Scripture: Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12-13; Acts 8:36-38; Acts 16:33; Acts 19:1-5; Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 6:1-6

In the book of Acts, baptism follows faith quickly and clearly. Those who heard the gospel, believed, and confessed Christ were baptized without delay. This happened in Jerusalem, Samaria, on the desert road, in homes, and even in the night with the jailer and his family. Again and again, the pattern is the same: faith in Christ was followed by immediate baptism.

Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples and baptize them (Matthew 28:19-20). Romans 6 explains that baptism identifies a believer with the death and resurrection of Christ. It is the public sign that the old life has been left behind and a new life in Jesus has begun.

In many parts of the world, church planters work in places where the gospel is advancing rapidly. New believers often come from strong family systems, traditional religions, fear of spirits, or communities where following Jesus may bring rejection or persecution. In such settings, leaders may feel pressure to delay baptism until a person has 'proved' they are truly serious.

But the New Testament does not present baptism as a graduation ceremony after long testing. It presents baptism as an initiation into a life of discipleship and obedience. It is not the final proof of maturity. It is one of the first clear acts of surrender to Christ.

This matters deeply in movement contexts. Where leaders practice immediate baptism based on repentance and faith, believers often become more rooted, not less. Their public obedience strengthens their identity in Christ. It marks a break with the old life and helps establish them in the new community of faith. Delayed baptism, on the other hand, can sometimes produce hesitation, confusion, or the idea that obedience should wait until conditions feel safer or more convenient.

Of course, baptism should not be careless or empty. We must ask whether a person truly believes in Jesus, is willing to follow Him, turn from sin and idols, and remain faithful even under pressure. But once that faith is clear, Scripture leads us toward obedience without delay.

Do not let tradition, fear, or human caution weaken the clear pattern of God's Word. Baptism is a powerful beginning. Help new believers obey Jesus from the start.

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for calling people into new life through faith in You.

Give church planters wisdom and courage to follow the pattern of Scripture.

Remove fear and hesitation where You have spoken clearly.

Let baptism be a strong beginning of faithful discipleship and lasting obedience.

Amen.

1.  Do I see baptism as a beginning or as a graduation?

2.  What traditions or fears may be causing delay in obedience?

3.  How can baptism strengthen the faith of new believers in my context?

4.  What step of obedience is God asking me to take today?

For Church Planters and Ministry Leaders in Africa.

This devotional draws insights from Emotionally Healthy Discipleship by Peter Scazzero. Scripture: Luke 10:38–42

Martha is actively serving Jesus, but the pressures and demands of her work distract her from him. She is scattered and uncentered, irritable and anxious. While her hospitality is to be commended, her being with Jesus is not sufficient to sustain her doing for Jesus. Her spiritual life is imbalanced.

Mary, on the other hand, sits at the feet of Jesus, listening to him. She knows how to prioritize being with Jesus over doing for Jesus. Jesus makes it clear that Mary has chosen what is better - sitting at his feet and listening to him, and it will not be taken from her (Luke 10:42).

The story of Mary and Martha demonstrates a vitally important truth:

The active life in the world for God can only properly flow from a deep inner life with God.

Church planting in Africa is both a privilege and a weighty calling. You are not only preaching the gospel - you are building communities, addressing poverty, navigating cultural complexities, and responding to urgent human needs. The needs are endless.

The expectations are high. The pressures are real. In such a context, it is easy to become like Martha - constantly doing, solving, and responding, yet slowly becoming spiritually drained. Martha was doing important work serving Jesus Himself.

Yet Jesus gently corrects her, not because her service was wrong, but because her inner life was not sustaining her outer life.

Many church planters live in this tension. Your ministry responsibilities are real:

• Planting and growing a church

• Discipling new believers

• Addressing social and economic challenges

• Managing expectations from communities and partners. In many African contexts, leadership is often measured by activity, visibility, and results.

People expect you to be everywhere, to solve everything, and to carry everyone.

But Mary shows us the better way. She sits at the feet of Jesus. She listens. She receives. And from that place of being, everything else finds its proper place. So, here is the truth you must not miss:

Doing for Jesus must always flow out of your being with Jesus.

When this order is reversed - when doing comes before being, ministry becomes heavy, joy fades, and exhaustion takes over.

Your greatest gift to the church you are planting is your presence rooted in Christ.

If you are not deeply connected to Jesus:

• Your leadership will be driven by pressure,

• Your decisions will be shaped by urgency instead of discernment

• Your relationships will carry the weight of your exhaustion

But when your being with Jesus is strong:

• Your doing becomes fruitful, not forced

• Your leadership becomes life-giving, not draining

Remember: You cannot pour out what you have not first received.

