6 Reasons To Have Me Speak To Your Group

Let’s start a conversation about this.

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I’d be delighted to speak to your group, if the Lord leads and we can make the arrangements. Are you looking for a speaker for your church, conference, retreat, or other gathering? In this blog I’d like to share some reasons that I might be your man! I’d be delighted to connect with you about the possibility of speaking to your group.

This is me speaking in Siberia, Russia in 2007.

Perhaps you’re unaware that I have spoken all around the world. For example, over the last year and a half, I’ve spoken in South America, North America, Asia and Africa.

The only continent I have never spoken on is Antarctica—that’s because except for a few military or scientific bases, the only residents are penguins, albatrosses, other birds, whales, seals and fish. However, I would certainly be willing to travel locally, across the state or across the USA to share practical teaching from God’s Word. In fact, as you might guess, most of my teaching happens locally.

If you’re not the person who schedules events, you might be the person to share this offer with your pastor or other leader in charge.

You can check out and share my Speaking Page by clicking here.

Here are 6 reasons to invite me to speak to your group, church, retreat, gathering, conference, etc.:

1. Experience

If you want someone to speak to your group who shares from experience, I might be your guy. Here’s why:

• I’ve been a Christian since about 1959.

• I’ve been in full-time ministry since 1981.

• Over the years I’ve been a pastor, church planter, missionary, denominational leader, board member, ministry board chair and mission executive.

• I’ve traveled to 70 countries (so far) and done ministry in most of them.

• Carolyn and I married in 1979 and have raised 3 boys.

Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about what works in the Christian life and what doesn’t.

Speaking at Prescott Pines Christian Camp, Arizona, USA in 2017.

2. Entertaining

One of the most important criteria by which I evaluate a speaker is if I’m captivated or if I start to fall asleep. I’m thinking of a man in Lakeside, California who I chatted with after speaking and he said, “I could listen to you speak all day long.”

But we’re not talking about gimmicks and games, but a relevant, to the point, content-rich message which grabs people’s interest.

Humor is often a key ingredient (but I don’t let humor overshadow the message).

I also occasionally use my guitar and integrate music—singing some of my own songs and some by others. I’ve been playing guitar, singing and writing songs for over 50 years!

3. Everyone wins.

If I speak to your group, I believe it should be a win/win exchange. Here’s why I believe that will happen if we work out an arrangement:

Audiences win: Pastors, leaders and event organizers know they need to have guests that not only entertain, but also educate and hopefully inspire. Those are my three goals each time I speak—so that I’m sure my listeners hear a winning message. I do my best to educate, inspire and entertain.

Organizers win: Event organizers, leaders, and pastors win when they invite speakers who bless their people.

Christ wins: When people grow spiritually as the result of a message or presentation, the Lord is pleased!

4. Enticing topics.

Due to my ministry career path and passion, I have expertise in discipleship (and church planting). However, I speak with expertise on a variety of other topics including spiritual life, family, and apologetics.

Some of my most popular messages are:

• Eagles & Vultures in Your Family Tree

• How to Make Sunday the Best Day of Your Week

• Happiness Comes When I Quit Complaining

• What to do When Disaster Strikes

• Why Don’t Prayers Get Answered?

• The Goal of the Great Commission is Disciples

5. Excellent credentials.

Credentials are important. Here are some of mine:

• Graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Biola University, Talbot Seminary (Master of Divinity), Fuller Seminary (Doctor of Ministry)

• Alumnus of the year Moody Bible Institute, 2010.

• Author or co-author of 4 printed books and 2 eBooks.

• Blogger and podcaster on this website with over 400 posts.

• Author or coauthor of materials used to train over 25,000 leaders yearly through my former ministry of 18 years, Dynamic Church Planting International.

• Founder and president of Discipleship Journeys with Jesus.

• Our vision is to take 100 million people on discipleship journeys with Jesus!

