Apostle Joel Obuobisa

Why You Must See Yourself As A Shepherd

-God's people are seen by Him as sheep - dependent creatures.

This means then, 'Why You Must Be Involved In Looking After God's People.'

- Ezekiel 34:5-11 - when there is no shepherd the sheep are scattered and become prey to the beasts of the field.

-If we can increase the amount of shepherding on the church, we should increase also the gathering.

-the diseased need strengthening

-the sick need healing

-the broken need to be bound up 

-the driven need to be brought back

- Matt 9:36-38

- Neh 6:1-3 - Do not leave the great work of God's kingdom to go do some lesser business.

- Matt 6:27,33 God takes care of us when we mind His sheep. We should realize we cannot even change any thing by taking thought.

How To Develop Devoted Members For Your Church IV

- The word of God is a light. So the more of it we have the better.

- God blessings and benefits are applicable based on our relating to Him as His sheep: 

- Psalms 78:52

- Psalm 95:6-8

- Psalm 100:1-5

- Psalm 79:13

- Matthew 10:31 says that the hairs on our head are all numbered. God is interested in every detail in our life.

- We need to trust that God will take care of us and become more devoted to Him.

Psalm1 126:6 says that we need to sow our seed.

- We need to obey the spiritual law of sowing and reaping. If we are willing to lose our seed, we will reap a harvest in the future.

How to develop devoted church members 

5. We need to help each other find employment. We need to help solve each other's problems.  Galatians 6:10

6. Encourage church members to marry each other.

7. We must socialize with each other.

International Sunday -How To Overcome Discrimination

International Sunday is one Sunday in the year that the church has set aside to recognize and celebrate the diversity in the church.

One thing that causes the church to lose members is discrimination against certain people.

James 2:1-4 says that we should not treat people differently, based on how they are dressed.

Philippians 2:13 says that it is God who causes us to serve Him.

When we find people from all walks of life in church, it means that it is God who has caused them to be there. God likes diversity. We see variety in nature, in trees, fruit, birds and so on.

5 ways to make people feel special

1.  Learn to call people by their name.

2.  Smile at them and look them in the eye when you speak to them.

3.  Be sincere and do not flatter them. Proverbs 24:24

4.  Look for good qualities in them. Focus on the good things in people.

5.  Give general compliments.

6.  Give compliments on specific things.

7. Compliment them in front of other people.

How To Develop Devoted Members For Your Church II

Acts 2:42-47

1. You must be a devoted member yourself. 

2. Speak well of your church. There is no perfect church on earth. Other people will want to come to our church if we share positive things about our church.

3. Say positive things about the Pastors. God has anointed your Pastor especially for you, and with a lot of messages and other good things that will help you.

4. You need to say good things about the church members. The church is made up of imperfect people, who are all trying to become more like Christ.

2 Cor 3:18 says that we are all being changed as we follow the Lord.

Duties of a Shepherd: Interaction

- Interaction needs to be an intntional part of our effort in engaging other people.

8 Reasons Why Interaction Is Important:

1. Interaction makes people stay in the church. After all the attractions that being people in the church have worn off, it is the friendships that they form in the church that keep them. That is why quarrels are also the way that people leave the church. Interaction is the cement of the church.

2. Interaction makes people feel important. 

3. Interaction makes people feel that they are not just a number or a statistic.

4. Interactions make people that they are not objects being used to make the pastor famous. One of the things that makes a pastor famous is the size of his church - or the controversy around their lives. 

Prov 14:28 - the honor comes from the multitude and destruction from the lack.

5. Interaction is important because personal contact changes wrong impressions. People commonly have erroneous impressions about churches, pastors, etc. The queen of Sheba had heard so many things about King Solomon, and until she decided to come and saw for herself. 2 Chron 9:5-6

6. Interaction is important because personal contact helps people to become more committed. John 1:47-51.

7. Interaction is important because Jesus interacted. Mark 1:16-17 - Jesus approached people and spoke to them and invited them into His ministry.

8. Interaction make people feel special.

How To Develop Devoted Members For Your Church

Acts 2:42-47

1. You must be a devoted member yourself. 

- Nehemiah 2:1-5 Nehemiah looked sad while he was at work. The king was surprised because Nehemiah was always cheerful.

- We need to overcome the obstacles we face on Sunday mornings and attend church every Sunday.

The Three Stages Of a Church Member:

1. The Deer Stage: 

- deer like to walk away and hide when they see a human approaching.

2. The Goat Stage:

- goats are usually strong-willed and do not take direction from the shepherd.

3. The Sheep Stage:

- sheep always stay together and are easily guided. 

- The Bible describes us as the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100:3

- We need to become like sheep. Psalm 23 

- When we allow God and the Pastors to lead us, we will be blessed.

The LORD Has Made Room For Us

Genesis 26:1-22

- Problems in this life come in cycles. Isaac lost one well and then another. Also, there was a famine during the time of Abraham and 

another one during the time of Isaac.

- God will bless us if we are in His will, regardless of where we live. God told Isaac to stay in Gerar, and not go to Egypt. 

- God’s blessing causes us to advance faster and further in life. We should not do something because everyone is doing it. We should do what God has told us to do.

- When we are established, we need to say what Isaac said in Genesis 26:22, “For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

- Job 36.11 - God will bless our obedience.

How To Be A Person 'X' Oriented Church II

-A church becomes person X oriented when its members become person X oriented. Person X oriented members cater to making people feel the have a family in the church.

- Luke 19:1-

Jesus showed person X orientation by talking to obscure Zacchaeus up in the tree and even telling him that He was coming to his house.

6. Call people by their names soon after you have met them. Call by the pet name if they prefer it - it brings you into the circle of friends.

7. Never tease someone who does not like being teased. 

8. Show interest in people's personal lives. Ask about home, job, school, etc tactfully. Not everyone is mature enough to not be embarrased about their job or other things in their life.

9. Show an interest in people's asprirations, visions and goals.

10. Offer food and drinks to visitors whenever you can.

Anagkazo, Biazo & Anadeia

Ephesians 2:8-10

Three Greek Words That Will Help Us To Evangelize

1. Anagkazo Luke 14:16 -23

-Anagkazo means to compel, necessitate, drive, constrain by all means, such as force, threats, persuasion and entreaties.

-Anagkazo is translated into 'compel' in the KJV Bible in Luke 14:23.

2. Biazo

- Biazo means to force one's way into a thing. Matt 11:11,12

- Biazo is translated into 'force' in Matt 11:12 in the KJV.

3. Anaideia Luke 11:5-8

- Anaideia means to be shameless, and is translated into "importunity" in Luke 11:8 in the KJV.

How To Be The Person X Oriented Church

- X is the unknown factor that we have to solve for in algebra. In church, 'person X' is the person that is not known. 

- Churches tend to lean more towards person k - k usually denotes the constant - the faithful one that comes all the time.

- The growth and future of your church depends on how you treat person X. Person k does not change based on you input.

- We need to have the compassion that Jesus spoke of in Matt 9:36-38 that even extended into the prayer for more laborers to joing the harvest.

- Acts 10:24-28

How Do We Make A Person X Welcome:

1. Make people feel that we really want them around. This is genuine making people welcome.

2. We must appreciate the people around. 

3. Genuinely admire peolpe and what they have, but make sure it is genuine admiration.

4. Show them that you respect them no matter who they are or what they have.

5. Be conscious of people who have inferiority complex and treat them carefully. 2 Cor 8:1-5