Disciples, make disciples...

I have a problem with focusing...my mind is always bouncing from one thing to the other. This age of technology seems to be the culprit...Facebook, emails, texts, and internet searches are calling my name. Its a blessing and a curse. Staying in touch with people has never been easier...and can be done with the least commitment of time or effort.  But the ease comes with a price. Communication is often reduced to a few words in a text message or a mass email that no one reads.

Probably not big news here, but Jesus had something different in mind when he spoke his final words to His disciples a couple millennia ago. He was commissioning His followers to undertake a time-consuming, labor-intensive commitment...called disciple-making.

In January, I gathered about 30 women together one Friday evening to hear a webcast from Francis Chan (Crazy Love) and David Platt (Radical).  My goal was to challenge each woman to embrace a fresh resolve to fulfill Jesus'  command to "go and make disciples" according to Matthew 28:19-20. David and Francis exhorted us to remember that a commitment like that is costly and it is not comfortable.  But if we are truly followers of Jesus Christ, it is what we do. Disciples, make disciples.

I didn't realize I needed to be challenged as well. I thought I had this disciple-making thing down.  I have been doing it for decades, after-all.  But what I heard that night was this: Disciple making is not about taking the typical American church-goer who has heard it all before, in a hundred different ways, and spoon feeding them one more Bible Study. It is about...well, making disciples!

For instance, when I say that I am making bread, you probably believe me to mean that I am going through the time-consuming, labor-intensive, but, oh-so-satisfying process of mixing bread making ingredients, like flour, honey, yeast, water, salt and oil, and then kneading, and baking them together for a tasty result. You probably didn't believe me to mean that I opened the already-made package I just bought at the store.

When Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples, I am sure He envisioned them taking the good news to people who had never heard and then laboring to help those who received it, to understand it and to follow Christ in such a way that they would commit to do the same. What if they had been content to stay in Galilee for the rest of their lives, hanging out in fellow believers homes, reminiscing about the miracles they remembered Jesus did. If they had, the message would have never reached my ears and I wouldn't be writing this blog!

The full process of disciple making must include finding someone whose heart is ripe to hear the good news, telling them, and then walking alongside them as they learn to obey everything He commanded...

Granted, I may not have the privilege of being a part of every stage of that process, since it is a long one.  But I want to be!  I want to be intentional about opening my eyes to see the needs of people I come in contact with everyday and asking God to help me respond with compassion and humility.  I want to be there when they ask honest questions and then be able to point them to the honest truth. I want to love them even when they don't get it and when they do! I want to watch, first-hand, the redemption and sanctification miracles take place in someone else's life.

If I have been guilty of anything in the past, it has been to be content with finding like-minded church friends to "disciple" when I know they will never challenge anything I say.  It's so easy to sit down with them with our Bibles and coffee and discuss principles that we are never pressed to live out.  I am asking God to help me change that mindset this year.  I want to love people who don't love Him and be there to watch when God wins their hearts.

One simple way I have begun is to start noticing people.  What do I mean? I realized recently that almost everyone who serves me, whether at a restaurant, a grocery store, a department store, or a Quik Stop is wearing a name tag. How hard is it call them by name, along with a smile and a thank you? Try it.  You will see people light up.

The other day, I was at Wal-mart and Michelle was my checker. I commented that she had a pretty name and I wondered if she knew what it meant?  She said she had no idea. I looked it up on my phone as I was leaving and decided to go back and tell her.

"Your name means 'close to God'".

She sighed, "Oh oh. I am not living up to my name..."

I asked her if she went to church anywhere because the church I attend would love to have her visit and we were located right behind the store. She asked me if that was the church on Old Decatur Road .

 "That's the one!"

She smiled as she said, "Well, some of your high school students were in here last week, and they invited me too.  Maybe God is trying to tell me something..."

I love it when God engineers "coincidences". But it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't taken the time to notice Michelle. It is a small step, but I am excited to see how God expands that first step into a marathon with someone. Maybe with Michelle!

How's it going with the disciple making in your life? What has been your experience as you have followed Jesus' command in Matthew 28? I'd love to hear from you!

(If you need a place to start, check out www.multiplymovement.com. David Platt and Francis Chan provide some free, downloadable material that will give you solid tracks to run on as you take Jesus command to make disciples seriously. Another resource is found on www.ministrycatalysts.com where you will find some more free, downloadable material titled "Launching multipliers".)

