“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16)You may be thinking, “What if I let this guy lead the Bible study, I’ll get burned. Doesn’t the Bible say not to put young people into leadership?” (1 Tim 3.1-16, Titus 1.5-9) First off, you will get burned. This is the heavy mantle of leadership, absorbing the failures of your fledgling leaders. Failure is not an option, it is inevitable. But I also never said I sling them in the breach alone. I’m always right there with them to guide, coach, and correct (Mk 3.14). I see some ministries making the mistake of training their leaders like a chemistry professor who sends his students in to the lab unsupervised. When something blows up, no one has a clue what went wrong.
Secondly, the Bible does warn us not to install young believers into leadership. But most of the people who come into our ministries are not young in the faith. Generally speaking they are long in knowledge and very short in application. This is precisely why we need to get them involved in ministry. I’m not talking about unsupervised leadership but about leading under a caring and instructive mentor.
Jesus took risks on young leaders, so I have been taking risks with young leaders. Last night at our leadership Bible study we had 25 laborers (not attendees, but real laborers). All the glory goes to the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
© 2008, 2009 Following Jesus by Chuck Wood All Rights Reserved
Chapter 14
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)
During a road march on a Ranger training exercise, I felt a strong impression that I should stay in the Army beyond my 3 year enlistment. I thought I must be losing my mind. There were only 47 days left until I would be a free man. I wanted to go to college and make something of my life. I had no desire to continue my short career in the Army. But by the time I finished the road march, I was convinced that God was calling me to stay in the Army to tell my fellow soldiers about Him. I never heard an audible voice but the impression was a strong, clear calling from the Lord. I set aside all my personal desire and plans and submitted myself under His Lordship. I re-enlisted and headed for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. I have been ministering to soldiers in the Army and the National Guard ever since that day I heard His call. As Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles, I am an apostle to the soldier (Gal 2.8).
Testimony 1: In the Beginning
Testimony 2: Jesus is Watching You
Testimony 3: Paratrooper Religion
Testimony 4: Afraid of being Left Behind
Testimony 5: The Geographical Solution
Testimony 6: The Geographical Solution Fails
Testimony 7: The Seed is Planted
Testimony 8: Spiritual Melee
Testimony 9: Seeing the Light
Testimony 10: Receiving God’s Plan for My Life
Testimony 11: A New Creature
Testimony 12: What about You?
Testimony 13: A Little Miracle
Testimony 14: An Apostle to the Soldier
Testimony 15: First Steps toward Growth
Testimony 16: Being Discipled
Please leave me your feedback by clicking on “comments” below.
© 2008, 2009 Following Jesus by Chuck Wood All Rights Reserved
Thanks to all of you who participated in the survey!
John 15:15-17
Isa 43:1-13
Isa 58:7-14
Mt 4.19
Isa 55:3-5:10-11
Mt 6:33
Gen 12:1-3
Isa 37:30-32
Isa 54:1-3
Mt 11.28- 30
Mt 28.18-20
Eze 36:9,10,12
Isa 49:6
Isa 60:22
Isa 61:1-4
Jer 29:11-13
Jer 33:3
Mt 9:35-38
Phil 1:6
2 Peter 1:3-8
2 Timothy 2:2
Eze 36:8-12
Isa 41:10
Isa 42:5-9
Jer 15.19
Jer 17:7-8
Jer 32:27
John 10:26-28
