Four Marks of a Disciple

Posted by Mike James
on March 12, 2010 – 11:38 pm
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Long before churches and corporations were creating vision or mission statements, Jesus gave the church His mission statement in Matthew 28:16-20. We are on mission to make disciples. God called a people out to Himself that he would use to bring lost people to Himself. 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

We are to go into the entire world and make disciples of all nations. The word “nations” in Greek translates “people groupings.” We are told that there are 22,000 people groups to reach with the Gospel! The word disciple occurs over 200 times in the Gospel and Acts. It is what we are and who we are.

The goal of churches is not to build buildings, or raise budgets, or have pot lucks but to disciple the nations. Jesus didn’t say “make converts” but “make disciples.” “Make disciples” is the primary verb, then the three supporting verbs are go, baptize, and teach.

The only way we can make disciples is to go. It will never happen inside our buildings. That’s one reason I am excited about “Find It Here” as we get out in our communities with the Gospel. Churches should be on the go for Jesus.

The process of evangelism is not completed until the evangelized become evangelists. You are either an evangelist or you need to be evangelized.

Discipleship growth means two things: increasing the number of disciples and the depth of disciples. God never intended for his church to be a mile wide and an inch deep. Since Christ has clearly defined our goal as discipleship growth let me give you four marks of a disciple. Check and see how you are doing in these four areas.

1. Disciples are maturing in their faith. They are growing. They are in the Word. They are not on cruise control. Each day they live in expectancy of what God is going to do through their witness and life.

The original disciples grew in their knowledge and experience with the Lord. Spiritual maturity was part of Christ’s goal for the original disciples and for us today. Jesus was very intentional about helping His disciples grow into fully developed and devoted mature followers. Are you maturing? Are you growing in Christ? The question churches need to ask is, “are we developing disciples?”

2. The second mark is ministry. Disciples care and serve other people. Jesus was very intentional in training His disciples in the lifestyle of being a servant. As we help people grow spiritually, we can only do so by helping them understand the role of serving. A non serving Christian is a contradiction in terms. Are you serving the Lord?

3. The third mark is mission. Jesus’ disciples knew their mission. They were to make disciples. Jesus not only taught this He modeled it for the disciples. As a disciple we are on mission. The mission becomes our passion.

4. The final mark is multiplication. It is quite obvious that the original disciples understood that multiplying and reproducing disciples was the method Christ taught them. This method turned lose will evangelize the world. Not addition but multiplication.

Jesus developed a handful of disciples who would reproduce or multiply more disciples who would reproduce more disciples…The ultimate mark of discipleship growth is when a disciple reproduces another disciple.

How are you doing in these four areas?  We are on mission.  Let’s live like it!

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Will They Find It Here?

Posted by Mike James
on March 5, 2010 – 10:29 am
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Will they find it here?

Churches and associations all across Kentucky are excited about “Find It Here.” This effort has involved prayer walking (or driving if you are out in the country), and delivering 1.5 million bags that contain a Gospel tract, information about local Baptist churches, and a special invitation to Easter Sunday worship on April 4.

The energy for this project has been amazing…associational rallies, witness training events, prayer walking, and lots of other opportunities that have enhanced this massive effort. In my humble estimate, this effort has already been successful because it has us all thinking outside the walls! How easy it is for churches (that’s us) to forget that we are on mission for Christ. That mission is focused outside of the four walls of our buildings and on the “fields of people” in our community that need Jesus.

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matt 9:37-38

How plentiful is the harvest in America? 258 million of our 340 million population are lost. That’s 76%! This figure holds true for Kentucky too.

Are you ready for the “harvest” of new guests that the Lord is going to bring to our churches in April or at any time for that matter? Every guest that visits your church is a gift from God. How we relate and follow up with that guest shows if we truly have a heart for un-churched people.

Will these guests “find it here” or decide to just “leave it there” after they visit? Will their experience drive them away or bring them back the next week? Let me answer that question with a “yes” they can “find it here” if they discover some of the following components in our churches…

1. Smiles- People are greeted with the love of Christ. Immediately these guests sense that this is a place of love and acceptance. They may be a little scared but in the first few minutes as they drive on the parking lot they are made to feel welcomed.

