Defining Discipleship

I once heard a man say, “The moment you define discipleship, you lose it.” I get what he is saying. Discipleship can’t be placed in a formula or a “one-size-fits-all” solution anymore than a concept like parenting can be.

So, my goal is not to describe a step-by-step process of discipleship or to describe a “guaranteed method” of discipleship.

Instead, I want to take a moment to give a big-picture definition that encompasses the heart of Great Commission discipleship. I describe it as “Great Commission” discipleship for two reasons: 1) The Great Commission give a clear call from Christ to all believers to make disciples. 2) There are other kinds of discipleship –sports fans, medical interns, electrician apprentices, etc.

Although this is not a perfect definition, perhaps it will provide a healthy “big picture” perspective.

Great Commission discipleship is an intentional human relationship that helps someone learn to grow in Christ and learn to help others grow in Christ.

Let me point out a couple of key words/phrases:

“Intentional” –While it is true that discipleship happens without our awareness (have you ever said, “I sound just like my dad…”?), Jesus calls us to be intentional in the Great Commission. Intentionality causes us to focus on a direction for discipleship. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40).

Intentionality, however, does not necessarily imply using a workbook or structured program for discipleship. They can be good tools, however tools are only as effective as the people who use them.

More important, then, is the means by which discipleship happens –humans.

“Human Relationship” –For reasons known only to Him, God has chosen to entrust this ministry of discipleship to humans (2 Cor. 4:7). Of course we also understand that it is God who is doing the life-transformation in others. In this sense, we are tools in his hands as Christ is the chief disciple-maker.

Jesus gave us the greatest example of how relationships drive discipleship. He humbled himself by taking on flesh in order to make disciples. If Jesus determined that relationships were so important to discipleship that He would leave Heaven and take on flesh, certainly relationships should be important to us.

Interestingly, Jesus didn’t produce a “discipleship program.” The apostles didn’t fund their ministry by selling a book/dvd/workbook boxed edition set of Jesus’ teaching. Instead, Jesus simply left an example of a lifestyle built on relationships.

“Learn to Grow in Christ” –Notice the word “learn.” Instead of saying, “grow in Christ,” the goal of discipleship is to help the disciple learn how to learn on their own. In fact, the word disciple itself simply means “learner.” In other words, the goal of discipleship is not to create a master of the faith (as if that is possible), but instead to create a dependent learner upon Christ. This demands intentionality. It means you aren’t always feeding them knowledge as much as exemplifying and imparting skills and desires for growth. In this way, the disciple-maker can set a reasonable goal to “release” the disciple after he/she has gained a few skills and can grow on their own.

“Learn to help others grow in Christ.” –Having a reasonable goal to release the disciple also means intentionally teaching them to disciple others. This is how disciples multiply. However, this may be the one element that most discipleship relationships lack.

Recently, I have spent time interviewing folks about their discipleship experiences. It has been interesting to see the tears flow as people recall the way certain relationships have touched their lives. If, then, discipleship makes such a powerful impact on humans, it only makes sense that those who have been touched deeply would want to touch others. I really think that all they need is a gentle nudge in the right direction –through (you guessed it) discipleship.

In my opinion, discipleship is happening more than we realize. The only problem is that its not Great Commission Discipleship. So what is the state of discipleship in the Church today?  I’ll get back to you on that J

The Greatness of God’s Faithfulness (3 of 4)

(These are excerpts from a recent sermon from Genesis 15.)

Part 3: “Tension in the Covenant”

After delivering the good news (see Part 1 here and Part 2 here), God gave him the bad news: “Abraham, by the way, this covenant of blood, the one you have literally committed your life to —you will not be faithful to me in it.”

     “As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, ‘Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here for the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’ ” (vs. 12-16)

God was telling Abraham, “We’re about to make a covenant and sign it with our blood; and, incidentally, you are not going to be faithful to me in this.”

Can’t you just feel the tension building in Abraham here? “Okay, God, this is great. You’ve given me the covenant — I’m going to have a son. I’m going to have many descendants,” he must have thought. “I’m going to have this land, and I’m going to seal this covenant with blood. There is only one problem — I’m not going to be able to keep up my end of the bargain, which means, if I seal it with my blood, it will cost me my life. What am I going to do? I can’t tell God ‘no’ to a covenant He proposed.”

It would almost be like if Bill Gates came to you or me and said, “I want to make you an incredible offer. I want to give you all of Microsoft — all of our holdings, all of our money, all of our copyrights and patents, all of our buildings and campuses, all of our corporate jets — everything! I want you to have it.” That’s a great deal, right?

But then he adds, “There is just one tiny condition. You see, I have spent my life trying to rid the world of disease, so I’m very interested in eliminating germs from the campus of Microsoft. So you can have everything, as long as you promise that you will never sneeze in my buildings.”

That’s impossible! It’s a great offer, but I can’t live up to it.

Abraham had a great offer on the table, but he couldn’t live up to it. What in the world could he do?

 

(continued in part 4. Check out Part 1 here and Part 2 here.)

Think Twice About Saving the Planet

My son, Bryce, and I recently visited Disney World for vacation. We had a blast –even in the midst of the blazing Florida heat. In classical Disney style, every aspect of the experience was carefully planned and produced –including the message.

What message am I talking about? If you’ve visited Disney recently, it is hard to miss. I’ll sum it up in three words: “Save the Planet.” This theme seemed to be woven into every attraction’s story line, every show’s dialogue, and every sign’s content.

Before you read further, let me be clear: My goal here is not to debate the legitimacy of environmental studies, global warming research, or policies. I’m not a scientist nor politician.

What bothers me about the message, “Save the Planet,” is found in the first word: save. In and of itself, it may not be a bad idea. However, the implications could be dangerous. Let me explain.

The “Save the Planet” mantra takes various forms. We are called to save endangered animals, habitats, rainforests, swamplands, fossil fuels, and water. That’s a lot to save. At one point during our Disney trip, one of the cast members asked my son directly, “can you imagine what would happen if we didn’t save this animal from extinction?” As an animal lover, I could empathize with the question. But still, I wanted to retort, “would it really be that bad? Would it really be the end of the world?”

And that’s when it clicked in my mind. All of the “save the ______” messages imply that if humans don’t act, it will be the end of the world. Funny how you never hear anyone say, “Let’s pray that God will preserve the polar bears.” The “save the _____” message makes out mankind as the ultimate savior of all things. And if we keep repeating the message long enough, we all start to believe it. That, my friends, is blasphemy.

Have we forgotten that we are stewards and not saviors? There is only one savior who is sovereign over all creation. He has given us a responsibility to steward his creation (which we must take seriously), while submitting to His authority (which we must take even more seriously).

We must quit making man out to be God. After all, our 70-year life span seems rather small compared to the thousands of years the earth has been around. Really, who are we to be saviors?

The more we assume God’s role of savior, the more our morality corrodes. But that shouldn’t surprise us, should it? If sinners are gods, we are all in trouble. Is it any wonder that today you hear far more about saving the planet than saving unborn babies? Does it bother you that we have become obsessed with saving rainforests rather than Christ saving souls?

Don’t get me wrong. We do have a responsibility to steward creation with great care. So please don’t litter, waste, etc. But more importantly, don’t try to be a savior. Acknowledge and submit to God’s role as savior, and our role as steward. True hope lies not in saving this creation, but in being saved by the Creator!

Come Clean

From my reading chair, I could hear the sound of my son, Bryce, running his bath water. After reading a few pages of a book, I realized that I could no longer hear any water running. For that matter, I couldn’t hear anything. It was strangely quiet –too quiet.

I waited another minute or two and then I heard another sound. It was water draining from the tub. I knew Bryce was up to something.

I walked down the hallway to the bathroom and peaked in the doorway to find my son standing there without a stitch of clothing on his body. Moreover, he was completely dry -except for his hair!

“Bryce, what’s going on here?”

“Um, the water was too hot so I’m draining some out to cool it off.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“So, you’re saying you haven’t taken a bath, but you are still planning to get in the tub?”
“Right dad.”

“Then why is your hair wet?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“No idea.”

I had caught trapped him in his own lie and he had no idea how to fix it. I decided to give him an opportunity to come clean (pun intended).

“Bryce, were you trying to trick me into thinking you took a bath when you really didn’t?”

“No sir.”

I decided to take the “stare your child down until they confess” approach. After about three minutes of a silent stare-off, I realized my son might be more stubborn than I am. In fact, I had to leave the room so I could laugh without him seeing me.

