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Serving the Lord with Gladness is now relaunching as: EDC Christian.

EDC (Every Day Carry) Christian is a Devotional Blog and Podcast that we hope will equip and encourage you to not only survive but thrive in your walk-through life with Jesus. Our goal is to provide “Thriving Skills for the Soul.”

Everyone has certain items they carry around with them each day; a wallet, a watch, a purse, a pen, a knife, etc.  What items do you generally have with you every day?  A Survivalist would call those items part of your “Every Day Carry” kit.   I like the term.  I appreciate the concept of being prepared! In the same way that we carry things with us, the Bible gives us Every Day Carry Skills that we can identify, carry, and use as needed each day.  This site and the podcast “EDC Christian” are dedicated to equipping and encouraging the Christian to not only survive, but thrive in his/her walk with Christ. 

Marks of a Disciple, PART 2

Spiritual Formation Growth Plan

Introduction

Personal spiritual growth is an individual choice a disciple of Christ must make. The daily habits that contribute to abiding with and dwelling in the presence of the Lord are critical parts of healthy spiritual formation and growing in discipleship. The prophet Jeremiah was instructed to search all of Jerusalem for a man who was a legitimate disciple of the Lord. He could not find one. Many in the city claimed to be followers of Yahweh, but none were authentic. Observe God’s imperative to search for Jeremiah:

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely…I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds (Jeremiah 5:1-2, 5).

Where Are the Disciples?

Jeremiah went to the poor, the powerful, the religious, and the secular and could not find a genuine disciple. Outside of King Josiah, and a handful of priests, there were no legitimate disciples to be seen. The men in the “City of God”[1] were not praising or genuinely dwelling with the Lord. They lived selfishly instead of living for their God. Michael Haykins describes this selfish dilemma, “Self-centered spirituality is the prime characteristic of pagan culture, be it ancient or modern.”[2]  Christians are disciples of Jesus and must live contrary to the modern pagan culture while embracing a life devoted to Christ. The center of the Christian’s life is Christ, not self (John 15:5). Where are the faithful followers of Jesus today? Personal discipleship disciplines are a choice that a Christian makes daily. When incorporated and properly applied, the Marks of a Disciple ensure spiritual progress during the Christian life.

Paul’s Challenge to Timothy

Paul challenges Timothy to get out of the gym and exercise in spiritual matters in 1 Timothy 4:7-8. Here Paul describes personal godliness as a workout, an active choice that involves initiative and hard work. “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

Spiritual Disciplines as a Means of Godliness

“Exercise” is where we find the word “gymnasium.” The word γυμνάζω (gymnazo) means to “exercise vigorously, in any way, either the body or the mind.”[3]  1 Timothy 4:7 speaks of “one who strives earnestly to become godly.[4]  Discipleship includes discipline; it even shares the same root word. Gymnasium activities in Paul’s day included the men in the gym stripping off all their clothes. The initial meaning of γυμνάζω is “to exercise naked.”[5]  The reader may blush while reading but know that stripping down at your local gym is not recommended to the disciple of Christ! Taking this idea into a spiritual understanding and application, the Christian strips down all the pretenses and focuses on fundamental spiritual exercises to arrive at healthy spirituality. Spiritual nakedness gives an individual self-awareness and a clear spiritual assessment of where he is and where he needs to move. The disciple can thank the Lord, He takes us just as we are, and in time and with purpose, He can conform us to the image of His Son.[6]

Spiritual Disciplines to Exercise and Practice

Worship God:

The consistent and faithful worship of God is a spiritual discipline every disciple must include. Worship is generally Sunday church with God’s people gathered publicly and locally, though worship can also be daily, moment by moment. Describing the imperative of individual and collective worship of the Lord with God’s people in the local church, Paul declared:

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Faith is evident in the life of the Christian who not only attends but faithfully participates in the life of his church on Sundays. God is worthy of our time and attention. Giving Sunday mornings to the Lord demonstrates conviction and love for the Lord while affirming one’s faith with prayers, Scripture, fellowship, and Bible preaching. Donald Whitney accurately describes what it is to worship, “To worship God means to ascribe the proper worth to God, to magnify His worthiness of praise, or better, to approach and address God as He is worthy.”[7]  This statement is an incredibly insightful and convicting thought that can cause a disciple to see the value and priority of Sunday worship of Jesus. Because a disciple is a believer, he demonstrates God’s importance in his life by giving time to the Lord to gather with God’s people to worship Him (John 4:23-24).

Gathering with the local church is critical for a genuine disciple of Jesus. It’s a historical practice, and precedent in every generation since Christ – faithful Christians gather in His name. Adam McClendon and Jared Lockhart note the following church example about disciples gathering.

The original meaning for the word church involved a gathering (an assembly) of people. While the word itself should be sufficient to demonstrate the necessity for the people of God to gather regularly, God graciously gave us example after example throughout the New Testament not only to describe the early church’s activity but also to serve as a model for believers so we could know and follow God’s design for us today.[8]

Walk with Others:

Living life together with others offers encouragement and accountability. Small groups, Scatter Groups, and other aptly named groups can assist the disciple in healthy spiritual formation and personal discipleship. After preaching to large audiences of hundreds and sometimes thousands of people, Jesus would take His immediate disciples aside in a small group setting and teach them personally. Andrew Murray summarizes, “For three years the disciples had been in the training school of Jesus.”[9] This setting is more relational and personal. It’s living life together. God created us for community and fellowship.[10] Knowing and being known is part of our DNA. We need Christian friendships. Speaking of friendship as part of the Christian life, Michael Haykins proposes,

Now, the Bible uses two consistent images in its representation of friendship. The first is that of the knitting of souls together… Not surprisingly, the term ‘friend’ naturally became another name for believers or brothers and sisters in the Lord (see 3 John 14)…The second image that the Bible uses to represent friendship is the face-to-face encounter. [11]

Disciples need others for accountability. Other than the Lord, who will challenge us when we are wrong? Who will correct us with love? Paul and Timothy and Jonathan and David are just a few of many other Biblical examples of disciples who enjoyed the benefits of walking in life with others. Teaching, learning, togetherness, unity of purpose, and relationships are all part of this mark of the disciple. We have brothers and sisters in Christ as part of this “Family of God.”[12]  The same ones who hold us accountable, we can hold accountable. The same ones are also sources of encouragement. We, too, can encourage others. The Apostle Paul shares the following about how Christians edify one another with love in Ephesians 4:16, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Win to Jesus:

The discipleship process must start with someone. From Jesus to His immediate disciples and the subsequent disciples up until this day, someone has shared the Gospel, planted the seed, watered the seed, or harvested a soul to the Lord. This new convert is a disciple of Jesus, a new Christian. Each person investing truth into that person is serving the Lord and others. Humble service is how a disciple can win people to Jesus. The spiritual gift imparted to the new believer can be discovered and utilized in Gospel ministry upon salvation. Every Christian must find a way to serve within the context of his local church. Service is how we win people to Jesus and fulfill The Great Commission imperative of Matthew 28:19, “Go.”

The great missionary, the Apostle Paul, is an excellent example of serving the Lord and serving others. His love and devotion to Jesus and His Gospel is evident. Michael Gorman writes, “That Paul suffered is well known; that he did so, at least from his perspective, out of love, is not always recognized.”[13]  Why did Paul serve, even to the point of suffering? He loved the Lord, as Deuteronomy 6 instructs, and He loved people, like the Second Commandment[14] states, to share the Gospel with them, to serve them.

Love is the greatest motivation we have in serving the Lord and others. Love is more than words; it’s action. Love is commanded by God and commended throughout Scripture. Notice how charity (love) affects a disciple’s service.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

Rest in Jesus:

The Christian life is not all work. Jesus completed the work of salvation on the cross, and we can rest in Him, knowing His presence in our lives. Jesus says it best when He invites those seeking peace to come to Him in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Disciples living with faithful worship, walking with others through life, and winning others to Jesus with their loving service can enjoy the rest and peace abiding with Christ affords. The disciple who realizes the daily presence of the Lord can discover the joy of serving Jesus and living a life dedicated to Him as the center of this Christian life.

Assessment Results

The Marks of a Disciple Spiritual Assessment I developed was administered to a small sampling of nine Christian people. The education levels of these nine include four college graduates, two with some college, one having trade schooling, and the rest are High School graduates. All nine’s ethnicity is white. Four live in a city environment, and the rest live in the countryside. The average age is 35, with the youngest being 23 and the oldest being 70. There are three churches represented in this sampling. The following group results demonstrate areas that are strong and areas that could use improvement for these disciples.

  • Worship God (out of 30 possible points): 26.5
  • Walk With Others (out of 30 possible points): 22.6
  • Win to Jesus (out of 30 possible points): 24.4
  • Rest in Jesus (out of 30 possible points): 26.8

Total Discipleship Assessment (out of 120 possible points): 100.3

There is no right or wrong answer to the assessment questions. This assessment is merely a tool used to assist a disciple in honestly evaluating where he is in his walk with Christ. To gauge the present condition of the disciples in this assessment, I factored that four of the six questions must be marked “5” for a higher, more excellent score. Subtracting units of four from the highest possible score is how the following numbers were derived. An honest personal spiritual assessment with scores falling into the number windows below may be found.

Individual Mark Scoring:

  • 27-30, Excellent, keep going!
    • 23-26, Good, don’t stop!
    • 19-22, Room to Grow.
    • 0-18, Ask for Help.

Overall Scoring:

  • 108-120, Excellent, keep going!
    • 92-107, Good, don’t stop!
    • 91-76, Room to Grow.
    • 0-76, Ask for Help.

From the Marks of a Disciple Spiritual Assessment, “Walk with Others” was the lowest score. “Walking with Others” is a weak area of discipleship for this group. “Resting in Jesus” was the highest. This writer initially thought that “Worshipping God” would have been the highest mark but found it enlightening and encouraging that “Resting in Jesus” is the highest. These disciples rely on the Lord and enjoy Jesus’s presence.

Customized Growth Plan

Following Spiritual Disciplines, as advised in the following Growth Plan, will contribute to the overall spiritual health of a disciple of Christ. These are a means to an end, not the end itself. The result of discipleship is becoming more like Jesus; this is the goal. This growth plan will assist in godliness and discipleship while primarily focusing on the spiritual disciplines contributing to effective “Walking with Others.”

Worship God:

Continue to attend church services each Sunday, being faithful to participate in the activity of your local church. Let your personal daily worship overflow into a public gathering. Worship the Lord with your heart, soul, body, and mind. Bow down before Him in public prayer. Praise Him in worshipful and doctrinally sound singing. Gather in person and participate with your local congregation each Sunday.

Walk with Others:

  1. Talk Bible with Others. 
  2. Participate in the small groups offered in your church. Don’t just attend; participate in the discussion. Become a meaningful contributor.
  3. After reading the Bible personally, talk with another Christian friend about the passage. Plan for a friendly Bible discussion once a week.
  4. Send a text with a Bible verse that encouraged you today.
  5. Listen to a podcast such as “Love Worth Finding” with Adrian Rogers, “Everyday Truth” with Kurt Skelly, “Family Talk” with James Dobson, “Thru the Bible” with J. Vernon McGee, or “Truth for Life” with Alistair Begg and share it with a friend. Share one podcast each month. 
  6. Ask another disciple to participate in a Bible reading challenge with you and keep each other accountable. This could be a chapter of Proverbs each day, the New Testament in the year, the whole Bible in a year, or the whole Bible in 3 months plan. 
  7. Read books such as “Living By the Book” by Howard and William Hendricks, “Women of the Word” by Jen Wilken, “Jesus on Every Page” by David Murray, “The Calvary Road” by Roy Hession, or “Running With Giants” by John Maxwell and discuss the Bible truths you learned with others.
  8. Talk To God with Others.
  9. Pray with your small group.
  10. Share your prayer requests with the group.
  11. Ask prayer requests on behalf of others.
  12. Offer to lead the group in prayer.
  13. Text a friend you are praying and pause to pray for them.
  14. Offer to pray for a person in distress or facing a tough challenge and then pray with him at that moment.
  15. Keep a prayer list with the requests of many others listed. “The Battle Plan Prayer Journal” by Alex Kendrick is a good resource for your prayer list.
  16. Read a book such as, “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire” by Jim Cymbala, “Partners in Prayer” by John Maxwell, “Praying for Your Elephant” by Adam Stadtmiller, “The Prayer of Jabez” by Bruce Wilkerson, or “The Battle Plan for Prayer: From Basic Training to Targeted Strategies” by Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick and then plan a specific time each day to pray personally, to prepare yourself better to pray in the small group.
  17. Share Life with Others.
  18. Become more relational with other Christians.
  19. Include other disciples in your daily life.
  20. Speak encouraging words: Purpose to say something positive to at least one Christian daily.
  21. Lovingly speak the truth. A brother or sister in Christ may need a gentle reminder to do the right thing or to think the right way.
  22. Be an example. Positive proximity demonstrates words and actions that may encourage, challenge, or compel another disciple to take the correct next step.

Win to Jesus:

Discover your spiritual gift and sign up for at least one ministry in the context of your local church. You need your church, and your church needs you to reach more folks for Christ with the Gospel and to adequately disciple the new converts. The greeting team, cleaning crew, kid’s ministry, VBS, AWANA, nursery, music ministry, Scatter Group host, media ministry, grounds crew, and safety team are good places to start. Ask your pastor this Sunday about ministries in which you can volunteer. Disciples can win others to Jesus with their service.

In addition to serving, find creative ways to invite others to Christ. Invite people to attend Sunday church with you. Ask a neighbor to attend the next outreach event at your church. Take a dessert to a neighbor who recently lost a loved one and ask them if you could pray with them.

Rest in Jesus:

Jesus did the work of salvation at the Cross. Jesus is with us while we work to share His message with the lost. Jesus is with us when we baptize new disciples and teach the Bible. Rest upon Him. Walk in the Spirit. Rely on Christ. Commit all the results and expectations to the Lord. Let Him build His church as He promised He would in Matthew 16:18.

Conclusion

This Personal Spiritual Growth Plan will only help an earnest disciple when utilized. Decisions are good to make, but with no action, nothing will change, and nothing will be better. Choose to grow. Instill these disciplines into your life. While Jeremiah could not find a disciple, the Lord saw a faithful disciple in Jeremiah. Be like Jeremiah. 