2. Hospitality- They are made to feel comfortable as they come in the building with handshakes, maybe a cup of coffee or a donut (I prefer Krispie Kreme but that’s for another blog), and more important than the donuts or food…engaging these guests with loving conversations that show we genuinely care. What about a reception for guests after worship or a lunch prepared at the church for all guests?

3. Keep it real-Don’t overdo it where everything comes off phony and so well rehearsed that it feels as if people are just going through the motions. Let folks see your church in a good light but not a false picture of what it really looks like. People want to see the real deal.

4. Worship- Led in such a way that those unfamiliar with our style or order are not made to feel awkward. As an example, if you want to get them to fill out a guest or information card so you can follow up, have everyone filling out the same card at the same time. Members could update their addresses or write a prayer request on the card. Make sure in worship that a clear presentation of the Gospel is included. What about a testimony from a new believer?

5. Follow Up- This is key! We must have a plan that follows up immediately in a loving way. Don’t think in terms of just one follow up touch but dozens of touches through visits, e-mails, phone calls, letters, or special ministries based on their specific need. Let them know that you really care about them. On April 18 many churches are promoting a high attendance day in Sunday School. Make sure all the guests that attend are invited to be a part of a loving small group class in your church. Relationships are what make people stick.

6. Pray-Get your members praying by name for all those who have attended as guests. Pray for their salvation if they are lost and pray for their specific needs. Pray that they would find a church home.

May the Lord bless our churches over the next few weeks as we prepare for the harvest on Easter Sunday and “Find It Here.”

Because of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the grave, I found it! Now I want others to find Him too.

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Jesus’ Style of Discipleship part 2

Posted by Mike James
on February 26, 2010 – 11:05 am
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In the next few blogs we are discussing Jesus’ Style of making disciples.

My simple definition of discipleship is, “Discipleship is a decision to follow Christ followed by a daily walk.”

There are definitions that are longer and deeper but this for me is the bottom line for discipleship. That initial decision is a step of faith (salvation) and then the following (walk) continues each day as we grow in obedience in all areas of our life (growing in grace).

The “walk” word is throughout Scripture.

1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

2 John 6 “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”

3 John 3 “It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.”

Churches tend to view discipleship in two ways. The most prevalent one is the “teaching/instructing” view.

In this view, discipleship is simply courses or curriculum taught on a regular basis. Usually this teaching is done at church on a Sunday or Wednesday night. A teacher takes material such as Experiencing God or Mind of Christ or The Baptist Faith and Message and teaches for six, eight or thirteen weeks. This is a good thing. It is important to instruct believers in the faith. We should know what we believe and why we believe. The Bible says in 2 Tim 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” NIV

Believers need to know how to handle and use the Word of God. However, we presume that this instruction alone, using lots of knowledge and facts, will change behavior. Sometimes this discipleship view is centered more on a cerebral experience of knowing rather than a heart experience of doing. As people apply biblical truth that they have learned it will cause change but could we do more? Do we really challenge people to apply what they have learned? I believe we can be more intentional and more effective in making disciples as we go back to Jesus’ style which brings us to discipleship view number 2.

This second view of discipleship reflects how Jesus taught and trained His disciples. It incorporates not only truth taught but application that allows questions and thought and experience. It is both knowing and doing. This is Jesus’ small group method.

He spent time with His disciples and taught by example as they shared life together. I doubt if you will read this and then immediately go out and find 12 people who will leave their work and families and live with you, travel with you, eat with you for the next three years as you disciple them! So how do we accomplish discipleship in a local church setting without getting people to move in to a Christian commune?

As we said in a previous blog, most churches offer different types of group experiences like; Sunday School classes, small groups, home groups, Discipleship groups, men and women’s groups, etc. The element that needs to be added is simply beconing more intentional as we place ourselves “in relationship” with some other people for the purpose of spiritual growth and accountability.

Example: Take the excellent resource “Experiencing God.” This study is usually done in about thirteen sessions lasting about an hour and a half. A small group could take this same material and decide to move much slower allowing more time for discussion, questions, and reflection. A group could take a half a year, 26 weeks, and share each week in their small group setting what God was teaching them personally as a result of the biblical truths taught in this resource. The group journeys together.

