Author: Chuck & Deb

But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.
(Luke 3:19-20)

It seems as though Herod had a pretty complete list of sins. But Luke makes the point that he added one last thing to his list of wickedness to top it off. He threw John the Baptist in jail. It was a bad thing to mistreat spiritual authority then and it’s a bad thing to mistreat them now. I was a pastor at a local church for five years and I was amazed at how poorly I was treated. It was almost as though I was the punching bag for all the frustrations that had accumulated over the last week. I heard more whining and complaining about the most trivial things. In fact, as a result of those days, I decide that if I wasn’t part of the solution, I would never approach the pastor or chaplain with the complaint.

Let me encourage you to encourage your pastor. The next time he preaches a sermon with an application, write it down and then do it. Come back next week and let him know that you did what he told you to do. He might have a heart attack so have those defibrillating paddles handy. Treat them the way you want to be treated. Add encouragement rather than disrespect to the top of your list. It will go a lot better for you. (Heb 13.7,27) FJ32

For questions or comments drop me a line at charleswood1@gmail.com

Read John 4.1-4

Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),
(John 4:1-2)

I find it interesting that Jesus was not baptizing the people but it was his disciples. I have long believed that all believers should be practicing the Great Commission, all of it. Disciplemakers ought to be baptizing the ones they are discipling. We will quickly say that every believer needs to practice the Great Commission. But only two of the three components for making a disciple can be practiced by the common believer; Going and Teaching. Why not baptizing? Why must a person be ordained before they baptize someone they are bringing along in the faith? I firmly believe this is a “priesthood of the believer” issue that we protestants hold so dear. Yet we do not allow the unordained to fully practice the Great Commission (Mt 28.18-20).

A Word to Congregants: Hopefully you have placed yourself under the authority of a spiritual leader. Before you run off and start baptizing the flock, check in with the pastor or chaplain and find out what his views are in this area. Perhaps he will let you baptize the folks you are discipling with certain parameters. There are dangers in just running around and dunking people without knowing what you are doing. Get permission and get trained.

A Word to Pastors: Are you tired of everyone looking to you to do all the ministry? When you ask people to share their faith do they respond by saying “Oh no Pastor, that what we pay you to do.” Perhaps you have inadvertently sent the message that you are the only one qualified to do such things. You have shot yourself in the foot by doing things that every Christian can do (and should do). If you are training leaders to disciple others, train them to baptize others as well. If your leaders frown on letting your congregants baptize, get them in the water to help you. Two people can baptize one person just fine. This will send a strong message to your congregation about their roles in the ministry. I know we have some cultural obstacles to overcome but sense when does culture trump the Word of God. Every man a disciplemaker! FJ31

For questions or comments drop me a line at charleswood1@gmail.com

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
(John 3:36)

John the Baptist couples faith and obedience. I don’t think that the two should ever be separated. I agree with James, “faith without works is dead.” (Jam 2.17) and Paul, “walk in a manner worthy of your calling.” (Eph 4.1) It’s like throwing a live grenade into a room full of soldiers. If they believe it is a real grenade, they will respond. Now I’m not going to get into the business of evaluating how fast they moved. That’s another part of the Christian life called zeal. But the fact is they moved! This demonstrates they truly believe it was a grenade. Faith is Jesus should evoke us to action. Obedience is a product of true faith. Where we get into trouble is when a person says “I only need to believe,” insinuating that because they have obtained the data on Jesus somehow that saves them. The demons in Hell have the data (Jam 2.19). Or the opposite is just as dangerous; “I’m going to Heaven because I’m a good person.” We couldn’t be good enough in a million years (Eph 2.8-9). So it is faith in Christ. That same faith moves us to obey Him or it isn’t really faith at all. (2 Cor 13.5) FJ30

For questions or comments drop me a line at charleswood1@gmail.com

“He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)

Who’s disciple is he becoming? A disciplemaker’s chief question. I must constantly asking myself, “Is he becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ or a disciple of Chuck Wood?” In the beginning a young disciple may be very appreciative of the attention and time we are lavishing on them. He will be enamored with our deeds and words. This is a natural byproduct of love, one of the key ingredients in ministry. But as normal as it may be, the relationship cannot remain in this state. If he is becoming a disciple of Jesus, his loyalties and affections will begin to shift. There will be tension between him and me. He will ask questions that make me feel awkward and inadequate. He will start holding the Word of God and Jesus in higher esteem. Jesus will increase and I will decrease. As a disciplemaker, I am intentional in facilitating this process. How do you help a young disciple focus on Christ? One way is by sharing you sins and weaknesses with him. This will not only demonstrate the superiority of following Jesus but it will give him a sense of comfort that even his teacher is a “work in progress.” My second way of helping a guy make the shift is by talking about Jesus more than myself. This should seem obvious to a disciplemaker trying to make a disciple of Jesus, but it is often neglected. I always make sure the Jesus is the focus of the discussion. When talking to others, how often does the name of Jesus cross your lips? FJ29

For questions or comments drop me a line at charleswood1@gmail.com

And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
(John 3:26-27)