From the example of Paul telling Timothy to “get out of the gym,” we uncover the truth that the Christian life requires spiritual exercise, and this spiritual exercise is much more valuable than the sweat of a physical workout in the gym. Like physical exercise, spiritual exercise takes decision, time, place, and effort. Marathon runners will adjust their schedule for race day. Basketball players will design their calendars around the big game. Disciples of Christ examine their priorities and will implement the necessary changes to become more like Jesus. 

We have assessments available in the Wilton Baptist Church lobby. Please pick one up next Sunday to take the test for yourself.

Bibliography

Elwell, Walter A. and Beitzel. Larry J. “Christians, Names For,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988).

Faithlife, LLC. “Disciple.” Logos Bible Software, Computer software. Logos Bible Software Bible Sense Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, LLC, May 30, 2023. https://ref.ly/logos4/Senses?KeyId=ws.disciple.n.01.

Gorman, Michael J. Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001).

Haykin, Michael. The God Who Draws Near: An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality (Evangelical Press, 2007).

Magnum, Douglas. Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament, Lexham Context Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).

McClendon, Adam P.Lockhart, Jared E. Timeless Church: Five Lessons from Acts (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020).

Murray, Andrew. Humility: The Beauty of Holiness (New York; London; Glasgow: Fleming H. Revell, 1800).

Rainer, Thom S. and Rainer, Sam S. Geiger and Rainer Eric, Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2010).

Raymer, Roger M. “1 Peter,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985).

Thayer, Joseph Henry. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889).

Thomas, Robert L. New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).

Whitney, Donald S. Spiritual Disciplines for Christian Life (Revised and Updated) (NavPress, 2014).

Yount, William and Barnett, Mike. Called to Reach: Equipping Cross-Cultural Disciplers (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2007).

Gorman, Michael J. Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001.

              [1] Psalm 48:1, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.”

[2] Michael Haykin, The God Who Draws Near: An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality (Evangelical Press, 2007), 11.

[3] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 122.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).

[6] Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

[7] Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for Christian Life (Revised and Updated) (NavPress, 2014), 103–104.

[8] P. Adam McClendon and Jared E. Lockhart, Timeless Church: Five Lessons from Acts (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020), 34.

[9] Andrew Murray, Humility: The Beauty of Holiness (New York; London; Glasgow: Fleming H. Revell, 1800), 39.

[10] Ecclesiastes 4:9, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.” Acts 2:42, “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

[11] Michael Haykin, The God Who Draws Near: An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality (Evangelical Press, 2007), 73.

[12] The family of Christians, named for Christ, is described in Ephesians 3:14-15, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”

[13] Michael J. Gorman, Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001), 179.

[14] Matthew 22:38-39, “This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Marks of a Disciple, PART 1

Identifiable Marks of a Disciple of Jesus

Introduction

The words “disciple” and “disciples” are used nearly 270 times in the New Testament. From the gospels to the church and personal letters, the Bible gives many examples of Christ’s immediate and subsequent disciples. How did they live? What were their struggles? Which markers or characteristics stand most prominent among these early disciples of Christ? This paper addresses the marks of a disciple. 

Μαθητής (mathetes, disciple) is the word for disciple, meaning “a learner, pupil, or disciple.”[1]  Μαθητής is different from another term in the education and academic world which is διδάσκαλος (didaskalos, teacher), which refers to the one doing the teaching, or the master teacher.[2] The learning circle of spiritual education and religious training includes the teacher, the learner, the content/lessons, the environment, and the context. The five learning circle factors impact authentic learning and discipleship, but the most foundational is that the disciple follows the teacher and his teachings.Each learning circle factor tremendously influences the transfer of information and lifestyle choices to the disciple/learner. Consider the following: the teacher, Jesus, is followed by His disciple. The disciple is learning a lesson from Jesus in each context and environment while hearing the words and seeing the actions that Jesus is sharing. The Μαθητής can only learn from the διδάσκαλος when in His presence or when studying His words. Modern-day disciples of Jesus follow Jesus as articulated in the Scriptures. While focusing primarily on the disciple of Jesus, this paper will consider the other learning circle factors, which establish basic context while elaborating on the marks of a true disciple of Christ.

Before answering the question, “What are the marks of a true disciple of Christ,” another must be answered, “Is a disciple defined by what he does, what he learns, or what he becomes?” The textbook definition above suggests it is what one is, “A learner, pupil, or disciple.”[3]  So a disciple is a learner, he is a pupil/student, and he is a disciple/follower. The Bible Sense Lexicon says the predominant use of the term Μαθητής is used 168 times in the following sense, “a student who adheres to (and travels with) a teacher in a pedagogical relationship; especially used of students of spiritual leaders.”[4] 

Matthew 28:16-20 is the passage most well known as the “Great Commission.” In this scene, the 11 disciples gathered together and walked up the mountain when Jesus told them to meet Him. When they arrive, Jesus appears to them, and the disciples immediately bow down and worship the resurrected Jesus. Jesus proceeds to give another lesson to the disciples. He lets them know that He has been given all the authority of heaven and earth, and because of His victory over sin, death, and hell in the Gospel, they have a message to share. They have a new life in Christ. They have a mission. His message includes how they will walk through life, teaching the Gospel and making disciples. These disciples are instructed to live the words of Christ in the Christian community (other disciples) and to find ways to serve the Lord to further advance the Gospel in their churches and communities worldwide. The phrases, Worship God, Walk with Others, Win to Jesus, and Rest in Jesus, summarize this passage well. 

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Worshipping, Walking, Winning, and Resting are the marks of a disciple of Christ identified in this passage. When a disciple is worshipping God, walking with others, and winning others to Jesus, he can rest in the Lord. Each of these marks is empowered and enabled by God Himself as He said, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). These four marks also indicate a clear path of discipleship. Thom Rainer and his son, Sam, of Church Answers, suggest, “From the pastor to the nominal church member, there is a sense that church has become too complicated and busy. There is no clear path for someone to grow as a disciple.”[5] Discipleship is a journey, and Matthew 28 gives us a clear path to follow. 

After describing the frustration of assembling a bunk bed with no instruction or manuals, Adam McClendon, in Timeless Church: Five Lessons From Acts, observes that many churches lack a process for discipleship. He says, “They have the plan (to make disciples), but they have no idea really where to begin. They are missing a process for reaching and ministering to others.”[6] When following Jesus, a disciple can integrate the marks of a disciple in Matthew 28:16-20 into their life to further their spiritual formation in Christ. These four marks are a natural process and path to discipleship within a local church context. These simple marks are supported and expanded upon by various other passages, citations, and applications.

Mark 1: Disciples Worship God

The eleven disciples’ first response to Jesus, when they see Him in Matthew 28:17, is to bow down to Him and worship Him. “Worship” (προσ-κυνέω) means “to kiss (The hand); to do reverence to, or to bow down.”[7]  This reverential act is synonymous with the posture of their hearts to Jesus. They believe Jesus is the Messiah. These disciples have trusted Christ for their salvation and are continuing to trust Him. They are worshipping Jesus as God in the flesh, the risen Son of God. Writer and scholar Michael Gorman observes in his book, Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross, “In simplest terms…faith is the appropriate response to hearing the gospel (Romans 10).”[8] 

However, some disciples wavered. It is not sure which one(s) doubted, but some did. The word “doubted” is the same word Jesus used when rescuing Peter, who walked on water and began to sink in Matthew 14:31.[9]  διστάζω (distazo, doubt) means “to doubt, waver.” [10]  Some of the disciples wavered in their faith, but others remained convinced and completely trusted the resurrected Jesus. The history after that tells of each of these eleven disciples becoming faithful witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus and who, even with moments of doubt, live convinced of their faith that Jesus is the Savoir, even giving their own lives for the Gospel of Christ.

A disciple is more than a name, title, occupation, or activity; it is what one is and what he is becoming. A disciple is more than what he is learning or doing; it is what he is. The disciple, with growth, also becomes a discipler. In Called to Reach, Rick Yountexplains that “The discipler lives a life of biblical character—putting into practice the principles, teachings, and models of the Bible as demonstrated through the life of Jesus Christ.”[11] The disciple is modeling the life of Jesus. Perhaps a disciple of Christ could define his life this way, “My name is Steve, and I am a disciple of Jesus.” The modern Christian travels through life in the presence of Jesus, the Holy Spirit of Jesus, the Words of Jesus, and the people of Jesus. 

The name “Christian” also implies this definition of a disciple. In Acts 11:26, “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” The people witnessing the lives of the Antioch Christians saw these people and adopted the name “Christian.” Walter Ewell suggests, “Since members of the group constantly talked about Christ, they were called Christians, meaning the “household” or “partisans” of Christ.”[12]  “Christian” is a fantastic way for a disciple to be known.

A disciple’s worship of Jesus begins with conversion to the Christian faith, including a public profession in Believer’s Baptism, continues with faithful love and devotion to the Lord, and results in living the crucified life and practicing self-denial. Why do disciples worship Jesus?

Disciples Worship Jesus Because they are Converted to Christianity.

They came to a place of complete faith and established an ongoing trust in believing the Gospel of the resurrected Son of God. Expanding on the introduction to this mark of worship, observe the following faith conversions to Christ.

  • Levi, known to most as Matthew, believed and trusted Jesus in Luke 5:27-28. “And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him.”
  • Peter and Andrew dropped their fishing nets and left their boat following Jesus because of faith. Mark 1:18 states, “And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.”
  • James and John jump off their fishing boat and left their father to follow Jesus in Matthew 4:22, “And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”

Disciples Worship Jesus Because They Love Him.

Most students in school today would not say they “love their teachers.” They may like some teachers more than others or enjoy some classes more than other classes. Some would say they love their teacher because of the extra time or helpful investment a particular teacher makes for them. In Christianity, the learner (disciple) is to love His teacher (Jesus). Jesus speaks to this directly in Luke 14:26-27 when He says the disciple must be willing to leave family to follow Him. The disciples love for Christ becomes even greater than love for his family.        

Writer Michael Haykin says, “Not to love him and to be devoted him without reservation is to dishonour God and to grieve the Spirit in his Christ-centred ministry.”[13] The Apostle Paul implied love as natural for the disciples of Christ in Ephesians 6:24, “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.” The grace of God is evident and can be seen in a disciple who actively and sincerely loves Jesus.

Love for Jesus is Demonstrated in His Relationship to Christ.

Following the Lord in Believer’s Baptism is a natural extension of the disciple who believes the Gospel and loves the Lord. Michael Gorman observes the teachings of the Apostle Paul and makes a compelling case for the “Christian” refusing Believer’s Baptism as not being a true disciple of Jesus. He says,

For Paul private belief and public confession of it—including baptism—go hand in hand. Both are needed for salvation. That is, conversion-initiation is both personal and public; faith brings a person into a relationship with God in Christ, and also with other believers. Baptism makes public and communal that which is first of all private and individual, but cannot remain so.[14]

Several passages come to mind considering the necessity of a Christian being immersed in water following conversion.

  • Baptism demonstrates a person being “in” Christ as in – they are a Christian. Galatians 3:27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
  • Baptism illustrates a new life in Christ. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).
  • Jesus exemplifies baptism. “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).
  • Jesus commands baptism. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them…” (Matthew 28:19).
  • Baptism conveys the spiritual act of baptism as authorized in the name of “the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).

A Christian will follow the Lord in Believer’s Baptism, making His personal faith in Christ public because he loves Jesus. Yes, the thief on the cross did not have the opportunity to be baptized, but when one is nailed to a cross, he does not have much of a choice! His example and others (because of unique circumstances) who cannot demonstrate their faith in baptism are the exception, not the rule. Most Christians devoted to the Lord and are genuine disciples will gladly identify with Christ in baptism, demonstrating their ongoing faith in the resurrected Lord and His finished work on the Cross, death, burial, and resurrection. They want others to know their faith is legitimate. They are not ashamed to be publicly baptized.

Loving Christ is also demonstrated in being obedient to the teachings of Jesus. Jesus repeatedly affirms this, including John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” The Apostle John also declares, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). We can certainly demonstrate our love for the Lord in our obedient actions, our responsive attitude, and our respectful words to the Lord and others.

Love for Jesus is Demonstrated in Relationships with Others.

Christians live in a community with other disciples. The local church is a gathering of more than like-minded individuals. The church is comprised of imperfect people who gather to worship the Lord, learn from His Word, praise with their lips, and serve the Lord their God. Faithfully gathering for worship services, enduring relationships with others, and looking forward to and enjoying them is part of the Christian life. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). Following the resurrection of Christ, the longest-living apostle was the Apostle John. He knew a lot about church life and how to demonstrate love to God by loving other people. With a pastoral tone, John declares in 1 John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

The church gathered is a convergence of people, time, and places designated to worship the Lord publicly. In Spiritual Disciplines for Christian Life, Donald Whitney articulates,”To worship God means to ascribe the proper worth to God, to magnify His worthiness of praise, or better, to approach and address God as He is worthy.[15] A mark of a disciple will include regular and faithful worship of the Lord with other Christians in the local church. It is with these other disciples that the Christian can carry out further disciplines and service. Adam McClendon and Jared Lockhart write, “God did not design a church gathering to be a place merely to receive; instead, he intended it to be a place of engagement, where each person would use his or her personality, gifts, and passions for the glory of God in meeting with the saints to publicly acknowledge Jesus as the Christ.”[16]  Worshipping Jesus is the goal of Sunday church gatherings.

Disciples Worship Jesus Because of Personal Self Denial.

Denying self is a mark of the worshipful disciple, which is found in Mark 8, Luke 9, 14, and also Matthew 16:24-26, where Scripture says, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Self-denial is an integral part of the Christian’s progressive sanctification. Writer Michael Gorman states, “Sanctification—growth in holiness, or dedication to God—replaces ‘greater and greater iniquity.’ This growth is achieved, according to Paul, by means of regular self-offering to God. This is for believers, as it was for Christ, a dynamic and ongoing narrative posture before God.”[17] Paul describes this self-denial possibility in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Because of the Cross, we can live for the Lord instead of ourselves. As the disciples bowed down to Jesus on that mountain in Matthew 28, they had already received three years of instruction about serving the Lord, serving others, and denying self. They would continue to worship and yield their lives to Him because Jesus is worthy of lives of worship. Denying self is necessary to enable and prepare for life with other disciples, which is the Second Mark of a Disciple: Walking with Others. 

Mark 2: Walk With Others

Making Disciples is the primary idea behind “teach” in verse 19. “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). For a person to become a disciple, they must first become a convert to Christ and learn to worship Jesus as their Savoir, the resurrected Son of God. The new converts are placing their complete faith and trust in Jesus to save them from their sin with an ongoing belief in the Gospel of Christ.