Africa-an unforgettable trip

18 Americans. 6 men and 12 women. One 17 year old, one 74 year old. Most over 40. Some lay people, some full time Christian workers.  Some on their first international trip, some old hands. When I think of who the Lord pulled together for this mission trip, I can't help but think of the verse in Acts 4 which describes the disciples as unschooled and ordinary, yet used by God to accomplish courageous, extraordinary things for His glory. With the help of 15 or so Baptist Churches in Freetown this group of ordinary believers saw 5,120 people make salvation decisions in just one week!! May God be glorified!

Jeanie Taylor (my friend from Fort Worth) and I were assigned to work with Victorious Christ Baptist Church, planted 4 years ago by Pastor Samuel Ojo and his family right in the heart of the city.  I was asked to share the morning message on the first Sunday in their new building. They had been meeting in a tent on the property for a good long while so the fact that the building was unfinished didn't deter their enthusiasm.

I shared from John 4, the story of how Jesus approached the woman at the well with the Good News. I  encouraged them to think about how they might reach out to a friend or relative in a similar way that week during our evangelistic outreach.        

Samuel and Dorcas Ojo are church-planters from Nigeria and their time of ministry in Sierra Leone is almost up. Samuel has trained Pastor Thomas (pictured in the suit) to take his place, so it is Thomas who is responsible for following up all the decisions that were made.  We gave him  contact information for 86 new believers.  He will be busy for quite awhile!

             

This is Jeanie with one of the first people we met who wanted to accept Jesus. Actually, we met very few who didn't want to receive Christ once we explained the gospel.  The openness of the people was astounding actually. It seemed as though everywhere we went, a crowd gathered to hear what we had to say and when we asked if they wanted to receive God's gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins by following Jesus Christ, there was almost unanimous agreement.

I mentioned that our church was under construction, so one day Pastor Ojo gathered all the plasterers and had me share the gospel using the Evangecube (https://www.e3resources.org). That is what I am doing in this picture. Jeanie counted about 20 men. All were listening intently and most all prayed to receive Christ.  Can you imagine that happening here in the U.S.? Me either.

At the end of the week, a mass baptism was performed in a river outside of town. It wasn't the cleanest water, to say the least, but the result was just as effective! The participants joyfully sang "I have decided to follow Jesus..no turning back, no turning back..."

One of the things that gave me pause was when I learned that in this African culture, the day of birth is considered a sad day and the day of death, a day of celebration.  At first, it was hard for this American mind to understand such upside down thinking. But I think I figured it out. Our life in America is easy in comparison and rife with opportunity. Not so in a culture where the average wage is $1.25 a day. Life is hard and children, though everywhere, are a trial and burden to parents who can't take care of them.

The Good News of the Gospel says that both birth and death are cause for celebration because Jesus gives hope for this life and the next. That is the message we brought and the message that will be shining forth from the local churches we had the privilege of working with.  Will you join me in praying especially for Victorious Christ church and Pastor Thomas as they continue the work in Freetown? And a heartfelt thanks to all who gave and prayed so that I could go. I hope this isn't my last trip to Africa!!

Sierra Leone

The guest speaker at our church was talking about Sierra Leone.  I was immediately transported back about 30 years when Carl and I lived in our first home in California. It was before we had children and we both worked in the international office at Campus Crusade headquarters. The former president of this West African country, pictured in the uniform above, was introduced to us at work one day.

Andrew Juxon Smith had been in office for a year before a coup landed him in prison.  After a considerable amount of time, he was exiled and began seeking political asylum in the U.S. for himself and his family.   He somehow ended up at Campus Crusade for Christ headquarters in San Bernardino. We invited him to have dinner with us.

Andrew was very proper and well educated.  For some reason Carl and I decided to sing for him after dinner. (We used to sing duets, you know. But as I think about it now, I wonder how we decided he needed to hear us...) Anyway, we were singing "My Jesus I Love Thee" complete with back-up music and a rather big ending.  As we were approaching the final notes, I saw our dog, Dolly, tilt her head as if the music was less than pleasant to her doggy ears. As we hit the high E, she let loose with a loud, piercing howl.  Carl and I immediately burst out laughing and our poor embarrassed guest was left with the job of explaining to us the reason for the dog's outburst.  Yeah.  We knew.

But back to the guest speaker. He was challenging our church family to consider taking a trip to Freetown, Sierra Leone, November 1-12,  for the purpose of evangelism.  I was intrigued.  It seems like many short term mission trips are humanitarian in nature these days. The Baptist organization he works for, International Commission (IC), has been doing these type of evangelistic mission trips for almost 40 years.  Their strategy begins by partnering with Christian churches in various host countries.  They then ask church members to start praying earnestly for family members and friends they would like to have hear the gospel. Meanwhile, back in the U.S., IC recruits Americans to go, arming each with a tract containing their personal testimony and the gospel translated into the host countries' language. When the Americans arrive in country, they are sent out with church members who take them to the homes of the people who have been prayed for. The results have been pretty astounding actually. Over a million people said "yes" to following Jesus in the 40 countries visited in 2011.

