The 4G Life – Part 6

Story Time

[Background information Acts 6:1-7 taken from Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, pp. 178–183). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.]

Acts 6:1-7

Acts 6:1

Acts 6:2-4

Acts 6:5-7

Principles From Acts 6:1-7

Addressing human need is less about the of resources and more about the of resources by leaders.

There is almost nothing you need or desire on earth that must not first be directed by a leader.

As the caliber of the leaders increase, the quantity and quality of the resources increase.

This is why we are investing so much in our faith project.

It is not only an investment in future generations, but also in the leadership of the church. Anonymous

Review of Faith Project

Key Objectives

• $500,000 (half-million-dollar starter log; 2-year focus, $250,000/year; year 3 sustain)
• 50,000 disciples
• 5,000 kingdom leaders
• 500-year vision

Young Adults Defined

• 18-24 
• 25-35 

5-Part Investment

• Christ: Personal relationship with Jesus
• Community: Peer Group (natural and spiritual)
• Care: Pastoral nurture
• Culture: Pertinent to their lived experience
• Continuity: Persistence of quality

Timothy, St Christianity A friend and companion of St Paul who may have been converted by him on the first missionary journey and who accompanied the apostle on his second missionary journey. Timothy was entrusted with several important lone missions, including Thessalonica, where he was able to encourage the persecuted Christians, and then to Corinth. He accompanied Paul to Corinth, Ephesus and Jerusalem. He is last mentioned in Ephesus, where he was entrusted with the task of combating false teachers and the supervision of public worship

5 Phases of Discipleship

Invite

• Acts 16:1-5
• Paul’s invitation is not a general appeal, but a careful selection.
• Initially, doing things by yourself is easier than working with other people.
• People who are with you implicitly represent you.
• Paul took Timothy with him as he did things of vital importance.

Adopt

• 1 Timothy 1:2 
• 2 Timothy 1:2
• Instead of passing on a physical inheritance, Paul was passing on a spiritual one.

Invest

• Investment is spiritual and material
• Spiritual Investment
  • Galatians 4:19
• Physical Investment
  • 1 Thessalonians 2:9–12
  • 2 Corinthians 11:7–9
• Here is the principle that Paul models: a willingness to himself for the spiritual generations to come.
•  Matthew 28:19–20

Endorse

• When you endorse, you are lending your credibility to others to create opportunities for them.
• Honorable Mention
  • 2 Corinthians 1:1 
  • Philippians 1:1
  • Colossians 1:1
  • 1 Thessalonians 1:1 
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:1 

• Affirmation
  • The idea is for people to extend their for you to your disciple.
  • In seeing them, they should be seeing you.
  • Philippians 2:19–24
  • 1 Corinthians 4:14–17

Entrust

• 1 Timothy 1:18
  • To entrust your disciples is to acknowledge that God has already them.
• 2 Timothy 1:5–7
  • To entrust your disciples is to acknowledge that God has already them.
• 2 Timothy 2:1–2 
  • To entrust your disciples is to empower them to entrust .
  • Paul’s relationship with Timothy is in action.

© Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2021