Understanding that men to disciple are a gift from God is a key principle that bleeds into our ministry at several different levels. It helps us stay dependent on the Holy Spirit to perform the supernatural part of ministry. It helps us to maintain a proper perspective with Jesus and remain humble. Understanding that the ministry comes from God forces me to pray more. It also puts my ministry techniques in the correct perspective, it’s more about the “who” rather than the “how”. It helps me to quit playing the comparison game by thinking somehow I’m better or worse than the other laborers around me based on the number of men I am discipling. The sooner we figure out that our ministry is a gift from God the more spiritual that ministry will be. So where’s your man and are you praying that God will give you one? FJ28

For questions or comments drop me a line at charleswood1@gmail.com

Read John 3.22-36

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.
(John 3:22)

One of the primary methods Jesus used to develop the disciples was to simply spend time with them (Mk 3.14). They were with Him as He ate, walked, performed miracles, taught, in the cities, on the water, and in the wilderness. They saw Jesus in every part of life. By the end, His influence was evident; Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

Most of us can’t hang out with the people we are discipling 24/7. We have jobs, husbands, wives, kids and other responsibilities. Our discretionary time is limited. But we can still maximize our time with those we are mentoring. I have found that when I see a guy at least four times a week, I usually have a pretty significant impact in his life. That may seem like a lot, but let’s break it down. I see him at Chapel , next at the leader’s Bible study, later in the week at the outreach Bible study and then for one on one time at lunch. Four times in a week. That’s a good goal to shoot for with a busy schedule. Want to maximize your time even more? Move the guy into your spear bedroom. Deb and I have been doing this for a few years now and the pay off for time invested is huge. But not everyone can move people into their home. So just practice the principle the best you can; more time equals more influence. FJ27

For questions or comments drop me a line at charleswood1@gmail.com

Read John 3.1-21

“Are you a teacher in Israel and do not understand these things?” (John 3.10)

As a disciplemaker, I can empathize with Nicodemus. My face flushes red as I read and reflect on my own lack of spiritual insight. But the great thing about this discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus is that they are having it. Jesus is not too busy or put off to spend some time with a guy who ought to know but doesn’t. He certainly knew that Nick could have run back to his self-righteous buddies and further maligned His name. But Jesus makes the investment anyways. And what did it cost Nicodemus? He had to meet Jesus at night, no doubt for fear of being seen with this new religious radical. Nick was at least curios and had the gumption to talk to “the Man.” He was still teachable, still seeking, still searching for the truth. And he doesn’t put his tail between his legs and whimper off when Jesus challenges him on his lack of understanding. He humbled himself. As I read this account, I am comforted by two things. First, Jesus is still willing to teach spiritual knuckleheads. And second, despite our short-comings, we are still exerting the effort to pursue the truth. FJ26

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. (John 2:23-25)

Jesus did not let His popularity go to His head. The passage says “He knew all men.” In other words He knew what was in man and how fickle he can be. He knew that on one day they would sing Hosanna and on the next chant “crucify Him.” It is a fleeting thing the popularity of man. This is why Jesus focused on pleasing only one person, His Father in Heaven. He is not fickle. He is constant and unchanging (Lam 3.22-23). And He is the true rewarder of a life of Faith in Him (Heb 11.6). There is a danger lurking in waters of disciplemaking. One can start believing his own press. Young disciples start looking up to you and are enamored with the fact that you have been walking with Jesus a little longer. The platitudes begin to roll in. Be careful with what you believe. Don’t be carried away by the crowds or you’ll be carried away by the crowds (usually to a cross). Focus on pleasing God not men. FJ25

…a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure.
(Ecclesiastes 8:5)

It’s a little unnerving the first few times you do it but after a while you get the hang of putting a blasting cap into an explosive charge. This is one of those soldier tasks that requires the right procedure at the right time. Mix them up and it could ruin your day. There are some things in the Christian life that have proper timing and procedure as well, like praying first. Ever make a decision and it turned bad and you said to yourself, I better pray about this. Or struggle through days of anxiety and then finally remember to pray. Remember this sequence; Pray first. SP320

Read John 2.13-22

They had turned worship into a capitalistic venture and the Temple had become a place to make a buck. Jesus’ response? A violent and emotional reaction to the materialistic sins of the people. Turning over tables, making an improvised whip and driving man and beast out of the Temple. This is not your Sunday School Jesus, meek and mild with the little lamb on His shoulders. This really ticked Him off. I wonder what He thinks of Christianity in America today. I know “the workman is worthy of his wages” (Mt 10.10) but I also know that there are intentional strategies developed by stone cold pagans to get rich off of Jesus’ name. I think God can see the difference between the man who is honestly supported by those he ministers to and the publisher or recording studio that is making 87% of the profits. Am I alone here or are you seeing the same kind financial opportunist that Jesus threw out of the Temple?

So how does this apply to me? Quit feeding the machine. Only buy books and music when you need it and not on a whim (especially fad Christian books and music with no substance). Encourage authors and artists to break from big publishing and recording names. If you are writing books or recording music put it on the internet for free or ask for a modest donation. If you feel like your book needs to be in print, get it printed at cost and sell it for a reasonable price (“the workman is worthy of his wages” (Mt 10.10) You’re not going to get rich this way…but that’s the point. FJ24