Jesus Himself lived this rhythm. Before beginning His public ministry, He spent years in hiddenness, being with the Father. During ministry, He regularly withdrew to pray (Luke 5:15–16). He did not meet every need but everything He did flowed from deep communion with the Father.

When He selected the Twelve to be his inner circle, he followed the same pattern, requiring that they be with him before doing active ministry for him: “He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (Mark 3:14–15,).

Being came before doing.

The apostles followed this same model. In Acts 6:2–4, despite overwhelming needs, they chose to prioritize prayer and the ministry of the Word. They understood something vital: If they lost their being with God, their doing for God would lose its power.

1. You cannot give what you do not possess.

2. What you do is important, but who you are is even more important.

3. The state you are in is the state you give to your church.

Encouragement

You are doing important Kingdom work. But never forget:

God is not first asking you to do things for Him. He is inviting you to be with Him. And from that place your doing will carry His life, His power, and His presence.

Lord Jesus,

Help me to remain rooted in You.

Teach me to be with You before I do anything for You.

Guard my heart from burnout and empty activity.

Fill me with Your presence so that my ministry flows from fullness.

Let my doing always flow out of my being with You.

Amen.

1. In what ways has your doing overtaken your being with Jesus?

2. Where are you serving from emptiness instead of fullness?

3. What practical step can you take this month to deepen your time with Jesus?

4. How can you ensure that your doing consistently flows out of your being with Christ?

Galatians 4:22–28 draws us into the striking contrast between two covenants—one born of human effort and bondage, the other of divine promise and freedom. For those laboring in the harvest fields of the nations, this distinction is not merely theological; it is deeply practical. Like Abraham, there is always a temptation to “help God along,” to rely on strategy, structure, and sheer endurance to produce spiritual fruit. Yet the child of promise was not born through human striving, but through God’s intervention. So too, the work of reaching the lost cannot ultimately be sustained or made fruitful by the strength of the flesh, but only by the Spirit who gives life.

We all know and have experienced the subtle pull back toward self-reliance—measuring effectiveness by visible outcomes, leaning on methods that once “worked,” or carrying burdens that were never yours to bear.  In his letter to the Galatians, Paul reminds us all that we are not children of the slave woman, bound to performance and results, but children of the free woman, born through promise. This identity reshapes how we engage the mission: not as laborers striving to earn God’s favor, but as sons and daughters walking in the freedom already secured in Christ. The Spirit leads where the law could only command, and He empowers what human effort could never accomplish.

This truth flows seamlessly into the call of Galatians 5, where freedom in Christ is not license, but life in the Spirit. “Walk by the Spirit,” Paul exhorts, “and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” In the context of Christian missions, this means resisting both the pride of success and the despair of apparent failure. It means cultivating sensitivity to the Spirit’s voice above all strategies and surrendering daily to His leading. The freedom we have in Christ is not freedom to strive harder, but freedom to trust deeper—to believe that the same God who fulfilled His promise to Abraham is still bringing forth children of promise among the nations, by His Spirit, through faith.

New Covenant Missions is witnessing firsthand a Spirit-led movement of God in the hardest to reach nations in the 10/40 window. We thank God for delivering on his promise to Abraham through the deep faith of our church planters and field workers who listen to the Spirit of God and pursue their calling fully dependent on God amidst trials and hardship. The amazing fruit of this ministry in 2025 is not possible by human effort alone! Over 884,500 people heard the gospel with 53,579 salvations and 2,728 churches were planted. Truly remarkable work by our God!

How is God calling you to walk in freedom through his promise to reach the nations for his glory? 

War is the ultimate conflict, large scale violence, mass destruction, taking of human life, etc.
War is evil – it is not glorious, and conquest is not a thing to be desired by a Christian.  However, it seems that war is inevitable – like disease – in this fallen world.

What should be our response to war, or our attitude toward waging wars?

Says, a Christian’s attitude toward war should come from the New Testament, and particularly Jesus’ teachings. Jesus blessed the peacemakers (Matt 5:9) and told the disciple who sought to defend him by force, “Put your sword back in its place … for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matt 26:52). In Luke 6:27–36, Jesus says we are to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate us.22 These teachings of Jesus are confirmed throughout the New Testament epistles. A pacifist interpretation of these and other texts leads to the conclusion that a Christian is precluded from military combat and certain offices within the government.[1]

No sane person, regardless of their position, wants war. But in our human world, it is often unavoidable. Ours is a fallen world, a world under Satan’s power. This means there will likely be wars no matter how hard we try to avoid them. History and common sense bear this out, and so does Scripture.
While we greatly value life, we believe there are religious and human values worth fighting for and even dying for, not least of which is protecting others and ourselves from genocide and from the enslaving regime of a totalitarian dictator.[2]

So, love for our neighbor is the only justification for violence – in circumstances where protecting the innocent can only be achieved by force.

