Yonggi Cho Yoido Full Gospel, South Korea Weekly visitors: 200,000 Works and Mission Baptist Church, Ivory Coast: 185,000 Deeper Christian Life, Lagos, Nigeria: 180,000 Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Kumuyi Lagos, Nigeria: 120,000 Is that a surprise? Is that a surprise? Some of the worlds largest churches are in… India Why? These large churches are grassroots movements— the people, not the leaders, do the work. Such movements grow quickly and strongly. Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesdh. Randeep Mathews began with 12 people in 1994. Randeep Mathews began with 12 people in 1994. Grew to 3,000, then 30,000 followers of Christ This area was called ‘the graveyard of missions’. August 2019— 800,000 followers of Christ. 300,000 in Himachal Pradesh Rodrick Gilbert in Delhi 700,000 followers of Christ in 58,000 house churches. Rodrick Gilbert in Delhi 700,000 followers of Christ in 58,000 house churches. Why do these churches grow so large? President APJ Abdul Kalam, in Wings of Fire, “Unfortunately, the only line prominently drawn in our country today is between the ‘heroes’ and the ‘zeros’… On one side are a few hundred ‘heroes’ keeping the nine hundred and fifty million people down on the other side. This situation has to be changed.” God isn’t looking for superstars. God is looking for… God is looking for… …People who are Available God is looking for… …People who are Available …People with Simple Faith—he can use anybody to do anything. God does not think you are ordinary! God does not think you are ordinary! …God wants to use you! 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God looks for ordinary men and women… The 12 Apostles—4 were fishermen. One was a tax collector—working with the hated Romans. One was a Zealot— a rebel. Who were the 72 in Luke 10? We don’t know, but… “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Aquila and Priscilla were tentmakers. Paul was a persecutor of the church. Acts 4:13, The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. Quiet times: 1. Prayer - We speak to Him and we must allow time for Him to speak to us. 2. Bible reading Psalm 119:105, Heb 4:12, Rom 10:17 Choose a place that is quiet Choose a definite time The best time of day for you God deserves our best time The quality of our time with God is more important than the quantity. “In the Kingdom, it is not necessarily the best and brightest who achieve great things for God… God regularly chooses unlikely, ordinary people to do impossible things to reveal that His power is the source of all good things.” To see people grow in mission and service; What should church leaders do? Ephesians 4: 11-13 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Who is this? Who is this? The coach never plays a match. He doesn’t score goals or save penalties. The coach does not win games—he helps the players to win. How? By training, conditioning, teaching skills, choosing strategy, and tactics for the team’s success. The players have to do what the coach gives them if they are going to win. Are you doing what Jesus has told you to? The players have to do what the coach gives them if they are going to win. Are you doing what Jesus has told you to? Jesus is…empowering people who are willing to be obedient and follow Him— —and it has almost nothing to do with their knowledge or level of formal training. Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT, 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 1 Corinthians 1:26 NLT Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Isaiah 6:8 NLT I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”