ACTS Guideline: Duplication

     It needs to be made sure that everybody in the church is “on the same page”. This is the value of everybody using the same system with the same guidelines. That way, somebody is not out in left field doing or teaching some “off the wall stuff”.
     When everybody has the same information, then everybody can be more in unity of mind. There is a unity of spirit and a unity of mind that we need to cultivate. Most questions that come up can be answered by simply referring to the guidelines. Everybody is to have this whole program with all the guidelines in possession in a loose leaf notebook. When a new guideline is introduced, it can be given out to all and easily added to the existing.
    The system is easily duplicated by each person simply following the guidelines according to the outreach vision. A new person can take home and study the guidelines and gain an understanding of the vision and immediately begin operating in unity with the whole church, even immediately starting a new team in their own home. This speeds up the process for doing effective outreach more quickly.
     Jesus told us to go and teach all nations, teaching them to observe all things that He commanded us (Mt.28.19,20). This is duplication.
     The early church started out on the day of Pentecost with about 120 who were baptized in the Holy Spirit, speaking of the wonderful works of God, and with Peter teaching the Word and preaching the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. Three thousand people got saved and were encouraged to “Save yourselves from this untoward [wicked and perverse] generation” (Acts 2.40). These “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers…in the temple…house to house…with gladness and singleness of heart…and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2.42-47). This is duplication.
     Saul wreaked havock of the church, going into the houses, apprehending believers and committing them to prison. “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8.3,4). This is duplication—everybody preaching the word everywhere they went.
    Paul wrote letters for guidelines to the churches so they could follow him as he followed Christ (1Cor.11.1). This is duplication.
    Paul explained to the Ephesians how the ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers were given to mature and build up the saints for the work of the ministry, until the very stature of the fulness of Christ is being manifest in the Body of Christ (Eph.4.11-16). The ministry gifts are given to train the Body to do effective ministry. This is duplication.
    Paul told Timothy, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2Tim.2.2). This is duplication.
    Paul, again to the Corinthians, “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church” (1Cor.4.16,17). Paul taught the same thing everywhere he went, and he trained others to duplicate the same thing that he taught in every place.
    Paul reminded the Thessalonians that they brought “our gospel” to them not “in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing” (1Thes.1.5-8). This is an example of the exponential growth that occurs through duplication.
     Everything we do is geared to be duplicated, teaching others to teach others to duplicate it, on and on. This is how the kingdom of God is effectively spread on the earth. We are to have an intense duplication mentality. We see this in Jesus. We see it in the early church. We see it in Paul. We are to follow the way it is done in the Word.
     All of this just plugs in to the established operation of and meeting times of the Church functions, training classes, and special meetings that are designed to introduce, establish, and train people in their life in Christ.
 It is sheep begetting sheep.
This is the only way the job will get done that really needs to be done.
This is the basic Bible way.
 


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