I have been thru discipleship and have discipled hundreds over the past 20 plus years. I was not discipled by my Church or youth pastor; like most I heard a lot of “Good” messages and was told a lot about what was “Right” and “Wrong”, but, as a youth, nobody took the time to make me look like they did…
Paul says in 1Cor 4:14-16 in other words, “we have a lot of good teachings or teachers, but know one who says, ‘watch my life, do what I do and you will be Godly; you will look just like me – there is know one who wants to take the time to Father”!
What a great responsibility; as pastors, teachers, parents, mentors – we have to have the confidence, the conviction, the integrity to not just lead, but impart life! 1Cor 4:16 – “Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” For some reason we think it is ok to teach a generation that it is about right and wrong, not life and death. That thru 1Cor 12, 13 and 14, Eph 4 and Rom 12 we have Manifestation and Redemeptive gifts and that we are responsible to demonstrate and edify the body of Christ with the “Gifts” that God gives us freely!
This past week in the Philippines I ran into 51 twenty – something year olds that, as a whole, had not heard many truths that are in the bible. This World race team that Lisa and I are coaching for the next 11 months are excited about what God is showing them.
Like dozens before them over the years; many of them the past few days came to me in tears… “my pastor, my youth pastor, my parents never told me that we have the responsibility to be Jesus on earth; that we get to receive and release the Kingdom of God, right now, today, every where we place our feet! I never new about Luke 10 and that I have authority over demons; I have to impart what I receive and get to do more then Jesus did”! “I never was told the truth about John 4:24 that true worshipers have to embrace Spirit and Truth”.
After over 50 hours of teaching the word of God; after hours of sitting one-on-one, many hours of team and individual debriefs, demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit and a lot of just hanging out; they started to believe.
This generation just wants truth; they are sick of being lied to and they are looking for people that they can look like. Read Emily Rhea’s blog – she wants to look just like Lisa! Look at Bev Rhoades blog – she received an impartation and now she is releasing it on humans that really need it!
Discipleship 101 – “Know God as I know God; believe what His word says and turn it loose on a sick and dying world” we might just get there…together…
Your blogs are a real blessing to me, Gary.
Thanks,
Pat
Thanks again Black! I still need this and am more aware of how i can be discipline the younger generation.
Hope to see you both ’round Gainesville soon.
Bless you guys!!!
Glad you’re back Black! Thank you for your sacrifice.
Glad you made it back safely. Thank you and Lisa for giving so freely of yourselves! You are truly a blessing to us as a squad and you know I am in all the way. Looking forward to seeing you and Lisa in Hong Kong!
thanks for teaching me life & death. That’s one of the things I remember most.
Son and Daughter, we love how The Lord is walking with you two. This is how mighty our God is. He has so much more for us as we walk into his presence, and you two are walking in it. We are so blessed by this. We love you all. Mom
how do you find someone when you are waking up and you feel like you are the only one where you are at. What do you do when you try and have the conversation with others and they are uninterested in gifts and power and really being Jesus.
I read your blog and I just read Seth’s blog on tribe and I really want what you guys have I want to be where you guys are…we have our house up for sale and are trying to get to GA before Africa but God is not moving it and He is the only One who can in this bad economy.
Why does He want me to be alone right now? We are willing to go…go anywhere and be a part of community. We had church at our house last night…we are learning how to be organic. Some friends of ours came up here to start a house church, and the team they were on never followed them. They tried to ressurect something but they constantly failed. They joined our unhealthy institutional church because they were tired of fighting. She said something that really resonated with me last night.
“It gets VERY discouraging when your ministry fails…VERY DISCOURAGING!!!”
Although Kevin and I have not officially started a ministry where we are at, we are trying to live out what we are learning while God is still keeping us here…but I like how she put it…it gets VERY discouraging when you have no one who is walking beside you…or no one to learn from…I feel like I am failing…I feel alone.
This is an absolutely beautiful blog! Keep up the great work you are doing for the Lord! You both are wonderful examples and walking the talk 🙂
love you both. thank you can never be said enough.