Eventually he confessed to the crime, but only after a long conversation. I explained to him that while his lie hurt my feelings, his refusal to confess hurt even more.

I thought about that after he went to bed. Why was his refusal to confess the more hurtful offense? Because it communicated that my son did not feel safe enough with me to lean on my mercy. He would rather continue trusting in an unsustainable lie that to trust in the security of my love.

That sounds a lot like the way I act before God sometimes. In the moments when I feel most vulnerable, I often neglect my greatest source of comfort by misrepresenting the truth:

  • When I am worried that I will never find another wife, I ignore my great provider and act as though I am self-sufficient.
  • When I struggle to keep up as a single parent, I disguise myself before God as someone who has it “all together.”
  • When the pressures of my work leave my heart in turmoil, I bottle up my emotions and portray calmness and peace.

Like Adam and Eve, I am naked and ashamed before God, yet I still try to hide. All the while, God is willing and able to cover me with His love. What does that say about my trust in God’s mercy and grace?

That night, before he went to bed, I had a talk with my son. I explained that he could always share his mistakes, failures, hurts, and feelings with me. But then, I took it one step further –I asked him to share them with me.

In the same way, God is not only available to hear our confession, but He asks us to share our burdens with him. There is safety and security in trusting our Heavenly Father with all our struggles, deficiencies, weaknesses, and failures.

“Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22)

Why Consistency Matters

Genesis 19 is one of the grimmest passages of the Bible. Abraham’s Nephew Lot, a citizen of Sodom, opens his home to two visiting angels (v. 1-3). Next, men of Sodom surround Lot’s house and demand the visitors be handed over that they may have their way with them (v. 4-5). Lot refuses the demand, but disturbingly offers his betrothed daughters as a compromise (v. 6-11). In this act, Lot condemns the wicked intentions of the Sodomite men (v. 7), but at the same time offers them an equally wicked alternative.

The Sodomite men were not satisfied with the offer. In response, they lashed out against Lot saying that he “came to sojourn and has become the judge! (v. 9). Then, they began attacking the house and attempting to reach inside (v. 10-11).

Finally, the two angels instructed Lot to take his daughters and sons-in-law out of the city warning that God had sent them to destroy Sodom (v. 12-13).

Then, something strange happens. Lot warns his sons-in-law of the coming judgment, but the Bible says his sons-in-law didn’t take him seriously (v. 14). Why?

Could it be that Lot’s inconsistent stance on sin in the past diminished his moral authority among his family? How could his son’s-in-law take him seriously when they saw him offer their fiancé’s to the wicked men of Sodom? Sure, Lot had stood up for the angels of God, but why didn’t he stand up for the family that God had given him? While I can’t be too sure that this was the reason for his sons-in-law to scoff at his warning, it certainly makes sense.

Before we are too quick to condemn Lot, we should examine our own lives. How many of us have denounced same-sex marriage while overlooking no-fault divorce? Have we been guilty of denouncing abortion under the banner of “sanctity of life” while at the same time ignoring the brutal conditions of refugee camps? How many of our families proudly petition against violence while welcoming it on their television screens each evening?

Have our churches become political machines in which we pick and choose which issues are in vogue to condemn while simultaneously determining which sins are socially acceptable? What about pastors who avoid talking about certain sins because they may create awkwardness among the congregation? And, what about those of us who have sacrificed our families on the altar of ministry?

To be clear, we should speak out against same-sex marriage, abortion, inhumane treatment of refugees, violence, and other atrocities. However, if our lives are not consistent in our desire for righteousness, our warnings of coming judgment will not be taken seriously. Like Lot’s sons-in-law, our friends, families, and co-workers will think that we are “jesting” (v. 14).

The problem lies in the fact that none of us are perfectly consistent. The indwelling sin in our lives distorts our perspective and tempts us to conform to the world. However, the good news is that grace is abundant.

Verses 15-16 of Genesis 19 state, “As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.”

Even in the midst of Lot’s imperfections and inconsistencies, God still rescues his family. I love how verse 16 intentionally points out that “the Lord [was] being merciful to him.” Oh, that is the good news, isn’t it? -That God is merciful to rescue sinners! How wonderful to see in this episode a foreshadowing of Christ’s dying for us even while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).

And still, even though God was merciful and rescued Lot and his family, this did not meant that Lot was to continue his pattern of inconsistency before God. Rather, in the very next verse (17), the angels proclaim instructions for Lot’s escape that must be carried out completely lest he and his family perish. “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley.” After pleading to go to a certain city, rather than the mountains (v. 20-21), the angels agree to grant protection –as long as they did not look back. Of course, you know the rest of the story, the whole family was spared except for Lot’s wife, who looked back and became a pillar of salt (v. 26).

Who is to say whether or not Lot’s past inconsistencies had anything to do with his wife’s neglect to obey completely? Every person is responsible for their own actions, and yet we are all responsible for how our actions affect others.

Which brings us to the question, how consistent is your obedience to Christ? It’s a hard question that requires sober thinking. No matter how many times you have given into the world’s pressure to conform, be encouraged, there is grace for our failures. But God’s grace does more than forgive our past. If grace only deals with the past, where is our hope for tomorrow? Instead, God gives grace for our future –grace to obey!

Right now, think of all the people in your circle of influence. Like Lot, we all family and friends who are affected by our actions. Will you ask God to help you live a consistent life before Him in order that your impact on others will influence them to do the same?

  • Parents, call upon the Lord to help you live consistently before your children.
  • Husbands and wives, plead with God to draw you to a consistent lifestyle before one another.
  • Businessmen and women, ask for God to give you a consistent testimony toward your unbelieving co-worker.
  • Students, pray that your consistency before God will point your campus toward Christ.
  • Pastors, plead with God to help you make your life consistent with your sermons.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

My parents recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. I am so thankful for the testimony of their love for one another, for Christ, and for me.

My dad spent years in pastoral ministry before serving in leadership at Central Baptist College. God has blessed him with a pastor’s heart and a businessman’s mind. I am so proud of the faithful work he has done, and continues to do for God’s Kingdom. Although he has retired, he has not stopped laboring for Christ!

Even more important than his career and ministry, however, is his godly character. I cannot remember one time my dad has lied to me –ever. He is a man of his word. More than that, I can only remember a handful of times he raised his voice toward me (I totally deserved more than that). He keeps his cool and reminds me of the patient love of God.

My mom taught elementary school for years before becoming a school counselor. She always cared for all the children –whether their parents were affluent or poor, healthy or dysfunctional, involved or absent. It is not uncommon for me to meet someone around our hometown, and upon mentioning my last name, they say, “Your mom was my kindergarten teacher –she was the best teacher I ever had!” Needless to say, my heart is overwhelmingly thankful when I hear such words.

Mom retired several years ago, but like dad, she has not stopped working. Every day, mom and dad care for my son, Bryce, while I am at work or away traveling.

The way my mom and dad love each other and serve one another in their home is a picture of Christ’s love for the church. They faithfully exhibit what Paul had in mind in Ephesians 5:22-33:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

I am so thankful for my parents. Growing up, I remember the many times they wouldn’t let me participate in certain activities. I would often say, “But my friends are going. Their parents don’t care.” Little did I realize the accuracy of my words. It was true –many other parents didn’t care. But my parents did care! They cared about Jesus, they cared about his Kingdom, and they cared about me. I can’t imagine where I would be without parents who cared.

Later in life, after losing my wife, my parents once again showed their care toward my son and me. They sold their house and moved three hours away to care for us. Never in my life had I imagined that I would be living in the same house again with my parents. But I wouldn’t trade those three years of living under the same roof for anything! Today, although we live in separate houses, our family is strong and united. Thank you God for my wonderful, loving parents who love you more than anything and continue to set an example for my son and me.

Happy 45th anniversary mom and dad!

The Greatness of God’s Faithfulness (2 of 4)

(These are excerpts from a recent sermon from Genesis 15.)

Part 2: “The Covenant With Abraham”

In Genesis 15, Abraham had already been given a pretty lengthy covenant by God. Part of the covenant was the fact that God had promised Abraham that He would make him into a great nation, which entailed Abraham having children and that had, up to this point, seemed virtually impossible.

Abraham had already reaped a lot of the benefits promised in that covenant — he was wealthy and had some major military victories, including one when he saved his nephew, Lot, from crazy warlord kings.

Most people would think Abraham was a success, a hero; but he found himself in one of those deep, dark places where he was looking for a sign.

So, with that covenant in the background, Abraham came to God and asked, “What about this son I’m supposed to have? You’ve done all of these other things for me, but what about the son?” Abraham was trying to reason with God and to logically figure it out, which we all tend to do. “I know, God,” he said, “the son you’re talking about is my servant, Eliezer, right?”

That proclamation brings us to Gen. 15:4, where God said: “ ‘…This man (Eliezer) shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.’ And he brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ ” (ESV)

The covenant: you will have a son.

The sign: look at the stars of the sky. You’re not just going to have a son; you’re going to have a huge family that is innumerable, like the stars in the sky.

Then God promised even more to Abraham. “And he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess,’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ ” (v. 7)

God said, “Look, Abraham, I’m still not finished. Not only am I going to give you a son and many descendants like the stars in the sky. I’m also going to give you this huge, vast land that I have been promising.”

Abraham was wrestling with his faith at that point. He wanted to believe, but he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” (v. 8) We could translate that into “God, can you just give me a sign that it’s really going to happen?”

So God said, “Here’s the sign.” “He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ And he brought him all these, cut them in half and laid each half over against the other: But he did not cut the birds in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.” (v. 9)

The covenant: I am going to give you a son and I’m going to give you the land.

The sign: this time, it is blood.

God said, “Bring all of these animals, cut them in half and lay the sides apart so we can have a way of sealing this covenant with the sign of blood.”

Abraham probably wouldn’t have thought much about this, because that was a common way people would do business. It was called “cutting a covenant. The idea  of that word, “covenant,” in the original language is “cut.” They would cut the animals in two, and both parties would walk between the animal halves, symbolically saying, “If I don’t keep my end of this bargain (covenant, agreement) then, just as it has been for these animals, so shall it be for me.” In other words, they’re saying, “If I don’t keep my end of the agreement, then let me die.” They’re sealing it and signing it with their blood.

While that may seem ancient and barbaric to us, I’m sure everyone in this room has done the very same thing, and you’ve even let your kids make this type of covenant. Does this sound familiar? — “Cross my heart, hope to die.” Where do you think that comes from? It’s the idea that we mean business, that we are sealing it with our very life. We’re guaranteeing it with our blood.

 

(continued in part 3. Check out Part 1 here.)

Why Conflict Between Believers Betrays Christ

Two different groups of my friends are engaged in conflict. They both have legitimate complaints against the other. Nobody is innocent and yet nobody is completely to blame. In other words, the complaints against one another are not really the issue. In fact, the complaints could be easily resolved. Instead, however, the two parties have allowed the issue to get personal.

Personality conflicts are difficult to resolve because they require personal repentance and forgiveness. However, when two parties overcome their differences and demonstrate brotherly love, Christ gets the glory and all those surrounding the parties receive a blessing. That’s the message of Psalm 133:

Behold, how good and pleasant it is

    when brothers dwell in unity!

It is like the precious oil on the head,

    running down on the beard,

on the beard of Aaron,

    running down on the collar of his robes!

It is like the dew of Hermon,

    which falls on the mountains of Zion!

For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,

    life forevermore.

In this Psalm, David points out the blessing of brotherly love and unity. He says it is like the anointing oil that Aaron, the High Priest, would have poured on his head. The oil was to set aside Aaron as the consecrated official who would represent the Children of Israel before God. The oil had a wonderful fragrance that would grow as it flowed down Aaron’s head, onto his beard, and finally to his robes.

David’s word picture suggests that when brothers are unified, there is something special that flows from their relationship just as the oil flowed to Aaron’s robe. Others who surround the unified brothers are blessed by the sweet fragrance of their relationship.

Like dew on the mountains of Zion, it creates a pleasing environment of blessing.

It is impossible to read this Psalm without commenting on the profound implication of and allusion to Christ’s love.

Christ, the “anointed one,” is the Great High Priest whose sacrifice sets the standard for love, provides the infinite supply of love for sinners, and makes available the resource of love for His people to “love one another, just as [He has] loved you” (John 13:34).

Here are the takeaways for my friends in conflict:

  • Christ displayed His love for you by dying in your place for your sin (Rom. 5:8).
  • Christ commands you to love one another (John 13:34).
  • Your love for one another, despite differences in personality, will be a blessing to all around you (Psalm 133:2).
  • Your love for one another will require Christ’s strength, not your own.
  • “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen“ (I John 4:20).
  • Your love for one another should be an eternal blessing –both in the present, and future. “For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore” (Psalm 133:3).