Discipleship happens best when we are intimately involved with other people, life on life.

Life change happens best in this small group context that encourages and builds people up in Christ. People learn from other people’s experiences. People grow as they make themselves accountable to others. People grow in Christ when they pray together and study God’s Word together. I first discovered this to be true while serving as a youth pastor which I did for about 20 years. We would do the big event stuff that attracted students but where students really told me that their lives changed was almost always related to some small group experience. I found this to be true with adults too.

So what will you do with this? Jesus’ method cannot be improved upon. It is perfect and complete.

Look at what you are presently doing in disciple making and ask yourself the question, “Are lives being changed?” If the answer is “no” look at your method. Are you using small groups in the same way Jesus did?

A question for Church Leaders… “Are we willing to take discipleship seriously and give the time, energy and budget, that is required to disciple people?” Has your church “stepped up” to discipleship?

A greater question… “What’s the consequence for our church and for the kingdom, if we don’t?”

Lately, how’s your walk been?

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Jesus’ Style of Discipleship

Posted by Mike James
on February 19, 2010 – 8:11 am
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In the next few blogs we are going to talk about Jesus’ Style of making disciples.

The word disciple is found 267 times in the New Testament.

The word Christian is found 3 times in the New Testament.

The word disciple (mathetes) is translated literally as a “learner.”

My simple definition  is, “Discipleship is a decision to follow Christ followed by a daily walk.”

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said to His disciples “Come to Me,” and in Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me.” This denotes the beginning of discipleship (the choice to follow) and the continuing response to being a disciple (following).

The first component of Jesus’ discipleship style was to begin a personal, close up relationship with us…come to Me. He did not say come to a creed or a religion or a set of rules or a philosophy but “come to Me.” We must never forget that being a Christian, a disciple is a personal relationship with Christ. Christian discipleship starts with coming to Christ by experiencing salvation. After this we follow Christ by walking with Him day by day.

Discipleship is both personal and public. It is comprised of our private daily walk of prayer, fasting, worship, and studying God’s Word. These are all things that people don’t see us doing. Then there is the public part of witness, ministry, and serving. These are things that are visible. Some have called this our “journey inward” and our “journey outward.” Discipleship is both.

I have discovered that the closer I get to Christ in my inward journey, the more He moves me out of my comfort zones in serving others, my outward journey.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Paul writes, “Encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” Paul saw discipleship as an intensely personal activity of two or more people who encourage and build each other up in the faith. Most churches attempt to do this through some type of group; Sunday School classes, small groups, home groups, Discipleship groups, men and women’s groups, etc. The key is to be “in relationship” with some other people for the purpose of spiritual growth and accountability. These relationships are characterized by authenticity, encouragement, serving, and building each other up in Christ. Are you in a group like that?

This “small group” method is what Jesus used as he trained His disciples. He spent three years getting them ready to change the world. Discipleship takes time. It is not instant. Discipleship is something you are not just something you do. It is maturing in the faith, sharing your faith, and ministering to people. When you think about it, every Christian is both a disciple and a discipler in the context of all his Christian relationships. There are people we can disciple and there are people who can teach and disciple us.

We have the opportunity to help our children, our friends, and other believers grow in Christ through a caring and committed relationship with them.

Someone must take the step to get this going. Maybe the Lord is calling you to start a discipleship ministry in your church or even to start one group in your church or home that models what Jesus did and pray that this process multiplies.

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Creating a Climate of Hospitality Part 2

Posted by Mike James
on February 11, 2010 – 12:32 pm
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Survey: Church, Ministers Not the Friendliest in Town

Maybe you have seen the survey…Less than 18 percent of Americans say the church is the friendliest place in town. Whoa!

Though the church is ranked second behind “my home,” which 35 percent of Americans listed, Group Publishing – which commissioned this survey – says the low number indicates that what is generally considered to be one of the safest havens in the world isn’t seen as that friendly by most Americans.

Even among self-declared Christians, less than 25% named the church as the friendliest place and non-Christians rated it at 7 only percent. Maybe these folks have not visited a church before so that is their reason or maybe it is because these folks have visited a church before and that is their reason!