“Teach” is the same as the word “Disciple.” Μαθητεύω as identified in the introduction as a “disciple, follower, or learner.” Jesus is instructing His disciples to “Go, make disciples” in His first instruction, “Go and teach.” These new believers are to follow the Lord in “Believer’s Baptism” and to be taught the rest of the teachings of Jesus. The original disciples give detailed lessons per the robust teachings of Jesus as found in the Scriptures. Their stories, examples, and Scriptures written indicate their lives in relationship to others. Essentially, the original eleven and subsequent disciples are walking through life together. 

The Christian life includes walking with other Christians.

The Shema of Deuteronomy 6 is an insightful passage as to how the eleven disciples (Hebrews) understood teaching and “discipleship.” 

Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates (Deuteronomy 6:3-9).

In addition to the public gathering of the saints on Sunday, it is healthy and helpful for the church to gather in more personal ways to live life together throughout the week. Living together while including God and others is advantageous to any Christian and any church. Fellowship and personal relationship is discipleship 101. Walking With Others, for the disciple of Jesus, includes several private and personal disciplines. The first-century church demonstrated this small group, or house-to-house model of ministry in their discipleship program as described in Acts 2:26, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.” Walking through life with others adds several spiritual and personal benefits. These “disciplines” are mostly learned and matured in small groups.

Talk about the Scriptures.

The Shema indicates a relational way of communicating and sharing Bible truth in everyday life. Notice the verbs “Sitting, walking, laying down, rising.” These are daily habits and activities. Bible truth can be discussed and applied in everyday life and situational settings. In addition to the public worship service, Christians can encourage others and be encouraged in relational ways. Small groups, such as Scatter Groups, Sunday Schools, and Life Groups, can actively offer Bible teaching, further training, and practical accountability in a relational setting. 

Small Group Bible Instruction.

Jesus not only preached to large crowds of hundreds and thousands but also encountered and instructed his disciples in small groups in more relational and personal ways. The larger meetings are evangelistic while the small groups are discipleship.

  • Matthew 11:1 demonstrates, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.”
  • Mark 4:34, reports, “But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.”

As Jesus was the Word made flesh, when He spoke to the disciples, He heard the very Words of God from Himself! Today, we are privileged to read and study the written Word of God, the Bible. In the Scriptures, we have the very words of God as well. Instilling the Bible into our thoughts and minds can significantly impact our decisions and actions. Commentator John Phillips suggests having God’s word abide in us. He declares,

To have Christ’s words “abiding” in us means more than merely memorizing them. It means meditating on them until our conscious natures are impregnated with them, until they become a vital part of us, so that they enlighten our understanding, enthuse our emotions, energize our wills.[18]

Study the Bible.

Bible study should be conducted in small groups, in families, and by individuals. 2 Timothy 2:15instructs, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  Personal Bible study ensures one is able to conribute when in  a small group setting. There is a difference between reading the Bible and studying the Bible. Donald Whitney offers several helpful suggestions for Bible study, including the following:

The basic difference between Bible reading and Bible study is simply a pen and paper (or some other means of preserving your thoughts). Write down observations about the text as you read, and record questions that come to your mind. If your Bible has cross-references, look up the ones that relate to the verses that prompt your questions, then record your insights. Find a key word in your reading and use the concordance found in the back of most Bibles to review the other references that use the word, and again note your findings. Another way to begin is to outline a chapter, one paragraph at a time. When you finish that chapter, move on to the next until you’ve outlined the entire book. Before long you’ll have a far stronger grasp on a section of Scripture than you had by just reading it.[19]

Continue in the Scriptures.

Daily Bible intake assists in spiritual formation and growth, like eating several meals daily. There will be spiritual challenges to enjoying these spiritual meals. Michael Haykin observed, “A state of war thus marks the relationship between the flesh and the Holy Spirit. It is a war in which there is no neutral ground.”[20]  We need nourishment and spiritual strength; the Bible offers this to us. There are temptations to drift away from the Lord and His word. Still, by God’s grace, the disciple can continue. 2 Timothy 3:14-15 encourages,”But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 

Not only does Bible intake grow a disciple, it also indicates one’s faith in the Gospel and evidence that one is a disciple. Jesus says as much in John 8:31-32, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” An incredible benefit to knowing the Scriptures is that they, as truth, will set us free—purpose to continue in the word.

Talk to God.

Prayer is a private discipline in addition to being a public practice. Prayer occurs in the life of a disciple by himself, with his family, or with his small group. In the book, The God Who Draws Near: An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality, Michal Haykins tells of John Bunyan and the discipline required actually to spend time with God in prayer:

From personal experience Bunyan knew the allergic reaction of the sinful nature to the presence of God that still resides in the bosom of every believer. Instead of coming into God’s radiant presence to pray, it wants to run and hide—like Adam after he had sinned in the garden. In other words, prayer demands discipline and hard work.[21]

Jesus practiced personal and public prayers. Following the ministry of Jesus, Matthew 9:35-38shares,

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Before demonstrating the “Model Prayer” or “Lord’s Prayer,” Luke 11:1 gives a glimpse of the prayer life of Jesus, “And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”  They wanted to pray as Jesus prayed. He is the best example of fellowship and praying to the Father. Speaking of Luke 11, Douglas Mangum, in the Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament, comments:

Within the larger section dealing with discipleship, one cannot forget that Jesus’ disciples must have a vibrant prayer life. Jesus teaches his disciples about the pattern of prayer and then gives them three pictures of prayer. First, the model prayer demonstrates the pattern his disciples are to employ in prayer (11:1–4). Then he provides his three classic pictures of prayer: a friend asking for bread at midnight (11:5–8), a person knocking on a door (11:9–10), and a child asking for something from his father (11:11–13). These provide principles for how to pray and implicit promises about how God will respond to persistent prayer from his children.[22]

Mutual Accountability and Encouragement.

Being with other Christians and sharing life have many spiritual benefits. In the book Timeless Church: Five Lessons from Acts, Adam McClendon describes a journey to a hospital requiring a long road trip in which he took another brother in Christ. As they traveled in his car, Adam noticed that having another man with him encouraged him and kept him accountable for doing good. He said,

A brother in the Lord Jesus Christ was with me. A member of the church was keeping me accountable by simply being there. His presence helped curb temptation. Why is this the case? It is because one of the major benefits of meeting together continually is this: Christian community restrains sin![23]

When one knows the Bible more and prays more often with others it is easier to confront, challenge, and encourage others, when needed. Disciples of Christ begin their discipleship journey with the mark of Worshipping God and continue spiritual formation and development while Walking with Others. There are two more marks to examine. Next is Winning to Jesus.

Mark 3: Win to Jesus

            Winning others to Jesus include several ministry and service focuses. Proverbs 11:30 indicates, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that winneth souls is wise.” A wise disciple of Christ is actively making other disciples. The path of discipleship culminates in the life of the Christian with sharing his faith and then assisting in the spiritual formation of another, younger disciple of Christ. The worship, walk, and win is circular and ongoing. The Christian who is winning people to Jesus, making new converts, starts the new disciple in the “worship” and “walk” marks of the disciple. The following focuses will assist in winning others to Jesus.

Win in Service.

Disciples serve the Lord when they serve other people. Matthew illustrates this focus at the feeing of the 5000.

And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children (Matthew 15:33-36).

The disciple of Jesus is winning in the Christian life and winning others to the Lord with their selfless service. Peter declares our service is connected to God’s grace. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:9-10). Paul also stated,“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13). This writer believes every Christian should find at least one ministry to serve in within his church and do it to the best of his ability.

Discerning and deploying one’s spiritual gift in church ministry is essential to serve the Lord effectively. At the moment of salvation, the follower of Jesus is gifted with a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit. It is essential to utilize this spiritual gift in active ministry and service. Commenting on 1 Peter 4:10, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures states, “Believers should be diligent in using their spiritual gifts. Each gift (charisma) is to be used to serve (diakonountes; cf. diakonos, “deacon”) or “minister to” others.”[24]  It has been said, “Lead in your strengths.” Indeed, a disciple can serve with what they are strong in, in what they have been gifted in. Scriptural lists of spiritual gifts can be found in Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-7. The spiritual gift can assist you in winning others to Christ with your service to Him. Ultimately the Lord wins the person to Jesus, but He may utilize your testimony, faithfulness, and service.

Win with Humility.

Christian service must be conducted with humility. Luke 22:24-26 gives us a picture of humble service. “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them…But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.” Andrew Murray makes three helpful observations about humility in the life of the disciple seeking to serve the Lord.

  1. First, How much there may be of earnest and active religion while humility is still sadly wanting.
  2. Second, How impotent all external teaching and all personal effort is, to conquer pride or give the meek and lowly heart.
  3. Third, It is only by the indwelling of Christ in His divine humility that we become truly humble.[25]

At the right time, the Lord lifts and exalts those who serve humbly. Much Christian work may be conducted “behind the scenes” without applause or public recognition. That’s ok. God sees our humble service. Peter describes this promise to those who serve with selfless humility in 1 Peter 5:5-6,“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”  Let God exalt you. Live and serve with humility.

Mark 4: Rest in Jesus

The results of Worshipping God, Walking with Others, and Winning to Jesus are evident now and later. The faithful disciple has several promises of Scripture that he can trust the Lord for. As Jesus shares this ministry model and pattern of discipleship, He makes a promise to them. “I am with you” (Mathew 28:20). What an incredible promise! His presence brings tremendous comfort, peace, and rest to the faithful disciple. Here are just a few benefits of Resting in Jesus.

Rest in His Call.

There will be trials, temptations, and much trouble in life. The first disciples each encountered tremendous challenges, but Jesus was with them through each challenge. The disciples could follow the example of Christ that they were privileged to see firsthand. The example of Christ demonstrates how to handle pain and suffering and how His steps are the best to follow as they provide peace and rest. Following the steps of Jesus is a calling that is much better than attempting to create our own path in life. Peter declares in 1 Peter 2:20-25,

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

This example of Jesus is reproduced in the life of a faithful disciple. The disciple is called to be and becomes a discipler. Commentator Roger Raymer in The Bible Knowledge Commentary speaks to this calling,

Christians are called (eklēthēte; cf. 1:15; 2:9) to follow Christ, to emulate His character and conduct, because He suffered for them. The word rendered an example (hypogrammon, lit., “underwriting”), appearing only here in the New Testament, refers to a writing or drawing that a student reproduces.”[26]

Committing ourselves to God, even in trials and troubles, is the complete circle of a life of faith. Not only does the disciple trust the Lord in good times, but also in bad times. Even when troubles come, the disciple can rest in the Lord, Who “judgeth righteously.” The “Bishop of our souls” is available to guide us in the right paths. The Christian writes a letter or paints a picture of God’s grace while following the example of Jesus. While the course may be challenging, the Christian follows the model and pattern of Jesus while believing His way is best.[27]  The Christian need not “stray” from the path God has established for him to follow. The disciple of Jesus will seek the path of Jesus and consistently follow “in His steps.”

Rest in His Voice.

Comforting is the voice of the Lord. As described earlier in this paper, the public and private disciplines of Bible study and prayer significantly contribute to finding rest and peace in our lives. The Word of God speaks grace and peace into our very souls. The Gospel of John records a comforting promise,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:27-30).

Rest More, Worry Less.

In Luke 12:22-23, Jesus speaks directly to His disciples, and His disciples today apply this same teaching; Worry less because He will give us all we truly need, “And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.”  Later on in this same teaching scene, Jesus instructs,  “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Luke 12:31).

In this same line of reason, Matthew 11:28-30records, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  The disciple of Christ who comes to the Lord can commit every aspect of his life to the Lord. The result is more rest and peace and less worry and strife.

Conclusion

The marks of disciples of Christ are Worship God, Walk with Others, Win to Jesus, and Rest in Him. This is who they are, what they do, and who they are becoming; They are disciples who follow Jesus’s teachings. The present-day Μαθητής (Disciple) must learn from and follow the διδάσκαλος (teacher), and these four marks of a disciple are a natural progression for spiritual formation and growth. Following this example of Scripture will strengthen any church and the disciples in it.

“Go,” Jesus said in Matthew 28:19. “Make disciples in My name,” He said. Near the end of John’s account of the life of Christ, John 20:21 relates, “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”  We are sent with the same authority in the name of Jesus, enjoy the peace of God with us, and may boldly proclaim the message of the Gospel while being disciples and making disciples.

CITATIONS

[1] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 386.

[2] Ibid. διδάσκαλος, 386.

[3] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 386.

[4] Faithlife, LLC. “Disciple.” Logos Bible Software, Computer software. Logos Bible Software Bible Sense Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, LLC, May 30, 2023. https://ref.ly/logos4/Senses?KeyId=ws.disciple.n.01.

[5] Thom S. Rainer and Sam S. Rainer, Geiger and Rainer Eric, Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2010), ebook.

[6] P. Adam McClendon and Jared E. Lockhart, Timeless Church: Five Lessons from Acts (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020), 100.

[7] Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).

[8] Michael J. Gorman, Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001), 122.

[9] Matthew 14:31, “And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

[10] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 152.

[11] William Yount and Mike Barnett, Called to Reach: Equipping Cross-Cultural Disciplers (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2007), Ebook.

[12] Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Christians, Names For,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 432.

[13] Michael Haykin, The God Who Draws Near: An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality (Evangelical Press, 2007), 24.

[14] Michael J. Gorman, Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001), 123.

[15] Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for Christian Life (Revised and Updated) (NavPress, 2014), 103–104.

[16] P. Adam McClendon and Jared E. Lockhart, Timeless Church: Five Lessons from Acts (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020), 37–38.

[17] Michael J. Gorman, Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001), 132.

[18] John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Jn 15:7–8.

[19] Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for Christian Life (Revised and Updated) (NavPress, 2014), 32–33.

[20] Michael Haykin, The God Who Draws Near: An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality (Evangelical Press, 2007), 17.

[21] Michael Haykin, The God Who Draws Near: An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality (Evangelical Press, 2007), 59.

[22] Douglas Mangum, ed., Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament, Lexham Context Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), Lk 11:1–13.

[23] Adam P. McClendon and Jared E. Lockhart, Timeless Church: Five Lessons from Acts (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020), 46.

[24] Roger M. Raymer, “1 Peter,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 853.

[25] Andrew Murray, Humility: The Beauty of Holiness (New York; London; Glasgow: Fleming H. Revell, 1800), 41.

[26] Roger M. Raymer, “1 Peter,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 848.