John 15.7
Mark 11:24
Phil 4:13, 19
Ps 107.35-38
Ps 37:3-6
Ps 4:1-8
Ps 67
1 Cor 10:13
1 Cor 15:58
1 Cor 3:11-15
1 John 1:3
1 John 5:11-13
1 John 5:4-5, 4:4
1 Joh. 5:14-15
1 John 1:9
1 John 5:11-12
1 Kings 8:56-61
1 Peter 5:1-4
1 Th 5:24
1 Tim 1:16
1 Tim 2:15
1 Tim 3.1
2 Chron 15:2
2 Cor 1:20
2 Cor 12:9
2 Cor 13:8
2 Cor 5:17-19
2 Cor. 2:14
2 Cor. 4:7
2 Ki 19.29-31
2 Ki 2.2-4
2 Pet 1:3-4
2 Tim 1:7
2 Tim 2:2
Ac 1.8
Col 1:25
Col 2:6
Deut 30.19
Eph 3:21-22
Eph. 2:10; 3:20
Eze 36:33-35
Eze 36:8-12
Gal 3.29-4.2
Gal 3:16
Gal 3:29
Gal 6:9-10
Gen 15:5
Gen 17:7
Gen 28:15
Hab. 2:14
Hag 2.22-23
Heb 10:19-25
Heb 6:12-13
Heb 8:6
Heb. 12:3-13
Isa 22.22
Isa 26:3
Isa 40:31
Isa 43:19
Isa 44:3
Isa 44:5
Isa 49:8-13
Isa 50:7
Isa 52.11-12
Isa 55.3
Isa 57:18
Isa 64:4
Jm 1:5
Jm 4.7-8
Jer 1:4-9, 11
Jer 33:22
Jer 45:5
Joel 3:9-10
John 1:16
John 14:16,21,26
John 15.1-8
John 15:4-5
John 17
John 2:5
John 3:16
John 3:3-6
John 5:24
John 6:27
John 7:17
Jos 1.3, 5
Jos 1.8
Jude 1:24
Lam 3.22-23
Lev 20:24
Lev 26:3-9
Lk 10.2
Lk 14:23-24
Lk 18:29-30
Mal 3.10
Mal. 3:2,3
Mark 13:13
Mark 4:23-25
Mt 16:18
Mt 18:20
Mt 21:22
Mt 26:41
Num 14.8-9
Phil 4:6-7
Prov 16:3
Prov 27.24
Ps 1:1-3
Ps 105:42
Ps 119:92
Ps 12:92-14
Ps 138:7,8
Ps 2:8
Ps 25:12-14
Ps 32:8
Ps 37.34
Ps 46:1-11
Ps 72:18
Ps 84:11
Ps 75:7
Ps 91
Rev 3.7-8;
Rom 15:1-6
Rom 15:18-21
Rom 8:1-39
Rom 8:28
Titus 2:3-5
Zec 1:17
Zec 4.6
Zec 8:11-12
Please leave me your feedback by clicking on “comments” below.
© 2008, 2009 Following Jesus by Chuck Wood All Rights Reserved
And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. (Luke 10:2)
As a brand new Christian, I sat in the front pew drooling as the chaplain preached. I was so hungry I hung on every word he spoke. And yet in the six months I attended, not one person spoke to me. I don’t think it was because the congregation wasn’t friendly or didn’t care. I think they were simply satisfied that I was attending.
What a tragic set of expectations. Is this our highest aspiration for ourselves and our fellow disciples that we just “show up?” No need to be involved, to teach, to comfort, to challenge, or to encourage. Nothing is expected but to fill the pews every Sunday and if they are full then there is success. Was that Jesus’ expected end-state for His ministry, to simply “pack ‘em in?”
We know from Jesus’ example and commands that He had far greater plans for His disciples than attendance. He recruited men and women to join in the work (Mt 4.19). He intentionally trained them to reproduce His ministry (Mk 3.14). And then He deployed them as the mighty army of Theophilus, God Lovers (Lk 10.1-3, Mt 28.18-20, Ac 1.8). And His goal was nothing short of spreading the love and glory of God to the entire planet. He is so intent on this goal that He commands His disciple to pray for more laborers on two separate occasions (Mt 9.37-38, Lk 10.2).
If you want to have a disciplemaking ministry, you must align your prayers and actions with Jesus. When you help people in the faith, you must see each person as a key player on the team who will make significant contributions to winning the game. They may sit the bench for a little while to learn and see the example you set. But your aim is to get them in the game! No football team has ever tried to win the Super Bowl by seeing how many people they could pack on the bench. They train the players hard and send them on the field. Are you praying for and training those who are eager to get into the game? The team is only as strong as those who are on the field, not those who are observing from the bench.