Of course, this does not remove responsibility from nations or individuals to do what is possible to avoid armed conflict. 

Remember, followers of Christ are citizens of the Kingdom – and in His Kingdom, Christ has declared a new reality – living in God’s Kingdom now means we take on a spiritual dynamic every day.

Eph. 6 talks about the spiritual battle that Christians are called to fight.  In this realm, we are to “fit our feet with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

War is one of many expressions of the sinfulness of the human heart. Yet the citizens of God’s kingdom have been called and empowered to fight this sin by being peacemakers.

Peace with God
Peace with others (love your neighbor)
World Peace (actively, aggressively, assertively WAGE PEACE)

Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, who supervised the creation of the first atomic bomb, appeared before a Congressional Committee. They asked him if there was any defense against the bomb. “Certainly,” the great physicist replied. “And that is—” they asked.  Dr. Oppenheimer looked over the hushed, expectant audience and said softly: “Peace.”[3]

• age Peace whenever and wherever possible (not just comfortable…)

• Use force only when it meets the criteria of “loving neighbor,” i.e. defending the helpless and oppressed.

• Fight, only to restore peace – wage war justly. (Criteria: Just War Theory)

• When to go to the mat: 

  • Does the situation involve something that is contrary to our mission as a church?

  • Does the issue cause us to compromise our commitment to being and building faithful followers of Christ?

  • In one year will it make a difference in our church whether we dealt with this issue. [4]

The first 7 Beatitudes describe the character of the Christian.

Number 7 – Peacemakers – is the pinnacle of the ones that come before it.  A kingly characteristic, worthy of God’s kingdom.
 
The eighth and final Beatitude is the byproduct or outcome of living the characteristics of 1-7.  

1) Have you personally experienced the grace of God? Or are you spiritually dead? Are you distant from God? Or have you trusted Christ and received that eternal life that only He can give?

If you are not sure of your spiritual position, I urge you to turn to Christ by faith and trust Him.  Learn to fly by the instruments – trust God’s Word in your life.
 
When you are around, is there more or less harmony because you were there – are you a peacemaker?
 
2) If you are a true believer in Christ, are you helping others to trust Him? You have been raised from the dead—do you “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4)?  Do you share this Good News of eternal life with others?
 
Jesus Christ died to make reconciliation possible. You and I must live to make the message of reconciliation personal. 
 
God has “given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18). We are His ambassadors of peace (2 Cor. 5:20). Our feet should be shod “with the preparation of the Gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15).

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9).

A missionary was preaching in the village market, and some of the people were laughing at him because he was not a very handsome man. He took it for a time, and then he said to the crowd, “It is true that I do not have beautiful hair, for I am almost bald. Nor do I have beautiful teeth, for they are really not mine; they were made by the dentist. I do not have a beautiful face, nor can I afford to wear beautiful clothes. But this I know: I have beautiful feet!” And he quoted the verse from Isaiah: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace” (Isa. 52:7). 

[1]Feinberg, J. S. (1996, c1993). Ethics for a Brave new world (Page 351). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.

[2]Feinberg, J. S. (1996, c1993). Ethics for a Brave new world (Pages 381-382). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.

[3]Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Garland TX: Bible Communications.

[4]Preston, G. D. (1999). Character forged from conflict : Staying connected to God during controversy. The pastor's soul series (Pages 133-136). Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House.

1. Poverty of spirit. Opposite of proud in spirit. Those who have recognized their poverty in spiritual things and have allowed Christ to meet their need have become heirs of the kingdom of heaven. 4, 5. 

2. Mourn over sin (cf. Isa 61:3). A sense of anguish for sin characterizes the blessed man. But genuine repentance will bring comfort to the believer.(I Jn 1:9).

3. Meek/Humble/Gentle. Mentioned only by Matthew. An allusion to Ps 37:11. The source of this meekness is Christ (Mt 11:28, 29), who bestows it when men submit their wills to his. Inherit the earth. The earthly Messianic kingdom.

4. Because they have experienced poverty of spirit and mourning, and meekness, they will Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness.

5. And because they have been filled with love (by their hunger for righteousness) they will be Merciful.

6. The Pure in Heart, will have God’s vision and see God through love played out in the actions of the followers of Christ.