Is this the main reason people don’t return when they visit our churches or maybe why they don’t even attend at all? Attendance in churches in the U.S. is declining and we should all be concerned.

What makes a place exude hospitality?

The 750 surveyed Americans in this study, 500 of whom were Christian, said the most important factor that makes a place friendly is “making me feel like I belong.” Other factors included “making me feel comfortable” and “at ease,” conversation, smiles and being non-judgmental were also included.

Chris Howley, director of research at Group Publishing, the Colorado-based firm specializing in church resources, told The Christian Post, “What the survey revealed for us is that people are really starved for relationship when it comes to what they’re looking for in the church.”

It takes more than just greeters in the parking lot and at the doors although this is a good start and all churches should have this ministry in place.

Teaching your members to start conversations with guests is the first step. We must encourage our members to get to know new people by taking the initiative to introduce themselves. If a guest visits your church and no one speaks to them or seeks to engage them in meaningful dialogue would suggest that the church does not care. “Creating a culture of kindness and hospitality” begins with your leaders; pastor, staff, deacons, and teachers. If we don’t model this it will not be “caught.”

Other findings were that churches fall behind restaurants, pubs, and sports bars when it comes to favorite places to meet new friends. Only 16 percent named church as their favorite place. Eleven percent chose “Online” as their favorite place to make new friends.

Howley speculates that what leads someone to a restaurant/pub/sports bar over a church can be the sense that no strings are attached.

“They can approach those places without an overwhelming sense of obligation,” he explained. Lots of people go to church because they feel like “they have to.” Whereas, at a restaurant, there’s “nothing clouding over” their intent of just meeting new friends.

In another notable finding, ministers or religious leaders are ranked fifth on the friendliest people in town list. Most surveyed Americans named “a close friend” and “family member” as the friendliest person. Meanwhile, ministers were ranked behind neighbors and co-workers. Hairstylists, barbers and other service attendants weren’t far behind.

In response, Howley recommends that ministers and church staff engage the church body more.

“People look at church as a place where communication is one-way from the pulpit to the pew. We’re saying you’ll gain more by speaking less and listening,” he said.

Results are based on a blind study that did not reveal Group Publishing as the sponsor. No religious affiliation was associated with the effort.

So what can you do to change your church culture to one of welcoming and hospitality? Do you take the initiative to speak to people and engage them in conversation?

Every guest that walks through our doors is a gift from God. How are you treating that gift? What is your process? Are you ready for guests this Sunday?

(My idea for this article came from an article by Lillian Kwon who is a reporter for the Christian Post)

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Creating A Climate of Hospitality

Posted by Mike James
on February 2, 2010 – 10:18 am
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What is the temperature in your church? Is it warm, cold, indifferent, just right? Do you need to reset the thermostat?

2 Cor. 13:12 says, “Greet one another warmly in the Lord.” Is their warmth in the greeting ministry of your church? Do people really feel welcomed and loved? Who is responsible for greeting people the moment they pull up on your parking lot and as they walk inside your building? Could someone visit your church this Sunday and not be welcomed by someone? Most churches consider themselves to be very friendly. The truth is they are, but only to each other!

It is vital for all churches to do their very best to make sure that every guest and member feels loved and welcomed.

Many of our churches are involved in “Find It Here.” In March, over one and a half million homes in Kentucky will be given a packet of information about our churches, a gospel tract, and an invitation to attend worship on Easter Sunday, April 4.

Is your church ready for the guests who will come on that day? For that matter are you ready this Sunday for those the Lord brings to your church?

THIS IS A TEST…Take a moment and rate your church on Sunday morning in the area of being friendly and showing genuine hospitality? On a scale of 1-10 where are you? Is there room for improvements? there room for improvement?

Creating a climate of “hospitality” is key to growing a Christ centered church and reaching people. If guests do not feel welcomed when they visit our churches they will not return and we have lost the opportunity. If you are reading this then maybe the Lord desires for you to be the one who finds the thermostat and raises the temperature in your church.

FOUR FACTS

FACT #1: Your church cannot grow without guests.

FACT #2: Your church cannot grow if your guests don’t come back!

FACT #3: You never get a second chance to make a great fist impression.

