Win Them, Build Them, Send Them: Never Despise Small Beginnings

Sermon outline

An uncommon leader grows by revelation, stays under authority, builds everything on the Word, refuses to be discouraged by small beginnings and boldly invites people to follow.

1. Growing up in God is revelation, not theology

   Growing up in the things of God is not theological or academic information but revelation imparted to your spirit, divine secrets that let you operate from rest instead of running helter-skelter. He tells leaders not to be balloons of air sharing dreams for twenty years with nothing accomplished, but stable, planted doers of the Word who build their own house and then others', so that their lives become a compass for people.

   Illustration: The Lord told him he was not ready to hear Him until he cast down his qualifications, experience and 'name throwing'. He cut his associations and put aside his many books, and from that day he began to be instructed by the Spirit, which is how he became a writer of books.

   “Growing up in the things of God equals revelation.”

   • James 1:22

2. The fivefold ministry pulls out what God deposited in you

   When God saves you He deposits everything you need for your destiny, but it takes the apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors and evangelists to draw it out. Never judge a man of God after the flesh because you have eaten and talked with him; the deposit on him is not for him but for you.

   “He's not anointed them for them, he's anointed them for you.”

   • Ephesians 4:11-12
   • Ephesians 2:20
   • 2 Corinthians 5:16

3. The lesser is blessed by the greater: stay under authority

   Recapping Hebrews 7:7, he warns leaders not to elevate themselves, because stepping where God has not sent you means walking where there is no grace to cover you. God ordained authority in government and in the church; Lucifer was the first to break rank. When you are submitted, grace flows down to you, so receive prayer from your man of God with an open spirit and a submitted heart.

   Illustration: Elisha recognised what Elijah carried and followed him closely while others criticised from afar; he received the mantle, struck the waters and did double the miracles. He recommends Watchman Nee's books on spiritual authority.

   “Don't usurp authority.”

   • Hebrews 7:7
   • Romans 13:1
   • Isaiah 14:12-15
   • 2 Kings 2:9-15

4. The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet: everything goes back to the Word

   Don't excuse anything by saying the Spirit moved you: don't prophesy while someone else is speaking, because the Holy Ghost does not interrupt Himself, and make sure every word is doctrinally sound, such as never setting a date for Christ's return. He loves the Holy Spirit and receives dreams, visions and words from others, but bases his faith on the Word and checks everything against it; every shipwreck of faith began by emphasising visions over the Word. He also recalls last week's word from Proverbs 16:21: speak sweet words.

   Illustration: The night before, a pastor of another church phoned with a word he had received for him in prayer; he received it, but first checked whether it agreed with the Word.

   “Everything goes back to the word.”

   • 1 Corinthians 14:32
   • Matthew 24:36
   • 2 Peter 1:19
   • Proverbs 16:21

5. Commit it to faithful men: win them, build them, send them

   Paul told Timothy to commit what he had heard to faithful men and women who would teach others, or it would die with him. Leaders need not wait for hours or days for a word before a cell group or preaching engagement: teach from proven, word-based books, pray in the Spirit and confess the Word, and the Holy Spirit will give revelation as you teach. Then the cycle multiplies: win them, build them, send them.

   Illustration: He once waited a whole week, and three weeks for one engagement, fasting for a word. Now, when he prays, he reads the confessions in his own book The Language of the New Man from first page to last. WBS, his son Wesley's initials, is the mnemonic: win them, build them, send them.

   “Win them, build them, send them.”

   • 2 Timothy 2:1-2
   • Romans 10:8
   • Matthew 10:19-20
   • Romans 8:37
   • 1 John 4:4
   • Matthew 5:13-14

6. Don't despise small beginnings: vitamin scriptures

   A home group or work that starts small and stays small for a while is intimidating, so he gives 'vitamin scriptures' to meditate on: your latter end shall greatly increase, do not despise the day of small things, ask and I will give you the nations, enlarge my territory, I will increase their men like a flock, and ask for rain in the time of the latter rain. Faith is for now and hope is for tomorrow, and both are good. Life is short, so make the most of your time.

   Illustration: Checking the fire extinguishers the night before, he saw they were dated November 2006 and said to his wife, 'We are here already one year.'

   “That's not your end, that's your beginning.”

   • Job 8:7
   • Zechariah 4:10
   • Psalm 2:8
   • 1 Chronicles 4:10
   • Ezekiel 36:37
   • Acts 10
   • Zechariah 10:1

7. What comes with starting small

   First, the present picture is small but the photograph behind it is always huge. Second, people will criticise you and bring up your past, but God has forgiven and equipped you, so move forward with no reverse gear. Third, there will be opposition, as Nehemiah faced Sanballat and Tobiah. Fourth, people naturally despise small things, but everyone starts small, and one person with you is already a church.

   Illustration: A man nearly two metres tall once started small in his mother's womb. If two come to your cell group it's a landslide victory, four is a party, six a crowd, ten a multitude, a hundred a campaign and two hundred a crusade.

   “It's a landslide victory if you have two people.”

   • Nehemiah 2:19
   • Matthew 18:20
   • Deuteronomy 32:30

8. Recruiting followers: 'Come, follow me'

   Jesus walked up to Simon and Andrew and to Levi and simply said, 'Follow me', then appointed twelve to be with Him and sent them out. Don't timidly tell people you belong to a great church; if they are dying spiritually, invite them to come and see. A leader must be convinced that he carries something life-giving, because if you are convinced you don't have to convince others.

   Illustration: People phone all their friends about a 'buy one, get one free' sale, and nobody needs convincing that their favourite chicken restaurant is good; we are dealing with eternal life. He gives pastors free copies of a daily devotional and DVDs, and some come back changed.

   “If you are convinced, you don't have to convince others, they'll automatically follow you.”

   • Mark 1:16-17
   • Mark 2:13-14
   • Mark 3:13-15