The Greatness of God’s Faithfulness (1 of 4)

(These are excerpts from a recent sermon from Genesis 15)

 

A little over four years ago, I lost my wife in a car accident. The years since then have been very difficult, and the most difficult thing of all is that my son, Bryce, who was only about three months old when she died, has no memory of his mom.

She was an incredible mother. For those three months, it was wonderful just to watch her hold him. She was a natural in the way she took care of him, and it hurts my heart that he has no memory of her whatsoever.

I have no problem telling you that I have struggled with depression. Trying to cope with the fact that I’m a single dad is difficult. I feel a responsibility to try to give my son things my wife would’ve given him that I honestly just don’t know how to give. It really is tough and, to be honest with you, at times I find myself feeling lost. I find myself wondering who I really am. Am I even in the right place? Is this really what was supposed to happen in my life? Is this where I’m supposed to be? Am I even supposed to be in ministry any more? As all those natural questions come to mind, and as I ponder them, there are times that I get deeply depressed.

At those times I find myself just naturally wanting to ask God to give me some sort of sign. I think you probably know what I mean. There’s that feeling that you want God to do something just to give you some affirmation and confirmation that you’re in the right place and that everything is going to be fine.

I was in one of those really low spots a couple of years ago, and I was driving in town with my son in his car seat in the back. As we were driving along, I was desperate for God to give me some kind of sign. We were stopped at a stop light when, from the back seat, I heard, “Dad, I had a dream last night that I went to Heaven.” Well, of course that grabbed my attention, and I said, “Bryce, tell me about your dream. What was it like? What did you do?”

He said, “Well, I met Jesus. I sat in His lap, and He gave me candy. Dad, He’s a really nice guy.” I said, “I’ll bet He is!”

Then he said, “Dad, He sang me a song.”

Of course, there I was — at a low point and looking for a sign — so I couldn’t help but ask, “Bryce, what did He sing to you?

As I looked into his big eyes (his Mom’s eyes) in the rear view mirror, he looked back at me and began singing, “She’ll be comin’ ‘round the mountain when she comes!”

That was not quite the sign I had been looking for!

 

He Gives Signs

But I’m sure you can relate. It’s just natural to look for signs, right? I think God wired us to be the kind of people who look for them because, all through His Word, He gives signs. But He doesn’t just give signs randomly. They are always accompanied by covenants. For example:

• Eden — Back in the Garden of Eden, there was a really basic covenant — obey me or “dying, you shall surely die.” And the sign was the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was a visual to help them remember the covenant.

• Cain — After Cain sinned and killed his brother, Abel, God made a covenant with Cain because he was worried that somebody was going to try to inflict retribution on him. So God said, “Cain, I’m going to take care of you. I will curse anyone who tries to curse you.” Then He gave him a sign for that covenant by putting a mark on Cain — there was a covenant and there was a sign.

• Noah — Noah was given a very obvious sign. In the Noahic Covenant, God promised Noah, “I’ll never flood the earth like this again.” Then He gave him a rainbow in the sky to remind him of the covenant. Even today, every time we see a rainbow, we remember that covenant.

 

(continued in part 2)

Are You Hitting the Target?

Like a target, goals give any endeavor direction and meaning. So what kind of goals should a disciple-maker have? While this isn’t an exhaustive list, its a great starting point.

Goal 1) For my disciple to become Christ-like.  To be Christ-like, a disciple must obey Christ’s teaching as summed up in the Great Commandment and Great Commission.  That’s what the disciples will study and practice.

Goal 2) For my disciple to become a Spirit-led self feeder.  We want disciples who have learned to depend upon the Holy Spirit to learn from God’s Word.  In order to see this goal accomplished, we will train disciples to use a simple Bible study and prayer method as we study passages of scripture together.

Goal 3) For my disciple to become a fruitful multiplier. We must bear fruit and multiply through discipleship to fill the earth with worshipers.  Disciples must understand both the content of the Great Commission, but also the strategy:  Make disciples of all nations who love God, love others and make disciples of all nations who love God, love others and make disciples of all nations who love God, love others….