Three Ways to Catalyze New “Work”
How do we reach a new area or people with the Gospel? Let’s explore three key ideas to catalyzing new Kingdom work.
Defining the “Work”
First, we must establish the progression of the “work” paradigm we’re seeking to catalyze others to engage in. That paradigm in a nutshell is the New Testament progression of Kingdom growth and expansion. Paul’s first missionary journey provides us a succinct look at the “work” paradigm, though it’s important to remember that it is representative of the broader Kingdom growth happening in the book of Acts, even prior to Paul’s salvation. We first encounter the word “work” used by Luke in the book of Acts in Acts 13:2. Here, the Holy Spirit tells the church to set aside Paul and Barnabas for the work that He has called them to. After their first journey, they report back on “the work” they had accomplished (Acts 14:26). Based on the activities we see the apostles doing in Acts 13-14, we can conclude that this work involved (1) engaging lost people in new places, (2) proclaiming the Kingdom, (3) baptizing and discipling new believers, (4) helping them form into local churches, and (5) raising up local leaders to take on the responsibility of shepherding these newly established churches. Upon the completion of this “work,” the apostles would move on to repeat this process elsewhere (i.e. journeys 2 and 3).
Now that we have established the type of activities we are hoping to see others engage in, let’s look at three proven approaches for catalyzing others into the work of disciple-making and church-planting.
1. Acts 17:1-4 : Seed Sowing
In Acts 17, we see Paul going into the synagogue in Thessalonica, as he often did. For three consecutive Sabbath days, he reasoned from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead. He proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, and as a result, some were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including many devout Greeks and a few leading women.
From this passage, we can see that one of the ways to catalyze new work is through seed sowing. Based on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, we can conclude that this work was also carried on by the local church established there. Throughout Acts we see Paul consistently sow the seed of the Gospel in city after city, spreading the message of Jesus and persuading people to join in the work of the Kingdom. It’s important to note that, even after we have catalyzed others, planted churches, and raised up leaders, we should continue our spiritual responsibility to share the good news of Jesus every chance we get.
2. Acts 18:1-4 : Networking
In Acts 18, when Paul arrives in Corinth, he meets Priscilla and Aquila. They were tentmakers, just like Paul, and they worked together for a season. However, Paul didn't just focus on his trade; he continued to sow seeds and reason in the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks. After Paul left Corinth bound for Antioch, Priscilla and Aquila met Apollos in the synagogue and explained the way of God to him more accurately. Apollos would remain a strong co-worker of Paul’s in Corinth (1 Cor 3:5-9), while Priscilla and Aquila would eventually move back to Rome and start a house church (Rom 16:3-5).
This passage highlights another way to catalyze new work: networking. Through his interactions with Priscilla and Aquila, Paul formed partnerships and connections that enabled him to expand the reach of the Kingdom. Networking allows us to meet like-minded individuals who can join us in advancing the Kingdom of God. It can also lead us to people we can train to be more effective in their own work.
3. Acts 19:8-10 : Equipping
The last place Paul went on his third journey was Ephesus. Upon arriving in the city, he encountered some disciples of John and, upon their conversion, Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months before facing opposition from those who remained stubborn and continued in unbelief. However, Paul didn't give up; instead, he withdrew from them and took the faithful disciples with him. He reasoned daily in the Hall of Tyrannus for two years, resulting in all the residents of Asia hearing the Word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
In Acts 19:8-10, we can see the importance of equipping new believers for the work of ministry. Paul invested time and effort into training and empowering the faithful few to carry on the work of spreading the Gospel. This equipping led to exponential growth and the establishment of a strong foundation for the church throughout Asia.
Don’t Miss This
It’s important to note that these three ways to catalyze new work are not formulaic. That means that, outside of the divine orchestrating of God, no new work will be catalyzed. Seed sowing, networking, and equipping are biblical examples for discovering new co-laborers. As a Sent One using any one or all of these approaches, you’re looking for individuals already prepared by God to join the work and offering to labor alongside them in the Kingdom “work” previously outlined, with the goal of greater mutual effectiveness. However, the growth belongs to God and is fully dependent upon His Spirit moving. We can only position ourselves to be found faithful to the pattern of Kingdom growth displayed in Scripture, thus making ourselves available for a move of God when He so chooses. In other words, you’re not “making” anything happen but rather are “discovering” where God is already at work in the lives of His people and seeking to further develop that work alongside them.
As you think about the desired outcome of catalyzing new work, it’s important to remember that you will encounter many “no thank you’s” as you’re attempting to discover the disciples prepared by God to labor alongside. Remembering what you’re looking for is a helpful way to fight off discouragement and maintain a tender heart toward those that may not be ready to join the work; don’t forget that at one point in time you too would have probably said “no thank you” to an invitation to join this work. Therefore, we must maintain that no believer is more or less a child of God if they do or don’t join in the work. Engaging in the expansion of God’s Kingdom in the way we’re seeking to catalyze is typically a matter of season rather than salvation. Some folks are just not quite ready, but nonetheless are equally valued in Christ. We then should always treat them as such.
Here are brief examples of what you should be looking for if your goal is to catalyze further disciple making and church planting:
Seed Sowing: The goal is to discover where God is at salvific work and where the Lord is leading to find and develop a fourth-soil individual (Mark 4:1-9). Bear in mind that this will be messy and may take considerable time to truly identify who is fourth soil.
Networking: The goal is to discover other Kingdom-minded disciples who have a God-sized vision that you can serve through equipping, laboring alongside, and mutual sharpening. It’s vital to remember that networking is not about recruiting people to your vision, but finding those that already have their own vision from God and serving them.
Equipping: The goal is to discover disciples that already want to do the work of ministry but feel stuck or don’t know how to get started (Eph 4:11-16). You can best serve these individuals by sharing harvest testimonies, training them in simple ways to get started, and encouraging them to obey the Bible regardless of the immediate outcomes.
Bringing It All Together
These three approaches to catalyzing new work are interconnected and reinforce one another. When we sow the seed of the Gospel, we create opportunities to equip new believers for the work of ministry. As we equip them, they in turn continue to sow seeds, perpetuating the cycle of growth by finding new believers who need to be equipped. Additionally, networking allows us to meet other believers and pastors who may need our support in either seed sowing or equipping.
It is crucial to prioritize all three elements in our efforts to catalyze new work. Rather than focusing solely on one aspect, like seed sowing or networking, we should follow Paul's example and engage in all three. By consistently sowing seeds, networking with others, and equipping the saints for the work of ministry, we can expect to see fruitful results in the expansion of God's Kingdom in due time.
Practical Application: To implement these approaches, take the time to plan your week. Determine when you will sow seeds through evangelism, identify individuals who need equipping to make disciples and plant churches, and consider who you can network with to join you in the harvest and/or open up training opportunities.
Remember, the goal is to keep sowing seeds, networking, and equipping new disciples until there is literally no place or people left untouched by the good news of Jesus Christ.
Editor’s Note: This blog post is based on a video by the same title, which can be found here.