I completely agree with Rick Wood in his statement regarding preachers. “Pastors should not be largely ‘preachers of sermons’ but equippers of willing believers. Pastors should not just teach people what to believe but facilitate the discovery of truth by each member.” (Mission Frontiers, Jan-Feb 2017, page 5). This statement follows very closely Paul’s model. As we have seen already, Paul and Barnabas went from place to place preaching in synagogues or wherever they could get an audience and “make many disciples” (Acts 14:21). This point may seem redundant in my blogs, but I observe that there is a stark contrast between this model in the Early Church and the general emphasis today. As I have said before, one of the problems the church today suffers from is the effects of industrialization. From that era we learned to specialize in only one function which narrowed our ability to see how all tasks are interdependent. Most of our Bible Colleges and Seminaries have followed this pattern by offering degrees in a specialized field of ministry. This strays from Paul’s model of “declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). It is true that Acts 6 delegates certain tasks in the church to “deacons” so apostles (messengers of the gospel) can focus on the primary function of preaching and making disciples (6:1-7). This kind of diversity of gifts in the body of Christ promotes both internal growth and maturity while the spreading of the gospel continues. The principles we see in chapter 14 are that “preaching” draws persons through salvation into the church so they can be mentored or “discipled” so they can repeat the process with others. We need to challenge ourselves, our pastors and our churches to implement this biblical, twofold approach to reach the unreached with the gospel. The task cannot be accomplished by simple preaching or giving congregations ‘biblical information’. Discipling under the direction of the Holy Spirit produces transformation, obedience and submission to the divine plan. There is a “maturity” component to this process which we will discuss tomorrow.
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I want to continue with the story from John 1. While this passage is not directly related to disciple making, it has in it the embryo of this principle. Though John the Baptist made disciples in his ministry, he intentionally released them to become greater disciples by following Jesus. I have often said to those I mentor and work with, “I want you to become better and more effective in ministry than I am”. That was the principle that John and Paul modeled. In John 1:40-42, one of John’s two disciples who saw Jesus and followed Him was Andrew. In the very short time that he was in the presence of Jesus, he saw something that was so attractive and compelling, that Andrew “first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus.” Notice these points about this process:
We know from the Gospels and the Book of Acts that Peter became a powerful servant in God’s hand under the control of the Spirit. In a sense, Peter became more effective than his brother Andrew. Are you willing to be an influence in someone else’s life so they are discipled into a closer, fruitful walk with the Lord? One of the earliest examples in the New Testament, of disciples making other disciples, came from the influence on John the Baptist. His ministry of preaching repentance had developed a few disciples who stayed with John, though his message was not well received by the Jewish leaders. On one occasion, “John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus” (John 1:35–37). We can only imagine the training John put into these two men that caused them to immediately leave John, their teacher, and follow Jesus. There was no jealousy with John (see also 4:1-2). His ministry was driven by the knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah and must be followed because of what the prophets told of him. Even when these two were challenged by Jesus, “What are you seeking?” they did not hesitate to request going with Him to the place where He was staying. “He said to them, “Come and you will see”” (1:38-39). I believe without a shadow of a doubt that the first responsibility of a disciple-maker is developing in disciples a passionate desire to walk close with the Lord. This is the core ingredient of a disciple. Without this there will be little gained in the discipling process. The presence of Christ and His glory, transforms by the power of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Are you discipling, and is this essential element first in your training? Let’s begin to answer this question by looking first at Paul and his example. He is stoned at Lystra and they “dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead” (Acts 14:19). After “the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and entered the city” (14:20). Notice carefully that in just four months, devoted disciples were made in this place. The degree of their commitment is seen in how they treated Paul. They were committed to the message and the messenger. Wouldn’t Paul need a couple weeks at the beach to recover from stoning? NOT AT ALL! “The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe, (about 50 miles). When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra” (14:21). THE WORK MUST GO ON! It wasn’t just any work, because Paul established a pattern that followed Jesus’ example which was effective in every place. Preaching the gospel and making disciples are two functions that go hand in hand! What Paul and Barnabas did in Derbe also took only four months. Rick Wood comments, “Every professed Jesus follower who is willing should be equipped, trained and apprenticed for the work of ministry as a disciple-maker and church planter” (page 5). Our Western practice has dragged out training over 2, 4 or even 6 years. It can be done in four months! Tomorrow I will discuss how this method is then passed on to others just as rapidly. I was reading an article by Rick Wood, Editor of Mission Frontiers, Jan-Feb 2017, where he comments that one of the reasons we are not reaching unreached people groups from our “Western culture” is because “in general, we are not equipping disciples to make more disciples generation after generation” (page 4). He is more accurate about this than most are prepared to admit.
