We have been reminded recently as a staff team from John 15 that we should be aiming not only at faithfulness (as a steward discharging a duty) but also at a joyful, loving, prayerful, Christlike, tangible, supernatural fruitfulness.
At the Ministry Training Course last week we were looking at 2 Timothy and Colossians and seeing there faithfulness and fruitfulness. The hardworking farmer expects a harvest (2 Tim. 2:6). There is faithful guarding and preaching the gospel and endurance and hard work for the sake of the elect that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 2:10). There is faithfulness to the Scriptures for every good work (2 Tim. 3:17). Throughout the world the gospel is bearing fruit – observable, famous, love fruit (Col. 1:4-6) and Paul prays for even more fruit in every good work, along with patience and joy (Col. 1:9-11). He strenuously and faithfully preaches Christ that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ (Col. 1:28) – a maturity that involves full faith in the full Christ and a life of abundant love and thankfulness (Col. 3). Paul names two ‘faithful brothers’ who have very specific assignments to encourage and inform and build up the church (Col. 4:7-9). There is a need to finish the task (Col. 4:17).
So as the new group of apprentices go to their placements throughout Kenya (and beyond) we pray that they would be filled with the Spirit and strengthened by Christ’s grace for both faithfulness and fruitfulness.
Here are the resources, notes and links in relation to the MTC sessions:
- Leading Bible Studies
- Introduction to children’s ministry and protection
- How to give and receive godly feedback
- Music ministry
- Research (Joy) papers
- Christ-centred Youth ministry
- “I to i”: Being proactive in apprenticeship and mentoring
- A brief introduction to the Doctrine of God
- Writing a book review
- Doctrine of Scripture: Uniqueness of the Bible
- Conflict Resolution
- How to introduce a speaker
- How to lead a prayer meeting
- Time management and office etiquette
- Basics of faithful Bible preaching (intro)
- Managing transitions
- How to manage email
- Preaching from the Gospels
- Spiritual Disciplines
2nd years and January cohort:
- 1-to-1 Bible reading & discipleship
- Mentoring others
- Doctrine of Salvation (2): Justification & Predestination
- Preaching Christ from OT narrative
- Servant leadership lessons from 2 Corinthians
- Mission to the contemporary world: Lessons from Acts 17
- Office 201: Being part of a staff team and chairing a meeting
- Evangelistic preaching
