Partners
by David K. Bernard
2023 · The Pentecostals of Alexandria, Alexandria, Louisiana
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Luke 5:6-7, Genesis 11:5, Luke 5, 2 Corinthians 13:10, 2 Corinthians 11:20, Galatians 6:1-2, Galatians 6:5

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/david-k-bernard--partners
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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praise the Lord praise the Lord amen amen while you're standing I'm going to go to the word of the Lord the Gospel of Luke and read a few verses it's so great to see all of you and to be with all of you Pastor Gentry what an amazing introduction and opening that set the stage for the whole conference right there and so we appreciate we don't want to take it for granted Pastor Gentry Bishop Anthony Mangan all of you Pentecostals of Alexandria thank you for allowing us to come here producing such an excellent meeting you know I feel it's a partnership It's the Best of Both Worlds we we need to have official functions like General Conference and they serve their purpose and we're trying to make them better and better and I think God is helping us there but there's a great value in an unofficial conference we can do we can do different things we can have the best of both worlds um and I can I can step back and let others you know we we appreciate elected leaders they have their place but God has leaders that are not are always

elected we have to have a combination of both some say we don't need elected leaders I don't agree with that some say we only need elected leaders I don't agree with that and so what because the times does it enables the body to function Beyond an organizational structure as a body the body needs structure but the body is more than the structure and that's what because of the times helps us do so I'm reading from Matthew 5 one of the miracle stories of Jesus instructing the disciples and gave them a miraculous catch of fish and so I'm reading here in chapter 5 and verse 6 they obeyed the word of the Lord and when they had done this they enclosed a great multitude of fishes and their net break and they beckoned unto their Partners which were in the other ship that they should come and help them and they came and filled both ships so that they began to sink I want to know you to notice that the outset a great multitude a great multitude you may be seated now when we read the text we can see what God is trying to

do God wants to give us a great multitude and I'm not talking about fish in the lake or in the sea because Jesus concluded this Story by talking about Fishers of Men Fishers of people now I just want to give you a just a brief introduction of where I think we are as the apostolic movement and the United Pentecostal Church International I believe the apostolic movement is much greater than the upci but of course I'm responsible for the upci and I want to tell you honestly and sincerely I think we are in the strongest position we've ever been we're unified doctrinally we're not having major conflicts over what we believe and we're moving forward with growth financially structurally numerically and God is giving us Revival I've been talking about the Strategic growth initiative number one we want to multiply our ministers that's happening we're seeing a regular increase significant increase and then we want to multiply our works we're seeing that North American missions is very intentionally partnering with our districts and then we have a desire to see existing churches grow number three and to strengthen churches that need help and I'm happy to

tell you our strategic growth chairman is here tonight brother Daryl Johns we've just instituted a subcommittee called Church growth and revitalization to focus on existing churches how can we come alongside those that are had 50 to go to 75 and 75 to 100 and and revitalization how can we come along churches that are in transition or struggling or facing challenges and I'm happy to tell you that brother Daryl Weber is the chair of our new committee on Church growth and revitalization so you're going to be hearing more about that so I feel like we're heading in a positive direction structurally and spiritually in fact I think we can make a positive application Genesis 11 5 God looked on the people of that time and they were do they were organizing for wrong but if the principle works when you're organizing for wrong it also can work when you're organizing for right this is what God said I'm reading the NLT Genesis 11 5 the people are united and they all speak the same language after this nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them can we claim that for global missions can

we claim that for North American missions can we claim we're unified we're speaking the same language we're talking the same talk yes we have our individual opinions and personalities that's fine but on the main theme we are united we're not arguing about the doctrine we're not arguing about Holiness we're not arguing about worship we're not arguing about prayer we are united we're speaking the same language every preacher at this conference is going to say the same thing and there's nothing that's impossible when we set our minds to do it in Jesus name hallelujah hallelujah and so turning to the text Jesus had a plan if you if you read Luke 5 he taught a lesson and then after he was finished he approached Simon Simon Peter he and his brother Andrew are Partners in a fishing business they had their own boat but then they also partnered with James and John two brothers that had their own boat and so Jesus said I want you to launch out into the deep I want you to bring in a great catch a great draft and Simon said well Lord we've been working this whole time all

