What Jesus Started Quotes

“Praying for people. A great question to ask when you’re out connecting is, “If God would do a miracle in your life, what would it be? Could I pray right now for that miracle for you?”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“People of peace are Prepared. The messengers must take the initiative to find the person of peace. As the messengers step out in faith and obedience, there will be signs that God is powerfully at work as he leads them to the person he has prepared. Receptive. The person of peace welcomes the messenger and the message. Not every receptive person is a person of peace, but every person of peace is receptive. Influential. The person of peace’s reputation may be good or bad, but it is well known. These are people who, when they respond to Christ, will refer others to him.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Implementation 2, chart 2 Stage Current ministry activities Connect Share Train Gather”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Discovery Bible Study Read Matthew 9:35-38. Without looking at the text, retell the passage in your own words. What do you like about this story? What does the passage teach us about God? What does it teach us about people? Is there a command to obey or an example to follow? What do you need to do this week to obey what you’ve learned? Who could you share this story with? Pray for each other.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“WHAT JESUS STARTED There are six elements that characterize the movement that Jesus founded and still leads today. 1. Jesus saw the end. He was moved with compassion. He looked out over Israel and saw sheep, lost without a shepherd. He prepared his disciples to take the gospel to the whole world. 2. Jesus connected with people. Jesus crossed whatever boundaries stood in the way and connected with people. No group was beyond his care. Jesus spent a lot of his time ministering to people—looking for the “sick” not the “healthy,” “sinners” not the “righteous.” He sought out people who knew they needed God’s mercy. 3. Jesus shared the gospel. Jesus proclaimed the good news of salvation in words and deeds. In him, God’s rule had become a present reality. He preached, taught, rebuked and invited everyone he met to repent and believe. He gave his life as a ransom for many. 4. Jesus trained disciples. Jesus led people to put their trust in him and to learn to obey his commands. He modeled and taught them a new way of life. 5. Jesus gathered communities. Jesus formed his disciples into communities characterized by faith in him, love for one another, and witness in words and deeds. 6. Jesus multiplied workers. Jesus equipped his followers to make disciples of all nations. He sent the Holy Spirit upon them so that they would continue his ministry in his power.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Begin with prayer, but you must pray with the intention of engaging with people. You must be transparent that you are there to share Jesus.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Two decades later we’ve learned to change the order and priorities to gospel first, then disciples, then churches. When we connect with people, we’re not trying to get them to come to our church. We share the good news about Jesus, not the good news about our church.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“The first is concerned with transferring information; the second is concerned with life transformation.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“The Word of God is a dynamic force that changes lives. It cannot be confined to a Sunday morning sermon or a carefully controlled Bible study.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“The questions to ask when evaluating any method of making disciples are: 1. Is it obedience-oriented? 2. Is it simple enough that a new believer can begin discipling someone they know? 3. Does it lead to the formation of disciple-making groups and churches?”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Jesus discipled people to conversion; he didn’t convert people and then try to disciple them. You don’t have to convert anyone. You just need to find someone who is willing to learn more about Jesus and how they can follow him. You begin by doing a discovery Bible study and asking obedience-oriented questions. God does the converting.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Only God can change the heart. Our job is to share and invite and allow the gospel to do its work.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“• What does this teach us about God? • What does this teach us about humanity? • Is there an example to follow or a command to obey? • What will you do to obey what you have learned? • Who could you share this passage or story with?”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“In your own words, what does this passage or story say? • What did you like about the story?”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Early on, a connecting strategy must move from relying on outsiders to do the connecting to the insiders who reach out to their friends and family.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“The priority is to find the people God has already prepared.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Effective connecting strategies are up front with the gospel. The purpose is not to win over disinterested or antagonistic people. It is to identify responsive people who are the doorway into their community”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“• How do I enter an unreached region and connect with people? • How do I share the gospel? • How do I make disciples who disciple others? • How do I form groups in the community that will reproduce? • How do I develop and multiply local leaders?”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Jesus’ day, collecting taxes for the Romans or for Herod could make you a rich man; in fact, you had to be rich to even apply for the job. The right to collect taxes went to the highest bidder, who then had to recoup his costs and his profits from the people. It was a system that fed corruption and was a cruel reminder to the Jewish people of their oppression. To a Pharisee any house entered by a tax collector was defiled.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Finally, we’ll ask the most important question of all—how can we respond to the invitation to follow him and to let him teach us to fish for people?”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“5. Gather communities. Movements form new believers into the local communities of the followers of Jesus (featuring the Lord’s Supper, transformation of behavior, love, service and witness). Each community of disciples is responsible to reach its region in depth and to contribute money, prayer and workers who take the gospel to unreached regions.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World

“Connect with people. Movements cross boundaries (geographic, linguistic, cultural, social, economic) to establish contact with non-Christians. They seek out responsive people who have been prepared by God.”
― Steve Addison, What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World