[okay, I don’t really like the suits visual for disciplemaking, too formal and very male but the nurturing/watering motif is right on — this applies to men, women, children, youth, anyone!!]
What do you look for in a co-worker or a disciple of Jesus to train to do what you do?
Let’s say that you have only a limited time to train someone to become the new you, to take over your responsibilities. (realistically you do) And you want them to be great!
Really, you want them to do such a terrific job that people would even say they’re better at it than you were. That’s amazing if it ’s true.
And we should always be trying to work ourselves out of a job. Making disciples who make disciples is an ever expanding process.
Why do that?
Because you care about the job/ministry/mission. It’s not just a job but it’s a mission or ministry you believe in wholeheartedly. And you don’t know what a day, month or year holds. You could be out of ministry due to calamity or a life change.
So, what do you look for?
Teachability?
Reliability?
Experience?
Biblical Knowledge?
Close Relationship with God?
All of those are good. I’d say a close and growing relationship with God is #1.
Jesus was always saying things like “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15) or “remain in me” or “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength”(Mark 12). He called for obedience but even more so He called for devotion that would fuel and connect everything we do to God. And He did connect obedience with love — if you love you will obey.
Look at Paul talking about our need to discover how wide and long and high and deep is the love of God?! (Ephesians 3:18) Same deal — a deep and growing relationship with God.
So, what is your ministry? In what context are you making disciples of Jesus?
Think how this can apply in your context. It can!
How can you help them to take what you can do and run with it?
Here’s 5 ways to encourage and nurture their faith.
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Pray for them and their relationship with God. (always #1 is praying, that brings in the Holy Spirit and we’ve got nothing if we don’t rely on the Spirit)
2. Walk your faith alongside theirs. This is tricky because it means you’ve got to be growing too. And it’s good incentive for your growth.
3. Share what resources have served you best in your devotional life. They may need different things but it encourages the thought process and then you can always come back to what’s working for them.
4. Ask hard questions. Don’t do it to be difficult but to help them to think about their faith and how they live it out. Again, you’ve got to be ready to answer the same questions honestly so get your A game on!
5. After giving them opportunities to serve and grow in faith be sure to debrief their experiences and talk about their struggles and strengths. Jesus did it with His disciples. He sent them out to preach, heal and announce the kingdom. They came back and he asked them about what happened.