6. Expenses are affordable.

For those in the developed world, I can speak to your group for a very reasonable cost. In fact, normally you choose the amount of a love gift. Or, if you want, perhaps I can speak for a love offering, so there is no additional cost to your group. Depending on distance, travel costs might need to be considered.

For those in the majority world of developing countries, I have often raised the money to travel and speak. Those funds come from friends in the developed world who see the value and want to bless others. (You can donate to our discipleship ministry with DJJ HERE.) Due to financial and travel constraints, I can only speak in developing countries just a few times a year, since I receive far more invitations than I am able to fulfill. Normally I travel and speak only for those I (or my friends) have known personally for a long time. 

Sometimes we can work out a creative arrangement. Recently a pastor in Pakistan found me online and offered to translate our DJJ discipleship materials into Urdu, if I could come and speak when the translation is finished. That might work.

So again, wherever you live, let’s dialog and see if God might have a plan for me to speak to your group.

Conclusion:

Let’s begin a conversation about having me to speak to your group. Please connect by choosing one of the options on my “Contact Me” page.

By the way, my most recent international speaking and training were in Malawi, which you can learn about in my article Lessons Learned on My Recent Trip to Malawi.

If you’re not sure you are a Christian, please go HERE to learn how to be saved now.

This is me singing in Katmandu, Nepal in 2002.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!

Additional resources about related subjects on this site:

• How to Get Your Faith Questions Answered on This Website

• To learn more about who I am, see my About page.

• To donate to our discipleship ministry, click HERE.

• To learn more about the goals for my online ministry, see my article: My 100th Blog Article: Why am I Blogging?

• To learn how to book me to speak see my Speaking page.

• To learn about the new ministry I’ve founded and lead check out Discipleship Journeys with Jesus.

• If you’d like to pray for my ministry, go HERE to receive our prayer emails.

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth

Lessons Learned On My Recent Trip To Malawi

It was a remarkable opportunity to share Discipleship Journeys with Jesus!

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It was my great privilege to take a ministry trip to Malawi recently. However, many or perhaps most readers might not know where this country is located. It is in Southern Africa and is one of the poorest nations of the world.

My trip to Malawi was for the purpose of launching Discipleship Journeys with Jesus there. This was done in partnership with our DJJ Board Chairman Carlos Sales and the mission he leads called Reaching the Hungry.

During the missionary trip to Malawi we trained over 100 people in how to utilize our DJJ materials to make disciples. We also trained those leaders in House Church Planting, in partnership with my former ministry, Dynamic Church Planting International.

We installed this water well on our trip to Malawi and I was privileged to make a dedication presentation to the village chief (standing in the white shirt).

The trip to Malawi took about 35 hours of air travel from our home in San Diego. It was exhausting, but well worth it. The people in Malawi are eager to serve Jesus.

Here are the statistical outcomes from this outreach:

• We trained over 100 in DJJ and how to use the materials (the first 7 lessons are now in Chichewa).

• We trained all of these in “House Church Planting” for 2 days.

• We certified 23 Certified Trainers for the House Church Planting materials. (These can now train others in House Church Planting.)

• We installed one water well in a village and repaired one in another village. I had the privilege of sharing the Gospel at the dedication and about 50 prayed to receive salvation.

• We showed the Jesus Film to a village and perhaps 200 prayed to receive salvation.

• We spoke at a fundraising church service to raise funds for a building for a new church plant.

• We spoke to about 50 village chiefs to introduce DJJ. We also handed out 10 “Talking Bibles.”

• We visited a mission station pioneered by the famous Scottish Missionary David Livingstone.

But beyond these wonderful outcomes, I learned some interesting lessons.

Here are 3 lessons learned (or relearned) on my trip to Malawi:

1. Much of Malawi and the world has no access to electricity, running water and technology.

Living in a developed country in the West I take running water, flushing toilets, electricity, technology, the internet and other conveniences for granted. But most Malawians have never enjoyed such “luxuries.”

As noted above, we installed a water well—this was in a village where until the well, people had to walk some distance to obtain water, and that water might not have been very sanitary.

