The Goal is Whole: Empower Others E2: A Vision for Big Impact

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“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

The plan of Jesus within the new creation is to reach every person. That’s a big vision! It is also a liberating truth. We do not have to stop and think about whether it is His will to impact a certain person, culture, or group. It is always His will! What we need is to be able to yield to Him, so that He can outwork His presence and purpose from within us:

“Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5)

While the INN vision is often focused primarily on building small-groups, it is not a small impact vision. On the contrary, small-groups are the means to potentially huge impact, because they can readily grow, become fruitful, and multiply!

Today we will look at several passages that indicate God’s explosive growth in the early years of the church. We need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and adopt the expectations of Jesus from the Scriptures. Our small-mindedness can quench and grieve the Holy Spirit. But as we align, so we will see His momentum growing in our midst.

Most of these examples from Acts seem more related to high impact moments than the “calm multiplication” we have in the Vision. But we fully support those kinds of approaches too, and see the INN structure as being one that can readily receive those who respond, welcoming, nurturing and then mobilizing them into a vibrant life in the new creation. The INN vision can readily partner with whatever bigger church or city-wide outreaches might be launched – INNs can help provide the means to maximize the harvest and sustain the growth! We all need to work together. There is one glorious church! Most likely, the strength of the vibrant communities of the early church were the basis for the explosive growth they experienced (see Acts 2:47).

The intention of sharing these passages today is simply to show from the scriptures God’s desire and intent to make massive impact. This is vital as oftentimes our faith-expectations are limited by our experiences of much lower levels of impact.

“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41)

“Many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.” (Acts 4:4)

“And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number.” (Acts 5:14)

“The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7)

“But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.” (Acts 11:20-21)

“The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord.” (Acts 13:44)

“And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.” (Acts 13:49)

There was constant growth and expansion, and this should be our expectation too. Preparing for impact and anticipating a strong response is something that needs to be embraced. It is a mindset issue. One significant part of establishing ongoing growth is adopting a strong group prayer life, recognizing that Kingdom growth is opposed by the devil. The people are blinded and we need to pray, as well as proclaim and demonstrate the Kingdom, and the reality of Jesus:

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

The “god of this world” is the devil, and Paul states here that he blinds the minds of the unbelieving so that they “might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”

But if a person is blinded, how can they be un-blinded? Prayer is a big part of it. Look at what Paul wrote to Timothy:

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Notice that the prayer is for all men (every person). Paul singles out those in national authority for prayer, stating that the goal is that we can lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. Contrary to some suggestions you may hear, God does not delight in persecution or difficulty. His will is peace, godliness, and dignity. It seems from what Paul goes on to say that this is the environment for fulfilling God’s desire that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

When we pray, we need to be praying about the removal of blindness. The gospel of the glory of Christ is an open door for salvation. We are not begging God for souls. Neither are we asking Him for mercy, or lenience. The barriers from God’s side are all removed:

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

Further, the devil no longer has any legitimate weapons:

“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” (Colossians 2:13-15)

The gospel is always powerful, and able to save a soul:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)

However, for the blindness to crack, and people to see and respond, the gospel needs to come with both demonstration and proclamation (as we saw in Unit 4). This is how Paul summarized his work:

“For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:18-19)

Look at the account concerning Philip’s ministry:

“Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. 7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was much rejoicing in that city.” (Acts 8:5-8)

We need to be praying for an increase in power in witness, like when Peter and John were punished for healing the beggar in Jerusalem. The early church did not withdraw, quite the opposite:

“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:29-31)

Jesus explained the impact of powerful manifestations when people are struggling to believe His words alone:

“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.” (John 14:11)

Let us be praying for strong demonstration of the Kingdom to help open the blind eyes of the lost! Another way the blindness can be lifted is by carrying the presence of Jesus together in unity:

“That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:21)

This is again why we prioritize Jesus-filled community in the INN vision. It is not just about outreach, but about the new creation we have become, united together, and in Him. The world has never seen anything like this, and when they do, their eyes will open to the truth. Let us go after this with everything we have, in prayer, in unity, and in the manifestation of Jesus!