Ignite Involve Increase

IGNITE

1.  God Himself has designed that everything in the church be done by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is the Ignition.

·      We are a Spirit filled church.

·      We are a supernatural church.

·      We need more than great music, good dramas, incredible video clips, jump houses, pizza parties and ice cream socials.

We need the all powerful, all knowing, always in attendance, supernatural power of the Holy Spirit!

Acts 1:8 challenges us "to go and be my witnesses." It does not say, “Go and DO witnessing.”

·      Sharing Christ is not a project, or a weekend retreat, it is a lifestyle!!!

We in the church have got to understand that REAL MINISTRY is not so much about doing as it is about BEING.

·      God called us to be witnesses.

·      But some of us have entered the “Witness Protection Program” and we are waiting for the perfect opportune time to share our testimony.

Quench: to put out or extinguish, to reduce heat in (steel, etc.) by placing suddenly in water.

·      I believe the church has become less effective in reaching, teaching, and baptizing the world because instead of stirring the Spirit of God, and operating in the Spirit of God, and living in the Spirit of God, they choose to quench the Spirit of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 "Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.20 Do not scoff at prophecies,21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.22 Stay away from every kind of evil."

·      This is not anything less than a command straight from God!

o  This command tells us not to let a mechanical order substitute the reality of the presence and the power of the Spirit of God.

o  We can not, should not, better not, put chains, borders, stocks, or restraints around the Holy Spirit.

Quenching the fire means that we don’t fuel it, you don’t put any wood on it, you don’t give it anything to burn and eventually you quench the fire and it dies.

·      That is what quenching the Holy Spirit is. It’s when you allow the fire to die. It’s not just taking water and pouring it on Him you just neglect the fire.

·      You just stop doing what you ought to do to maintain the fire of His presence. 

o  As you ignore such spiritual fuel: Like praying and reading the word, worshipping and living a Holy and righteous life you begin to quench the Holy Spirit. You put the fire out!

o  If you feel weak get filled with the Holy Ghost.

o  If you need direction, open up the book. 

o  As you feel like you can’t make it, memorize and speak the promises of God.

You ever wondered why it is that God allows certain things to happen in our lives that we don’t understand.

·      I am convinced that God allows a lot of trials and tribulations in our life to give us prayer fuel.

·      Cause as long as things are going good in many peoples lives, they stop praying.

o  Now you don’t want to hear but we need to hear this.

§  God allows trials and I mean things that drive us to our knees, that cause us to pray and seek Him like you really need Him because even when we think you got it all you have no idea how desperately you need Him.

§  He allows trials and tribulations to cause fuel in our lives to feed the fire of the Holy Spirit in us.

“When you grieve the Holy Spirit it is something that you do to Him, when you quench the Spirit it is something that you do to yourself.”

What fuels the fire after ignition? Involvement.

INVOLVE

2. Involvement is my opportunity, it’s my job, it is a part of my responsibility, or can be my loss.

I have a novel idea for you, if you want things in your church and your spiritual life to be different then why don’t you quit griping about it and get involved in changing it!

·     Why don’t you get out of the seats and into the vision, why don’t your get off of your rear, and dive into His mission then submit yourself to His service. Quit being so selfish!!

·      Stop checking us and start involving yourself!

·      Stop griping about everybody and start relating to everybody.

·      Stop thinking that you’re griping is affecting anybody but yourself!

·      Your griping doesn’t affect me, your griping doesn’t phase me, and your attitude doesn’t make me cry, since I’m doing what God said to do!

·      I’m following His lead, He is my guide, He is my refuge, and He is my source, so He is my way maker, my miracle worker, and my friend.

“God isn’t relying on me I am relying on Him.”

What fuels the fire after involvement? Increase.

INCREASE

3.  The question is; are we increasing spiritually and numerically if not how can we increase spiritually and numerically?

·     He has designed us, designated us, and He desires us to increase.

·      Spiritually- staying ignited and continuing to fuel the fire.

·      Numerically- through salvations, life changes, and the Spirit’s indwelling within every service and inside every department.

The Spirit of God has given us good news to share with the world and He has put up barriers.

·      He put up the cross, He’s put up the blood, He’s put up the Holy Spirit and He said don’t go to hell, don’t blaspheme the Holy Spirit, don’t resist my Holy Spirit. 

“Jesus said if I be lifted up I will draw all men, women, and children unto myself.”

·      Lift Him up. Live the Christian life with all you’ve got.

·      Live it like you were the last Christian on earth.

·      Live it bearing the fruits of the Spirit.

·      Love God with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

How did they increase the church in the bible?

You know what they did they arrested Paul and Silas, they beat them, they stripped them, they chained them and they threw them in prison but at midnight the scripture said, “At midnight they prayed and sang praises.” 


Acts.16:25 “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”

I was reading this story over and over and the Lord said every now and again the devil makes a mistake. He said if you’ll read that I’ll show you Satan’s worst mistake in this whole story.

·      I read it, he beat them, he stripped them, he chained them, threw them in the prison over and over and over and then one day I saw it.