night long so you can see a little bit of Doubt a little bit of hesitancy now I don't think sir that they weren't disciples yet so he didn't really know Jesus I mean I I don't think you're a fisherman I think you're a carpenter we know what we're doing but then remembering some of the things he had just heard he said nevertheless at your word yeah and so we see as we look a little closely launch out into the deep that's a message in itself nevertheless at your word that's a message in itself and then when they obeyed the word there was a great multitude of fish they had an amazing catch so much so if you keep reading Simon was astonished amazed and he also was afraid what kind of man can do this so he struck with a Godly fear and so Jesus took the opportunity to tell him fear not from henceforth Thou shalt catch men and so he used that story to launch the ministry of the disciples from that story Peter Andrew James and John became disciples they were the core they were the nucleus of the apostolic band it

came from this story right here so I believe we can learn from this we are to be Fishers of people we are to catch a great multitude God has a plan for us to launch out in the Deep God has a plan for us nevertheless no matter how dark the night is no matter how dark the culture is no matter how many years we've toiled with seemingly few results do not be discouraged do not be dismayed do not be afraid do not be intimidated by the culture around you nevertheless at your word we're gonna catch a multitude of fish do you believe it now you have to understand my background I was raised in Korea my parents were missionaries the Pioneer missionaries I remember in those who were older will understand this I remember in 1971 my dad had a unique opportunity to partner with a Methodist Pastor that had a campground and every year he they would have a meeting for fifteen hundred to two thousand Christians Presbyterians methodists and so on they're very sincere so this man contacted my dad and said do you have anybody in your organization that has the Holy

Spirit if so I would like for that preacher to preach for us my dad said well I have the Holy Spirit so he preached and then he started bringing preachers from America brother Kraft particularly and I remember in 1972 the first two nights they preached repentance the last three nights they preached the Holy Ghost and in those three nights 200 people received the Holy Ghost that's not remarkable now but 50 years ago that was remarkable at the end these were mostly denominational people at the end I was there as a teenager I watched it in one hour they baptized 550 people in the name of Jesus Christ in one hour and then 50 more the next day to our knowledge that was the biggest recorded Jesus name baptism in modern times even bigger than the early part of the 20th century so I grew up in Apostolic Revival don't tell me that in a pagan culture that in a non-Christian culture you cannot have a great multitude you can we can and we will and I'm not just talking about Korea I'm talking about Canada I'm talking about the United States I'm talking about your

state your city your Parish your county we should believe for a great multitude but now I want to show you something all that's just kind of introduction now I'm ready to get to the heart of it before the story Peter and Andrew were partners James and John were partners the miracle would not have been possible Without Partners one person can't launch a ship into the deep and cast a net and bring in the net there had to be at least two to steer the boat to the Deep to cast the net and bring it in the plan of Jesus for a great catch would have never been fulfilled if before the miracle they didn't already have partners and then when those two partners did what Jesus said and they brought in the catch it was so great the Nets began to break they call their partners other partners two more they came and they filled their boats and their boats began to sink but we get the impression that the story didn't end in Failure with two boats at the bottom you get the impression the two boats came to shore with overflowing Nets but

it's easy to calculate the Miracles was twice as great as it would have been because there were partners without James and John even if there were two partners in one boat the miracle would have only been half as great if they didn't have two other partners so the Nets were breaking the ships were sinking a miracle was turning into a disaster what made the miracle possible what made the miracle successful what turned near disaster into triumphant success the miraculous work of Jesus is a given the word of Jesus is a given but what made the miracle possible what made the miracle double what made the miracle successful what made the end of the story triumphant instead of disaster it was partners so my real title is not a great multitude my real title is partners partners we need Partners we need Fellowship we need each other we need to work together partners we are having the greatest Revival since Apostolic times I believe the biggest thing that could defeat it is lack of unity the devil we're not ignorant of his devices with every great Revival he sneaks in if he can't stop the Revival