Going back to Jesus’ “Great Commission”, His first instruction was to “make disciples of all nations (ethnos or people groups)”. My mind travels back to yesteryear when I was involved in a few evangelistic crusades. It is largely true of these crusades today. Persons accept the message of the gospel, but the disciple-making component is missing. Contrary to the thinking of some, you do not need a building or money to make disciples. All you need is time and a commitment to the Word of God. Rich Wood goes on to say, “Disciple making must come first as our highest priority. Healthy disciples will go on to form healthy churches” (page 5). It is interesting that Jesus did not instruct His disciples to ‘go plant churches’. I believe that the work of the Spirit in a true disciple will cause them to automatically gravitate toward the collective function of the church. There is a divine multiplication that happens when we do God’s work God’s way. Paul gave this formula to Timothy; “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2). The formula works! Teachable disciples are “faithful” and will be equipped “to teach others also.” Why is it so important that we approach every aspect of our ministries from a biblical perspective? Called to be “the Light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) and proclaiming the gospel message (Romans 15:20) requires this. If we try to ‘package’ our light or deliver our message in a ‘foreign container’, we will distort the light and misrepresent the Author of the message. It is vital to remember how Paul spoke of the gospel; “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11–12). This makes it imperative to present the gospel as it has been revealed without adding to or subtracting from it. This imperative poses a challenge for our “western minds”. Ralph Winter said, “Most of those yet to follow Christ will not fit readily into the kinds of churches we now have.” Why is this true? We have placed more emphasis on the ‘package’ than the essential purpose and contents of the message. Our role as the church is to present truth and principles of the gospel which always remain the same and should not be changed in our practice, preaching or planting. What will change is how they are implemented in each people group that is reached with the gospel. “Just wanted you to know that a dear brother in northeast India is using the manual with these 23 church planters, but the progress is slow. Lord-willing, we will finish chapter 3 Friday, February 10th. They work hard and well together. A few things that encourage me about this group are: (1) They are all mostly self-sustaining. They all have plots of land which they farm for their own sustenance and for selling in the marketplace. They live what Paul commanded in 1 Thess. 4:10-12, “We urge you brothers…to aspire…to work with your own hands…and depend on no one.” I praise God for these who courageously live out their faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. (2) They are indigenous leaders. By this I mean, their methods of ministry and worship are truly ‘of the people’. Yesterday, they sang some tribal songs that they had written. It was sweet to the ear and pleasing to the soul. I encouraged them to continue on living out the faith in the culture of the people. It was truly an amazing time of worship. (3) They seriously study the Scriptures. While they take longer and need encouragement to grow in the new method taught through God’s Plan for His Church, they work hard at finding God's principles in the word. “S” is working through the new edition as well. I think he has received fresh encouragement in this, and he is sharing his observations with them as well.” Randy Now, our responsibility is to pray that these disciples will finish strong. God is working and God will finish what He starts! “Whenever God begins something, we have the assurance that He will finish it. Nothing will stand in the way of Him accomplishing His purpose in this world and in our lives. What God starts, He finishes, and nobody can hinder Him. Sure, delays will happen. Just remember, God is in charge of the delays as well as the progress.” – A. W. Tozer When David was being hunted by Saul, he composed these wonderful words, “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me” (Psalm 57:2) and “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands” (Psalm 138:8). Paul reminds us, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Many times we have reminded ourselves in doing the Lord’s work that we may never see the final result of our labors. We are at perfect peace with knowing our work is in God’s hands, and His purpose in this work will be fulfilled! We misdirect our focus when we attempt to measure results by outward appearances only. It is far better to stand on the promises of God and entrust the final product to Him. “No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.” By: Leonard Ravenhill Ravenhill was brought up in a home where prayer was a common event. It began with his mother who prayed at his birth, “Lord, make this boy a preacher or don’t let him live.” That is a bold prayer, but one that brought many answers. He was surrounded by people who prayed. “They prayed with tears, they prayed with brokenness. They prayed for a lost world, then they began to pray for the nations I knew little about.” Toward the end of his life, there were seminary students who wanted Ravenhill to pass on his “mantle” to them. In response to their request he said, “Everyone wants to have my mantle, but nobody wants my sackcloth and ashes.” I am afraid that the same attitude exists today. Many want the position those who have gone before had, but we are unwilling to walk in the same sandals with the same heart and commitment. Leonard Ravenhill, Why Revival Tarries, Bethany House, 1987, page 7. It did not matter where Paul was, he had ears tuned to God’s work wherever it was progressing. Even while he was in prison, Paul heard what God was doing in Colossae. “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9). I can’t think of anything that brings more joy to my heart than hearing how God is expanding His work through God’s Plan for His Church. God is igniting new fires of passion for His Word and principles that will advance the gospel and strengthen the church to fulfill its call. The following comment came to us from Ecuador which has been a great encouragement: “Thank God for everything He is doing all around the world with this beautiful material. We have the privilege and the responsibility of being the first country and the first church of the Hispanic speaking world to have adopted this material, one hundred percent, to revitalize the church and plant new churches.” News like this brings great joy to our hearts, and we trust it will to yours. |
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