Read a scripture and sing worship songs.

(Optional) Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. He wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator also between God and man, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all. (Philippians 2:11b; 1 Timothy 2:4-6a)

Choose a way to cast vision for who they can become in Christ or what God can do through them by:

• a scripture that reminds them of the Father’s Heart and of the end vision.
• reflecting on the changes in their life since they started following Christ
• reminding them of what God wants to do through them

Share BIG vision “A church for every village and community, and the gospel for every person.”

The Return to Antioch in Syria

²¹ They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,²² strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.²³ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.²⁴ After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia,²⁵ and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

²⁶ From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.²⁷ On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.²⁸ And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

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After planting another church in Derbe, Paul and Barnabas decide to revisit the new churches on their return journey to Syrian Antioch. Their purpose was to strengthen the faith of the new believers and stabilize the churches by identifying and appointing local elders in each new church. Even though these churches were only a few months old, they were led by new believers. Part of the foundational discipleship Paul taught the new believers was how to respond to persecution and the reality of hardships that come with boldly following Jesus (Acts 14:22). 

This is an important principle to teach as we make disciples. Paul and Barnabas completed their work and went back to their home church to report about what the Lord had done. The entire trip lasted about one year. Not too long after this trip, Paul wrote a letter back to the new churches in the province of Galatia.

The letter to the Galatian churches can be read here.

Practice needed skills or previous topics to help prepare to minister to others:

• Prayer, Care, Share
• Gospel
• Foundational Bible Studies.