But running water is so normal to me, if my (hot) water doesn’t come instantly, I think I’m deprived.

Of course, while Malawi is one of the poorest nations of the world, it is not the only country without standard western conveniences. Many people live this way.

My take away: Renewed thanksgiving for the blessings I enjoy at home.

These chefs cooked over open fires!

2. The greatest ministry opportunities are often in the majority world.

One of the great joys of travel to majority world countries is that they are often so open to the message of the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Such was the case on my trip to Malawi.

People listened eagerly and responded to the Gospel—most wanted to receive Christ and eternal salvation.

At our training, people were eager to learn and receive the certificates of completion we signed and presented. With little formal educational opportunities, it is special for them to receive training and a certificate to show they have been trained.

We westerners are often educated beyond our obedience and often even educated to unbelief. We become jaded and skeptical, stuffed full of knowledge, but lacking in obedience.

My take away: It is truly a joy to share with people who so eagerly receive!

At dusk we showed The Jesus Film. Over 200 people stood or sat on the ground to watch the story of Jesus and afterwards most prayed to profess faith in Jesus!

3. While we are flooded with discipling materials, other languages have very little available.

The language of Malawi is called Chichewa. There is precious little discipleship material available in Chichewa for Malawi and other African nations who speak it.

This is not unusual and is a result of our prosperity and the profit motive. We can go online or to a Christian bookstore and find dozens of discipleship guidebooks in English. But in Chichewa, and many other majority world languages, there is very little if any help available.

So, can you guess where my heart is? It’s in the translation and distribution of our DJJ discipleship journey lessons in many languages. Yes, the journey lessons are available in English first—it’s our mother tongue. But our desire is to provide DJJ lessons in as many languages as possible to reach those who need it so much because they have so little training available.

Praise God that already our lessons are being translated into 5 languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Chinese, and Chichewa.

My take away: I want to continue to focus on providing materials for those in nations like Malawi who need it the most!

Over 100 were trained in how to use our Discipleship Journeys with Jesus materials. Afterwards they received Certificates of Completion.

Conclusion:

Our ministry trip to Malawi lasted 12 days. After another 35 hours of travel we were back home. Like the Apostle Paul and his missionary journeys, we have laid a foundation that with God’s help and the hard work of the Malawian staff and believers will spring up into immense fruit in Malawi.

Please pray with us for this end.

If you are inclined to do so, you can partner with us financially by visiting our Donate Page.

To utilize our FREE discipleship journey lessons, just visit our website and click “START YOUR JOURNEY HERE.”

If you’re not sure you are indeed a Christian, please go HERE to learn how to be saved now.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!

Additional resources about related subjects on this site:

• 3 P’s of Evangelism

• 4 Great Questions to Ignite Passion for Evangelism in a Lost World

• Video: The Great Commission is for ALL Christians

• The Top 10 Reasons to Plant New Churches Now

• Podcast: Why do we need foreign missionaries?

• Quote card: Spurgeon on Being a Missionary

• Podcast: Since hell is real, what is a Christian’s mission?

• Podcast: Do both the Bible and Koran say to kill infidels?

• Why Bother to Build Friendships for Eternity?

• The Desperate Need for Discipleship

• The Goal of the Great Commission is Disciples

• Video: The Great Commission is for ALL Christians

• Vlog: Build Stuff that Will Last

• Quote card: He is no fool who gives what he cannot lose…

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth

The Power Of Celebration, Congregation And Cell

Great ministries are built on these three foundations.

Years ago, it was my privilege to study under C. Peter Wagner at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Wagner introduced me to the concept of Celebration, Congregation and Cell to build a great ministry. But what are these three and what makes them so powerful?

Image provided by Grace Lutheran Church via www.flickr.com

Here’s the concept of Celebration, Congregation and Cell:

1. Celebration

In the Celebration, Congregation and Cell model for building a powerful ministry, Celebration is the worship gathering of all those involved in the church. Usually this is on Sunday mornings, however some churches have alternatives such as Saturday night worship as my own church has. (Saturday night church is helpful for those required to work on Sunday morning or those who otherwise need or want an alternative.)