              [27] Psalm 18:30, As for God, his way is perfect: The word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Starting Points for Teaching and Preaching

Bible teaching and preaching.  It is something I have been doing since 1998.  That year, as a recent High School graduate, Chester Smith and Walter Ruark asked me to teach their Sunday School class for the summer.  These long-term Bible educators taught me when I was in 7th and 8th grade.  One was a Math professor at a local college.  The seventh and eighth-grade boys received instruction from an 18-year-old each Sunday for about 14 weeks that year.  During the workweek, I worked as a land surveyor, plotting maps and putting down property markers for highways and subdevelopments.  In the evenings, after work, at the apartment supplied by my employer, I would prepare for the Sunday School lessons.  If nothing else, I’m sure the students picked up some excitement for Jesus, His Word, and His church. I’m not sure if the lessons were effective, biblically accurate, or even illustrated effectively.  But it worked.  I was blessed to be mentored and to have the opportunity. 

The goal of all Bible teaching and preaching is to make disciples.  In the last words Jesus spoke (before ascending up to Heaven) He talked about teaching and making disciples in Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”[1] These words form a terrific model for ministry and this model must be important to the Lord.

Disciple-making can be conducted in personal evangelism, in a small group, in a classroom, or in a large church setting.  Teachers and preachers are part of God’s disciple-making plan.  “Jesus had no plan B. The disciples were the plan.  He left the message in their hands.”[2]  We hold the message of God in our hands today!  We are called to make modern-day disciples.

Teachers and preachers have much in common.  Both are vital in church life and Christian spiritual formation.  The development and delivery of lessons and messages are remarkably similar, and one can definitely learn from the other in method, development, and delivery.  While teaching is generally known as the transfer of information, preaching goes further and seeks to affect the heart.  Both teachers and preachers declare the Bible.  2 Timothy 3:16–17 proposes, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  One explanation I heard of this passage years ago from Dr. Jim Schettler suggests that “doctrine is what is right, reproof reveals what is wrong, correction says how to make it right, and instruction in righteousness tells how to keep it right.”  Christian growth, spiritual maturation, and formation are possible with preachers and teachers being an important part of this developmental process.  All this, of course, revolves around the Scriptures and relies upon the Holy Spirit of God.[3]

What is preaching in contrast to teaching?  Author Tony Merida explains: “Some think that one has gone from teaching to preaching when the speaker starts yelling! But I think the difference has more to do with the content than with volume.  The act of preaching involves three characteristics that are not always present in the act of teaching: exhortation, evangelism, and exultation.”[4]  All good preaching must include some teaching, for without understanding the context of the passage and the background of the text, the preaching will be shallow and superficial and may even contain errors in its explanation.

The practices, skills, and goals covered in this book are given to equip a teacher and preacher (or aspiring teacher/preacher) with a few basic starting points to get begin a Bible teaching and preaching ministry.  These are “starting points” for lectern or pulpit ministry. 

Two basic pulpit ministry terms must be defined and understood by the Bible student and Bible communicator:

  • Hermeneutics is “the study of principles and methods of interpretation.”[5] Every person has some method of interpretation by default.  Many helpful books and resources are available that instruct in proper Biblical interpretation, and this paper will cover some of that out of necessity.  One cannot truly and accurately teach or preach what he does not know or properly understand.
  • Homiletics “may be defined as the science of preparation and delivering a discourse based on Scripture.”[6]  Many books have been written concerning how to deliver Bible messages.  Please see the reference page at the end of this paper for a list of recommended books. Much of this paper will concern the how-to’s of Bible lesson preparation and delivery.

Change is a big part of the Christian life; Death to life. Sin to Righteousness. Condemnation to justification.  Jesus changes us.  The Word of God Changes us.  We are to be conformed into the image of Jesus.  This is change.  The Bible teacher and preacher deliver Bible messages seeking to assist the student in change.  “The best teachers weave together competing elements-content and communication, justice and grace, control and nurture, challenge and support-in order to help learners grow.”[7]  The instruction of Bible teachers and preachers has the potential to shape the minds of the students and listeners. The Bible term for “shaping the mind” is “Noutheteo” or “Admonish.”[8]  Colossians 3:16 directs us,“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  Notice the shaping of the mind is possible because of the Word of Christ.

Teachers and preachers have such an important job.  It is a high calling from God!  In “Reaching with Spiritual Passion,” Edward Rowell emphatically declares the imperative of our Bible lessons and messages.  Consider:

  1. In one sentence, what is this sermon about?
  2. What theological category would this fit under? (Is it man-centric or God-centric?)
  3. What do I want My listeners to know?
  4. What do I want them to do?
  5. What do I want them to become?
  6. How does this sermon fit with the larger vision?[9]  (What are the long-term goals?)

  These are great questions to ask and when coupled with Merida’s statement on faithfulness in the pulpit, we begin our journey to Bible teaching and preaching.  “Faithfulness in the pulpit is all about the main things, the plain things, and the same things.[10]”  This statement is a great summary goal for all Bible communicators.  The following pages will cover five starting points for a Bible teacher and preacher.  They are: Know the Big Story, Know Your Audience, Build a Bridge, Develop Your Message, and Deliver Your Message.  Here we go…

Know the Big Story.

Read the Scriptures.  Christians should be readers of the Holy Bible. “When a preacher confesses that he has nothing to preach, he is really confessing that he has stopped reading the Bible.”[11]  There is always something to preach.  Every Christian, preacher, or teacher should actively and consistently read the Holy Scriptures.  “To change people’s lives deeply through the Word, the preacher’s life has to be transformed by the Word.”[12]  Become a student of the Bible, letting it change you to become more like Jesus.  It has been accurately said, “The best teachers are the best students.”  Read the Bible. Be a good student of the Bible.

Choose Your Text.  The whole Bible cannot be preached in one session.  Pick 1-10 verses if teaching a New Testament passage.  Choose 1-20 verses if preaching in the Old Testament.  More verses than this may provide too much information to process.  Think of a drinking fountain versus a fire hydrant.  We drink water from the drinking fountain.  The fire hydrant would blow a person away! The human mind can only handle a limited amount of information to be productive and affect life change. Narrative passages may be longer as they are in story form and must be considered in their whole form. 

Study the Scriptures.  Paul told young preacher Timothy to “study” in 2 Timothy 2:15.[13]   Study (σπουδάζω) is a wonderful educational term meaning, “to use speed, i.e. to make effort, be prompt or earnest.”[14] The study requires diligence and much effort. While we do not study to “get it over with,” we do study with promptness. It implies that we study with “imperative.”  A Bible teacher or preacher must study the Scripture. 

The archaic and lesser-known terms of Scripture must be defined with modern, understandable terms.  Sometimes, those with a religious background may even have different definitions than what the Bible term really means, so definitions should always be shared. The background of the text must be explored.  The events and circumstances should be understood in their context with a historically accurate, grammatically proper understanding.  “All the while, it must be remembered that the Bible was not given to reveal the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but to reveal the hand of God in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; not as a revelation of Mary and Martha, and Lazarus, but as a revelation of the Savoir of Mary and Martha and Lazarus.”[15]  All the Bible points to Jesus, the Savoir of the World!

There are several considerations in the study of Scripture, starting with the “Big Story.”  The Big Story is how this chosen text fits in the overall plot of the entire Bible.  What is the “Big Picture?” is another way to ask this question.  From which book of the Bible is your text?  Who was the human writer?  What is his background?  What is the primary theme of the book?  What are the key verses in the passage?  What are the dates and events in the historical timeline of this passage? Is the passage itself or events in the passage referenced in other passages of Scripture?  What cultural contexts need to be explained?  What form of literature is the text written in?

Exegesis is the academic and scholarly survey and study of the chosen text.  A conscientious Bible student will study with Exegetics in mind.  “Scholars call the process of excavating the original meaning of a passage exegesis.  Each of us is a product of the time and culture in which we live, and as such, we bring certain biases to our reading of Scripture…. Exegesis says, ‘Before you can hear it with your ears, hear it with theirs.  ‘Before you can understand it today, understand it back then.’”[16]  Put yourself in the sandals of those who experienced or heard the original message of the passage.

The concept of Hermeneutics comes into play here.  Hermeneutics is impacted by a person’s background, education, experience, and upbringing.  Preconceived ideas can get in the way of proper Biblical hermeneutics.  For example: “Corn” in the Bible is not the American yellow or white kernels or “Corn on the Cob” we generally think of.  Corn in Bible times refers to “grain,” and for the most part, that was wheat. “Corn” is used in the kjv to denote grain, especially wheat. Maize, the plant known in America as corn was unknown in the Middle East in biblical times.[17]  This misunderstanding would greatly change how a passage is understood and interpreted. 

Effective Bible study must be guided by Bible Principles.  These hermeneutically derived ideas are theologically helpful to properly study the Scriptures. 

  1. Read the Bible with an attitude of prayer.
  2. Remember that context is king.
  3. Look for the historical meaning first.
  4. Identify the type of literature in which the verse is found.
  5. Remember that the whole Bible focuses on God’s redemptive work in Jesus.
  6. Interpret Scripture with Scripture.
  7. Because the Bible is a unified testimony, always look for theological themes in the selected passage.[18]

As part of this pre-message development and thorough study, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you the “Main Point of the Text (MPT).”   The MPT is “a past tense statement about what the text meant in its historical context.”[19]  For example, what did Jonah’s preaching mean to the Ninevites?  We need to know.  How did the Hebrews understand the Law of Moses?  How did the Pharisees add to the Law of Moses?  These are examples that can be summarized into one main point following a specific and thorough study of the text.

            Share the backstory.  History and ancient culture studies are imperative information to correctly understanding the text of Scripture.  This information helps the modern learner better comprehend the language and setting of the Bible to make correct application to today.

Even the art of preaching has a back story.  “Christian preaching began in a Jewish context.  Its first preachers and audiences, its background and spiritual affinities, were Jewish.”[20] Teaching itself has been around for years!  “The ancient orators asked and answered three questions: ‘What is it?’ Why would I want it?’ and ‘How do I get it?’ Later these questions were flattened to the formula “tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.”[21]

Augustine wrote about teaching three hundred years after the resurrection in his “On Christian Rhetoric.”  In it, “he taught that the speaker should seek to teach, please, and persuade. According to Augustine, the manner of delivery should be related to the content that is being delivered.”[22]

Remain committed to studying and delivering what the text is actually saying.  Avoid “rabbit trails” and controversial preferences.  Pastor Timothy was instructed by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:16 to, “Shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”  Like Merida’s statement: “Faithfulness in the pulpit is all about the main things, the plain things, and the same things.”[23]  The Bible is the main thing!  Proper study will show the Bible student the plain thing.  Good preaching will review and reinforce the same things over and over again.

Know Your Audience.

Knowing to whom you are speaking and teaching will also increase your effectiveness and will also affect how you prepare for the lesson.  What is the age or life stage of your audience?  What do they want to know?  What do they need to know?   Warren Wiersbe suggests:

“‘So what?’ imagine your congregation before you – the executive who just lost his job, the teenager struggling against peer pressure, the young mother worried about her child’s illness, the single parent trying to balance the budget, and just about everybody fighting temptation and some besetting sin- and see if what you’re planning to share with them will mean anything to them.  Imagine yourself in their particular situation, responding to what you are saying.  Anticipate their objections, their misunderstandings of your words, their hidden defenses, and then prepare for them.”[24] 

Put yourself in the shoes of your congregation or class.  In your mind, travel a few miles with them when preparing and delivering your message.  Anticipate their concerns or questions.

How do people learn?  “Bloom’s Taxonomy” is a helpful assessment for understanding how people learn.  “Bloom developed a taxonomy of learning that had three classifications.  He called these classifications ‘domains’ of learning.  Each domain is a category that describes a type of learning that human beings can achieve.  The first domain he identified was the cognitive, or thinking, domain.  The second was the affective or emotive domain.  And the third he called the psycho-motor, or behavioral, domain.”[25]  In Acts 2 we have Peter’s recorded message he delivered on the Day of Pentecost.  It was a memorable day with a powerful spirit-filled message.  God shows up.  Lives were changed.  After the message, the people respond in Acts 2:37, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren, what shall we do?” Their mind, heart, and actions were changed.

The people’s cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects were each impacted by Peter’s message.  From Acts 2:37 we gain insight as to how preaching and teaching can be used by the Holy Spirit to convict, challenge, and change a person’s thinking, heart/love, and actions. “Not only did Peter’s teaching affect learning on the cognitive and affective domains, but it also motivated a behavioral response.  So, we have in this verse all three kinds of potential learning – cognitive, affective, and behavioral.”[26] 

Dr. Howards Hendricks says that “Good teaching – and true education – consists simply of a series of teachable moments.”[27] He also offers the following goals for teaching:

  1. “Teach people how to think.”  Not what to think so much as how to think. Thinking.
  2. “Teach people how to learn.”  Learning is intended to be perpetual throughout our lifetime.  Loving.
  3. “Teach people how to work.”[28]  This is the idea of not only knowing something but letting that knowledge affect what one does.  Doing.

Suggestions for Teaching Teenagers from Dr. Johnny Derouen may be a help.  Youth learn best:

  • “From mature adults who provide them “living videos” for modeling.  Effective adult models have a positive attitude toward youth, are willing to develop relationships with them, listen well, and reflect a vibrant walk with God.
  • When truth meets their needs.
  • When specific objectives are met.
  • When they are properly prepared through learning readiness activities.
  • In an atmosphere of love, trust, and acceptance.
  • When they are actively involved with questions, discussion, and analysis.
  • When a variety of learning activities are employed.
  • When their minds are engaged in higher-level thinking.”[29]

Adults learn best in the following ways adapted from educator Malcolm Knowles:

  • The Need to Know.  Adults need to know why they need to learn something before undertaking to learn it.
  • Learner Self-Concept.  Adults need to be responsible for their own decisions and treated as capable of self-direction.
  • Role of Learners. Experience.  Adult learners have a variety of experiences of life, which represent the richest resource for learning.
  • Readiness to Learn.  Adult learners are ready to learn those things they need to know in order to cope effectively with life situations.
  • Orientation to Learn.  Adults are motivated to learn to the extent that they perceive that it will help them perform tasks they confront in their life situations.[30]

Answer Common Questions.  The Bible is full of life-transforming information that can affect the heart and hands of each person.  There are shared questions humanity searches for answers to.  Some of these questions are suggested by Dr. John Stott: “What is the purpose of our existence? Has life any significance? Where did I come from and where am I going to be? What does it mean to be a human being and how do humans differ from animals? What is freedom and how can I experience personal liberation? Why the painful tension between what I am and what I long to be?”[31]

What is the audience feeling?  When it comes to helping learners feel, respond, and value your teaching, educator William Yount instructs with several aspects to focus on. They are:

  • Focus on personal experiences more than wooden stories.
  • Focus on acceptance more than judgment (We do not want to nurture a carping, censorious spirit, like the Pharisees).
  • Focus on appropriate humor more than feigned solemnity.
  • Focus on trust more than guilt.[32]

Knowing your audience will greatly impact how the Bible preacher develops and delivers his message.  The best communicators know who they are talking with and how to talk with them in a way they will understand.  Talking “with” instead of talking “to” is more well-received by the audience or class.