7. These qualities will enable us to be Peacemakers. As God is “the God of peace” (Heb 13:20) and Christ is “Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6), so peacemakers in the Kingdom will be recognized as partaking of God’s nature, and will be properly honored.(1)

 
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." -Matthew 5:9
 
"Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." -James 3:18
 
"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Romans 14:19
 
In the same Sermon on the Mount as vs. 9
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor a and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies b and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Matt. 5:43-47
 
Peace is a principal for God’s people.  Peace was a recurring message to the nation of Israel throughout the O.T.
 
"The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever." -Isaiah 32:17
 
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." -Luke 6:27,28

EIRENOPOIOS (ειρηνοποιός), an adjective signifying peace–making (eire ne, and poieo, to make [peace]), is used in Matt. 5:9, “peacemakers.”(2)
 
Peacemakers” (v. 9).
Christians should bring peace, between people and God and between those who are at odds with each other. We share the Gospel of peace.(3)
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." -Matthew 5:9
 
Sons of God – how to be a child of God
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12
 
Our position as children of God
"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. g And by him we cry, “Abba, h Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." -Romans 8:12-14

HUIOS - primarily signifies the relation of offspring to parent
John 9:19 (Jesus heals the blind man – Pharisees ask his parents, “Is this your son?)
Galatians 4:30. It is often used metaphorically of moral characteristics common to a certain family.
Romans 8:19 (“for the creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed” – notes a certain dignity of our relationship with God. 
 
“The Lord Jesus used huios in a very significant way, as in Matt. 5:9, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God,’ and vv. 44, 45,
‘Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be (become) sons of your Father which is in heaven.’ 
 
The disciples were to do these things, not in order that they might become children of God, but that, being children, they might demonstrate in their character, the family resemblance. 

Blessed are. . . Matthew 5:3-10.
To some, the Beatitudes seem merely mild and beautiful precepts for all unworldly and useless people, but of very little practical use in the stern workaday world in which we live. We soon find, however, that the Beatitudes contain the dynamite of the Holy Ghost. They explode, as it were, when the circumstances of our lives cause them to do so. When the Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance one of these Beatitudes we say—‘What a startling statement that is!’ and we have to decide whether we will accept the tremendous spiritual upheaval that will be produced in our circumstances if we obey His words. That is the way the Spirit of God works…The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations: it is a statement of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is getting His way with us.(4)

1. Pfeiffer, C. F. (1962). The Wycliffe Bible commentary : New Testament (Mt 5:3-10). Chicago: Moody Press.

2. Vine, W. (1981; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). Vine's Expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words. Old Tappan NJ: Revell.

3. Wiersbe, W. W. (1997, c1992). Wiersbe's expository outlines on the New Testament (Mt 5:1). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

4. Chambers, O. (1993, c1935). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year (July 25). Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.

As the year 2026 is upon us, we flip the page in our life story to the next chapter. A new year always feels like a fresh beginning—new hopes, new opportunities, new possibilities. For many that we shared the Gospel with in 2025, this new chapter is far more than a change of calendar dates. It is the beginning of a new life found in Christ.

What a powerful thought—that God allows us to be part of someone else’s new beginning.

Every person who received Christ last year has started a journey that will continue into eternity. Old things have passed away, and new life has begun. Just as we turn the page on a year, they have turned the page on their past and stepped into God’s grace.

But a new chapter also brings continued responsibility.

Those who are beginning their walk with Christ will need encouragement, guidance, and prayer. And for those of us who continue in ministry, the new year calls us to renewed commitment. We cannot rely on yesterday’s efforts or last year’s victories. Each season requires fresh dependence on God.

This is where prayer becomes essential.

Prayer is one of the most profound gifts God has given His people. It is both deeply personal and beautifully communal. Scripture shows us that prayer is not optional for a believer—it is the lifeline of our relationship with God and the engine of spiritual power in the church. We have the responsibility to lift up our defeats, our victories, our struggles, our passions, our heavy burdens, our deep passion for the lost, our encouragement to all believers, and our joys to our heaven Father. We do this individually, corporately, and together as brothers and sisters in Christ.

If we hope to see new believers grow, new hearts changed, and new doors opened in 2026, it starts as God’s people pray. As we pray for the wisdom and knowledge for those in place to disciple and lead, as we pray that God will open the hearts of the lost, and as we pray together for the encouragement and faith to carry the Gospel where ever God leads.

Jesus taught that apart from Him we can do nothing. Ministry plans, programs, and good intentions will never replace the power of a praying church. As we step into this new year, our greatest need is not better strategies but deeper dependence on the Lord.

A new year invites us to begin again—begin again in faith, in service, and especially in prayer.

Let this be the year we pray more faithfully for those who have found new life in Christ. Let it be the year we ask God for boldness to share the Gospel with others who still need a new beginning. And let it be the year we trust God to write stories only He can write.

As the page turns, may our hearts be ready for whatever God wants to do next.