Author: a4cadmin1

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Helping People Grow in Christ

We come to have a personal saving relationship with God by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And I’ll add, for God’s glory alone from beginning to end. God uses His people, though, like you and me, to help others enter into this personal relationship and mature in it. I was saved in 1973 while in my first year of college when a staff man named Mark of Campus Crusade for Christ (today Cru) shared the Four Law booklet with me. I remember clearly when I turned from my sin to the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, was forgiven the penalty of my sin and began to take baby steps in my new life in Christ. God’s Spirit convicted me of my sin and showed me that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no can come to the Father except through believing faith in Him (John 14:6). I was one-hundred percent convinced of this truth and knew I was now a real Christian. As a baby in Christ, however, I needed to be taught the Scriptures and helped to develop a new identify. For four years, while in college, I was discipled by staff men and fellow students involved with Cru. I discipled those I led to faith in Christ as well. For two of those years several of us guys lived together in what became known as the “Crusade men’s house”. I thank God for those formative years of one-on-one and small group Bible studies and prayer meetings while living life together because a firm foundation was laid in my life. By God’s grace, it is still solid today. 
 
What is my point? It is simply this. When we lead someone to faith in Christ we need to be prepared to disciple that person in the Scriptures and in their new life in Jesus. It would not be responsible to give birth to a baby Christian and then leave him/her just as a married couple should not abandon their newborn child. If we are not able to personally disciple someone we are then responsible to look for someone who can. It is my opinion that if someone who is a baby in Christ and left to fend for him/herself, then he/she is vulnerable to join a pseudo Christian group. That would be a tragic disservice to them because as spiritual parents we are responsible for those we lead to Christ which includes connecting them with a Christ-exulting Bible-teaching church. Growing in Christ and the Bible is a life-time process. God uses prepared people in this process so here are a couple questions: Who are we discipling? and Are we being discipled? Let us prayerfully think about this before we next share our faith with someone or our church has an evangelistic event. This is all about becoming mature in Christ.   

Jeff Anderson
Monthly, Resources

A Heads-up from One who Knows

 Matthew 9:35-38 are among my life-verses. After Jesus and His disciples walked among the harassed and helpless crowds and compassionately ministered to many people, He said to his twelve men “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest.” (verses 37-38 ESV) He saw people as lost sheep needing a shepherd and as a harvest ready to be brought in (John 4:35), however, there were not enough workers. In chapter ten the disciples were sent out with instructions, a warning of persecution and a promise of reward to those who would receive them. Does what happened in Matthew chapter nine and ten only apply to them?

Here is my heads-up. I will say it straight. The key to the shortage of laborers is prayer which is in God’s hand. If you are praying for laborers to be sent to the ripe fields of the world, as Jesus instructed the Twelve, then be prepared to be sent yourself as He did them. Often we are God’s answer to our own prayers. If we are sure in good conscience before the Lord of the harvest that we are not to go with the Gospel then be a sender of those who are. The great commission, as Christ gave His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20, is not a great *suggestion* or only for select churches or special followers of Jesus. His commission applies to all His disciples, therefore, we have only three options, They are: go, send or disobey.

My wife and I have served in the Philippines for almost thirty-three years with ACTION among the poorest of the poor such as street children. We remember clearly when we were called to leave our home, family, friends and church as we prayed earnestly Matthew 9:38. It was not easy with two little children but were determined to follow Jesus. There was no turning back. Then and now we are not super-stars. We are joyfully obedient. Today we have no regrets about following the Lord of the harvest. He has been totally faithful to us and His promises. He will be to you too if you resolve, by the grace of God, to obey. I know.

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K.I.S.

Keep it simple. Notice I eliminated the second S which is for stupid. Following Jesus is *costly*. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 16:24 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (NIV) The disciples knew exactly what Jesus meant. Jesus also said to believing Jews in John 8:31 “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciple.” (NIV) Following Jesus requires *steadfastness* as one pays the required price. How does a follower of Jesus prove to be a disciple? Again Jesus said to His early disciples in John 15:8 “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (NIV) This is not complicated. It is simple. The basics are knowing the cost of following Jesus and gladly paying it. Steadfastness is not perfection. It is joyfully following Jesus. The result is producing God glorifying fruit which proves we are truly a disciple of Jesus.
 
