Ripe for Harvest

S ESSION 2: P REPARE • 155

S EMINAR 2 The Theology of the Poor for Church Planters Rev. Terry Cornett

Even if your team is not targeting the poor in your church plant, this seminar is important for your team to understand God’s heart for the poor and how your new church will relate to the poor in your target community.

St. Lawrence the Deacon (d. 258 A.D.) is one of the great leaders and martyrs in the first 300 years of the Church.

I. Does Our Team Think of Our Mission Field as Hard or Easy?

A. The affluent are difficult to evangelize and disciple.

Deut. 8.12-14 – . . . lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, [13] and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, [14] then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (cf. Ps. 73.3-6; Prov. 30.8-9; Ezek. 16.49; Hos. 13.4-6). The New Testament teaching is far more explicit. Jesus surprises his disciples with the teaching that wealth has an inherent tendency to dull the spiritual senses and lead one to abandon God.

In the teaching of Jesus material possessions are not regarded as evil, but as dangerous. ~ R.E. Dixon. New Bible Dictionary .

Matt. 6.19-21 – Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Context Values/Vision Prepare Launch Assemble Nurture Transition Schedule/Charter