By Steve Pike, Director, AG Church Multiplication Network

The recent trend toward incarnating the Gospel in tangible acts of compassion is an overdue mid-course correction for our multiplication methodologies. When appropriately implemented, building “compassion bridges” to connect with sociologically isolated “tribes” is  a crucial part of an effective discipleship and evangelism strategy. Compassion bridges demonstrate God’s compassion “with skin on”- they make the Kingdom tangible to people who need to know God and that is a good thing. Walking the talk is way better than just a lot of talking.

However, we must avoid the tendency to “over-compensate” to the degree that we replace God’s power to save with our own efforts to demonstrate His compassion. Starting a new community of disciples is a supernatural action of God. We co-labor with Him to make it so. In our efforts to partner with Jesus as He builds His Church, we must always be dependent on the Only One who is able to save. Our good works show God in 3D and are part of His plan to demonstrate His kindness. But our good works can not save. 

We must not lose site of the reality that being used by God to bring to life a community of disciples is a supernatural endeavor from first to last. We are absolutely dependent on God to do what we cannot do. We are even dependent on Him to empower us to do what we CAN do. Only God can empower us to authentically love the unlovable. And only God can transform a person from the inside out.

The road to planting a church has become cluttered with a lot of voices proclaiming “this is the way to do it.” As a church multiplier our pathway forward is actually quite simple. “Trust” and “Obey.” Know God and do what He says. Keep first things first and the rest will follow…

By Steve Pike, National Director, Church Multiplication Network

Today I’m thinking about the tension between three words… well actually between two words and God.

First, some definitions.

Events are things like worship services and altar calls and concerts and seminars… single incidents that we look back on as “watershed moments” in our lives. These are wonderful and often very specific to us. Thousands of other people may have been at the same event, but for them it did not rise the level of “watershed moment.”  That’s what I mean by “event.” A single occurrence that is significant in our spiritual formation.

Processes are intentional practices or disciplines or activities we regularly engage knowing that good habits lay a solid foundation for our relationship with God. Daily devotions, regularly gathering with other believers for to be provoked toward good works, etc. are examples of processes. Typically, a single devotional experience is not necessarily a “watershed moment” but the accumulation of persistent actions in a healthy direction adds up to a solid backbone of spiritual formation in our life.

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