"One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us."
Acts 16:14-15
This week’s church planting movement principle is: Develop Outsider-Insider Partnerships. All church planting movements have what are referred to as insider catalysts: people on the inside of the movement that cause that movement to grow and multiply in some way, and also outside catalysts: people outside of the movement that cause that movement to grow and multiply in some way. Both of these groups need each other for the success of the movements. In Acts 11:25-26 we read: “Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” We can also look at Lydia working with Paul as an example of an insider-outsider partnership. Ask the Lord to continue forging many healthy teams like these in your life and ministry as you birth disciple making, church planting movements wherever you are.
Ask God this week to give everyone involved in church planting movements a sense of their connectedness to the family of Christ as children of God. Practice listening to Holy Spirit daily for where He is sending you to prepare His way.
Listen to the companion Podcast here.
This week's 110 Cities are DAR ES SALAM, Tanzania & KHARTOUM, Sudan.