·      The devil made a mistake not when he beat them, not when he attacked them, not when he stripped them, not when he chained them, but he put Paul and Silas in the same cell!

Because Jesus had already said, “If any two of them get together and begin to lift me up there is no prison house strong enough to hold them.”

·      We have got to come together as a team unified in the work of Jesus Christ!

What if he’d had put Paul in the same cell as sister gossip that just wants to criticize and find fault with everybody? I don’t think they’d of had a miracle.

  

Then here’s what sealed the deal for me the scripture said, Acts.16:26 “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.”

·      Just two of them in that prison were praising while the rest of them were all bound up. But when two of them started praising everyone’s bands got loosed.

·      If we praise Him then the rest of the world will get loose.

If we get IGNITED, and INVOLVED, we will INCREASE!

If we get IGNITED, and INVOLVED, we will have covered INCREASED!!!

Volunteers: Recruiting, Creating, Retaining

How to help volunteers to 

accomplish major projects

1. Recruiting your team 

Step 1 Don't "use" volunteers. 

Make the mental shift from "How can I use volunteers effectively?" to "How can I assist and encourage their service and spiritual growth?" 

Step 2 Get out from behind your desk.

Great leaders won't come to you; you have to find them. Get out and talk to people. It doesn't take long for people to reveal what gets them excited...if you are paying attention.

Step 3 Everybody needs coffee!

Seek people out during non-service times; get to know them and their life outside the church. Relationship, relationship, relationship!

Step 4 Identify and request specific personal strengths. 

Never throw out a blanket statement like "We need help." Instead, identify something in a person and make your request personal, like "We always need people with your sense of _______________."

Step 5 Model your expectations.

Whatever you expect from your volunteers, you must be willing to do it first. Then, create a step-by-step process for training them so they have everything they need to succeed. 

2. Create Leaders

Step 1 Give away responsibility.

The success or failure of a project doesn't live and die with you alone, but leaders don't come ready-made either. Split your volunteers into teams so you can appoint a team leader and start delegating. 

Step 2 creat mentors and teaching environments.

Be strategic about creating your teams. For example, pair a skilled craftsman with the volunteer who wants to learn. Encourage the teacher to teach and encourage the volunteer to try, then allow them to fail. Some may not do a job "as good as you," but some may exceed it. A finished project with some minor flaws created by a volunteer who just gained pride and confidence is a win. 

Step 3 Leave.

Specifically schedule a work day in which you know you will need to leave for an hour for a meeting. Assign a leader in charge and see how they do on their own. 

Step 4 Let them do the problem-solving. 

Show up with the project, but not the plan of attack. For example, bring the sketch of the set piece to be built, but no blueprints and them brainstorm how to build it. And believe they can do it. 

3. Retaining your team

Step 1 Appreciation is the key.

Always write hand written thank you notes after a project, or just because. Plan appreciation events, remember birthdays, take them to lunch(leader pays) or have them over to your house for dinner. Remember them in prayer and follow up.

Step 2 Avoid burnout.

Resist the "urge" to call your best volunteers first for every project. Be diligent in watching for signs of burnout like keeping an unsustainable pace, no ownership, no goals, vision, or ability to dream and be challenged, no support, feeling that no one cares about you just your talent, if the volunteer is very combative or negative about everything, or having an unattainable view of excellence. No one can be successful if perfection is the sole goal. Lack of attendance in Main Sanctuary services where they actually receive, engage personally and do not give is also vitally imperative.

Step 3 Like a marriage, the way you got them is the way you keep them. 

The way you recruited your volunteers is the same way to get them to hang around. Get personal, show them you care about them and not just what they can do for you. And mean it. Give them ownership and responsibility, encourage their gifts and service and believe in them. And always, always,  show how much you appreciate them. 

Fighter

•             We choose everyday to be courageous or to be cowards.  

•    We all face insecurities, disappointments, financial loads but we have to make right choices because the fear is the same.

•             Fighters are found right in the middle of adversity, trial, battle and fear.

"Learn to control my fear and I feed his fear by taunting other boxers." Muhammad Ali

Joshua 8:1-8 NLT "[1] Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men and attack Ai, for I have given you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land. [2] You will destroy them as you destroyed Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the plunder and the livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the town." [3] So Joshua and all the fighting men set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 of his best warriors and sent them out at night [4] with these orders: "Hide in ambush close behind the town and be ready for action. [5] When our main army attacks, the men of Ai will come out to fight as they did before, and we will run away from them. [6] We will let them chase us until we have drawn them away from the town. For they will say, 'The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.' Then, while we are running from them, [7] you will jump up from your ambush and take possession of the town, for the Lord your God will give it to you. [8] Set the town on fire, as the Lord has commanded. You have your orders."

•    Don't be afraid, don't be discouraged, get your fight together.

•             Joshua chose a fighting crew.

•    I have run from some enemies before.

•             Ran away because of fear, ran away because of insecurity, ran away and refused to stand up and fight.

