....Each week I get to see the lights of understanding flicker in their eyes. We take it slow… no hurry. Answering questions I have answered a hundred times before. Anticipating questions that they haven’t even thought to ask yet, but will. Somehow, it never gets old. ....It is my privilege to once again lead a group of newer believers through the basics of discipleship—what it means to follow Jesus. ....There is no substitute for this investment of time. I get to explain God’s love, forgiveness of sin, His mercy and grace, the finished work, the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, the reality of the new creation man, the anointing, the reality of Christ in them and them in him. I am blessed to introduce them to the amazing, paradoxical Kingdom of God where down is up, lesser is greater, giving is keeping, losing is finding and dying is living! ....This is where it starts. I think back over the years and remember others who sat in this circle. Today some of them are missionaries, pastors, teachers, elders, deacons, prophets, apostles, evangelists and leaders of their homes and communities. Most are still serving in the Kingdom in some capacity. I remember teaching them these most basic elements of prayer, devotion to the Lord, worship, approaches to the Word of God and Christian disciplines. ....Now, with this new group, part of the fun is imagining what these fresh followers will achieve for our Lord as they come into Christian maturity. What armies will they lead? What evils and injustices will they vanquish? What services with eternal rewards will they faithfully perform? ....Today, they are faltering, unstable, unsure of themselves… They are vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks and the condemnation that he piles on them after they succumb. ....Yet the eye of faith pictures them differently! They are mountain-movers, ministry starters, church planters, miracle workers, orphanage builders, community evangelizers and seekers of the lost. Some of them will eclipse whatever I may be able to accomplish for Jesus Christ by the end of my life. Others will faithfully serve in some of the less obvious, yet most important functions of Christ’s church. ...The hard part?? Letting go. That part never gets easy. Knowing that they won’t all remain in this congregation. Some will be sent out and others will go for other reasons. They will serve other leaders, both locally and abroad. They will become leaders themselves. That is how the Kingdom works. ....I am thankful to God for the honor of helping to equip and prepare His sons and daughters for His own, divine purposes. I cannot think of much in this life, if anything, that could be more fulfilling that that.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 16:13:14 +0000
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