I can frustrate someone I disciple when...
1. I Disciple them as “Mine” and not “God’s”
1 Peter 5:2, “Shepherd the flock of God…”
Those that we disciple belong to God. It is easy over time to lose sight of this and slowly begin to view them as “ours” or “mine”. I have several guys that I am discipling right now but in reality they are much more than “my guys”, they are heirs, children, beloved in the Kingdom. I am just given the honor to walk with them during this season to help them make disciples of Jesus.
When the perspective of “mine” begins to dominate the way we view those we are discipling then we are taking steps towards manipulation and stunting their growth in Christ.
Key: This frustrates those we disciple because it limits their potential. Those we disciple should have the vision of their life shaped by Jesus and His potential for them. When I disciple as “mine” I limit their potential to “us”.
Here are a couple of practical things that have helped me in this.
1. Disciple through the context of community. This makes disciple making a group or “family” effort, allowing everyone to have multiple trusted influences.
2. Regularly pray for humility as a disciple. It is easy for my pride and opinion of self to get so high that I think I am all that the person needs. (Rom. 12:3, Phil 2:3-5)
3. When the person I am discipling is walking through something that I do not know much about or can’t adequately relate to I try to point them towards someone who is more equipped for that situation.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Frustration
When I say the word "frustration" in relationship to disciple making you may have thoughts like:
"I get so frustrated that he/she won't listen."
"It is taking so long for them to get what I am saying."
"I am so frustrated with the one I am discipling that I wonder if I should just move on."
"They are making me so mad because..."
I want to challenge your thinking about frustration. One simple challenge is this. Most of the time when we are frustrated with those we discple it is selfish frustration. We get frustrated because they do not do what WE want. The is us centered.
But, that is not really the challenge I want to give here. Over my next few posts (I know it has been a while) I hope to expose ways that we as disciplers frustrate those we disciple. Maybe you have never had that thought. None of us are perfect at disciple making and this can cause those we are investing in to get frustrated with us. But we don't see their frustration and our error because we think too highly of ourselves. We may not say it out loud but it is easy to put all the blame on the ones we are pouring into and not take any of the "credit" ourselves.
So get ready to hear about ways that I have frustrated people...
"I get so frustrated that he/she won't listen."
"It is taking so long for them to get what I am saying."
"I am so frustrated with the one I am discipling that I wonder if I should just move on."
"They are making me so mad because..."
I want to challenge your thinking about frustration. One simple challenge is this. Most of the time when we are frustrated with those we discple it is selfish frustration. We get frustrated because they do not do what WE want. The is us centered.
But, that is not really the challenge I want to give here. Over my next few posts (I know it has been a while) I hope to expose ways that we as disciplers frustrate those we disciple. Maybe you have never had that thought. None of us are perfect at disciple making and this can cause those we are investing in to get frustrated with us. But we don't see their frustration and our error because we think too highly of ourselves. We may not say it out loud but it is easy to put all the blame on the ones we are pouring into and not take any of the "credit" ourselves.
So get ready to hear about ways that I have frustrated people...
Monday, April 19, 2010
Worth the Read
I thought I would share a few of the books that have influenced me as a disciple maker. I don't agree with everything in every book but they have all made me better, I hope.
Master Plan of Evangelism - Coleman (Best book ever written on disciple making. I have read it every year since 1996. Getting ready for the 2010 reading)
Spiritual Mentoring - Anderson & Reese
Transforming Discipleship - Ogden
Sacred Companions - Benner (I loaned to someone and can't find it!)
Paul's Idea of Community - Banks
Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, a conversation in spiritual theology - Peterson
Humility - Andrew Murray
I started reading Life Together by Bonhoeffer today (4/19/10). I feel like it is going to be worth the read...
I am probably forgetting something....
Master Plan of Evangelism - Coleman (Best book ever written on disciple making. I have read it every year since 1996. Getting ready for the 2010 reading)
Spiritual Mentoring - Anderson & Reese
Transforming Discipleship - Ogden
Sacred Companions - Benner (I loaned to someone and can't find it!)