up front through lack of faith he'll sneak in the back with disunity and Division and contention and strife and he will limit or kill or cap the Revival but if we have Unity God says there's nothing that's impossible for us to do if we have partners if we have partners partners if you're a senior pastor I hope you have Partners in your local church that's Peter and Andrew but what about across town is that your enemy what about the across the section what about across the district we need Partners not only Andrew in the same boat but James and John in the next boat we need to Rejoice with those who Rejoice we need to weep with those who weep we don't need to be rejoicing when our neighbors weeping we need to be weeping when our neighbors weeping we need to be rejoicing when our neighbor is rejoicing when our Nets are breaking we need a partner to say hey can you help me my net is breaking I need help when your boat is sinking you need a partner or you can say hey my boat is sinking come help me partners now

I don't believe you have to belong to the upci to be saved to have a valid Ministry etc etc etc I do believe you need that Mutual accountability that sharing that Mutual submission that leadership that's not only organizational but as I said at the outset there's leadership that's not organizational but it's still connected because we're working together we have to have a means and when I Was preparing this message I remembered a story you can read it in Fred Foster's book it was talking about the merger of the upci in 1945 Pentecostal Church, Incorporated, Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ they joined together they had a number of committee meetings to make it possible they they worked over what's the fundamental Doctrine what's the structure what's the governance what's the name and so I'm going to read this they're debating the name should it be Apostolic should it be Pentecostal should it be this then someone mentioned the word United all that they were endeavoring to accomplish was wrapped up in the one word and it began getting a hold of them suddenly height this is BH height Pastor in St Louis suddenly height stood and

tremblingly began to speak he was overcome with emotion sitting there these hours deliberating upon such a noble work now this word United injected at such an opportune time he could not keep the tears back with tear glisson cheek his large arm slowly rising and falling over and over he repeated this word United United United as one man all those in the room caught the spirit of this oration soon all were humbled by the feeling of a United Pentecostal Church openly there was weeping for all new they probably were participating in one of the most important moments of their lives there was no question now about any of the liberations of the past few hours and various meetings prior to this a United Church Pentecostal Church it must be now that's our heritage I'm not just talking about the organization if you're with another Apostolic group we welcome you right alongside but there this this is not just an organization on paper this was born with a spirit of United this was born with a spirit we need Partners we need somebody else in the boat we need a neighboring boat we've got to figure out

how to overcome our personal differences our opinions our ideas and somehow the whole gospel to the whole world by the whole church it's got to be more than a slogan it's got to be more than an organizational name it's got to grip our heart Partners we're Partners we're United partners so let me bring it home local pastor I'm appealing to you I've been superintendent now 13 years so I feel like I don't have to prove anything and I feel like I had a little bit of credibility I'm a little bit older I can lower my filter a little bit although my wife is you know she's going to be pretty careful that I don't go too far but I'm appealing to you if you're a pastor be a servant leader be a team leader it's more about building a team than building your ministry build a team respect the body they're young preachers that don't have your ability but they have something to contribute they're lay leaders there are women in the prayer room they don't have credentials but they have something to contribute they're Elder men there there'll never be a preacher but they

have some wisdom listen to them help them find their role help them find their place their gift their calling their Ministry shared governance I believe in real pastoral Authority but I'm talking about working as partners not only with other preachers but with Saints Partners I if you'll allow me to say it I was a senior pastor for 18 years we started in our living room my wife and I we built a church of approximately a thousand we started about 16 daughter works approximately another thousand we've got there's 23 churches that either were started from that church or we sent pastors from that church to take little works so I know what I'm talking about from that perspective if you allow me to say it that way during my 18 years we saw about 1800 1850 people filled with the Holy Ghost that's counting the daughter works in the jail Ministry and the whole thing but I do know I believe in a real Spiritual Authority Real pastoral Authority but I want you to know there needs to be a spirit of partnership it's our Authority is to build up not to tear down there's a

