Church Planter’s Scripture
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Click here to download this menu in a .pdf file. Instruct church planters to do these 25 activities. Each time you coach a worker, choose an activity that meets a current need. See the numbers that follow the activity. Those numbers refer to the 31 Bible texts that follow. Learn together from those texts. Have workers review one Bible text every day of the month.
31 Church Planting Bible Texts
Review one of these texts every day of the month. Jesus
called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive
out evil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness... These
twelve men were sent out by Jesus with the following instructions: “Do
not go to any Gentile territory or any Samaritan towns. Instead, you
are to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. Go and preach,
’The Kingdom of heaven is near!’ Heal the sick, bring the dead back
to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive
out demons. You have received without paying, so give without being
paid. Do not carry any gold, silver, or copper money in your pockets;
do not carry a beggar’s bag for the trip or an extra shirt or shoes
or a walking stick. Workers should be given what they need. Matthew
10:1-10 “When
you come to a town or village, go in and look for someone who is willing
to welcome you, and stay with him until you leave that place. When you
go into a house, say, ’Peace be with you.’ If the people in that house
welcome you, let your greeting of peace remain; but if they do not welcome
you, then take back your greeting. And if some home or town will not
welcome you or listen to you, then leave that place and shake the dust
off your feet. I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more
mercy to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah than to the people of that
town! Matthew 10:11-15 3. Be careful of hostile authorities “Listen!
I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must be
as cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves. Watch out, for there will
be those who will arrest you and take you to court, and they will whip
you in the synagogues. For my sake you will be brought to trial before
rulers and kings, to tell the Good News to them and to the Gentiles.
When they bring you to trial, do not worry about what you are going
to say or how you will say it; when the time comes, you will be given
what you will say. For the words you will speak will not be yours; they
will come from the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Matthew
10:16-20 “And
so I tell all of you: what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited
in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
“And I tell you more: whenever two of you on earth agree about anything
you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where
two or three come together in my name, I am there with them.” Then Peter
came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against
me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?” “No, not
seven times,” answered Jesus, “but seventy times seven. Matthew 18:18-22 When
the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came
together, and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with
a question. “Teacher,” he asked, “which is the greatest commandment
in the Law?” Jesus answered, ” ’Love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest
and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment
is like it: ’Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’ The whole Law
of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:34-40 6. Teach Believers to Obey Jesus The
eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told them
to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him, even though some of them
doubted. Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority
in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make
them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded
you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew
28:16-20 Jesus called the twelve disciples together
and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits
and ordered them, “Don’t take anything with you on the trip except a
walking stick—no bread, no beggar’s bag, no money in your pockets. Wear
sandals, but don’t carry an extra shirt.” He also told them, “Wherever
you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that place.
1 If you come to a town where people
do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it and shake the
dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them!” So they went out
and preached that people should turn away from their sins... The apostles returned and met with Jesus, and told
him all they had done and taught. Mark 6:7-12, 30 Jesus
called the twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority
to drive out all demons and to cure diseases. Then he sent them out
to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick, after saying to them,
“Take nothing with you for the trip: no walking stick, no beggar’s bag,
no food, no money, not even an extra shirt. Wherever you are welcomed,
stay in the same house until you leave that town; wherever people don’t
welcome you, leave that town and shake the dust off your feet as a warning
to them.” The disciples left and travelled through all the villages,
preaching the Good News and healing people everywhere. Luke 9:1-6 After
this the Lord chose another seventy-two men and sent them out two by
two, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself was
about to go. He said to them, “There is a large harvest, but few workers
to gather it in. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send
out workers to gather in his harvest. Go! I am sending you like lambs
among wolves. Don’t take a purse or a beggar’s bag or shoes; don’t stop
to greet anyone on the road. Whenever you go into a house, first say,
’Peace be with this house.’ If someone who is peace-loving lives there,
let your greeting of peace remain on that person; if not, take back
your greeting of peace. Stay in that same house, eating and drinking
whatever they offer you, for workers should be given their pay. Don’t
move around from one house to another. Luke 10:1-7 Whenever
you go into a town and are made welcome, eat what is set before you,
heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, ’The Kingdom
of God has come near you.’ But whenever you go into a town and are not
welcomed, go out in the streets and say, ’Even the dust from your town
that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the
Kingdom of God has come near you!’ Luke 10:8-11 11. Teach More to Fruitful Workers The
seventy-two men came back in great joy. “Lord,” they said, “even the
demons obeyed us when we gave them a command in your name!” Jesus answered
them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Listen! I have given
you authority, so that you can walk on snakes and scorpions and overcome
all the power of the Enemy, and nothing will hurt you. But don’t be
glad because the evil spirits obey you; rather be glad because your
names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 “My
food,” Jesus said to them, “is to obey the will of the one who sent
me and to finish the work he gave me to do. You have a saying, ’Four
more months and then the harvest.’ But I tell you, take a good look
at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! The
one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal
life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together.