Build a Bridge.

John Stott, in his book, “Between Two Worlds,” declares, “Biblical and theological studies do not by themselves make for good preaching.  They are indispensable.  But unless they are supplemented by contemporary studies, they can keep us disastrously isolated on one side of the cultural chasm.”[33]  This is such an important truth to grasp in the development and direction of the sermon. 

Imagine the Biblical era being located on one side of a wide and deep river, and now envision our modern era on the opposite side of the same river.  Bible characters are on one side of the river and you and I are on the other side. How do we know what is going on over there? How can we understand the experiences those on the other side have experienced?  We need a bridge.  The Bible teacher is a bridge-builder spanning both time, culture, and language.  The effective teacher will help us see the ancient world through the eyes of Moses, Sampson, and David.  We will smell the salty air and feel the seasickness of traveling in a ship with Paul and feel the relational stress and pressure of Peter and James meeting to discuss monumental doctrinal issues in Jerusalem.  Then we will discover and relate to what these characters’ stories, examples, and teachings mean for us today.

Build a bridge connecting ancient man to modern man.  Cross the river of time, space, and a distant location to the present day and time.  The Bible is meaningful and relevant, and the preacher must convey this reality with great enthusiasm. Much of the bridge-building is erected in the outlining of the message.

Develop Your Message.

Start with the Main Point.  The (MPT) Main Point of the Text is what you discovered in your study as previously discussed.  Taking the main point of the text, the teacher or preacher must then develop the “main point of the sermon,” (MPS).[34]  For years, I have used the term “proposition.”  I still type this term on my notes. Some may call it the “contention.”  The main point of the sermon is the main theme the preacher will use to develop all other points in his message. The MPS or Proposition is defined as “a simple declaration of the subject which the preacher proposes to discuss, develop, prove, or explain in the discourse.  In other words, it is a statement of the main spiritual lesson or timeless truth in the sermon reduced to one declarative sentence.”[35] 

The main point of the sermon should be a simple, yet profound and memorable statement upon which the rest of the message is built.   In “Communicating for Change,” Andy Stanley suggests having one main point and several supporting statements about that one main point.  It appears to me that this is another way to say, have a proposition and then build your message around the proposition.  Stanley still uses an outline and calls it a “map.”  To develop one main point for the message he says, “Dig until you find it.  Build everything around it. Make it stick.”[36] This is good preaching advice.

Sometimes the MPS serves well as the title of your sermon.  While some start with the title, it is perhaps best to wait to give your message a title after your study, after the main point of the text and the main point of the body of the sermon has been developed.

Sometimes the most effective proposition or main point is a simple statement in sentence form.  “People are impacted by statements that stick.  You need a sticky statement.  Take time to reduce your one point to one sticky statement.  It doesn’t need to be cute. It doesn’t have to rhyme. But it should be short and memorable. Your statement is your anchor.  It is what holds the message together and keeps it from drifting off course. This will be what people remember.”[37]

Sketch an Outline. The outline is the passage’s basic overview supporting the Main Point of the Sermon.  This is part of the art and science of Homiletics.  A message outline may include the historical and textual information from your earlier study to “set the stage” for the rest of the message.  The body of your outline then offers clear support for the main point of the sermon (MPS).

After saying that: “a good outline will also make the message memorable.”[38] Dr. Tom Ferrell goes on to offer the following points for creating points in a message:

  1. The outlines must be scriptural. 
  2. It must be simple.
  3. It must be symmetrical.
  4. It must be sequential.[39] 
SAMPLE MESSAGE TITLE, PROPOSITION (MAIN POINT), AND OUTLINE (SUPPORTING POINTS):
Text: James 5:13-18
Title: “Clean Praying”
Proposition:  You Got to Be Clean For God to Answer Your Prayers.
Become Clean in Relationships. 
Become Clean in Body. 
Become Clean in Conscience/Mind. 
Conclusion:  

While an important tool for the preacher, the outline should not get in the way of communicating the Bible and truly teaching the student.  Ferrell continues, “Never allow the outline to distract from the message by being too noticeable.”  The outline should support the main point in every possible way.

Include Stories.  Use stories when possible as illustrations to convey truth into the hearer’s heart.  Stories are powerful and effective as Hadden Robinson and Torrey Robinson write:

  • People remember good stories.
  • We live in a story culture.
  • Stories enable listeners to experience the truth of God in their lives.
  • Stories paint mental pictures that influence that way people think.
  • Stories reflect the way people experience life.[40]

Craft an Introduction and Conclusion.  Introductions and conclusions are most effective when they complement each other and appear connected.  Think of the introduction as the start of an airplane ride.  The conclusion is the landing.  In between – the flight – is the body of your message.  The introduction is where the audience’s attention is gained.  The conclusion is where the heart of each listener is touched to move into action following the message that was delivered.  Introductions and conclusions are one of the last steps in message preparation.

Possible introductions include the following as described by MacArthur:

  1. Current statistics which highlight a contemporary problem to be addressed in the message.
  2. Historical illustrations that serve to acquaint listeners with the message theme.
  3. Humor.
  4. Current events that relate to the message.
  5. Careful reading of the biblical text from which the message comes.
  6. Real-life stories.
  7. Biographical illustrations.
  8. Striking questions.
  9. Rhetorical questions directed to the audience.
  10. Personal experiences of the preacher.
  11. References to current, well-known books.
  12. Life-related problems for which biblical solutions will be forthcoming.
  13. Contemporary confusion over biblical teaching to which the preacher will bring correction and clarity.
  14. Highly interesting personal correspondence.
  15. Appropriate prayer.
  16. Fictional stories.
  17. Modern-day parables.
  18. Personal testimony.
  19. Hymns related to the message.
  20. Asking an audience for their response to a hypothetical situation.[41]

Come in for a Landing. Reach your destination at the end of the message and assure the audience that you have landed. Make sure the people are still with you.   Again, it will help the listener if the conclusion is connected in some way to the introduction.  These seven basic appeals from Charles Koller will help with message application and conclusion.

  1. The appeal to altruism, a benevolent regard for the interest of others.
  2. The appeal aspiration, the universal hunger for spiritual happiness – the sense of completeness.
  3. The appeal to curiosity, susceptibility to that which appear novel, unfamiliar, or mysterious.
  4. The appeal to duty, the diving urge to do a thing because it is right or to refrain from a thing because it is wrong.
  5. The appeal to fear.
  6. The appeal to love.
  7. The appeal to reason.[42]

Articulate a Message Title.  Give your message an interesting, honest, and exciting title.  It should garner attention.  It should be honest.  For example, a message about personal evangelism would probably not be titled “How to Buy a New Car.”  The title should have something to do with the message itself.  The title should also be exciting or appealing.  People should want to listen to a message after the title is given.  MacArthur relates, “The title is what provides a sermon with its ‘atmosphere.’ One that measures up to the content of the message in thought and form is definitely beneficial.”[43] 

Deliver the Message.

The Apostle Paul instructs young preacher Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” Be ready to preach and teach the Word of God.  Ferrell says, “The biblical preacher argues for both faith in God and faithfulness to God.”[44] The preacher’s delivery style and deportment is very important.

The Bible preacher relies on the Holy Spirit’s guidance during the message preparation process.  He also needs the Holy Spirit’s help when delivering the message.  Dr. John Goetsch writes, “We need knowledge to know ‘what’ to preach, and wisdom to know ‘how,’ but oh, how we need utterance that will ‘enable’ us to do so with power and freedom.”[45]

When speaking of the Armor of God, the Apostle Paul asks the members of the Ephesus church to pray for him and the delivery of his message. Ephesians 6:18–20 says, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  Pray. Ask the Lord to help you “speak as you ought to speak” when teaching or preaching.

Dr. Howard Hendricks summarizes and personalizes Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Domains of Learning as found in Acts 2:37 by saying, “All communication has three essential components: intellect, emotion, and volition – in other words, thoughts, feeling and action.”[46]  When the preacher and teacher know something, he can feel it more deeply and then do it more readily.  He can then share this more convincingly and honestly with his audience.  Part of the task of the preachers is to convey this passion for the Bible and the main point in the delivery of his message.  Know, show, and do.  Then repeat for each lesson or message.

Demonstrate Passion.  Convey to your students or audience authenticity and faith. For example, “Aristotle provided a useful way for analyzing persuasive messages.  He listed three essentials: logos, pathos, and ethos.  Logos refers to the logic and the content of the sermon, which is the gospel contained in the Scriptures.  Pathos refers to the emotion or passion of the sermon that the speaker relates to the hearers.  Effective preachers display intensity and communicate importance. Ethos means the character and credibility of the speaker.  A preacher should persuade with his life and his message.”[47] Be real.  Relate truth. Be authentic.

Check Your Attitude.  How do you come across in your teaching disposition?  What emotion or feeling do the students or the congregation sense from the teacher/preacher? “While it is true that we should ‘earnestly contend for the faith,’ it is not necessary for us to be contentious.”[48]

Check Your Body Language.  Does it appear that you are engaged and excited to be in class or are you tired, appear sleepy, or are sloppy with your hand motions?  It is hard for one to teach with his eyes closed!

Check Your Volume.  Learners and those in the audience should be able to hear but should still be able to hear after you are finished!  Do not be too soft or too loud.  Do sound checks before the service or class if using a microphone.

Check Your Pace.  Change up the rate of words per minute.  Use pauses for dramatic effect.  Avoid a monotonous, boring pace.  Be engaging.  Avoid rushing or feeling like you are in a hurry.  People pick up on that.  “When a communicator rushes through the material it sends a very specific message: I am more concerned about covering my material than I am about communicating with my audience.  The emotional message it sends is, I am more concerned about ME than YOU.”[49]

Be Practical.  Remember to unpack 2 Timothy 3:16–17 in each message.  Notice the parentheticals in this verse: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine (What’s Right), for reproof (What’s Wrong), for correction (How to Make it Right), for instruction in righteousness (How to Keep it Right): That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Conclusion.

Spiritual growth and spiritual formation are possible and Bible teachers and preachers are an important part of this process! The study of the Scriptures and the preaching of Bible messages will never be exhausted.  There are so many areas in which God wants us to grow.  These starting points will give a Bible communicator a great footing to start his journey into preaching and teaching.  Knowing the Big Story, Knowing Your Audience, Building a Bridge, Developing Your Message, and Delivering Your Message is a firm foundation on which to begin preaching.  One may have a weekly class or congregation to whom he is preaching and teaching.  One may have the opportunity on special occasions.  No matter the case, the ideas of this book may help as you prepare. In an adaption of Merida’s statement we conclude:

  • Keep the main things the main things.
  • Keep the plain things the plain things.
  • Keep sharing the same things.

Repeat. Each. Time.

Bibliography

Braga, James. How to Prepare Bible Messages (Portland, OR. Multnomah Publishers, 1981)

Broadus, John A. On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons (San Francisco, CA. Harper San Francisco, 1979)

Clark, Robert E. Johnson, Lin. Sloat, Allyn K. Christian Education: Foundations for the Future (Chicago, Moody Bible Institute, 1991)

Downs, Perry G. Teaching for Spiritual Growth: An Introduction to Christian

Education (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. 1994)

Farrell, Tom. Preaching That Pleases God (Lancaster, CA. Striving Together Publications, 2010)

Gangel, Kenneth O. The Christian Educators Handbook: A Comprehensive

Resource on the Distinctives of True Christian Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1988)

Goetsch, John. Homiletics From the Heart (Lancaster, CA. Revival Books and West Coast Baptist College, 2003)

Howard, Hendricks. Teaching to Change Lives (New York. Multnomah Press, 1987

Hendricks, Howard G. Hendricks, William.  Living By the Book (Chicago, Moody Publishers, 2007)

Koller, Charles W.  How to Preach Without Notes (Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Book House, 1964)

Larson, Craig Brian. General Editor, Sermon Preparation (Peabody, MA. Hendrickson Publishers, 2012)

MacArthur, John. Rediscovering Expository Preaching (Nashville, TN. W Publishing, 1992)

Merida, Tony, The Christ-Centered Expositor (Nashville, TN. B & H Academic, 2016)

Rainer, Thom S. Geiger, Eric. Simple Church (Nashville, TN. B & H Publishing, 2011)

Rowell, Edward K. Preaching with Spiritual Passion (Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Books, 2004)

Pazmino, Robert W. Foundational Issues in Christian Education (Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 2008)

Richards Lawrence O. and Bredfeldt Gary J. Creative Bible Teaching (Chicago, Moody Publishers, 1998)

Robinson Haddon W. Robinson, W. Torrey. It’s All in How You Tell It (Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Books, 2003)

Sell, M. Charles. Transitions Through Adult Life (Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, MI, 1985)

Stanley, Andy, Jones, Lane. Communicating for Change (New York. Multnomah, 2006)

Stott, John RW. Between Two Worlds (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, MI. 1999)

Yount, William. Created to Learn, Second Edition (Nashville, TN. B & H Publishing Group, 2010)

Wiersbe, Warren W. Preaching and Teaching With Imagination (Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Books, 1994)

Wilken, Jennifer. Women of the Word (Wheaton, IL. Crossway, 2019)

Online Article for Additional Study of Blooms Taxonomy from the University of Waterloo, Canada. https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/planning-courses-and-assignments/course-design/blooms-taxonomy#:~:text=Bloom’s%20Taxonomy%20comprises%20three%20learning,to%20different%20levels%20of%20learning.

[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 28:18–20). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[2] Rainer, Tom. Geiger, Eric. Simple Church, Page 160.

[3] John 14:26,But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

[4] Merida, Tony. The Christ Centered Expositor, Page 10.

[5] Kaiser, Walter. Silva, Moises. An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics. Page 285

[6] Braudis, John. On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, page 11.

[7] Yount, William. Created to Learn, Page 1.

[8] Clark, Robert. Johnson, Lin.  Sloat, Allyn. Christian Education Foundations for the Future, Page 39.

[9] Rowell, Edward. Preaching with Spiritual Passion, Pages 84-86.