How to Start a Disciplemaking Ministry
(1/5) – First, Be a Disciple
(2/5) – Find One Other Disciple
(3/5) – Yoked Together in Ministry
(4/5) – Send Me in Coach
(5/5) – Sling ’em in the Breach
Please leave me your feedback by clicking on “comments” below.
© 2008, 2009 Following Jesus by Chuck Wood All Rights Reserved
And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs… (Mark 6:7)
And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26)
There were four of us at my first Ft. Benning Bible study: me, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This didn’t surprise or distress me a bit because I had started previous Bible studies in the same way (and besides, it gave me a little time to pray). A couple of weeks later, it was me and just one other man: Jim McKnight. Jim will admit to you that he thought I was going to cancel the study because only one person showed up. Instead of seeing this as a defeat, I saw it as a great victory and focused all my energy on this one hungry soul. Six years have passed and we have grown to 5 Bible studies with a cumulative attendance of over 120 soldiers and about 20 laborers to lead those studies. It all starts with just one man. But, it’s got to be the right man who wants to know and be like Jesus.
How do you find such a man? First, know what you are looking for. I help many men who just want to be helped. I have no problem with this, my Master did the same. I help people freely because I’m commanded to love them. But I’m also looking for one man who is sold out for Jesus and wants to help others (Lk 9.23). You can certainly spend the rest of your life helping people but multiplication of your efforts start when the people you are helping begin to obey the Great Commission and invest their lives in others (Mt 28.18-20). Look for a man who is not just playing defensive but offensive Christianity.
There are many places you can find such a man. Church, chapel, Bible studies, work, school, or even on the street (you’d be surprised how God provides these men). Begin to pray that the Father would just give you one person (Jn 6.44) to lock arms with in ministry to disciple (or disciple one another, a peer will work). Start reading the gospels together and practice ministry the way Jesus did (Jn 13.15). As a two man team, pray and invite others to join you. Help those God puts in your path. But always be committed to this one man. Do not despise small beginnings (Zech 4.10).
How to Start a Disciplemaking Ministry
(1/5) – First, Be a Disciple
(2/5) – Find One Other Disciple
(3/5) – Yoked Together in Ministry
(4/5) – Send Me in Coach
(5/5) – Sling ’em in the Breach
Please leave me your feedback by clicking on “comments” below.
© 2008, 2009 Following Jesus by Chuck Wood All Rights Reserved
“A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40)
She exclaimed, “You look just like your dad!” The young barista at Starbucks where my son worked was admiring the striking similarities between Wes and me. And although he has bigger muscles and fewer wrinkles, yes, he looks a lot like me. He’s my son.
These are the marks of a follower of Jesus too. They look a lot like Him. They are His disciples (Act 4.13). It is obvious that this has nothing to do with physical appearance. But a disciple has a distinct way about him. It is the way of his Master. And I firmly believe before you can make a disciple you must be a disciple.
Jesus started His ministry as we might start. He grew and matured in His relationship with God and man (Lk 2.52). He was obedient to His Heavenly Father’s wishes. And He demonstrated His stanch loyalties to the Father when tempted (Heb 4.15). Jesus was a disciple of the Father. Then Jesus turns to us and bids us follow Him as He followed the Father (Mt 4.19, 1 Jn 2.6).
Jesus’ discipleship under the Father was marked by a commitment to know Him in prayer and the Word (Mk 1.35, Mt 4.4). He also practiced selfless love everywhere He went (Mt 14.14). To be His follower means a similar level of commitment to these spiritual disciplines. They are not obligatory habits of religion; they are the life’s blood of communications in the relationship.
Before you can even consider starting a disciple-making ministry we must begin the process of being a follower of Christ ourselves. We cannot create what we are not. And to the degree and energy that we follow Him, we can expect to reproduce the same zeal (or lack thereof). You don’t need to be an expert or perfect. But you do need to be on the path and committed to Him in order to receive His blessings and see fruit in your ministry (Jn 15.5). Look to the gospels and imitate Jesus in life and ministry. He is the ultimate example of all things including starting a disciple-making ministry.