For the saying is true, ’Someone plants, someone else reaps.’ I have
sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others
worked there, and you profit from their work.” John 4:34-38 I
love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. If you obey
my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s
commands and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy
may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My commandment is this:
love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love you can have
for your friends is to give your life for them. And you are my friends
if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer,
because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I
call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my
Father. You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and
bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will
give you whatever you ask of him in my name. This, then, is what I command
you: love one another. John 15:9-17 It
was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together
behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities.
Then Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.
After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples
were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace
be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” Then he breathed
on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:19-22 Jesus
said to them, “The times and occasions are set by my Father’s own authority,
and it is not for you to know when they will be. But when the Holy Spirit
comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses
for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and
to the ends of the earth.” After saying this, he was taken up to heaven
as they watched him, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 0
They still had their eyes fixed on the sky as he went away, when two
men dressed in white suddenly stood beside them 1 and said, “Galileans, why are you standing there looking
up at the sky? This Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will
come back in the same way that you saw him go to heaven.” Acts 1:7-11 “Listen
to these words, fellow Israelites! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose
divine authority was clearly proven to you by all the miracles and wonders
which God performed through him. You yourselves know this, for it happened
here among you. 3 In accordance with his own plan God had already decided
that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting
sinful men crucify him. 4 But God raised
him from death, setting him free from its power, because it was impossible
that death should hold him prisoner. Acts 2:22-24 Peter
said to them, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be
baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven;
and you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit. For God’s promise
was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away—all whom
the Lord our God calls to himself.” Peter made his appeal to them and
with many other words he urged them, saying, “Save yourselves from the
punishment coming on this wicked people!” Many of them believed his
message and were baptized, and about three thousand people were added
to the group that day. Acts 2:38-41 18. Teach Believers to Worship They
spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship,
and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers. Many miracles and
wonders were being done through the apostles, and everyone was filled
with awe. All the believers continued together in close fellowship and
shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property
and possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what
each one needed. Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and
they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad and humble
hearts, praising God, and enjoying the good will of all the people.
And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
Acts 2:43-47 19. Obey God instead of People They
brought the apostles in, made them stand before the Council, and the
High Priest questioned them. “We gave you strict orders not to teach
in the name of this man,” he said; “but see what you have done! You
have spread your teaching all over Jerusalem, and you want to make us
responsible for his death!” Peter and the other apostles answered, “We
must obey God, not men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from death,
after you had killed him by nailing him to a cross. God raised him to
his right side as Leader and Saviour, to give the people of Israel the
opportunity to repent and have their sins forgiven. We are witnesses
to these things—we and the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to those who
obey him.” Acts 5:27-32 The
following day Peter arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was waiting
for him, together with relatives and close friends that he had invited.
As Peter was about to go in, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and
bowed down before him. But Peter made him rise. “Stand up,” he said,
“I myself am only a man.” Peter kept on talking to Cornelius as he went
into the house, where he found many people gathered. He said to them,
“You yourselves know very well that a Jew is not allowed by his religion
to visit or associate with Gentiles. But God has shown me that I must
not consider any person ritually unclean or defiled. And so when you
sent for me, I came without any objection. Acts 10:24-29 21. Go to Folks whom God Has Prepared Cornelius
said, “It was about this time three days ago that I was praying in my
house at three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man dressed in shining
clothes stood in front of me and said: ’Cornelius! God has heard your
prayer and has taken notice of your works of charity. Send someone to
Joppa for a man whose full name is Simon Peter. He is a guest in the
home of Simon the tanner of leather, who lives by the sea.’ And so I
sent for you at once, and you have been good enough to come. Now we
are all here in the presence of God, waiting to hear anything that the
Lord has instructed you to say.” Acts 10:30-33 22. Tell Folks about Jesus’ Power Peter
began to speak: “I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone
on the same basis. Those who fear him and do what is right are acceptable
to him, no matter what race they belong to. You know the message he
sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the Good News of peace through
Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know of the great event that took
place throughout the land of Israel, beginning in Galilee after John
preached his message of baptism. You know about Jesus of Nazareth and
how God poured out on him the Holy Spirit and power. He went everywhere,
doing good and healing all who were under the power of the Devil, for
God was with him. We are witnesses of everything that he did in the
land of Israel and in Jerusalem. Acts 10:34-38 23. Proclaim Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Then
they put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But God raised him
from death three days later and caused him to appear, not to everyone,
but only to the witnesses that God had already chosen, that is, to us
who ate and drank with him after he rose from death. And he commanded
us to preach the gospel to the people and to testify that he is the
one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead. All the
prophets spoke about him, saying that all who believe in him will have
their sins forgiven through the power of his name.” Acts 10:39-43 While
Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who
were listening to his message. The Jewish believers who had come from
Joppa with Peter were amazed that God had poured out his gift of the
Holy Spirit on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speaking in strange
tongues and praising God’s greatness. Peter spoke up: “These people
have received the Holy Spirit, just as we also did. Can anyone, then,
stop them from being baptised with water?” So he ordered them to be
baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay with
them for a few days. Acts 10:44-48 25. Appoint Elders in New Flocks Paul
and Barnabas preached the Good News in Derbe and won many disciples.
Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and on to Antioch in Pisidia.
They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remain true to
the faith. “We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God,” they
taught. In each church they appointed elders, and with prayers and fasting
they commended them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Acts
14:21-23 26. Lead Folks to Believe and Obey The
Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets, as written
in the Holy Scriptures. It is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ:
as to his humanity, he was born a descendant of David; as to his divine
holiness, he was shown with great power to be the Son of God by being
raised from death. Through him God gave me the privilege of being an
apostle for the sake of Christ, in order to lead people of all nations
to believe and obey. This also includes you who are in Rome, whom God
has called to belong to Jesus Christ. And so I write to all of you in
Rome whom God loves and has called to be his own people: May God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Romans
1:2-7 I
speak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The
cup we use in the Lord’s Supper and for which we give thanks to God:
when we drink from it, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. And the
bread we break: when we eat it, we are sharing in the body of Christ.
Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us, though many, are
one body, for we all share the same loaf… For I received from the Lord
the teaching that I passed on to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the night
he was betrayed, took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it,
and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, “This cup
is God’s new covenant, sealed with my blood. Whenever you drink it,
do so in memory of me.” This means that every time you eat this bread
and drink from this cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
1 Corinthians
10:15-17; 11:23-26 28. Let Novice Leaders Train Others As
for you, my son, be strong through the grace that is ours in union with
Christ Jesus. Take the teachings that you heard me proclaim in the presence
of many witnesses, and entrust them to reliable people, who will be
able to teach others also. Take your part in suffering, as a loyal soldier
of Christ Jesus. A soldier on active duty wants to please his commanding
officer and so does not get mixed up in the affairs of civilian life.
An athlete who runs in a race cannot win the prize unless he obeys the
rules. The farmer who has done the hard work should have the first share
of the harvest. Think about what I am saying, because the Lord will
enable you to understand it all. Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised
from death, who was a descendant of David, as is taught in the Good
News I preach. Because I preach the Good News, I suffer and I am even
chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not in chains… 2 Timothy
2:1‑10 29. Empower Coordinators to Appoint Elders I
left you in Crete, so that you could put in order the things that still
needed doing and appoint church elders in every town. Remember my instructions:
an elder must be without fault; he must have only one wife, and his
children must be believers and not have the reputation of being wild
or disobedient. For since a church leader is in charge of God's work,
he should be without fault. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered,
or a drunkard or violent or greedy for money. He must be hospitable
and love what is good. He must be self-controlled, upright, holy, and
disciplined. He must hold firmly to the message which can be trusted
and which agrees with the doctrine. In this way he will be able to encourage
others with the true teaching and also to show the error of those who
are opposed to it. Titus
1:5-9 30. Teach Shepherds to Serve Humbly I,
who am an elder myself, appeal to the church elders among you. I am
a witness of Christ's sufferings, and I will share in the glory that
will be revealed. I appeal to you to be shepherds of the flock that
God gave you and to take care of it willingly, as God wants you to,
and not unwillingly. Do your work, not for mere pay, but from a real
desire to serve. Do not try to rule over those who have been put in
your care, but be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd
appears, you will receive the glorious crown which will never lose its
brightness. In the same way you younger people must submit yourselves
to your elders. And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to
serve one another; for the scripture says, "God resists the proud,
but shows favor to the humble." Humble yourselves, then, under
God's mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time.
1 Peter 5:1‑6 31. Prepare Believers to Suffer Leave
all your worries with him, because he cares for you. Be alert, be on
watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking
for someone to devour. Be firm in your faith and resist him, because
you know that other believers in all the world are going through the
same kind of sufferings. But after you have suffered for a little while,
the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union
with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength,
and a sure foundation. To him be the power forever! Amen. 1 Peter 5:7-11 |
