Wineskins Contributor・08/14/19

When it comes to being a church leader, sometimes it feels like a choice between theway we’ve always done it and the way of uncertainty.

It’sa choice that can leave you feeling lonely, like this young minister …

“Forsome time now I have felt somewhat alone in ministry. Don’t get me wrong, Ihave great relationships with a lot of different people, but when I look aroundat many churches they are dying out and greying out. Many of these churcheslack a passion for making disciples and seem trapped by destructive legalism.In direct contrast, several of my peers in ministry are leaning into a view ofGod that is informed by their own vague feelings and impressions rather than byGod’s word. It felt like my options in ministry were to captain a sinking ship,or to jump onto to a vessel that is rapidly careening off course. How couldthese be my only two options?”

Ifthis is how you feel, you are not alone. But let’s first add one more item.Maybe you are also convinced that a focus on Sundays services, itself, is notenough –  that great preaching, praise,and programs will no longer cut it. Even if you add in ministering to the poorduring the week, it still falls short.

Ifthis viewpoint describes you, we can help.  

Atthe Renew Network…

• Discipleship comes first. We help people like you champion relational discipleship asthe core mission of the church.  We showhow disciple making is the path laid out by Jesus himself both in his model ofministry and in his final command.

• Relationships are vital. We are that band of brothers and sisters – that tribe ofdisciple making champions – which you long for and need. Renew’s vision is relationalcollaboration that equips millions of disciples, disciple makers, and churchplanters among all ethnicities. Notice that last word. We also believe God lovesethnic diversity, so our relationships feature that too.

• Biblical theology matters. You want substance? That’s good. We are convinced that lastingdisciple making movements are built on theology that requires disciple making.Dallas Willard put it succinctly: “The Jesus we preach and the gospel we upholdwill determine the disciple we get.” The true Gospel calls for a faith thattrusts and follows Jesus, gives him ongoing allegiance – it requires a faithfulfaith.

Wecan help you make the difference you hunger for in this world!

David Young, Dave Clayton, Rick Oster, Matt Dabbs, and other leaders known to Wineskins have jumped in. They join leaders from other diverse backgrounds such as Ralph Moore, the founder of the Hope Chapel Movement, Shodankeh Johnson the disciple-making movement leader in West Africa whose movement has reached over 700,000 people in 14 years and New Testament scholar Matthew Bates, whose books advocating discipleship are taking the scholarly world by storm. These are just a few of the champions of Renew Network.

Wehave unity in the midst of diversity because we all hold to 7 values:

• Renewing by God’s Spirit – we believe that God is the author of renewal and heinvites us to join him through prayer and fasting for the Holy Spirit’s work ofrenewal.

• Following God’s Reliable Word – we have a high view of scripture andknow that by it we learn the ways of God with lasting clarity andconviction.  

• Surrendering to Jesus as Lord and King –Jesus is more than just Savior; he isLord, and Messiah (King). He calls everyone to salvation (in eternity) anddiscipleship (in this life).

• Championing Disciple Making – Jesus gave us the perfect model of disciple making and thesesame principles from the life of Jesus should be utilized as we make disciplestoday.

• Loving Like Jesus– Jesus showed us the true meaning of love and taught us that sacrificial loveis the distinguishing character trait of true disciples.

• Living in Holiness– Jesus lived differently than the world, so his disciples and those in hischurch will live differently than the world.

• Leading Courageously– Renewal is led by boldand courageous leaders – who make disciples, plant churches and create disciplemaking movements.

Join us!

Help us in our missionto renew the teachings of Jesus to fuel disciple making.  

Here are 3 ways to getstarted.

1. Renew.org – get involved with our website and newsletter, where you will find practical material for everyday disciples in the form of blogs, videos, audios, book reviews, etc.

• Coaching – consider hiring one of our coaches.  We coach church leaders, both men and women, ministers, and elders in disciple making. We help you with practical models and methods that you can start using tomorrow.

• National Gathering– attend our national and regional gatherings to gain further  inspiration and vision. We will help you get connected to this great mission and vision and the people championing it.

We live in a time when culturalpressures are forcing us to face numerous difficulties and complexities when itcomes to following Jesus. Traditional ways are less and less effective.

It is a lonely, frustrating pathwithout a tribe that knows the way to go. Too many will end up bitter or will justgive in or give up and compromise.

The journey focused ondisciple making disciples is the best and right path in the 21stcentury. It is a renewal of the kingdom vision of Jesus and the beautyof the local church, as God intends.

Remember the ministerwe described in the beginning? After six months with Renew coaching, he wrotethe following:

Therelationship with my coach and the guys in my group has been one of the mostencouraging things I have experienced this year. God showed me there areothers who desire vibrant discipleship in a biblical way within the RenewNetwork. It has proven to be incredibly rewarding being a participant in a groupand leading a group toward genuine discipleship.

Join us, as he did!

Come to renew.org, ask us for a disciple making coach, and most especially, join our Renew Gathering on November 6 in Nashville/Franklin, TN. You aren’t alone!