time for discipline don't get me wrong and we must speak the truth but our Authority is given to us to build up people not to tear down people to build up churches not to tear up churches whether it's our own church or our neighbor's church if you build up your church by tearing down a neighbor's church that's not really Kingdom building we got to respect I know they're dysfunctional situations but we can always have ministerial ethics we can always have respect we can always have love we can always have compassion we're here to build up not to tear up or tear down if that sounds controversial second Corinthians 13 10. I'm using the NIV because it gets it real plain King James is great but sometimes we can hide behind the thieves and thou's and it doesn't really sink because it's not speaking our colloquial language it says this is why I write these things when I am absent that when I come I may not have I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority The Authority the lord gave me for building you up not for tearing you down so

what I just said is in the book second Corinthians 11 20 he gives the contrast to the false apostles that you know sometimes people come as a false Apostle seeing me more glamorous than a real apostle sometimes people can have some kind of an exercise of some kind of a gift in a fleshly way but it's so spectacular it seems to be more palatable and more exciting than the real gifts sometimes they're real gifts are not immediately obvious you know not all that Glitters Is Gold and not all it's gold Glitters takes a little discernment and so the church was following after these false Apostles and so Paul said in fact you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face we don't need that kind of leadership beyond the local church I appeal don't just be concerned about your own boat but if we're going to see the great multitude that Jesus has planned we got to work with the neighboring boat we got to work with the neighboring partners we got to work with a neighboring

fisherman we need ministerial ethics I don't care if others are unethical to you you be ethical we got to work together to plant church I'm thankful for the solo who goes out in the middle of nowhere parachutes in and starts a church but we can do it much better than that we can launch together we can have daughter works and preaching points and we can support self-governing churches and come alongside them and make sure that we do our part we can care for one another when we obviously care for the people in our congregation because that's our job but when do we care do we care for that neighboring Pastor that's struggling that Pastor across state or maybe even across the country where's the care where's the prayer we ought to pray for our neighbors we ought to pray for our section we've got to pray for our district if you don't like the culture why don't you be part of the peer that exerts the peer pressure that makes that section and makes that District what is supposed to be that makes that City what it's supposed to be and again if you allow

me to be personal when I when we went to Austin it was already a metropolitan area it's doubled since then it was a million now it's 2 million in that City Limits there are four United Pentecostal churches and two of them over the years closed one of them lost its identity completely one is still there but you know the culture wasn't really of cooperation but you know what we started planning daughter works and sending out pastors that look to me as their pastor and it wasn't limited that but other churches started wanting to get in on the training and the cooperation and the fellowship and I told our preachers we're not going to be a voting block we're going to participate in this section we're going to participate in the district but we're not going to take over I'm not going to tell you how to vote I don't want to know how you vote and I'm not going to tell you how I vote because it's not about that we want to participate but we don't want to be an exclusive elitist block and I can tell you I'm sure it's not perfect but

I can tell you in Austin they're a host of churches do we ever have people switch churches yes but what we do the pastors talk about it and say what are we going to do with this one what are we going to do with that one and I'm thankful to tell you that no situation is going to be perfect but when I preach for all those churches over the years there's a nucleus of people that were from new life either they visited but we couldn't win them or they came but we got the holy ghost but we couldn't keep them or they were there for a while but we weren't discipling them or they had a tragedy they had a divorce they had they slipped out of church and they needed to find some place where they could get plugged back in I'm thankful that there's a network of churches that are not fighting each other but if they're working together to bring in the Harvest there's a second harvest there's a second net because we're trying to work together does that sound too idealistic to be true I believe it's biblical Galatians 6 1-2

brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ I know verse 5 says bear your own burdens there's personal responsibility it's got to be both each one of us needs to take responsibility for ourselves but at the same time we need to take responsibility for our neighbor that's my burden tonight I'm not trying to preach the message of the conference I'm just Pastor Gentry open it up with exactly the right vision Bishop Anthony he's going to hit it home tonight but I'm coming here right in the middle saying everything you hear at this conference it requires partners and every Miracle you want it will be double if you have partners and every plan of God could end in failure but if you have partners you can make sure the story ends in success your nets might be breaking your ships might be sinking but if you have partners you can make sure you can be assured the story is going to end well

partners partners partners stand with me right now one more point I believe of course this is a historical story but I believe there's a principle here