Paul's Idea of Community - Banks
Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, a conversation in spiritual theology - Peterson
Humility - Andrew Murray
I started reading Life Together by Bonhoeffer today (4/19/10). I feel like it is going to be worth the read...
I am probably forgetting something....
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Atmosphere of Empowerment
Empower (v) – to give someone the authority or power to do something; to enable someone to do; to make someone stronger and more confident.
The Atmosphere of Empowerment: Giving people the opportunity and means to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Key Idea: If you want the people you disciple to experience God the most then you must direct them to a place where they can impact the world.
The relationship has gone all the way from just meeting Him through getting know Him, watching Him, listening to Him, Seeing Him multiply the fish and bread, watching Him walking on water, realizing that He is the Son of God, seeing Him transformed on the mountain, Hearing the Father speak to Him, being told by Jesus He would be betrayed, watching Him in the garden cry out to the Father, experiencing the cross, the miracle of the resurrection, to NOW GO CHANGE THE WORLD.
He had poured everything into them and they now had deeply INTERNALIZED His message. . .now it was time for Him to leave and for the disciples to MULTIPLY.
From Matthew 9 &10 Keys to Empowerment
For 5 chapters Jesus was giving them the TOOLS to be ready. They had followed him, listened to him, watched him, asked him. . . .He equipped them with all they needed. Here Jesus is taking a step in preparing them for the ultimate empowerment that happens when He ascends into Heaven.
Here are 6 key components in empowering people to live for the sake of the gospel.
1. Vision – 9:37-38
(helping them see present reality and a preferred future)
2. Permission – 10:1
(You have been watching, now I want you to go and do)
3. Boundaries – 10:5-6
(Work within these parameters; parameters give the freedom for power)
4. Information - 10:7-15
(Here is everything you need to know to succeed)
5. Honesty - 10:16-25
(I know it is not going to be easy but you can make it through)
6. God-ward focus – 10:26-31
(Remember this is about God and He values you)
As disciplers we need to remember that in the big picture it is about Jesus and His Kingdom and not ourselves. If we do not empower people we are selling them short of the possibilities of God in their life.
I pray that we would all be intentional in relationally walking with people, humbly making disciples of Jesus Christ, being a part of His method of changing the world.
The Atmosphere of Empowerment: Giving people the opportunity and means to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Key Idea: If you want the people you disciple to experience God the most then you must direct them to a place where they can impact the world.
The relationship has gone all the way from just meeting Him through getting know Him, watching Him, listening to Him, Seeing Him multiply the fish and bread, watching Him walking on water, realizing that He is the Son of God, seeing Him transformed on the mountain, Hearing the Father speak to Him, being told by Jesus He would be betrayed, watching Him in the garden cry out to the Father, experiencing the cross, the miracle of the resurrection, to NOW GO CHANGE THE WORLD.
He had poured everything into them and they now had deeply INTERNALIZED His message. . .now it was time for Him to leave and for the disciples to MULTIPLY.
From Matthew 9 &10 Keys to Empowerment
For 5 chapters Jesus was giving them the TOOLS to be ready. They had followed him, listened to him, watched him, asked him. . . .He equipped them with all they needed. Here Jesus is taking a step in preparing them for the ultimate empowerment that happens when He ascends into Heaven.
Here are 6 key components in empowering people to live for the sake of the gospel.
1. Vision – 9:37-38
(helping them see present reality and a preferred future)
2. Permission – 10:1
(You have been watching, now I want you to go and do)
3. Boundaries – 10:5-6
(Work within these parameters; parameters give the freedom for power)
4. Information - 10:7-15
(Here is everything you need to know to succeed)
5. Honesty - 10:16-25
(I know it is not going to be easy but you can make it through)
6. God-ward focus – 10:26-31
(Remember this is about God and He values you)
As disciplers we need to remember that in the big picture it is about Jesus and His Kingdom and not ourselves. If we do not empower people we are selling them short of the possibilities of God in their life.
I pray that we would all be intentional in relationally walking with people, humbly making disciples of Jesus Christ, being a part of His method of changing the world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)