I remember, as if it were yesterday, 20 years ago traveling up to First Baptist Church in New Philadelphia, Ohio to visit some men of God that helped me learn how to mentor the people of God. Mark Trotter and Frank Pardue (God rest his soul) were the pastors at the time and were very gracious to spend time teaching young ministers how to "pour into" others. Since that time I have made it a life long mission to learn the best practices of mentoring Christians for the cause of Christ. Kim and I have been taking tons of physiological profiles this week as we get ready for our Church Planting Assessment and I am finding that searching out best practices is right in my wheelhouse.
When it comes to building people for the kingdom of God there are three major components that I have found that must be present. If one of these is missing, you will have a shallow result that does not reproduce itself, and let's face it, discipleship is all about multiplication. Over the next few posts, I will discuss all three of the aspects needed.
The first key to a reproducing discipleship is "Intimacy with God." One of the biggest problems that I see in the church today is a shallow sense of intimacy at that moment of salvation. We spend a lot of time talking about forgiveness for sin and not the person that has been offended by that sin. God has always been drawing people "unto himself." For example, in the book of Deuteronomy God chose a people "unto himself" which in turn makes them holy. The proper definition of the word 'holy", is "to be set apart", not "to be righteous". The Children of Israel were by no means righteous before God but they were set apart by Him "unto himself." (Deuteronomy 14:2; 28:9; 29:13)
Not only was God concerned with a nation for himself but for a people of all nations, tribes, and tongues. In that famous passage of 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 we are told in vs. 19 that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." These are just a few scriptures on this matter, but I think the point is clear. God has sacrificed His Son so that he might have an intimate love relationship with His people.
So, how do we structure intimacy into our discipleship process. This is normally the place that you get the pat answers of read your Bible and pray more. And although I'm not in objection to that, I want to dive a little bit deeper. To build intimacy with the Lord one must walk with Him. Walking with God can only be done through faith. And there in lies the key. How does your discipleship process produce impossible circumstances where your disciples must walk by faith with God? Materials will not do that. Bible reading will not do that. Prayers won't do it alone. There must be situations and circumstances that demand faith. Faith will build a lasting and intimate relationship with the Lord that is real and personal. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him."
Help us change the face of Christianity by support Reliant Ministries (Click Here For Secure Giving)
When it comes to building people for the kingdom of God there are three major components that I have found that must be present. If one of these is missing, you will have a shallow result that does not reproduce itself, and let's face it, discipleship is all about multiplication. Over the next few posts, I will discuss all three of the aspects needed.
The first key to a reproducing discipleship is "Intimacy with God." One of the biggest problems that I see in the church today is a shallow sense of intimacy at that moment of salvation. We spend a lot of time talking about forgiveness for sin and not the person that has been offended by that sin. God has always been drawing people "unto himself." For example, in the book of Deuteronomy God chose a people "unto himself" which in turn makes them holy. The proper definition of the word 'holy", is "to be set apart", not "to be righteous". The Children of Israel were by no means righteous before God but they were set apart by Him "unto himself." (Deuteronomy 14:2; 28:9; 29:13)
Not only was God concerned with a nation for himself but for a people of all nations, tribes, and tongues. In that famous passage of 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 we are told in vs. 19 that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." These are just a few scriptures on this matter, but I think the point is clear. God has sacrificed His Son so that he might have an intimate love relationship with His people.
So, how do we structure intimacy into our discipleship process. This is normally the place that you get the pat answers of read your Bible and pray more. And although I'm not in objection to that, I want to dive a little bit deeper. To build intimacy with the Lord one must walk with Him. Walking with God can only be done through faith. And there in lies the key. How does your discipleship process produce impossible circumstances where your disciples must walk by faith with God? Materials will not do that. Bible reading will not do that. Prayers won't do it alone. There must be situations and circumstances that demand faith. Faith will build a lasting and intimate relationship with the Lord that is real and personal. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him."
Help us change the face of Christianity by support Reliant Ministries (Click Here For Secure Giving)
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