[10] Merida, Tony. The Christ Centered Expositor, Page 237.

[11] Braudis, John. On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, Page 316.

[12] Scazzero, Peter. Sermon Preparation, Page 33.

[13] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15.

[14] Strong, J. (2020). Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary. WORDsearch.

[15] Koller, Charles. How to Preach Without Notes, Page 32.

[16] Wilken, Jen. Women of the Word, Page 67.

[17] Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). “Corn”. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 525). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

[18] Merida, Tony. The Christ Centered Expositor, Pages 134-136.

[19] Merida, Tony. The Christ Centered Expositor, Pages 152.

[20] Braudis, John. On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, Page 9.

[21] Robinson, Haddon.  Robinson, Torrey.  It’s All in How You Tell It, Page 11.

[22] Augustine, On Christian Doctrine, trans. DW Robertson. Cited by Merrida, Tony. The Christ Centered Expositor, Pages 212-213.

[23] Merida, Tony. The Christ Centered Expositor, Page 237.

[24] Wiersbe, Warren. Teaching and Preaching with imagination, Page 30.

[25] Richards, Lawrence. Bredfeldt, Gary. Creative Bible Teaching, Page 136.

[26] Richards, Lawrence. Bredfeldt, Gary. Creative Bible Teaching, Page 136.

[27] Hendricks, Howard. Teaching to Change Lives, Page 44.

[28] Hendricks, Howard. Teaching to Change Lives, Page 43-47.

[29] Yount, William. Created to Learn, Page 107.

[30] Yount, William. Created to Learn, Page 107.

[31] Stott, John. Between Two Worlds, Page 151.

[32] Yount, William. Created to Learn, Pages 355-358.

[33] Stott, John. Between Two Worlds, Page 191.

[34] Merida, Tony. The Christ Centered Expositor, Page 152.

[35] Braga, James. How to Prepare Bible Messages, Page 113.

[36] Stanley, Andy. Communicating for Change, Page 106.

[37] Stanley, Andy. Communicating for Change, Page 111.

[38] Ferrell, Tom. Preaching That Pleases God, Page 116.

[39] Ferrell, Tom. Preaching That Pleases God, Pages 116-117.

[40] Robinson, Haddon.  Robinson, Torrey.  It’s All in How You Tell It, Page 21.

[41] MacArthur, John. Rediscovering Expository Preaching, Pages 244-245.

[42] Koller, Charles, How to Preach Without Notes, Pages 109-112.

[43] MacArthur, John. Rediscovering Expository Preaching, Page 241.

[44] Ferrell, Tom. Preaching That Pleases God, Page 125.

[45] Goetsch, John.  Homiletics From the Heart, Page 132.

[46] Hendricks, Howard. Teaching to Change Lives, Page 70.

[47] Merida, Tony. The Christ Centered Expositor, Pages 223.

[48] Braga, James. How to Prepare Bible Messages, Page 177.

[49] Stanley, Andy. Communicating for Change, Page 123.

Teaching with Gladness

Psalm 100 is my “life verse.”  Living a life of ministry to the Lord and others can be impacted by the disposition and attitude of joy.  I am personally inclined to “what is wrong,” “I’m tired,” or “let’s do something else.”  Have you ever caught yourself complaining or having a bad attitude?  Me too sometimes, but my desire and goal are to live joyfully.  Along with Nehemiah, I want to experience and know that “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”[1]  This booklet is designed to be informative and inspirational in the pursuit of teaching with gladness. Since teaching is a way of serving the Lord, the Christian educator’s ideal is to teach with gladness.  I believe a positive classroom experience with gladness, cheerfulness, and joy, is much more conducive to learning.  Environment, after all, does help in the educational process. 

“What is teaching?” one may ask.  “Teaching involves the transfer of instruction, knowledge, or rebuke by one called and qualified to teach, so that the pupil may learn what is necessary.”[2]  This will be defined further in a moment.  The ministry of teaching is a ministry to God and to the students.  Teaching is one of many ways in which one may serve the Lord.  When Hebrew boys and girls ascended up to the Temple Mount on special occasions each year, many of them would be able to sing this song, Psalm 100.  The call to worship and service is a call to thankfulness.  But not only must the follower of God be thankful and joyful at the Temple.  Christians can live joyful lives to the honor and glory of God in daily life. 

Radio preacher J Vernon McGee commented, “Once again I would emphasize the fact that God does not want you to come before Him to worship with a long face. There are times when we have long faces; problems beset us, temptations overcome us, or we come to God in repentance, asking Him for forgiveness. We cast ourselves upon Him. But none of that is worship. You worship God when you come to praise Him. He wants you to be happy. At the time of this writing, most of the bars have what is called a “happy hour.” I wish we had a “happy hour” in church without the liquid. Let’s tune up and get ready to worship the Lord.”[3]  Certainly, Christians should be happy, and church, small groups, and youth meetings should be places full of genuine gladness!  The spiritual “happy hour” is a good idea.

Notice how verse 3 says, that the reader is to “know” God.  Knowing God is a common theme in the Scripture.  The student of the Bible, one who wants to know God, can certainly learn about Him.  The Lord often uses teachers to come alongside serious students who really want to know the Lord.  Bible student, teacher, and missionary, the Apostle Paul said, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” [4]  Those wanting to know God are the audience of the Christian teacher.

From Psalm 100, we learn several things about God and about ourselves that will cause gladness in our lives.  For the moment, please consider what teaching is.

Teaching is much more than merely the teacher talking in front of the class.  The effective teacher must cause thirst and desire in the hearts of the students, causing them to want to learn.  Learning can never be separated from teaching.  Teaching can never be divorced from learning.  A teacher may cover a lot of material and have filled a time slot with information and busywork, but he may not have actually taught the student.  In the helpful educator’s book, Creative Bible Teaching the authors suggest: “Teach people, not just lessons.It is the people we are called to serve. It is people Christ died to redeem. Be sure that the student is your focus in teaching, not simply the delivery of Bible content.[5]”

Deuteronomy is the Old Testament Book that defines teaching and learning ideas.  Deuteronomy 5:1 says, “And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.”[6] And Deuteronomy 4:1 says, “Now, therefore, hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.”[7]

Chapters 4 and 5 are followed by the famous Shema (to hear) as found in Deuteronomy 6.  These chapters are foundational to Christian Education and learning. Notice in the verses above the terms “teach” and “learn.”

Howard Hendricks is a phenomenal example of teaching with gladness. When reading accounts of his seminary classes as described by his former students, it is evident that he loved Jesus.   The gladness in their recalling how he conducted the class oozes with holy joy in teaching.  There are many generations of teachers and preachers of whom his gladness in teaching impacted. One of Dr. Hendricks’s students, Bruce Wilkerson, writes about and defines “teaching and learning.”  Using Deuteronomy 5:1 and 4:1, he says,

In order to grasp the full meaning of these words, let’s investigate the terms in the original Hebrew.  The word learn in 5:1 and teach, in 4:1.  When the prefix and the suffix are taken off of learn, all that remains is the root Hebrew word לָמַד.  When the prefix and suffix are taken off teach, all that remains is the Hebrew root לָמַד.  It’s the same word!  That’s right, the same Hebrew word means to learn and to teach.[8]  

Learning and teaching go hand in hand.  It is impossible to have one without the other.  Can teachers teach and can students learn with enthusiasm?  It has been said that “the best teachers are the best learners.”  We could summarize this in 3 ways:

  • The students are more likely to be motivated if the teacher is motivated.
  • If the teacher is growing, the students are more likely to be growing.
  • If the teacher is glad, the students are more likely to be glad!

Dr. Dell Johnson was the Dean of the Pensacola Theological Seminary when I was enrolled as a student at Pensacola Christian College.  He was a personal mentor to me and several other young men.  He would have us to his house to have dinner with his family.  He showed us ancient Bible manuscripts and let us explore his rather large library of books.  He was extremely exciting to be around, both in person and when he was preaching and teaching.  His enthusiasm for the Bible was contagious.

But how can a teacher remain joyful?  Is it possible to constantly have and display gladness?  Here are five motivators for maintaining gladness in teaching from Psalm 100. 

Joy is Catchable.

The phrase “make a joyful noise” is one Hebrew wordרוּעַ that means “to raise a shout, give a blast:—battle cry.”[9]  The setting is the preliminaries of an organized battle.  One could imagine some classroom-weary teachers have thought of their experiences as a battlefield from time to time.  Perhaps a teacher feels he/she goes to war each week.  With enthusiasm, the general or trumpet player plays the signal or shouts the commands, motivating the troops to spring into action. 

Each teacher should be able to display teaching from a position of authority to catch some joy and place it in the classroom experience.  Not that the teacher knows everything, but that the teacher is comfortable in what he does know of the Bible and is willing to share Bible truth in caring and affirmative ways.  The Bible, after all, is completely authoritative.  It is ok when a teacher cannot answer a question posed by the student, but with great joy, the teacher should be able to affirm the Bible is all truth. 

Acceptance of each student is also needed to catch joy.  The classroom must be a place where students can freely share and enjoy guided conversation.  Since teaching is more than a lecture, there must be feedback for the teaching to be effective.  One educator suggested, “Teachers help students engage each other positively by practicing listening and communication skills.”[10]

When students know their feelings matter and that the teacher takes into account their thoughts, they will sense an open and free environment in which to learn and grow.  Like a radio receiver tunes into a radio station and catches the signal, joy in the classroom can cause each student to “catch” and receive not only the joy, but also the lessons for Biblical life change.

There have been Sunday School classes where the students did not want to attend the class because of the teachers.  A husband and wife “teaching team” would bicker, fighting about what to do next, or who was right, actively arguing with each other in front of the students.  This potentially hostile environment sucked the joy right out of the class.  Fewer and fewer students would attend, and those in class did not want to be there.  Joy must be evident in the teacher’s lives and dispositions.

While we may be contending for the faith[11], and contending against Satan[12], we must not be contending with each other.[13]  The call to make a joyful noise is a call to unity with fellow Christians in service to King Jesus.  We are fighting for the souls of men serving the Lord in a spiritual battle.  The old song says, “There is joy in serving Jesus.” We can have joy in teaching about Jesus, too.  In fact, verse four of this old hymn says, “For I’ve learned the wonderous secret, and I’m walking in the light.”[14]

Gladness is Possible.

Do you enjoy parties?  Most children and adults like times of special gatherings to celebrate something or someone.  When we gather for class, AWANA, Small Groups, and Youth Events, the atmosphere must be one of gladness.  Like a party or celebration. 

“Gladness” is one Hebrew term שִׂמְחָה, which is defined as “joy, gladness mirth —delight, exceeding joy, or a festival.”[15]  The father throws a big party when the prodigal son comes home in Luke 15:11-32.  He had something to celebrate because the wayward son had come home.  There should be anticipation and a sense of celebration when each Bible class is conducted.  The family is here.  The sons and daughters of God are back at the table. 

Glad to Serve.  Teachers are serving.  They are not merely teaching to fulfill a self-serving motivation of wanting a position or responding to an emotional need to be heard by others.  Godly teachers want to make a difference to the glory of God and are glad to serve Jesus with little or no recognition or congratulations.   They are merely glad to serve. 

Glad to Sing.  Singing is a central part of service in verse 2.  Cheer and delight should manifest themselves in our singing.  While some readers may not be the most talented vocalist, each one can make a joyful noise unto the Lord.  The effort appears more valuable to the Lord in congregational and personal singing than musical perfection.  Solos and special music groups must be top-notch, but the setting here is the congregational singing.  No pressure.  Celebrate Jesus with joyful singing.  Christians must avoid being so straight-faced when trying to hit the right notes that they do not smile or appear to be joyful and happy while singing about our Lord.  Sing the words in the music with heart and meaning.

Glad to Share.  In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”  Notice how the psalmist said that the believer is coming “before His presence.”  When one comes to a formal or informal place for Bible study with other people, they are gathered in the presence of the Lord.  They share space with others in the same room and place as Jesus.

Teachers share time and a place with Jesus in the spirit of gladness.  Christians have a Heavenly Father to Whom they cry “Abba Father.”  This is intimate and personal.  Be sure that the classroom, how the classroom is managed, and how the expectations for the class are conveyed portray the Lord as attainable and available for personal worship, praise, and to know Him more. 

In addition, classrooms offer a structure for learning and utilize lesson plans (which we will examine later).  Even if the content is terrific, biblical, and covered well in class, why would the student want that information if there is no gladness in the teacher and no joy in the classroom?  If the teachers are not exhibiting cheerfulness in the Lord, why would a student want Christianity in the first place?  Gladness and joy, while not the primary lesson covered or taught in class, are certainly secondary lessons in any teacher’s classroom.

Knowing God is Phenomenal.

Each Christian has the potential to know God more and more.  We can know God better each day. יָדַע  is the Hebrew term for “Know.”  It means “to know fully.” It carries the idea of “acknowledge, acquaintance.”[16]  We can know God personally!  What a phenomenal truth?!  God is not far away or distant.  

I like how one commentary says, “To know is to have firm ground underfoot, the prerequisite of praise (cf. 40:2f.), and this knowledge is ours by gift; indeed by command. In the brief space of this verse, we are first reminded who God is (revealed by name, Yahweh [the Lord], a name richly annotated by his words and works); then whence and whose we are; and finally, in how favored a relation we stand to him.”[17]

As one teacher instructed, “We attain maturity in relationship to other believers as together we build up one another.  Education that is truly Christian stress community and relationships.  We need one another if we are to fulfill our mandate to teach for spiritual growth.”[18] How can one teach with this phenomenal truth in mind?

Teach for Maturity in Christ.  Speaking of the Person of the Lord Jesus, Paul says in Colossians 1:27-39,  “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”[19] 

Presenting every man and woman as “perfect” in Christ is the goal of Christian Education.  Perfection here is not sinless, but it is being more complete and more mature in our knowledge of Jesus. For the football fans reading, the endzone for the Christian is that he/she knows Jesus and that this knowledge is reflected in his/her daily living and choices.  Once Christians reach Heaven, they will know the Lord Jesus more completely.  Paul suggested that he still had a lot to learn about the Lord.[20]  The same is true of us.  We do not reach the endzone of knowledge and score a touchdown until we touch down in Heaven.  Until then, keep learning, growing, and changing to be more like Jesus.

A systematic teaching plan is needed to advance growth and meet growth stages in the Christian life.  Phil Suiter identifies the following steps for systematic teaching and learning.

  • Instructional Goals. These are general statements defining what the learner should know as a result of the instruction.
  • Instructional Objectives.  These are statements that further define the instructional goals.  Objectives should be directly linked to one or more of the instructional goals.
  • Materials Preparation.  This step involves collaboration on the part of the teaching staff to design the materials to support instruction.  Instructional materials should reflect the characteristics of the students to be taught – previous achievement levels, group size, ethnicity, and grade level.
  • Instructional Media and Other Resources.  What medium will be chosen to deliver the instruction?
  • Assessment.  This step involves the development of the assessment tool that will be employed to measure knowledge gained for both students and teaching staff.  The assessment tool must be aligned with instructional objectives.[21]

Using a curriculum greatly enhances the objectives listed above.  Ministries such as AWANA and small group adult curricula are created with these objectives in mind.  This is one reason Wilton Baptist Church requests all teachers to follow a prescribed curriculum.  Working with the curriculum as a plan enhances the classroom objective of consistent knowledge and growth.

Teach with Humility.  Notice a few phrases in verse 3; God made us, we are His people, and we are sheep in His pasture.  These are statements that clearly define humanity and human inferiority.  Believers need the Lord for everyday life.  This is a humbling thought. 

Teachers who instruct about the Lord know Him personally and understand their small part in His big plan.  The class a teacher oversees is not the end-all. Teachers are part of a much bigger picture.  It is amazing that the Lord would use feeble and faulty humans such as us to tell others about Him. 

God’s Presence is Discoverable.

Enter into His Gates. God is accessible.  His door is always open.  He is not far away and distance.  Many religions offer a “god” who is distant, far away, and unapproachable.  For example, in Catholicism, a sinner must come to their god through a human priest.  The Roman Catholic priest is extremely formal in his attire, with the collar around his neck.  Words are spoken that many people are not familiar with.  Most Baptists would not admit it, but in some ways, they have expectations projected upon leaders and others at church that make the True God perceptually less accessible.  The gate to God, however, is wide open!  A certain dress, a particular speaking or music style, are not nearly as important as the human heart that is drawing closer to the Lord and loving Him more and more.  When projected onto others, many personal preferences will hinder students and seekers from seeing God. Be sure when teaching to ensure students know the truth that they are as close to God as they want to be.  There are no superficial barriers between the student and the Lord.

As far as the words teachers utilize, one study suggested: “Very few teachers appreciate as they ought the wonderful character and complexity of language, this most magnificent product of human intelligence and this mightiest agency of human advancement and influence… the English language claims over 100,000 words.  Few men understand more than 20,000 of these, and the vocabulary of a child of ten rarely contains more than 1500.”[22]   Effective teachers use words that people understand and have become adept at defining and illustrating truth.

As Christians “enter into His gates” they are to enter with thanksgiving.  Thankful people more readily discover God’s presence.  Thankfulness is developed in the heart and it is demonstrated in words and actions.  Complaining and bitter people do not sense the presence of God in their lives.  They have a head knowledge, perhaps, but their heart is not affected to the point of realizing God is with them, and they are with God.  Only the person consistently praising and thanking the Lord can genuinely have immediate audiences with the Lord. 

Come into His Court.  Spending time with the Lord is a wonderful thing.  When believers come into the Court of God, they are to bring praise with them.  Praising the Lord should be evident not only on their lips but also in their lives.  The praise of God is not only vocal but also something that is visible.  The words spoken and the body language displayed must offer praise to the Lord.  Give God the credit.  After all, if we are in His presence, there is a lot to praise the Lord for.  The “Court” of God implies a place of safety, protection, and provision.  The Old Testament courts around both the Tabernacle and the Temple were special places of service to the Lord.  Atonement, forgiveness, restoration, and fellowship were discovered within those four walls.

Every day, the Christian must live with realization, believing, and knowing the victory and power of living in the presence of the Lord.  There is nothing and no one that can separate a Christian from the love of God.  Only the presence of sin in an individual’s life could dampen the Christian outlook and strain the fellowship with the Lord.  Once confession of sin is made as 1 John 1:9 instructs, the Christian can once again enjoy the uninterrupted peace of being in the courtyard of God with the realization of believing and knowing how much God values and loves him/her.

The Lord is Generational.

Much has changed in America.  Cultural Christianity is no longer as prevalent as it used to be.  That is not a bad thing.  Cultural Christianity appears to be a primary source of fake Christians and hypocrisy.  One history observer wrote: “Education in America was initially motivated by discovering God and teaching people to read the Holy scriptures.  Church has a place in the education landscape.  “During the colonial period (1607-1783), the family and the church were the educational institutions of primary importance, and society was to be saved and bettered through their teaching efforts… During the national period (1783-1876) the school (in particular the public school) and the church were to educate people and save society. This occurred in the context of a rapidly expanding nation and the increased separation of church and state.  During the metropolitan period (1876-1986), the school and various child-rearing or rehabilitative institutions were to make for an educated and good society.”[23]

For Christians to make a positive difference in the Gospel, they must realize the education landscape has changed.  The student’s backgrounds are different than they were 30 years ago.  Many cultural Christians and well-meaning Christians must embrace that there is much more important things to teach Millennials, Generation X, and Generation Z than “to dress up on Sundays, putting on their tie or nicest dress.”  Christianity must change a person in more than just Sunday attire.  True Christianity changes everyday habits and attitudes.  Many in America today have such a material and humanistic mindset combined with a low view of religion.  However, “I Gen” as some describe Generation Z are interested in spiritual things.  In fact, of those born between 1995 to 2010, 47% participate in organized religion and 78% say they believe in God.[24]  There is great hope to reach this generation of young people!  They are looking for what is true.  Shallow and superficial Christianity will not suffice anymore in our local churches.  Real. True. Authentic.  This is what people are longing for and searching for.

Christians have Good News to share!  God’s truth endures to all generations.  Truth is available right now, no matter the age of the Bible student.  No matter one’s physical age or spiritual age (following conversion) one can know God’s goodness, mercy, and truth.  God is available right now. No one needs to wait until they grow up to serve the Lord.  No one needs to take a course or graduate from a class before sharing the Gospel or witnessing to others.  A Christian can teach others and can also be taught, no matter his/her age or life stage.

Children grow and move from believing authority for the authorities’ sake to embracing truth for the fact that it is true or for truth’s sake. In other words, kids grow up and out of the stage “my parents said so” to “it really is so.”  Not only from personal experience, but because of personally knowing God.   One of the major problems in much of society today is that many believe that truth is either relative or there is no reality, no truth at all.  “Truth” for many is based on the narrative they have been fed.  The more media one consumes (i.e., news, television, Facebook, Twitter, Hollywood films), the more likely he/she does not have a firm grasp of Biblical truth.

What can the Christian teacher and disciple-maker do?  When teaching, challenge the student(s) to believe, not just because the teacher believes or to make the teacher happy, but because the teaching is true.  For example, the global flood is true, not just because the Bible class teacher says it is true.  The Virgin birth is true, not because the Sunday School teacher says it is true, but because it really did happen.  The resurrection is true, not just because a church or a preacher says so, but because God says it is so.  Move from an authoritarian model to an authentic model of ministry.

Teachers must focus on teaching His truth.  Here are some quick statements to offer clarity:

  • Teach the Bible, not personal preferences.  Clothing styles and musical selections are not nearly as important as atonement, justification, mercy, and grace. The Beatitudes, Lord’s Prayer (Model Prayer), Ten Commandments, and the Fruit of the Spirit are pinnacle lessons students must not only know in their head but also practice from their heart.
  • Teaching current events is not the same as teaching enduring truth.
  • Major on the major teaching, minor on the minors in the Bible. If an obscure reference or idea is only mentioned one time, it must not dominate teaching time.
  • Offer various interpretations of difficult texts before explaining the churches or a personal position.  Humility says that good men can differ on some relatively minor differences. Knowing various viewpoints helps the student understand the “why” they believe what they believe and can strengthen their faith in what is true.
  • Above all, speak the truth in love as Ephesians 4:15 declares.

Conclusion:  Psalm 100 is a Psalm that was sung in the Old Testament Temple.  The Temple served as a place not only to offer sacrifices but also to give instruction to the people about living in the Holy and knowing God.  Many Jewish Boys and Girls would learn of Jehovah God at the Temple (outside the faithful believers’ homes).  The local church and the various teaching ministries of the church have an important part in the development of its members and students.  Parents and children, grandparents and singles, young adults, and those in middle age can each benefit from teachers who joyfully teach and instruct.  Gladness and cheerfulness are important ingredients to the teacher-student goal of knowing God more.

______________________

Do you have other ideas to enhance your teaching effectiveness? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are some practices that you have benefited from that you have seen other teachers utilize? _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________

How has prayer impacted your Bible lesson preparation? _________________________________________________________________________________

Have you discovered your Spiritual Gift to enable service in the ministry for which you are most suited?   __________ If so, what is your spiritual gift & in what ways are you presently serving God?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

WORKS CITED

Downs, Perry G. Teaching for Spiritual Growth: An Introduction to Christian Education (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. 1994)

Gangel, Kenneth O. The Christian Educators Handbook: A Comprehensive

Resource on the Distinctives of True Christian Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1988)

Grace, Meghan and Seemiller Corey. Generation Z Goes to College (Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA. 2016)

Jones, M. R.  D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. (Electronic Edition, 2014)

Kidner, D. Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. (Electronic Edition, 1975)

Pazmino, Robert W. Foundational Issues in Christian Education (Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 2008)

Richards Lawrence O and Bredfeldt Gary J. Creative Bible Teaching

Sell, M. Charles. Transitions Through Adult Life (Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, MI, 1985)

Smith, Oswald. Joy in Serving Jesus (Word Music, 1931)

Suiter, Phil. Marks of a Healthy Christian School (American Association of Christian Schools, USA, 2015)

Thomas, R. L. New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries: updated edition. Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc. (Electronic Edition, 1998).

Wilkerson, Bruce. The Seven Laws of the Learner (Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, CO. 1992)

Yount, William. Created to Learn, Second Edition (B & H Publishing Group, Nashville, TN. 2010

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For more information, please go to:

www.wiltonbaptistchurch.com

[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Nehemiah 8:10). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[2] Jones, M. R. (2014). D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[3] McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: Poetry (Psalms 90-150) (electronic ed., Vol. 19, pp. 32–33). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Php 3:10–11). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[5] Lawrence O. Richards and Gary J. Bredfeldt, Creative Bible Teaching

[6] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Dt 5:1–2). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[7] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Dt 4:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[8] The Seven Laws of the Learner, Bruce Wilkerson, 1992.  Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, CO.  Page 17.

[9] Thomas, R. L. (1998). New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries : updated edition. Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc.

[10] Page 154.  B & H Publishing Group, Nashville, TN. William Yount, 2010.

[11] Jude 3, Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

[12] 1 Peter 5:8-9, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

[13] Psalm 133:1, Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

[14] Joy in Serving Jesus, Oswald Smith. 1931, Word Music.

[15] Thomas, R. L. (1998). New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries updated edition. Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc.

[16] Strong, J. (2009). A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 2, p. 47). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

[17] Kidner, D. (1975). Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 389). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[18] Page 199, Downs, Perry. Teaching for Spiritual Growth. Zondervan Publishing house. Grand Rapids. 1994.

[19] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Col 1:27–29). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[20] Philippians 3:12, Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

[21] Page 104, Phil Suiter. Marks of a Healthy Christian School.  AACS. USA, 2015.

[22] Page 68, The Seven Laws of Teaching.  John Milton Gregory. Charles Nolan Publishers. 2003. Moscow, Idaho.

[23] Page 156, Foundational Issues in Christian Education.  Robert W. Pazmino, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, 2008.

[24] Generation Z Goes to College, Grace, Meghan and Seemiller, Corey.  Jossey-Bass, 2016. San Francisco, CA. Page 43.

The Best Leaders Are the Best Followers

​ “Don’t be a follower” is excellent but incomplete advice. Usually,
this is said as a negative response to following an evil, corrupt, or bad
example. Some people, friends, or relatives may not be good examples of how to
live and of what to think.

We will consider two examples for this edition of Every Day Carry Christian.
One example is someone not to follow, and the other is one we can readily
follow. Every Christian is writing the story of their life. You can choose
to be a leader, influence people for good, or influence people for evil.

The EDC Christian understands that the best leaders are the best followers.
The first example is Amnon, a lustful son of King David who is fixated on
a half-sister, Tamar. He wants an intimate relationship with her but cannot
figure out how he can get away with it. But, Amnon had a friend who influenced
him to make the wrong decision.

But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

2 Samuel 13:3

Jonadab thought he was more intelligent than everyone else. He was sneaky
and crafty and believed he could “get away” with whatever he wanted
to do. He offers Amnon an evil plan to get Amnon and Tamar alone together in a
bedroom. The evil plan works.

Jonadab proceeds to assault Tamar. In tears, she is shamed, physically and
emotionally. There is more to her story that you may want to study in 2 Samuel.
The point here is that this sin occurred because of the leadership influence of
Amnon’s evil friend, Jonadab.

In this case, “Don’t be a follower, be a leader” rings true. Amnon
was not a leader when, as the king’s son, he could have been. He could have
talked to his father, David, learned from David’s mistakes, and then personally
chosen to do right. Instead, he followed a lousy leader and evil advice.

Our second example is Joshua. For 40 years, Joshua served Moses. Joshua was
reliable, dependable, and faithful in following the leadership of Moses. Once
Moses dies, Joshua is called upon by the Lord – and the people of Isreal – to
become their leader.

Joshua is a good follower and was then able to become a great leader.

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.

Deuteronomy 34:9

Here is a short list of “following qualities“of Joshua that become his “leadership qualities:”

  • Joshua was ready when Moses said, “Let’s go!”
  • Joshua was willing when the other ten spies said “No.”
  • Joshua was listening when God gave Moses the commands.
  • Joshua was helping Moses each step of the way.

Because Joshua was a good follower, He became the next leader of God’s people. The EDC Christain will choose to become a leader for good by being a careful follower of Jesus.

Paul summarized this concept when he said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Paul was following Jesus, and we can go as well.

I once knew a 21-year-old man who had a friend too. He had several friends. His group of friends said: “Let’s go get a drink and have a ‘good time.'” He drank his first alcohol that night. He became drunk and ended up in a bar fight. This man took the fight outside, where (with his military training) he ended up killing the man. With one dead, the man’s life will never be the same. Prison. Criminal record. Guilt. All it took was one choice. One moment, following some bad advice from a “friend.” He willingly let someone lead him astray. You don’t want to follow this sad example.