•    Joshua says we're returning to fight and this time we're not running away, we're not gonna be chased away, we're gonna glove up and get it on.

•             If we will stand up to our sin, stand up to our enemies, stand in unity of our mission, we will defeat the Devil every time!

Joshua 8:18-22, 26 "Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Point the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand the town over to you." Joshua did as he was commanded. [19] As soon as Joshua gave this signal, all the men in ambush jumped up from their position and poured into the town. They quickly captured it and set it on fire. [20] When the men of Ai looked behind them, smoke from the town was filling the sky, and they had nowhere to go. For the Israelites who had fled in the direction of the wilderness now turned on their pursuers. [21] When Joshua and all the other Israelites saw that the ambush had succeeded and that smoke was rising from the town, they turned and attacked the men of Ai. [22] Meanwhile, the Israelites who were inside the town came out and attacked the enemy from the rear. So the men of Ai were caught in the middle, with Israelite fighters on both sides. Israel attacked them, and not a single person survived or escaped. [26] For Joshua kept holding out his spear until everyone who had lived in Ai was completely destroyed."

•    Joshua never stopped till the work was done.

•             When you stretch out your hands against your spiritual enemies, you must never draw them back.

1. Training will determine outcome.

•    Train well for in your training are the foundational principles, rules, or code of conduct you will live by, be guided by, and treat others by.

•             Training is the most important tool to a fighter, and to a Christian.

•    If you cheat your only cheating yourself.

"Today I will do what others won't so tomorrow I can do what others can't."

•             You have to have a fight about you.

•    Success isn't given. It's earned. On the track, on the field, in the gym, in relationships, in your career, or in your ministry calling. With blood, sweat and the occasional tear.

2. Choices will determine outcome.

•    When doubt arises in you, you have two roads you can take.

•             They’ll tell you failure is not an option.

•             That is most ridiculous lie I've ever heard.

•    Failure is always an option.

•    Failure is the most readily available option at all times, but it’s a choice.

•    You can speak encouragement and belief and get down the road to success, or speak self-doubt and negativity, and that is the road to failure.

•             Beat failure every time.

•    Joshua 24:15 Choose today whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve God.

3. Heart will determine outcome.

“When someone is fearless, when pain isn’t a factor, it’s impossible to break his spirit. And a fighter with heart will almost always win out against a fighter with skill but no will.”

Chuck Liddell

•             Heart separates those that want it from those who will pay the price to get it.

•    Heart is regarded as the center of your thoughts, emotions, love, compassion, courage and enthusiasm.

•             Say it from your heart, settle it from your heart, operate from your heart.

•    Fight has nothing to do with size but has everything to do with heart.

Proverbs 3:1 NLT "[1] My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart."

4. Fight will determine outcome.

•    To me, living is fighting.

•             It’s about persevering, it’s about testing yourself, it’s about refusing complacency.

•             It’s about embracing the moment, because when your adrenaline gets running you’re thinking about that present moment and nothing else.

•             Your connected to that situation, that circumstance and everything deep inside comes carbonating to the surface to explode and reminds me of my reason for the fight.

•    We're in a fight for our soul, our destiny, our purpose, our families, but Jesus Christ has defeated all enemies.

•             Fight for it.

•             Don't lay down, don't give in, don't give up, don't sit around dreaming for the beat down.

•    Fight for it.

5. God will determine outcome.

Psalm 57:3 NLT "[3] He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness."

•             Fight for your faith.

•             Fight for your calling.

•             Fight for your marriage.

•             Fight for your children.

•             Fight for your grandchildren.

•             Fight for your future.

•             Fight for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

•    Be a Fighter.

•             Quit making excuses, putting it off, complaining about it, dreaming about it, whining about it, crying about it, believing you can't, worrying if you can, waiting until you are older, skinnier, richer, braver, or all around better.

•    Suck it up, hold on tight, say a prayer, make a plan and fight.

•             How do you respond to fear, taunting, the fight?

Illustrate here: white boxing tape up my hands and glove up. Give every graduate a pair of boxing gloves and then sharpie pen a couple of scriptures on them to commemorate the night.

•             How I respond to fear will determine the outcome of my life as a man or woman of God.

•    There will be no victories without battles.

•             Body, mind, spirit.

Romans 8:14 (NLT) "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God."

•             If we allow our bodies to control us we go on feeling.

•             If we allow our minds to control us we go on reason.

•             If we allow our spirits to control us we go on faith.

1 Chronicles 19:13 NLT "[13] Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord's will be done."

•             Your feelings are a quick trip to depression.

•             Reasoning is a quick trip to confusion.

•             Spirit is a trip to the plan, purpose, and propulsion of God.  

•    Determine that God has greater purpose for us, in us, and would like to live it out through us.

1 John 5:5 NLT "[5] And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God."

•             Feelings you'll quit.

•             Reasoning, you never figure out.

•             The Spirit repeats, "greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world."

Joshua 2:11 NLT "[11] No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below."

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt

•             Battles are won in the mental cage.

•    Your body will continue to do what your mind and your spirit tell it to do.