12:57.303 --> 00:13:01.156 So you find that laborer, in the harvest, you give them everything you have, 00:13:01.156 --> 00:13:03.494 and that person will reap of the harvest of 30, 00:13:03.494 --> 00:13:06.469 and the next will reap the harvest of 60, and of 100, 00:13:06.469 --> 00:13:08.757 and it all goes to credit back to where it started, 00:13:08.757 --> 00:13:10.619 but no one knows where it started from. 00:13:11.009 --> 00:13:14.335 But that's the beauty of multiplication. And that's what Jesus would do. 00:13:14.335 --> 00:13:17.086 If you just partner with what He's already spoken and commanded, 00:13:17.086 --> 00:13:19.062 He'll breathe life onto that 00:13:19.062 --> 00:13:22.095 and that will become a movement. 00:13:22.095 --> 00:13:25.447 But if we sit here, like: What is my call? What am I called to do? 00:13:25.447 --> 00:13:28.959 Okay, I got this special call. God, come bless this call on my life, 00:13:28.959 --> 00:13:31.533 that I came up with, He won't bless that. 00:13:31.533 --> 00:13:37.339 Bless, get a partnership and get doing what He already blessed. 00:13:37.339 --> 00:13:40.292 And He said: Go make disciples. You build the people, He'll build the church. 00:13:40.482 --> 00:13:42.053 It's as simple as that. 00:13:42.183 --> 00:13:46.298 Keep it simple in that way, like you said; the gospel, the gospel every time. 00:13:46.298 --> 00:13:50.746 The gospel. And then, what you said also, it was good, go, meet with them, 00:13:50.746 --> 00:13:53.432 break the bread, communion, break the bread. 00:13:53.432 --> 00:13:56.855 Have fellowship where you come together, you eat together. 00:13:56.855 --> 00:14:00.426 There is something in connecting people. Jesus said: When you go to a house, 00:14:00.426 --> 00:14:04.816 eat and drink what they serve. But not only eating and drinking. 00:14:04.816 --> 00:14:09.087 It's also a point where you really focus on God and the mission, 00:14:09.087 --> 00:14:12.897 why are we here, and then you start to minister. 00:14:12.897 --> 00:14:16.830 And you can do that. It went from... 00:14:18.250 --> 00:14:23.892 How do you do it, because sometimes you get many relationships, at one time, 00:14:23.892 --> 00:14:27.095 but very often is also just one relationship, and one relationship, 00:14:27.095 --> 00:14:29.215 and one relationship, and then you end up with many. 00:14:29.215 --> 00:14:31.371 How did you see this go? 00:14:31.371 --> 00:14:34.559 Lot of times that'll be with one person or one couple, 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:37.996 and we'll continue to meet with them one on one, or as a couple, 00:14:38.236 --> 00:14:41.191 figuring out where they're at, helping them to get on their feet, 00:14:41.191 --> 00:14:43.897 giving them tools necessary to get their foundations. 00:14:43.897 --> 00:14:48.761 But a lot of times, while we're doing that, God will have another couple here, 00:14:48.761 --> 00:14:52.515 and another person here, and here, and then every single time 00:14:52.515 --> 00:14:56.888 He will bring them together. Sometimes there'll be relationships 00:14:56.888 --> 00:14:59.763 we didn't even know they knew each other three years ago. 00:15:00.123 --> 00:15:05.099 So, when God brings this group together, like, we're discipling, 00:15:05.099 --> 00:15:09.140 and then He build, and He does it, and He places it together. 00:15:09.380 --> 00:15:12.800 I pray every single day Lord of the harvest, at 10:02, Lord of the harvest, 00:15:12.800 --> 00:15:17.078 sent forth laborers, and that prayer is answered because He sends people, 00:15:17.078 --> 00:15:20.342 we disciple them, point them to Jesus, teach them how to obey, 00:15:20.342 --> 00:15:21.591 and He brings them together. 00:15:21.591 --> 00:15:24.599 And all we have to do is say: Yeah, okay. 00:15:25.129 --> 00:15:28.168 And the beauty of when you bring them together, you stir one another up to 00:15:28.168 --> 00:15:32.388 a good work. Because if you come together just to eat bread, 00:15:32.388 --> 00:15:35.336 you don't go out want to save the world. But we have one girl in our fellowship, 00:15:35.336 --> 00:15:37.754 we did two nights ago, she said: When I leave here, 00:15:37.754 --> 00:15:40.342 I am ready to take on the world, because I know I'm capable, 00:15:40.342 --> 00:15:43.133 because I've been poured into, I've been edified, I've been stirred up, 00:15:43.133 --> 00:15:45.218 and now I need to go out make a disciple on my life. 00:15:45.218 --> 00:15:47.601 And my eyes are open: Who is ready? Who is hungry? 00:15:47.601 --> 00:15:50.865 And that person then reproduces in someone else's life. 00:15:52.015 --> 00:15:55.850 If you have a group of 100 people in a traditional church and you said: 00:15:56.090 --> 00:16:00.684 How many here want to be a pastor in a megachurch? Up with your hands. 00:16:01.864 --> 00:16:05.752 Work, administration, money, responsibilities, stress. 00:16:05.752 --> 00:16:10.489 95% of all pastors are getting stressful. Who wants that job? 00:16:10.489 --> 00:16:15.558 But if you then say: Who can find one person and lead that one person to Christ? 00:16:16.198 --> 00:16:21.092 I also say it very clear in the book. You already know them, very often. 00:16:21.092 --> 00:16:23.715 When you say to people: You already know them. 00:16:23.715 --> 00:16:27.078 They are in your atmosphere. They are in your network right now. 00:16:27.078 --> 00:16:28.793 Ask God: Who is it? 00:16:28.793 --> 00:16:34.376 Sometimes it's a total sinner. Sometimes is a believer who needs repentance. 00:16:34.376 --> 00:16:36.429 Sometimes is a repentant person who needs baptism. 00:16:36.429 --> 00:16:38.553 Sometimes is baptized person who needs the Holy Spirit. 00:16:38.553 --> 00:16:41.439 And when you give them the missing piece, 00:16:42.515 --> 00:16:44.520 it's spreading and life is growing. 00:16:44.520 --> 00:16:47.694 The question will always be, and I think that is the challenge 00:16:47.694 --> 00:16:52.583 and we need to keep it simple, but many people always want to know in details 00:16:52.583 --> 00:16:59.247 like, how do you do it? Our focus is not so much how we do it. 00:16:59.247 --> 00:17:05.424 Our focus is not the details. Our focus is the person... 00:17:05.424 --> 00:17:07.991 and how do you bring that person to life. 00:17:07.991 --> 00:17:10.504 - That's right. To maturity. - Yeah, To maturity. 00:17:10.504 --> 00:17:15.369 Say a little more about how does your life look like. 00:17:15.369 --> 00:17:19.343 How does your week look like? How does it look like practically? 00:17:19.343 --> 00:17:22.582 And also, when you come together and meet? How does it look like? 00:17:22.952 --> 00:17:27.456 The number one thing, for us, personally, is that we like to teach people. 00:17:27.456 --> 00:17:30.201 When you come together as a community of faith, 00:17:30.281 --> 00:17:32.958 the main difference in the traditional setting of church 00:17:32.958 --> 00:17:36.461 and the meetings in the homes is, as Paul teaches the Corinthians 00:17:36.461 --> 00:17:39.270 and instructs them: everybody has something to bring. 00:17:39.270 --> 00:17:44.307 So, in that case, if you're not prepared with your intimate relationship 00:17:44.307 --> 00:17:47.115 with Christ throughout the week, then you have nothing to bring to our group, 00:17:47.115 --> 00:17:50.079 and then we all lack because the piece of the puzzle is missing. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:54.536 And so, for us, cultivating an intimate relationship with Christ throughout the week, 00:17:54.536 --> 00:17:58.029 we have four children, we homeschool due all these things, 00:17:58.029 --> 00:18:01.390 but we also have to learn how to be in constant community with the Lord, 00:18:01.390 --> 00:18:03.389 listening to Him, praying throughout the day. 00:18:03.949 --> 00:18:06.614 I need to say something, because we talked about that. 00:18:07.584 --> 00:18:11.688 What is important, when we talk about everyone has something to share, 00:18:11.978 --> 00:18:14.429 is in the context of believers now. 00:18:14.429 --> 00:18:19.286 Because the problem is church has been a place where many non-believers come 00:18:19.286 --> 00:18:22.453 and if you let everyone share where they don't have the Spirit... 00:18:24.003 --> 00:18:26.980 It can go like that. So, when we talk about church, 00:18:26.980 --> 00:18:30.036 God spoke very clear to you about the wolf and the sheep. 00:18:30.036 --> 00:18:31.963 Can you share that also? 00:18:31.963 --> 00:18:35.510 We had just come back from Norway. I was very sleep deprived. 00:18:35.510 --> 00:18:38.661 My good girlfriend calls me and says: I'm having my baby nine weeks early. 00:18:38.971 --> 00:18:43.333 So, I go to the hospital, jet-legged, but sometimes when you're very depleted, 00:18:43.333 --> 00:18:46.604 you're very sensitive to the Spirit. I hadn't eaten a few days, 00:18:46.604 --> 00:18:49.466 I hadn't slept in a few days, and I'm walking to the hospital, 00:18:49.466 --> 00:18:52.711 and I literally heard in my Spirit: the wolves were never meant to be 00:18:52.711 --> 00:18:55.514 invited amongst the sheep. And I'm like: Lord, if this is You. 00:18:55.514 --> 00:18:57.743 I need You to tell me what this means. 00:18:57.743 --> 00:19:00.912 And about a day later, we're in the same town, he's staying in a hotel 00:19:00.912 --> 00:19:03.789 a couple miles away, while I'm helping my friend in the hospital, 00:19:03.789 --> 00:19:07.385 and He said: what do you think about non-believers being invited into the church? 00:19:07.385 --> 00:19:10.083 And I said: That's what that meant? 00:19:10.083 --> 00:19:11.868 And so I start to dig through the Scriptures and like: 00:19:11.868 --> 00:19:14.415 What does it look like, Lord? What, first of all, is church? 00:19:14.415 --> 00:19:19.293 And why are wolves are not supposed to be in the midst of it? 00:19:19.293 --> 00:19:21.507 And He said, He started took me to the 1 Corinthians, 00:19:21.507 --> 00:19:26.591 where he talks about the unbelievers stumbling into the congregation. 00:19:26.591 --> 00:19:30.608 And instead of, like, speak in tongues and prophesy, 00:19:30.698 --> 00:19:33.069 in hopes that man's heart would be exposed, 00:19:33.069 --> 00:19:36.523 that he'll repent and turn towards the Lord, and I said: It said - stumble in, 00:19:36.523 --> 00:19:40.850 not - invited in. And then I looked at other scriptures that talk about 00:19:40.850 --> 00:19:43.720 the church is for the believer to come in and to be built up, 00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:47.807 to be stirred up, to be equipped to go out into the work of the ministry, 00:19:47.807 --> 00:19:49.849 they share the gospel, they evangelize, 00:19:49.849 --> 00:19:53.691 and when that person receives the Spirit, okay, it's safe to bring them in 00:19:53.691 --> 00:19:56.850 and then equip them, and to edify them, and to stir them up, and teach them 00:19:56.850 --> 00:20:02.282 how to go out and do the same, because if you invite all these different spirits in, 00:20:02.632 --> 00:20:05.398 you've got a bunch of different spirits entertaining each other, 00:20:05.398 --> 00:20:09.460 that are not of Christ. And people get confused of what is truly the Holy Spirit 00:20:09.460 --> 00:20:10.908 and what is not. 00:20:10.908 --> 00:20:13.619 What we want to see, what we really believe in, 00:20:13.619 --> 00:20:17.050 church is for believers come together, edifying each other. 00:20:17.050 --> 00:20:20.265 And there is so important to be edified, that you need to learn 00:20:20.265 --> 00:20:22.455 that everyone has something to give. 00:20:22.455 --> 00:20:24.723 And you grow up and you build each other, 00:20:24.723 --> 00:20:28.013 and the way you grow mostly is by giving and doing. 00:20:28.013 --> 00:20:29.752 And then you grow up. 00:20:30.662 --> 00:20:33.793 If a non-believer... Let's say there is somebody who invites a few people in, 00:20:33.793 --> 00:20:36.739 it's fine, but then don't do what you normally do. 00:20:36.739 --> 00:20:41.464 Sit down with them. Share the gospel. Say: hey, we have two people, 00:20:41.464 --> 00:20:44.006 John brought two friends with him today. 00:20:44.006 --> 00:20:48.927 Hey, come in. Hey, hi! This is who we are. This is what we are doing. 00:20:48.927 --> 00:20:51.685 One day I came to a park, and a mom was there, and the Lord said: 00:20:51.685 --> 00:20:54.593 You're gonna talk to her. So, I go to her. I started talking. 00:20:54.863 --> 00:20:58.023 I said: Who are you? Who do you do? She said: We've just moved here from 00:20:58.023 --> 00:21:00.880 Delaware, because the Lord wants us to start house churches, 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:03.562 or to be involved in one. And I'm like: This is too easy. 00:21:03.562 --> 00:21:06.680 She said: What do you and your husband do? I said: Well, we start house churches. 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:09.863 And I said: We actually have one tonight. You should come. So they came. 00:21:09.863 --> 00:21:13.444 And we set them down, we broke bread together, we took community together, 00:21:13.444 --> 00:21:15.371 we sat down. We said: Now, tell us your story. 00:21:15.371 --> 00:21:16.910 And the whole fellowship's there. 00:21:16.910 --> 00:21:20.170 And they shared their story. I was 13, I got baptized when I was 14, 00:21:20.170 --> 00:21:24.116 and I'm just kind of lived cool life. I've helped in the church a little bit 00:21:24.116 --> 00:21:26.384 here and there, my husband was a youth pastor for a couple of years. 00:21:26.384 --> 00:21:28.133 Now he is a construction worker. 00:21:28.133 --> 00:21:29.842 I'm like: Did you ever received the Holy Spirit? 00:21:29.842 --> 00:21:31.403 And they're like: What are you talking about? 00:21:31.403 --> 00:21:35.177 And I said: Let us share our stories. So, my mom shared her story. 00:21:35.177 --> 00:21:36.729 She was in that fellowship. 00:21:36.729 --> 00:21:39.180 You break the program and you focus on them, where they are. 00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:42.352 We share our story and then we get into the Book of Acts 18 and 19, 00:21:42.352 --> 00:21:45.519 where people had been repented, but never received the Spirit. 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:48.337 And after that, they're like: We have a lot to think about. 00:21:48.337 --> 00:21:51.171 I said: Absolutely. They're like: Can we read this first 00:21:51.171 --> 00:21:53.672 and come back, and partake in what you're talking about? 00:21:53.672 --> 00:21:54.854 We said: Absolutely. 00:21:54.854 --> 00:21:57.361 So, they did not receive the Spirit that night, but they know 00:21:57.361 --> 00:21:59.702 that they're lacking the Spirit. And that they can't be for it 00:21:59.702 --> 00:22:01.545 until they received the Spirit of God. 00:22:01.545 --> 00:22:04.554 So, when they come back, that'll be the next question: Are you ready? 00:22:04.554 --> 00:22:07.289 It's for us to lay hand on you, for you to receive the Spirit. 00:22:08.229 --> 00:22:13.934 What I often do if we go to small setting, I'm praying, God what do You want us to share? 00:22:13.934 --> 00:22:17.388 But then, when you come there and you see the people, sometimes you see, 00:22:17.388 --> 00:22:20.797 okay, it's something else today. Because those people came in. 00:22:20.797 --> 00:22:26.380 Today it's just us. Let's break the bread. Let's do what we do. 00:22:26.380 --> 00:22:30.138 Because we are now together to equip each other. 00:22:30.908 --> 00:22:35.368 Now you have seen many fellowships start, so your life is like 00:22:35.368 --> 00:22:37.762 going from fellowship to fellowship and help, 00:22:37.762 --> 00:22:40.604 and some of them is now breaking more off, 00:22:40.604 --> 00:22:44.769 because they have grown to maturity. Can you tell a little how does it look? 00:22:47.159 --> 00:22:50.594 When we go in, our goal is not to make them dependent on us. 00:22:50.594 --> 00:22:55.449 It's, actually, give them equipping and everything we can possibly do 00:22:55.449 --> 00:22:58.994 to serve them, so they can get to a place to where they are completely 00:22:58.994 --> 00:23:01.921 dependent on Christ, the Holy Spirit and each other. 00:23:01.921 --> 00:23:05.545 And once they do that, then we want to back off. 00:23:05.545 --> 00:23:09.079 It's just like a relationship with your children or parents and children. 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:11.467 Right? Eventually, you don't want them to be dependent on you. 00:23:11.467 --> 00:23:15.213 They need to be creating and starting their own families. Same thing. 00:23:15.213 --> 00:23:17.280 That could take three months with a group, six months. 00:23:17.280 --> 00:23:20.446 It came take over a year with a group. It's different for every group. 00:23:20.446 --> 00:23:24.623 So weekly we go in, Sunday to Sunday, 00:23:24.623 --> 00:23:26.871 we meet with about five groups right now. 00:23:26.871 --> 00:23:29.054 There's two groups that are becoming very mature 00:23:29.054 --> 00:23:33.210 and so we only meet like once a week. Once a month, twice a month, right now. 00:23:33.210 --> 00:23:35.701 And so, eventually, they're actually doing their own thing 00:23:35.701 --> 00:23:38.468 and they're actually obeying Christ on the weekly basis, 00:23:38.468 --> 00:23:40.490 on the daily basis, living in holiness, 00:23:40.490 --> 00:23:42.696 and they're multiplying on their own. 00:23:42.696 --> 00:23:44.505 So, weekly that's what we do. 00:23:45.465 --> 00:23:48.712 Somebody asked us the other week, like, do you get exhausted with what you do? 00:23:48.712 --> 00:23:50.766 I said: We've cut out everything in our lives 00:23:50.766 --> 00:23:52.861 that have nothing to do with the Kingdom of God. 00:23:52.861 --> 00:23:56.375 So, all that we have left in this life is to pursue the Kingdom, 00:23:56.375 --> 00:23:59.330 to seek first the Kingdom of God and everything will be added to us. 00:23:59.330 --> 00:24:01.244 So, our finances are added to us, 00:24:01.244 --> 00:24:04.941 our endurance is added to us, our strength is added to us. 00:24:04.941 --> 00:24:08.501 and the ability to actually do something that is bearing fruit, 00:24:08.501 --> 00:24:10.959 not just in this life, but in the life to come. 00:24:10.959 --> 00:24:12.960 I don't want to go empty handed, you know. 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:15.670 So, that's kind of what this life has looked like. 00:24:15.670 --> 00:24:19.466 It has Jesus provides, because we no longer can work, because we're so busy 00:24:19.466 --> 00:24:22.343 advancing the Kingdom. But He's provided the home, 00:24:22.343 --> 00:24:26.728 He's provided vehicles, He's provided sum of income for us to live off of, 00:24:26.728 --> 00:24:30.201 not so that we can become wealthy and seek the things of this world. 00:24:30.201 --> 00:24:33.136 This is the last thing I want. I'm detached from that stuff. 00:24:33.136 --> 00:24:36.032 But that I can still live, and there's tools and resources 00:24:36.032 --> 00:24:38.037 to advance the Kingdom of God. 00:24:38.891 --> 00:24:41.097 When we look at Luke 10, where Jesus said: 00:24:41.097 --> 00:24:46.570 Don't take extra purse with you, laborer is worth his wages, all of that, 00:24:46.570 --> 00:24:48.336 you can testify that also? - That's right. 00:24:49.066 --> 00:24:53.843 And you actually don't need to have a website and a ministry, all of that. 00:24:53.843 --> 00:24:57.830 But the resources are often in the harvest. 00:24:57.830 --> 00:25:03.157 When we start to lead people to Christ and start to see people build up, 00:25:03.707 --> 00:25:08.495 there is provision, there are resources, there is what we need. 00:25:08.495 --> 00:25:11.149 And also, what they say, I think it's important, 00:25:11.909 --> 00:25:14.401 I talk much about church as a family, 00:25:15.471 --> 00:25:19.428 now he is a young boy, you have four smaller kids, 00:25:19.428 --> 00:25:23.819 I have kids who are now 15 and 18. And I have grandkids. 00:25:23.819 --> 00:25:28.156 If we look all the levels, there are times where there's more work. 00:25:28.156 --> 00:25:31.895 There are times, of course, when you don't get so much sleep in the night. 00:25:32.842 --> 00:25:37.300 But, the whole reason we're getting kids is not for them to remain like that. 00:25:37.300 --> 00:25:41.321 It's to build them up. And then there is time where you have more fun with them, 00:25:41.601 --> 00:25:45.633 when you have fun with them and do funny things, 00:25:45.633 --> 00:25:47.946 and they are independent. That can actually be of help. 00:25:47.946 --> 00:25:50.282 Like your son is already helping with him. 00:25:50.282 --> 00:25:55.260 And then there is time where I'm in, where they are really independent, in many ways, 00:25:55.260 --> 00:25:59.739 and you need to let go. And it was hard with our son, 00:25:59.739 --> 00:26:04.100 because I want to be with my son, but I just know that 00:26:04.100 --> 00:26:09.091 for him to be independent from me I need to let go. 00:26:09.091 --> 00:26:14.348 And the Bible says, we know it's not good for man to be alone. 00:26:14.348 --> 00:26:17.010 He needs to leave his mom and dad, but I can turn around, 00:26:17.010 --> 00:26:20.171 it's not good to be with mom and dad for the rest of your life. 00:26:20.171 --> 00:26:25.711 So, there is that letting go, and now our son has his kids, 00:26:25.711 --> 00:26:28.230 and I love our grandkids. I miss them and it's so fun. 00:26:28.230 --> 00:26:32.410 I'm in the funny place with my grandkids, oh, they are so cute, 00:26:32.410 --> 00:26:35.793 like him, and so on, but then... (smelling a poop)... oh... 00:26:36.243 --> 00:26:38.420 And then they care of it. 00:26:38.420 --> 00:26:41.926 And I think, as it is in the natural, we see it in the spiritual. 00:26:41.926 --> 00:26:47.902 In the natural there is a period of 18 years and they move from home. 00:26:47.902 --> 00:26:51.212 In the spiritual, I think, it depends on people, 00:26:51.212 --> 00:26:56.599 it depends on the background, if people come from very destroyed background 00:26:56.599 --> 00:27:00.041 there is something, they need, of course, deliverance, can happen, 00:27:00.041 --> 00:27:02.946 but renewing the mind and building up, it takes longer time, 00:27:02.946 --> 00:27:07.790 or they come from another background. But you say like a half year, a year, 00:27:07.790 --> 00:27:09.824 and then they are ready to move on. 00:27:09.824 --> 00:27:13.565 Oh yeah. If you're going too long, there is no reproduction. 00:27:14.815 --> 00:27:18.185 We would have to trust them. This is the same as you... 00:27:18.185 --> 00:27:21.198 If your children were 16 years old, still living in your basement, 00:27:21.198 --> 00:27:24.143 you would address that, because it's not what's naturally supposed to take place. 00:27:24.143 --> 00:27:28.534 If you have an apple tree out there and it hasn't bore fruit one year 00:27:28.534 --> 00:27:32.075 or two years, you start to prune it down, you have to work with it, 00:27:32.075 --> 00:27:36.092 something is wrong, if it doesn't continue bearing fruit, or starts to bear fruit, 00:27:36.092 --> 00:27:38.409 cut it down and plant a new one. 00:27:38.409 --> 00:27:39.853 That's right. 00:27:39.853 --> 00:27:42.002 That is biblical. 00:27:42.002 --> 00:27:46.994 It's so beautiful to hear what God is doing. I want to say that this is for everyone. 00:27:46.994 --> 00:27:51.229 This is the call of Jesus. This is what He has called us to, 00:27:51.229 --> 00:27:53.074 is what He has called you to. 00:27:53.074 --> 00:27:57.241 If you are a disciple of Christ, to be a disciple is to deny ourselves, 00:27:57.241 --> 00:27:59.482 take up the cross and follow Him. 00:27:59.482 --> 00:28:02.187 It's to repent, get baptized, receive the Holy Spirit 00:28:02.187 --> 00:28:07.169 and being taught to obey everything He has commanded us. 00:28:07.169 --> 00:28:11.177 And everything is everything. And this is what we see here. 00:28:11.177 --> 00:28:14.913 And I really want to encourage you to go for this and live this life. 00:28:15.703 --> 00:28:19.186 Thank you so much for sharing. We have other videos 00:28:19.186 --> 00:28:23.853 where we are talking more in details about... 00:28:23.853 --> 00:28:27.985 how God is the provider, we are talking more in details about 00:28:27.985 --> 00:28:32.078 why the gospel is important, we are talking more in details 00:28:32.078 --> 00:28:34.334 about some of the things you've been sharing 00:28:34.334 --> 00:28:35.995 and I also have in my book. 00:28:35.995 --> 00:28:38.199 So, see the other videos. Read the book 00:28:38.199 --> 00:28:40.364 and start to obey Jesus in His call. 00:28:40.364 --> 00:28:40.973 God bless you!