FACT #4: Your church cannot grow if people join, and then drop out!

This whole process of connecting people to the church (from the parking lot to the pew to joining and serving) does not just happen by accident. Someone must assume the primary role in raising the level of hospitality in your church by raising the temperature of friendliness.

This begins with a greeter ministry. One of the most effective things you can do is to have greeters in place each Sunday to warmly greet folks as they enter our buildings. What do greeters do? Glad you asked. Here is a job description for greeters that I’ve used. Feel free to adapt it and use it in your church.

*Prior to Bible Study/Worship

1. Greeters should be present at their assigned door (or Sunday School class if you are a Sunday School greeter), 20 minutes before worship starts. Wear your name tag.

2. Immediately verify that all needed materials (Bible study room list, name tags, etc.) are available for use. Greeters can give out bulletins but it is better for ushers to do that at the worship doors and greeters give out handshakes!

3. Stay at your door until 10 minutes after Worship begins for late arrivers.

*Greeting Time

1. Smile, introduce yourself, and communicate a warm, caring attitude. (If you are at a door, open the door.)

2. Say “Good Morning and welcome. We are glad you are here today.”

3. Call people by their name – if someone is unfamiliar to you, introduce yourself. Our goal is to greet all members and guests by name.

4. Try to get to the guests quickly before they start walking away. If someone from your church stops you to talk, introduce them to the guest and tell them you will get back with them at a later time. The guest is your priority.

5. Two greeters should be assigned at each entrance door so that when a guest is escorted to their Bible study class, worship center, nursery, etc. there is still a person at the door to help others.

6. Our goal is to make people feel comfortable and at home – shake hands (if you are not sick). Be attentive and watch for their body language. Take a personal interest in everyone you greet.

7. Use genuine compliments.

8. As a greeter “be prepared” to answer questions, give directions, or escort guests to the worship center or a Sunday School class.

9. Assist the guest in filling out the guest registration card. (Note: Some churches do this during worship or Sunday School.)

10. If you escort the guest to a class, introduce the guest to someone in the class.

11. Make sure that parents go with you as you take pre-schoolers and children to their classes so that they know where to meet the children after Bible study.

12. Use the warmer term “guest” instead of “visitor” because you want them to come back.

13. After a guest walks away, watch to see if they appear lost or confused and offer assistance.

14. Make good eye contact and remember to welcome everyone, members and guests!

15. Use your greeter team for special events beyond just Sunday worship times.

TRUTH…If a church keeps everyone it reaches, it will grow, if it doesn’t, it will simply maintain or decline. @80% of churches in Kentucky are plateued or declining!

One reason…when people visit our churches they are not warm but cold. We can change that by “turning up the thermostat of hospitality” in our churches. Let’s begin now by getting ready for the guests that the Lord will send your church this Sunday. Now where is that thermostat?

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Book Markers and Discipleship

Posted by Mike James
on January 25, 2010 – 10:09 pm
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Today there are more discipleship materials, books, DVD’s, resources, and strategies available than ever before.  Some of these books help us see the state of discipleship in our culture; George Barna’s, Growing True Disciples and The Shape of Faith to Come by Brad Waggoner are two examples. Others are more focused on methods of discipleship like Leroy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making or Simple Discipleship by Tom Cocklereece.

It is somewhat ironic that in a day where we have so many great resources and possibilities for disciple making the truth is we are doing so little.  Would you say your church at the present time is truly a disciple making church?  Would you say that the DNA in your congregation is filled with the mandate to “make disciples?”

Something is missing…Many believers have lost their passion for following Christ.  The distractions of the world have caused Christians to focus on the wrong things. The essence of discipleship is focusing on Jesus 24/7 or as 1 Corinthians 7:35b says, “undistracted devotion to the Lord.”

Let me suggest what has already been proven over and over in research indicating the primary factor among growing Christians.  The bottom line for growing Christians is…drum roll please…this is it…consistently reading God’s Word.  I don’t mean a casual reading just to say, “yea I did by devotion today so I can check that activity off my list” but a reading that approaches the Bible with humility and eagerness to see what God wants to say to us personally.