This is what All4Christ is about. We come alongside fellow disciples of Jesus, not as experts, but as brothers and sisters in Christ desiring to learn from God’s Word with them. We also want to learn from one another. We are keeping it simple but we are not stupid. Jesus said in Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (NIV)
 
Monthly, Resources

Biblical Definition of Discipleship

Definition of discipleship according to Merriam-Webster: one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another: such as:

a. Christianity: one of the twelve in the inner circle of Christ’s followers according to the Gospel accounts

b. a convinced adherent of a school or individual

Definition of discipleship according to Jesus in John 8:31: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

A *Christian* disciple follows Jesus Christ. A Christian disciple is someone who loves God with everything he has. (Matthew 22:37-38) A Christian disciple, by God’s grace, becomes more and more like Jesus through a lifetime of faith and obedience.

 Real Life

Definition of integrity according to Merriam-Webster: 1. firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values (incorruptibility), 2. an unimpaired condition (soundness), 3. the quality or state of being complete or undivided (completeness)

Have you ever met someone who says one thing and does another? “Don’t do as I do but do as I say”. He behaves differently than what he says he believes. It is a contradiction of behaving and believing. If one’s actions contradict one’s words, which is true? According to Jesus, our actions clearly speak to what we really believe. Therefore in following Him, we must hold to His teachings in our daily lives.

When we read the Gospels in the New Testament, we realize that those who followed Christ truly were His disciples. Because of their love for Him, many left their jobs, homes and security to walk with Him as He ministered to people throughout Palestine. They had the benefit of walking with Him in the flesh. How about us today, with Christ risen from the tomb and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, what are the characteristics of a true disciple of Jesus?

1. A true disciple of Jesus in one who worships God. If you are a new creation in Christ, you are someone who brings glory to God and honors Him.

2. A true disciple of Jesus is one who is confident in the power of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection to secure his salvation. He must know that he is a child of God and that Christ dwells within him.

3. A true disciple of Jesus is one who walks in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is responsible for everything that happens in the life of a believer, his new birth, daily walk, understanding of the Bible, prayer, witnessing and worshipping, etcetera. He produces the fruit of the Spirit in us, which enables us to live godly lives and be a witness for Christ.

4. A true disciple of Jesus is one who demonstrates love for God and our neighbors, fellow disciples and enemies. Jesus commands us to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-40)

5. A true disciple of Jesus is one who knows how to read, study, memorize and meditate upon the Word of God and to store its truths in his heart. It is impossible to walk in the fullness God’s Holy Spirit without understanding God’s Word. We need the Holy Spirit’s help in order to understand and apply God’s Word.

6. A true disciple of Jesus is one who prays. Jesus models throughout the Bible that communicating with God the Father is one of the most important things in a Christ-one’s life. He shows that a true child of God speaks with his Father in heaven.

7. A true disciple of Jesus is one who obeys the commands of God in a lifestyle that honors Christ.

8. A true disciple of Jesus is one who trusts God and lives a life of faith. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that “without faith it is impossible to please him”. (God)

9. A true disciple of Jesus is one who understands God’s grace. God loves us unconditionally, whether we obey Him or not. This is the opposite of legalism which urges us to try to obey God’s laws in our own wisdom, power and strength.

10. A true disciple of Jesus is one who witnesses for Christ as a way of life. If we love Jesus, we will tell others about Him testifying to what He has done in our life.

How do we measure up to the Biblical definition of discipleship? Here are questions for application:

1. What are some characteristics of a Biblically defined disciple that I see in my life?

2. What are some characteristics of a Biblically defined disciple that I struggle with? Have I asked for the Holy Spirit’s help to grow in this area/s?

Other verses to prayerfully consider:

Luke 14:27: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Bible verses cited are from the English Standard Version.