What size is the Celebration? Answer: It can be as big as a facility can hold.

The largest church in the world, in Seoul, S Korea, has tens of thousands meeting for Sunday “Celebration” worship in many locations.

You might say that the bigger the crowd, the better the Celebration. This is not always true, but it is certainly true that more people means more sound when singing worship to the Lord, and in the minds of many, more excitement drawn from the numbers of people.

Perhaps you’re thinking how much you’d dislike such a huge church gathering, and you have every right to feel that way. However, you might dislike it because you are looking for something different from church that is provided in the other components of a powerful ministry: Congregation and Cell.

2. Congregation

What is a “Congregation?” The word can be used to describe a whole church, but in the Celebration, Congregation and Cell paradigm, it’s used to describe a gathering of 50 to 100 people, within the larger church.

These Congregations could be large Sunday school classes, singles ministries, senior adult gatherings, men’s ministries, MOPs groups, and so on.

Most churches in the USA are at the Congregation size—I’m talking about the entire church. The average size church in the USA is about 70. Often members of these churches are most comfortable with this size gathering. In a Congregation, the crowd is small enough to know everyone by name, and yet big enough to have quality worship, preaching, children’s classes and so on. My guess is that many or most of the believers in Congregation sized churches would have it no other way.

And there is no problem with being this size UNLESS we’re not fulfilling the Great Commission to “make disciples of all nations.” If a church is ingrown, stagnant and self-focused, then there should be some self-examination in the light of the command of Christ to reach the lost.

Not every church this size is self-focused. So, examine your situation to determine if this is the case.

Jesus utilized the Congregation concept as seen in Luke 10:1-2 “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (ESV)

These 72 were Jesus’ Congregation-sized fellowship and ministry team.

3. Cell

You might be wondering “What does it take to surpass the Congregation size and grow to a larger Celebration size?” The answer usually lies in the smaller Cell size. By “” is meant a gathering of about 12 who meet for fellowship, study, accountability and discipleship. These are often called “small groups” or “cell groups.”

Does the number 12 sound familiar? That’s right; Jesus Himself is the most famous Cell group leader in history. He mentored twelve who went on to change the course of history.

Why is a Cell so powerful? There are several reasons:

• Closeness of fellowship

• Depth of accountability

• Mutual support in the storms of life

• Personal shepherding via the Cell group leader

• The opportunity for Cell multiplication

By utilizing Cell groups, churches can become smaller as they become bigger.

Back to the largest church in the world, the pastor, Dr. David Yonggi Cho, will tell you that he built that church through prayer and Cell groups. THOUSANDS of Cell groups.

Check out my post titled It Was Better than the Olympics Opening Ceremonies and see pictures of the gathering of the tens of thousands of Cell group leaders (not groups but leaders). There were about 70,000 Cell group leaders in attendance at the prayer gathering I attended. Multiply each of those by 12 and you get 840,000!

No wonder they’re the largest church in the world.

Celebration, Congregation and Cell as a model for ministry

Do you want to build a powerful church ministry? I suggest that you build utilizing the Celebration, Congregation and Cell model. Why? Because:

• It’s what Jesus did.

• It works.

How do you build such a ministry? Again, do like Jesus: send out those you’ve discipled two-by-two to make more disciples and start more Cell groups. Then, as they make disciples, they too must send them out two-by-two so that groups multiply:

Easy? Not necessarily.

Effective? Most definitely.

Help Spread the Word!

If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!

Additional resources about related subjects on this site:

• How to Get More Out of a Church Service Even if you Don’t Enjoy Going

• How to Handle Church Conflicts with Confidence

• 4 Reasons We Must Start New Churches Now

• What is the Church Supposed to Be?

• The Top Ten Reasons to Plant New Churches Now

• Vlog: God Loves All Kinds of Churches

• Vlog: Abandoned Churches aren’t necessarily a bad thing.

• Podcast: Which denomination is right?

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth