1. Faith to plant 100,000 new churches. Suliasi Kurulo, Fiji. Suliasi was a government engineer who began knocking on every door on his island in Fiji, then planted a church to finish the task. Next, he planned to knock on every door of every island in Fiji and build over 300 churches to complete the task. Now he has planted over 7,000 churches throughout the Pacific Rim. His faith has given him a vision of planting 100,000 churches.
a. Great ministries begin with a big vision.
b. Saturation Evangelism is using every available method, at every available time, to reach every available person.
2. Faith to build the largest Christian ministry in Australia and influence the world through television and social media. Brian Houston, pastor of Hillsong Church, Sydney, Australia, expanded his church and television ministry to locations around the world. Hillsong International Leadership College is located in several nations, with students representing 70 countries training ministers for ministry. Hillsong TV Channel is seen in over 180 countries.
a. Bold Evangelism. Preaching the gospel everywhere without limitation, in spite of barriers.
b. Vibrant faith will prosper in “burnt over areas.”
3. Faith to build Life Church into 40 campuses across the U.S. and influence millions through social media and television. Pastor Craig Groeschel planted the church in a two-car garage in Oklahoma and used television and social media to preach the gospel internationally and has produced the YouVersion of the Bible with over 375 million readers.
a. Witnessing. Sharing with the lost how Jesus saves.
b. Evangelism. You are offering Him to all. Communicating the gospel in an understandable way and motivating a person to respond.
4. Faith to build a multisite church over 50,000 in the U.S. Chris Hodges, pastor, Church of the Highlands, Birmingham, Alabama, founded the church in 2001 with 20 locations. He also began Highlands College to train people for ministry.
a. Completing Acts 1:8. Jerusalem-home, Judea-state, Samaria-cross cultural, ends of the earth, everywhere.
5. Faith to build the largest church on the internet. Chuck Pierce, pastor, Glory of Zion, Corinth, Texas, streams live the church worship service to over 40,000 members of his church worldwide, with a network of churches, and businesses.
a. Since almost all relationships are experienced online, why not church worship?
6. Faith to build the largest Christian university in the world. Jerry Falwell, Jr., Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, has continued to build Liberty University into the largest private university in the U.S., with over 100,000 students in residence and online.
a. Second Generation Faith, building on previous leader, but adapted to new challenges in the next generation, but retain the same faith, same values, and same vision.
b. Also, fights the same battles in different ways.
7. Faith to fast for miracles. Jentezen Franklin, Free Chapel, Gainesville, Georgia, to over 10,000 in attendance, with satellite mega churches across the U.S. and an extensive television ministry around the world. The spiritual power of his ministry is seen in fasting 21 days each January.
a. The true meaning of fasting is finding God’s presence and power.
8. Faith to complete the Great Commission in a state in Central Asia. Alex Abraham, a medical doctor, has evangelized by planting churches by translating Scriptures into the language of unreached language groups. The New Testament has been translated into almost every unreached people group language in his state, and has begun over 9,500 home churches and 2,000 street churches.
a. The power of the word.
b. The power of lay people.
9. Faith to build Redeemed Christian Church of God, to 14,000 worshippers in Nigeria with several branches globally. Enoch Adeboye, Ph.D in mathematics and former university lecturer has a vision of planting a church within 5 minutes driving distance of all large developing cities of the world. There are over 100,000 in attendance at his special prayer meetings/conferences.
a. God blesses and uses those who separate themselves from sin and draw near to Him.
10. Faith to build a church of 250,000 worshipers. David Sobrepena, pastor of Word of Faith Church, Manila, Philippines, was a financial money manager who left his job in America to return to the Philippines to plant a church that today has over 60,000 in attendance, with 60 satellite churches and has planted over 300 independent churches in the Philippines. He follows the example of Yonggi Cho.
a. The body grows by the addition of cells.
11. Faith attempting to complete the Great Commission by 2030 A.D. by equipping church planters through over 100 HUBS (training centers) around the world. James Davis leads Global Church Network to synergize world-influencing mega churches and church planting agencies with vision, interactive training, and news sharing. There are over 60,000 registered online students preparing for ministry. The 2 Timothy 2:2 Principle: (1) Paul, (2) Timothy, (3) faithful men, (4) others
12. Church/ministry to be selected out of research.
TAKE AWAY
1. You can learn faith from successful leaders.
2. Look beyond their life and ministry to God who is the source of spiritual power, and is the One who will grow your faith.
3. Be careful of leaders’ weaknesses, focus on their strength and God who gave it to them.
4. Since these leaders have done greater than their contemporaries, you can do greater than them. What is the secret? Faith!
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu
Video presentations of the PBC are available online at trbc.org/pbc
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