This is not rocket science or only engineers at NASA would be smart enough to be disciples.  Every one of us has at our fingertips the possibility of spiritual growth and deepening our discipleship walk.   All we need is a copy of God’s Word and a book marker.  The book marker reminds us of where we were yesterday in our Bible reading journey and where to start today.  If the marker never moves, we will never grow, but as the marker moves and we journey consistently through the pages of the Bible, it begins to do a remarkable work in us and through us.  We grow!  So what are you waiting for?  Get a book marker and your Bible…ready…set…go!

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 3:16-17

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iPod Shuffle andDiscipleship

Posted by Mike James
on January 17, 2010 – 9:59 pm
3 Comments so far

My favorite Christmas gift this year was an iPod shuffle given to me by my son.   Tiny in size yet it can store 500 plus songs.  It is a great companion as I jog; take a long walk, or just working around the house.  I have loaded several CD’s that are my favorites.  I guess folks don’t load songs they hate unless they are going thru some type of guilt complex or something.   Anyway, there are two ways to listen through your play list on your iPod.  You can have it play the songs you’ve loaded in their sequence, or you can do what I usually do, have it shuffle through your list.  When it is on this setting, the iPod will play all the songs loaded at random.  So while running I can be listening to the incredible thumb style guitarist mastery of Tommy Immanuel and the next song could be Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder playing fast bluegrass or Joe Satriani  another great guitarist or my favorite, the Imperials playing some of their great hits in the 70’s.  The sequence of the songs is always at random and always somewhat surprising.  I never know what is coming next.

The iPod shuffle has taught me something about my walk with God.  When you think about it, life is a constant, continual, surprising shuffle.  It comes to us at different speeds, with different emotions.  Each day we don’t know what “life tune experience” is coming next.  In our daily walk as followers of Christ we don’t know what is going to happen in our run for Christ (Hebrews 12:1-2).  It might be a song that takes us in a totally new direction.  It might be a song that speeds us up, slows us down or changes the direction of our day.  The point is we must be ready.

My wife and I were at a restaurant recently during some cold snowy weather.  Our waiter was very efficient and kind.  Our goal was to get in and get out quickly because it was still snowing and we wanted to get home safely.  At the end of our meal the waiter brought us our bill and after he left the table I noticed he forgot to add my wife’s coffee.  Immediately I thought…oh no this is going to be a hassle and take too much time to correct.  It even occurred to me… what’s the big deal about $1.85 cup of coffee?  He will probably just let it go any way.  But if the mistake had been the other way around, I would have brought it to their attention.   (then the tune changed)  As he came back to our table I shared with him that he had forgotten to add my wife’s coffee.  He was quite surprised and thanked us profusely. He shared many examples of people who come in the restaurant and do not report mistakes on their bills.  He left to fix our bill and I really felt that I needed to share with this man why I am honest.  When he came back to the table I shared with him that I was a follower of Jesus Christ, a Christian, and that Jesus would desire for me to do the right thing.  The waiter immediately paused, looked at us and said, “I am a Muslim.”   And then he added, “but I have not been to a mosque for a long time.”  He went on to share that he had met some Christians recently who had invited him to church.  He had a very positive view toward Christ and we could tell he was open spiritually.  We talked some more and then he had to go back to his work.  My wife looked at me and said, “for a $1.85 we got to share about Jesus!”

Today the “shuffle of life” will happen for all of us.  Be ready to listen, to share, to minister, to make a difference for the Kingdom.  It’s the song of following Jesus every moment of every day.  It’s exciting and sometimes it cost a $1.85.

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Claim a Life Verse

Posted by Mike James
on January 8, 2010 – 10:20 am
4 Comments so far

Somewhere back in high school I heard someone say that everyone should claim a “life verse.”  That is to find a verse of Scripture that becomes the central theme of your life, a verse that you memorize and think about often as you face life day by day.

For me that verse has been Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

“Trust” is the foundation of any authentic relationship…parent child, husband wife, and employer with employee, friend to friend, etc.  When you lose trust, relationships die.  I have counseled many couples where the trust was broken and had to be restored.  It is hard work but that trust can be restored.
According to these verses, our assignment is to trust the Lord with all our hearts and then step out by faith. (we walk by faith and not by sight)  Say it out loud… trust and step, trust and step, trust and step.

