THE LIGHT THAT SHINES THE FARTHEST SHINES THE BRIGHTEST AT THE BASE
In the church ministry, your operational base also known as your headquarters should be strong before you make any attempt of having branches—satellite churches
If you want the effect of your ministry to be farther, you must pay attention to your base.
A prophecy to spread:
I met a pastor some years ago, the first Sunday I worshipped with them, in his church, he was not in the service.
When we met afterwards, I told him, the church, his church, is like a church that has no pastor; and I asked him, Who supposed to be the resident pastor? He then pointed at a young man, one of his associates.
On another Sunday service while I was with them, I heard him saying, they wanted to be planting branches, that there is a prophecy as regards that.
After the meeting, I told him:
• It would be inappropriate or unwise to start having branches without building your base—the headquarters.
• Also, you cannot have branches without training the men, the people, you wanted to send out (Mark 3:13-15).
The truth is:
If your operational base, the apostolic base, of your church or ministry is not well grounded, do not attempt to spread.
It is practically impossible to send the people out, in order to plant branches, without training them. I do not care about the prophecy given to you, you would need to plan and train your people before you started sending them out.
I believe in prophecy, however, for prophecy to be fulfilled you have a part to play, you do your part, for God to do His own part.
Your base is very important
There was another minister I met who also desires to have branches, satellite churches, strongly.
This minister took me to his house, showed to me the chairs and instruments he had bought for the new branch or satellite he wanted to plant or start.
The minister in question is still having his church services in a classroom in one public school!
I told him, Your goal now should not be about having branches, it should be about getting a land for your church and move out of that classroom in the public school that you are using. Meanwhile, as at the time I was talking to him, he has been in that classroom for several number of years.
I also told him about training his people especially those he intended to send out.
About a year after our discussion, the government of the land passed a law that government schools should not be used for religious purposes again.
After the law was enacted, I could not see him again!
If you want the light of your church or ministry to shine the farthest, you must build a strong base.
Pay attention to training, because your ministry cannot be rooted without the training of your people.
If God has given you crowds, or you have the prophetic gift that attracts crowds, you need to tame, pull-in or hold, some of the crowds through the training.
When people are impacted, they submit willingly, they make themselves available and are eager to serve: “YOUR PEOPLE SHALL BE VOLUNTEERS [willing] IN THE DAY OF YOUR POWER . . ." (Psalm 110:3 NKJV).
Willingness to serve is always there, when people see the demonstration of God's power. When God has met people's needs through the grace of God on your life and ministry, the willingness to serve would be there.
God would want and be delighted If you, through His wisdom, change those crowds to the vessels of gold and of honour in His hand—those who can be used to build His kingdom (2 Timothy 2:20,21).
God has given you the crowd in order to equip them for the work of ministry:
11 AND HE HIMSELF GAVE SOME TO BE APOSTLES, SOME PROPHETS, SOME EVANGELISTS, AND SOME PASTORS AND TEACHERS, 12 FOR THE EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST" (Ephesians 4:11,12 NKJV).
You as a minister, the set man for that matter, should equip the saints for the work of ministry and build them up—edify them (Ephesians 4:12).
The twelve apostles who were trained by Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry were the ones who spread the work after His ascension (Acts 6:7).
The people you trained are the ones who will run with your vision, announce the vision and do the work and spread it: “THEN THE LORD ANSWERED ME AND SAID: “WRITE THE VISION AND MAKE IT IS PLAIN ON TABLETS, THAT HE MAY RUN WHO READS IT" (Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV).
You teach the people under your leadership, the things God has taught you: “AND THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME AMONG MANY WITNESSES, COMMIT THESE TO FAITHFUL MEN WHO WILL BE ABLE TO TEACH OTHERS ALSO" (2 Timothy 2:2).
You can also collaborate with a teaching ministry to join hand with you in order to equip them!
Remember, there are types of training:
I. Formal training
The training in a classroom setting.
II. Informal training
This is the training of the people by exposing them to the practical aspect of the work, and give them opportunities to serve—put the knowledge of what they have been taught to work.
When you train your people, it makes them available for the work, because through the training they would have been able to know the importance of what they are doing—importance of the work (2 Timothy 3:18,17). In short, the trainings would make them effective and effectual!
For your light, the light of your ministry, to shine the farthest, your base must be strong; and what makes your base strong is the capableness of the people who are working with you.
You will not fail in Jesus' name. Peace!