(1/5) – First, Be a Disciple
(2/5) – Find One Other Disciple
(3/5) – Yoked Together in Ministry
(4/5) – Send Me in Coach
(5/5) – Sling ’em in the Breach
(Part 1) – The Glory of His Image
(Part 2) – Too Much of a Good Thing
(Part 3) – We Need a Savior
(Part 4) – The Restoration Process: The Father
(Part 5) – The Restoration Process: The Son
(Part 6) – The Restoration Process: Discipleship
(Part 7) – The Restoration Process: Discipleship Continued
(Part 8) – The Restoration Process: One-on-One Discipleship
(Part 9) – The Restoration Process: Tools and Techniques
(Part 10) – The Restoration Process: Dangers
(Part 11) – The Holy Spirit: The Breath of Life
(Part 12) – The Holy Spirit: Indwelling
(Part 13) – The Holy Spirit: His Work
(Part 14) – The Word of God: Essential
(Part 15) – The Word of God: Essential but Neglected
(Part 16) – The Word of God: Setting the Heart
(Part 17) – The Word of God: Intake
(Part 18) – The Word of God: Application
(Part 19) – The Word of God: Passing it On
(Part 20) – Interaction with Others: The Image is not and Island
(Part 21) – Interaction with Others: Intentional Co-Restoration
(Part 22) – Interaction with Others: An Invitation to Restoration
(Part 23) – Interaction with Others: Restoration begins with Explanation
(Part 24) – An Evangelistic Obstacle to Following Jesus
(Part 25) – The Transforming Power of Prayer
(Part 26) – It’s Me, O Lord Standing in the Need of Prayer
(Part 27) – Reproduction: Creative like the Creator
(Part 28) – Reproduction: Helping Others Changes Us
(Part 29) – Reproduction: Changing the World
(Part 30) – Pressing On Toward the Finish Line
(Part 31) – Crossing the Finish Line
(Conclusion) – To Be Like Jesus
Please leave me your feedback by clicking on “comments” below.
© 2008, 2009 Following Jesus by Chuck Wood All Rights Reserved
Chapter 13
‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ (Jeremiah 33:3)
My last six months in the Ranger battalion proved my mettle as a baby disciple. I found out who was a real friend and who was not. I don’t think I tried to convert all my buddies to my new found faith but I drew my share of fire nevertheless. As my fellow Rangers were wondering if this religious phase would pass, we were firing on the rifle range. It was raining so hard that the water would splash into the rear site aperture of my M16A1. It was impossible to continue shooting. As we hung out in the bleachers under the corrugated steel covering, the noise of the rain was deafening. Then one of the guys started to yell over the roar “Hey, why don’t we get Wood to pray that the rain would stop since he’s all religious now…” Before he could finish his sentence, the rain suddenly and completely stopped. It was like someone snapped their fingers and the clouds obeyed the command immediately. It happened so quickly there was silence in the bleachers (and a little fear). My status as a the Jesus Freak changed to a status of one who had genuinely met God. This little miracle bolstered my faith in Christ and I continued to grow.
Testimony 1: In the Beginning
Testimony 2: Jesus is Watching You
Testimony 3: Paratrooper Religion
Testimony 4: Afraid of being Left Behind
Testimony 5: The Geographical Solution
Testimony 6: The Geographical Solution Fails
Testimony 7: The Seed is Planted
Testimony 8: Spiritual Melee
Testimony 9: Seeing the Light
Testimony 10: Receiving God’s Plan for My Life
Testimony 11: A New Creature
Testimony 12: What about You?
Testimony 13: A Little Miracle
Testimony 14: An Apostle to the Soldier
Testimony 15: First Steps toward Growth
Testimony 16: Being Discipled
Please leave me your feedback by clicking on “comments” below.
© 2008, 2009 Following Jesus by Chuck Wood All Rights Reserved
ToBeLikeJesus 