Another example is the 20-year-old who followed the advice of his “friends” and established a relationship with a female minor. His life was never the same. Prison. Criminal record. Guilt. His story was very much like the Amnon, Tamar, and Jonadab stories. Life may never be the same for you if you follow the lead of a poor example or evil advice. Instead of being like Amnon and Jonadab, be more like Joshua.

Ultimately, the best example is Jesus. The EDC Christian, who is following the example of Jesus, may become a leader for doing good and may become an example to others to know the Lord too. The best leaders are the best followers.

No Tripping Allowed

When you were in school, did you ever see someone slide their foot out as someone was walking by and the person walking, tripped, and fell? Was the one tripping the other you? Were you the one who fell?

At the moment, tripping another may appear funny, like “Three Stooges” humor, but tripping another person is not really funny. You know it’s no fun if you were the one who fell after being tripped. It can be dangerous. Tripping another is no laughing matter.

In Mark 9:42, Jesus warns His disciples about tripping other people in spiritual, faith, sinful, and eternal ways.

“And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”

Mark 9:42

The word “offend” is a very interesting Greek word. We get our Enlish word, “Scandel” from it. Offend simply means “to cause to stumble, to trip up.” It’s like causing a scandal in a person and their relationship with God.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament says that σκανδαλίζω, Scandal or Offend means, “to put a stumbling-block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall; to be a stumbling-block”

Here are four ways Offend / Scandal is used in the Bible.

  • a. to entice to sin
  • b. to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey; to cause to fall away, and in pass. to fall away
  • c. to cause one to judge unfavorably or unjustly of another
  • d. to cause one to feel displeasure at a thing; to make indignant
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

A mill stone in old times that Jesus is referring to was a grinding stone used to pulverize grain into flour. Many times these round stones rotated with a hole in the middle with animals such as a mule or two, walking in circles, spinning the stone. Workers would throw grain down between the stone and the stone floor and then collect flour for baking. There was a large pin in the middle of the millstone ensuring the stone would remain in place while being spun in a circle. Some of these mill stones would weigh hundreds of pounds.

Jesus says, the person who trips up a “little one” and causes them to stumble in their faith in God, or cause them to commit sin, or walk away from the Lord will be held accountable. It is better for the person who “trips other people” to have a mill stone hung around his head and to be cast into the sea.

Death is certain if a millstone is on your neck and you are tossed into the water. It is the opposite of wearing a life jacket while boating. This is a judgment Jesus is referring to for those who lead others away from God. The contrasting word “better” is insightful. If a person is tripping up others, it is “better” for him to be judged and executed than for him to continue to lead multiple other people astray. The gravity of this teaching is quite staggering for us to consider. Don’t be a tripper, spiritualy speaking!

The Every Day Carry Christian is aware of himself/herself in dealing with other people. The EDC Christian will consider these 3 questions when being cautious about not tripping others.

  1. Are my choices, words, posts, or actions affecting people’s impression of God in a negative way?
  2. When I post on social media or talk to others, is what I am saying helping faith or hurting faith?
  3. If and when I sin, am I not only displeasing the Lord but also tempting or leading another person astray?

Make this practical: Check your social media, are the things you post helping people know God or giving a bad impression of “Faith?” Watch your words. God does not want us to trip others up or lead them away from the Lord.

Here are some “Tips to Not Trip:”

  1. Pray for others.
  2. Lend a helping hand when another stumbles.
  3. Purpose to do right while encouraging others to do right.

Years ago, I was sailing a sail boat in Florida. The sun was shining and the wind blowing fast that day. With the waves spritzing water in our faces, my friend and I had our boat propelling through the water at nearly 30 mph. Moving that fast, the hulls of the catamaran boat were skipping on the water. The sail was full of wind and we were having a blast. While steering the boat’s rudder, we took a turn too sharply while traveling too fast, and the boat dipped up out of the water and landed with the 30-foot mast directly in the water, upside down. When the boat flipped, my friend and I were both hurled out of the water.

I was cast into the sea. If there was a mill stone around my neck instead of a life jacket, then I would not be writing this devotional today. Being cast into the saw is no fun and dangerous.

When we lead others stray, tripping up young people, the Lord says being cast into the sea with a mill stone around our neck would be better for us than for being judged for leading another person away from God. Tripping others up is a serious matter to God.

Train Like a Scribe

Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Matthew 13:51-52

Jesus is sharing the last of the “Mysteries of the Kingdom” parables. He concludes by talking about a homeowner and his treasure. This man is compared to a student or a scribe. Scribes had various jobs in the Old Testament and the New Testament including copying manuscripts, teaching the Torah, working in the Temple, advising political leaders, working in science fields, and writing letters. They were students of these areas and studied books and language consistently to be able to perform these functions.

When Jesus says the man is a householder who pulls from his treasure, he is speaking of a man who is studying, learning, growing, accumulating wisdom and knowledge who then will share that wisdom and knowledge with others. The man is a “Bookworm for Jesus.”

The word “treasure” is a term we are familiar with. “Treasure” (θησαυρός) is “Thesaurus” in our language. A Thesaurus is similar in some ways to a dictionary. A Thesaurus is a collection of words that are organized in a systematic way to identify synonyms and antonyms to learn language and concepts. Words and concepts are treasures! Bible teaching is a treasure. Truth is a treasure.

You do not need to carry a paper or digital Thesauruswith you each day – you are the Thesaurus! This homeowner man is responsible to “bring forth,” disiminate, and apply old and new Bible concepts to everyday life.

Here are some helps to “Train Like a Scribe” and to become a “Bookworm for Jesus.”

Read the Bible Daily.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Acts 17:11

Study the Scripture Personally.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:!5

Worship God Publicly.

I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

Psalm 22:22

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:!6

Engage with Others Consistently. (Small group)

Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:17

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 3:13

Serve the Lord and Others Passionately.

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:24

Train Like a Scribe to become a Bookworm for Jesus and then make healthy applications of truth to your life each day.

How to Listen to Preaching

Recently I discovered that the famous baseball player turned preacher, Billy Sunday, came to my hometown in Ohio in 1911. They planned for the meeting to last 1 week, but it was extended for 6 weeks due to the overwhelming response to the preaching of the Bible.

When Billy heard the Gospel in Chicago at the Pacific Garden mission, he turned from sin and trusted Jesus and His resurrection for his salvation. After playing professional baseball several more seasons, Billy quit baseball and became an itenerate Gospel preacher traveling and holding meetings all around America. During his ministry, hundreds of thousands came to faith in Christ.

Gathering with the church on a regular basis is something the Every Day Carry Christian practices, to offer public worship to the Lord, to study and learn the Scriptures, and to encourage other brothers and sisters in Christ. The church meets weekly on Sunday mornings in most cases. Occasionally there are special meetings in which a guest preacher comes to town to preach and teach the Scriptures. Be encouraged to shuffle your schedule to be able to attend special meetings like this. Whether a regular Sunday with your pastor or a special meeting with a guest preacher, the EDC Christian must learn and develop his/her skills to listen to Bible preaching.

Moses taught God’s people the “Shema.” Shema means “to hear with anticipation to respond.” It is intently listening and personally making an application to every day life of what is heard in the lesson. This is one of my favorite passages of Scripture and one in which we have modeled much of our church life after.

Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 6:3-5

Here are some Thriving Skills for the Soul to help you when listening to Bible preaching when you gather with your church:

  1. Pray for the service ahead of time. Ask the Lord to bless the church service, to reveal Himself in the Scriptures, and to be glorified with the gathering. Make the prayer personable and applicable to you too. “Speak to me, Lord.”
  2. Bring your Bible. Bring your favorite Bible. I prefer using a physical copy of the Bible, but I have used my phone or iPad on occasion.
  3. Take notes. Some people remember better when they take notes. Others enjoy looking back over the notes of messages of years past to recall moments of decision and devotion. Use paper notebooks, digital devices, or whatever works for you. I like the original yellow “Stick It” sticky notes” inside the cover of my Bible.
  4. Participate in the service. Sing when people are singing. Pray when people are praying. Listen with the intent of responding when someone is preaching.
  5. Be willing to respond. An invitation, a response time, or prayer time may be offered at the end of the service. Pray about a decision. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust and respond to the clearly revealed will of God in the Bible.

Billy Sunday was known for his dynamic, boisterous, loud, and sometimes rough preaching. He held the attention of his audience and was possibly “entertaining” to listen to and watch when he was preaching. Even if your pastor or guest preacher is not “entertaining” that’s OK. Entertainment is not the goal – knowing God is. Becoming more like Jesus is part of why you are at the gathering of the church in the first place. Even though preaching and teaching styles may vary, the goal of listening to preaching and teaching is the same.

Develop and use the Thriving Skills above to be ready to hear preaching this Sunday.

A Sharper Image

“It’s getting clearer now. I can see it better.” Have you ever said something like that after your eyes were dilated at the optician’s office? The Lord created mankind after His image. Men and women reflect the image, countenance, and person of the Lord Himself.

Humanity is a special creation of God. Mankind is different from all other created things – we are made in the image of God. We can have a special relationship with the Lord through His Son, Jesus.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 1:27

“Imago Dei” is the Latin phrase many people use to describe these Hebrew words. Imago Dei means “image of God.” After sin entered this world, the image is distorted. Like the dilation of the eyes, the image of mankind (looking like the Lord) is more complicated and hard to see.

Despite the curse of sin, the Christian can choose to become more like Christ and to look more like Him each day. The books we read, the films we watch, the news we listen to, the church we attend, the work we do, the classes we take, and the friends we keep will greatly influence our potential to look more like the Lord. Speaking of friends, Proverbs says:

Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:17

​I have several sharpening steels. I can use these portable steels to sharpen my knives anywhere I am. Some have diamonds encrusted in the steel to make it a hard surface to cause friction on the knife I am sharpening. The sharpener material is harder than the steel I am sharpening. I also enjoy using a benchtop grinder. The grinding wheel has elements in it that are stronger and harder than the blades I am working on – so it sharpens them.

We need friends who are stronger than us, spiritually speaking. We can be friends with others who may be spiritually weaker than us with the intent of sharpening them. Some are sharper in some spiritual areas than we are and vice-versa. Something to think about – a friend has the potential to sharpen your countenance. “Countenance” is the Hebrew פָּנֶה (paneh) which means “face or faces.” Since we are created in the image of God, this creation of humanity also bears resemblance to the features of God including the face of God.

The goal of our best friendships is to sharpen each other to be more like Jesus.

A good friend, who loves the Lord, can sharpen your life to help you look more like the Lord. Your countenance, face, facial expression, and entire being can be impacted positively by having good, healthy, and righteous friends.

The Every Day Carry Christian will carry these thriving skills:

  1. Be a friend who sharpens others to be more like Jesus. Share spiritual sharpening skills with others; Bible reading, prayer, faithfulness to participate in church, finding ways to serve others, being faithful to your family, developing a good work ethic, not giving up, fighting temptation, and becoming accountable, just to name a few ideas.
  2. Have friends who encourage and challenge you to be more like Jesus. It’s OK to say the hard thing. It’s healthy to challenge another to greatness. It’s good practice to discuss difficult things to grow and develop your relationship with one another and with God.
  3. Be the one, with God’s grace, who stays sharp for Jesus. Pray for and plan for this. Maintaining a sharper image is like maintaining a sharp knife blade. With use, the knife becomes dull; but with consistent and purposefull sharpening friction on the steel, the knife – and the life can maintain its sharpness.

The goal of our best friendships is to sharpen each other to be more like Jesus.

Moral Awareness

Many people are talking today about morality in society and morality within the church. Recently Matt Chandler, a popular pastor, stepped down because of what he called “crossing a line” in a relationship with a woman who is not his wife. I do not know Matt or his church, so I offer no comment on his scenario because I (nor most social media commenters) do not have all the information. I have seen many people make comments on social media about his situation with vague innuendo and assumptions. Many share their personal thoughts, others suggest scriptural thoughts, and some offer seemingly contradictory advice – all hoping for the same outcome – healthy morality in relationships.

The Every Day Carry Christian will carry with himself/herself several Bible truths to deal with relationships with each other and with the opposite sex. A man or woman can enjoy many friendships with people of various backgrounds, faith traditions, work or school experiences, and other denominators, including being older or younger, or being of the opposite sex. It is possible!

Paul gave Timothy great truth to help with these personal interactions:

Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

1 Timothy 5:1-2

A SIBLING MINDSET

Men are not objects to covet. Women are not objects to lust after. Men and women are to be viewed through the personal lens of being a brother or a sister. For those readers who are born-again Christians, we have brothers and sisters in the Spiritual Family of God. They are siblings along with us in God’s Church. Perhaps much of the poor decisions of men and women about safe guarding their relationships could be solved with this sibling mindset.

In your lifetime, you may have only a handful of genuinely close, intimate, raw, and real friendships. For example, there are only a few people you want to go camping with and stay with in the same tent or campsite. Then there are others, that you want to see while at the campground and perhaps go fishing with, but they are staying in a different tent. Then there are still others you hope to never see at the campground! Most friendships will be more like acquaintances when compared to the few really close friends you may have.

While treating men as our brothers and the women in our lives as our sisters, it is important to observe the several Proverbs about being alone with “strange” people. Please note the following question:

And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a stranger?

Proverbs 5:20

A STRANGE GUARDRAIL

“Strange” is used several times in Proverbs. It does not mean “Weird!” “Strange” essentially means “someone that does not belong to you.” We “belong” to families, not as property, but as members. If you are married, you “belong” to your spouse, and your spouse “belongs” to you. When we “belong,” we are not “out of place” and the other person is not “out of place” because of the status of our relationship. A man or woman married to each other has a relationship that is consensual, legal, and approved by each other and by God. Unless it’s a real physical sibling, we create families and places of “belonging to each other” in marriage. Anyone not in that guardrail of marriage is “strange.” They do not belong to you, and you do not belong to them.

If you are attracted to someone, anyone, and they do not “belong” to you in marriage, then it would be best to not place yourself in a place to be tempted to entertain sin, flirt with sin, or actually physically sin against God and against that person. Don’t be alone with anyone of the opposite sex, behind closed doors. Being attracted to someone is not a sin; it’s a natural feeling. God created us with feelings and attractions. However, continually thinking about someone who does not “belong” to you can become a sin. Those thoughts can become lust or covetouesness. Coveting is a word that simply means to crave and desire something that does not belong to you. The Scripture is full of warnings about coveting. If thoughts are entertained and if you put yourself in a place where you can act upon your thoughts – you may sin against God and against your spouse and against the person you are alone with either emotionally or physically.

So here is a short list of the Every Day Carry Thriving Skills you need to carry with you to stay morally healthy and morally aware: