The
Titus 1:5
July 24th
2011 PM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (2Tim 4:5; Titus 1:5)
A.
The New
1.
Something new!
a.
There already were synagogues
b.
A
c.
A congregation
2.
A Church!
a.
A group of believers in Jesus
Christ, tightly knit together like a body is
b.
Represent the body of Jesus in
their town!
3.
Problem: Not every town has
such a Church!
B.
1.
4.7 million people
2.
6 large cities (
3.
1,270 Towns small towns and
villages
4.
7,616 Pubs
5.
There are more Four Star Pizza
Restaurants, Cinemas, Shopping Centres, Tescos, Dunnes, and even Tattoo Shops
than there are Bible believing Churches!
C.
Evangelism = Church Planting
(2Tim 4:5; Titus 1:5)
1.
More than Soul-Winning,
Preaching, Praying, Fellowshipping, Giving, and Growing,
God gave us Christians the awesome task of
Church-Planting
2.
Evangelism in its simplest
form is
a.
winning individual souls to
faith in Jesus Christ.
b.
In its fullest form, (i.e.,
when it is in full operation), evangelism is the starting of strong, vibrant,
New Testament Baptist-type churches throughout a city and nation!
3.
There are not many good
churches! Most are dead, ritualistic, superstitious. Others are entertainment
centres
D.
It is the task of every
preacher to be involved in church-planting, in EVERY city, village, county and
nation (Titus 1:5)
1.
Timothy was the pastor of a
very large church called the Church at
2.
And yet Paul said he needed to
make sure he was not only pastoring, but also doing the work of an Evangelist –
a soul-winner, who was determined to group those new believers into Churches – a
church starter
3.
Timothy was to be busy
starting more churches than just the one in
a.
THAT is what our Lord
commanded us to be doing
b.
THAT is what the apostle Paul
spent his Christian life doing – planting churches throughout
c.
THAT is what WE need to be
doing as well
d.
It is MY calling, and our task
together as a church
II.
Background
A.
The Historical Path of Evangelism - churches, churches,
everywhere (Mark 1:38)!
1.
Acts 1:8
Our command to GO is given
2.
Acts 8:1
The Christians had only gone as far as
3.
Acts 8:4
Persecution by Saul drove the Christians into the surrounding areas like
they should have been doing
4.
Acts 8:5
Philip went to
5.
Acts 8:25-27,39,40
Philip is lead away from
6.
Acts 10:1,44-48
Caesarean church started
7.
Acts 11:26
Antiochan church started
8.
Acts 13:1-3
The
9.
Acts 13:14,42
Pisidian church started
10.
Acts 13:44-52
Persecution hits again, and just moved them on!
11.
Acts 14:1
Iconium church started
12.
Acts 14:2-7
Lystra and
13.
Acts 15
A
14.
Acts 16:1
Back to where they left off -
15.
Acts 16:4,5
Strengthening the local churches
16.
Acts 16:29-34
17.
Acts 17:1-4
Thessalonican church started
18.
Acts 17:10-12
Berean church started
19.
Acts 17:13-15,32-34
20.
Acts 18
21.
Acts 19:8-10
22.
Titus 1:5
Titus was supposed to be starting churches
23.
Acts 20:26;
B.
Now you see the beginnings of
all the churches started in the first century
C.
Churches get started when
Christians… (It was the result of the following actions on the part of very
determined believers)
1.
Christians hear God’s call to
go (Isa 6:8)
2.
OBEY God’s call to go
3.
Get trained and experienced in
their local church (2Tim 2:2)
4.
Go to nearby cities and
villages (Mark 1:38)
5.
Preach the resurrection – the
power of a changed life (Acts 17:18)
6.
Accept good and bad reactions
7.
Group the believers together
8.
Teach them all things Christ
commanded (Matt 28:19)
9.
Go on to the next town when
lead (or forced) – into all the world!
III.
Message – Evangelism is
The Work of Every Church
A.
Modern Irish Missions
1.
Currently Thirty
Fundamental Baptist Pastors here in
2.
Eighteen
Churches started in the last 20 years
3.
A dozen New Missionaries
are “on their way” - Coming anytime from 2011 to 2015
4.
Most are working the
5.
So few reaching the other
3 million Irish elsewhere!
6.
Don’t leave the work to
Foreigners/Americans – you do it too!
B.
What Should We Be Doing?
1.
Grow our Church - the
Lighthouse Principle
“The light that shines
farthest, shines brightest at home”
a.
Are we committed to this group growing with souls saved, and discipled? Do we
endeavor to be here every meeting? AM, PM, AND Wednesday evening?
b.
Or are we only committed to what we can get out of Church?
2.
Train our People -
Ready to answer God’s
call
a.
Discipleship
b.
Soul-winning class
c.
Taking notes in church
d.
Personal study time
e.
Obeying what we learn every week?
3.
Help Start More Churches in
Ireland
– see this country in need of pastors and Christians located throughout this
island, preaching and teaching the truths of the Bible, every week, every where!
a.
Help start 20 churches by
2020
b.
Church planters are on the
way – Andrew and Jennifer Day
4.
Support more missionaries
as they go to far-away people and places
5.
Make sure we
bathe
every endeavor in prayer (Luke 10:2)
C.
Where to Focus Our Efforts (Acts 1:8)
1.
Nearby Areas Include
(not an
exhaustive list):
a.
Carrigaline
b.
c.
Macroom
d.
Kinsale
e.
Fermoy
f.
Youghal
g.
Middleton
h.
Killarney
i.
2.
Methods in each area involve:
a.
Going to an area and just
putting tracts in doors
b.
Hold a week long meeting in a
community centre
c.
Starting-up a regular Bible
Study
3.
Ultimately starting a weekly Sunday preaching Meeting there!
D.
1.
459 million people!!!
Unbelievable number of people on our doorstep, with people from all nations
coming to
2.
Post-Christian Catholics is
the dominant religion
3.
CHURCH OF ENGLAND “WILL BE
DEAD IN 20 YEARS” The following is excerpted from “Ageing Church of England,”
London Telegraph, July 12, 2011: “The average age of its members is now 61 and
by 2020 a ‘crisis’ of ‘natural wastage’ will lead to their numbers falling
‘through the floor’, the Church’s national assembly was told. The Church was
compared to a company ‘impeccably’ managing itself into failure, during
exchanges at the General Synod in
4.
Post-Communist atheists is the
dominate mind-set
5.
The Seat of Satan – we are
working in the empire of the anti-christ
6.
Few Church-Starters in place –
7.
Europe SHOULD be sending out
missionaries to the rest of the world
E.
What modern Christianity needs
to be doing
1.
See the need – with
biblical eyes – with heaven’s viewpoint (Mt 9:36)
2.
Soften your heart – quit
hardening it to the real need of today!
3.
Supply the finances for
others to go
4.
Surrender to God’s will
yourself
5.
Seek training and
confidence – first here
6.
Settle your course… to
go anywhere!
7.
Soul-win and disciple new
believers now
8.
Sell-out and Go when ready
9.
Start a Church of your own!
F.
Don’t let Satan hinder us
(1Thes 3:3-5)
1.
Afflictions should not move us
away from accomplishing these goals
2.
Afflictions are part of the
deal – they are appointed to us
3.
But temptations will ruin our
efforts
a.
Temptation to quit
b.
Temptation to carry a bad
attitude and bitter spirit
c.
Temptation to backslide and do
things the world’s way
d.
Temptation to go an easier way
– follow a more popular “gospel”
4.
Don’t let Satan have any
advantage over us (2Cor 2:11)