In your life at this very moment, what is that step for you?  Where do you need to trust God more?  What has God been saying to you recently?

The real issue in our relationship with Christ is always the same… “Am I willing to trust Him today for all my needs?”  These verses say, “don’t lean on your own understanding.”  How often have we failed simply because we just saw the situation with our limited view and understanding?  Been there done that!

The older I get the more I realize that I really don’t know very much.  I really do need God’s wisdom in every area of my life, as a Dad, a husband, a son, a brother, a minister of the Gospel.  In all these relationships and more, every day I must choose to trust and step.

Have you ever rappelled? Ever done a trust fall at camp?  Ever jumped off a high dive?  That first step is where the faith factor enters.

Here is the point.   We trust then we take the step of faith.  The more we know the heart of God the more we trust and the more we trust the more we will not hesitate to take steps of faith.

When you can’t see God’s hand guiding you remember you can always trust His heart.

Am I the pump or the pipe?
When I get out of the way and really trust God and allow Him to work through me, and in me and in spite of me sometimes, I am the pipe.  And grace naturally flows through me to other people and love flows through and affects all my relationships.  The pipe never gets tired and never wears out and never gets stopped up.  It’s full of living water and truth and grace and joy.

When I stop “trusting” and try to be the pump, as well as the pipe, it takes way more than I have.  When I try to substitute my power or ability for God’s I become powerless, dissatisfied, frantic, impatient, defeated, and discouraged.

 

So today, are you the pump or the pipe?  What is the next step of trust God is asking you to take?   Spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal to you the next step.

Here is the promise if we trust in the Lord with all our hearts… “and He will make your paths straight.”

When you know that you know that you know that He is directing your paths (direction and decisions in life), the steps really are not that hard to take.

 

This is the core of discipleship…trusting and stepping.

Blessings on your journey in 2010,

Keep trusting in God and stepping forward in faith.

Mike James

Filed under Discipleship, Personal Journey, Uncategorized |

Christmas and Discipleship?

Posted by Mike James
on December 24, 2009 – 12:23 am
No comments yet

Christmas and discipleship…I know these two words don’t seem to fit and the eggnog I’m drinking does not have a punch to it, if you know what I mean, but just a few thoughts on this Christmas Eve 2009 at 12:07 AM.

There are many folks that seem to get a little glimmer of faith during this season.  They like the songs and the traditions and they usually attend at least one Christmas worship service.  But soon after Christmas all the good will, and all the New Year’s resolutions are soon forgotten and they default back to their shallow faith.  A faith, if you can call it that, which does not impact their lives at all.  We pastors call them Easter or Christmas Christians because that is the only time we usually see them.  As a pastor, I was glad these folks attended on these special days because I knew we had a shot at changing their life and their understanding of being a disciple of Jesus.  The Holy Spirit can do far more than we think in the lives of people we have given up on.  God is looking for people who are truly committed to Him 24/7 not just when it is convenient or it happens to be that most wonderful time of the year.   The bottom line…God wants our undistracted devotion. (1 Cor. 7:35)

For a brief period of time it seems that the season helps us eliminate some of those distractions but for many it just does not last. We live in a culture that is full of opposition and distractions that move us away from that singular aim of following Jesus as a disciple.    We live in a politically correct culture that encourages us to say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”  It’s a “Winter Parade” not a “Christmas parade” or a “Winter Solstice concert” not a “Christmas concert.”  2,000 years later and the name of Christ is still considered dangerous and even scandalous in some circles.

Some have yet to discover that the Prince of Peace is real and He can change your life forever.

Sad to admit but we’ve come so far from New Testament Christianity that we qualify our descriptions of what a Believer is.  For instance, we say, “She is a committed Christian.”  Is there another kind of Christian?  Or we say, “He is a fully devoted follower of Christ.”  Can you follow Christ without being a fully devoted follower?

Christmas gives us a chance to embrace fully our devotion to the Lord and to renew our commitment to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  It began in a stable and ended on the cross, but we know it really didn’t end on the cross.  He arose!

Merry Christmas, let’s keep telling the story of God’s amazing love.

Filed under Discipleship |

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