I remember thinking that it would be a real adventure for some younger person who didn't have as many commitments and responsibilities as I did.  But, for some reason, I gave my contact information to the guest speaker.  And, every time I would get an email or a letter, something stirred in my heart.  The sad thing is that recruiting Americans for such a trip is not a breeze.  Apparently, the American church is not lining up to take the good news to the third world. But surely God was not asking me to go there. Carl, my mother, Janae...they all need me.

One day, after I read yet another recruiting letter, the Lord said to me, "Cyndi, why not you? You have traveled in the third world so you know what to expect. I have given you a job with freedom to arrange your own schedule. You already have a prayer and support team. You have a passport. You know how to share your faith. And, last but not least, you know in your heart that I want you to go. I can take care of things at home. So, will you go?"

You would think I would have said "yes" immediately.  But honestly, I struggled.  Sierra Leone is 180 out of 182 on the Human Development Index.  It is hot and humid that time of year.  Malaria and Yellow Fever are not uncommon. Even though team members would be staying in a hotel, electricity is iffy.   I didn't personally know anyone going.  It is an expensive trip...$3600 for 12 days. But despite this, the Lord seemed to be saying "Go".

After getting Carl's blessing, the first hurdle I faced was finding someone to stay with the family.  My older sister had to decline but 2 days later offered to send her 30 year old daughter from Chicago in her place.  Then $2000 had to be in by September 1st so tickets could be purchased.  I decided to go to the members of our new little church with that request.  I only had $900 three days before the deadline and, after having a very stressful day, I contemplated scrapping the trip.  But when I walked through the living room, I glanced at the mail on the table...where I found a letter containing a commitment for $1100.  Got it, Lord.

My primary purpose in blogging today is really threefold. Will you...

PRAY... The spiritual battles have already ensued. It seems like every person in our family has some large or small crisis they are dealing with. It would be easy to become distracted and/or discouraged. I should know by now that if the Lord is going to such great lengths to get me there, surely the enemy will go to similar lengths to keep me home. God is greater, but so is the need for supporting prayer.

GIVE... I also need an additional $1600 for traveling expenses.  If you feel like you would like to have a part with me in sharing the gospel in the country of Sierra Leone by investing financially,  you can give through our Campus Crusade account.  Just click the "Join Us" tab at the top of this page and then the "Give a Gift" box which will take you to a donation page on the Campus Crusade website.  I can reimburse my travel expenses through this account as necessary.  

GO...Would you pray about going with me?  It's not too late to sign up and I would love to have a friend join the team!!! They prefer to send 2 Americans to each church and there are 30 churches in Freetown who are requesting team members. Only 18 people have signed up to date. You do the math. Nationals ask why there are not more who come. What do you say to that? Americans are just too busy? The economy is on a downturn? Christians don't care??

Jesus observed the crowds compassionately and saw that though their hearts were ripe, there were not enough workers to bring in the harvest .  He pleaded with his disciples to "ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." I'm wondering...what is He saying to you?  I'll be waiting to hear. Meanwhile, anyone know where I can buy some good bug spray?

Are your lights on?

                                             

The lovely chicka above is our youngest daughter, Janae. She is almost 16. Our oldest was 14 when she was born.  Honestly, the parenting skills that we thought we had honed with the first 4 were challenged to the limit with her over the years. It all started when, as a baby, she stubbornly refused to go to bed without a scene. This strong will and determination resulted in hundreds of interactions that make us smile, now. Like the time I had to spank her (again) for disobedience and she came sniffling into our room asking in her little girl voice, "Do you think it would help...if we called...'Dr. Phil''? Or, when she was upset with me for making her get into her car seat to  make yet another trip to the high school to pick up a sibling. With paper and crayons poised, she defiantly asked, "How do you spell...'I don't love you, Cyndi.'"

I think because she has struggled against the flow, she has developed a tender heart toward others who are doing the same. Whether it's a gecko struggling to get out of a spider web,  a stray kitten fighting to find a way out of the garage, or a friend battling the consequences of bad choices, Janae shows up to help. 

                                                     

Meet Brandon. He was the kid in school that never seemed to care. At least on the outside. He was introduced to drugs at age 10. His mother died way too young.  He has a half brother he has met only once and several step siblings. He is a super star video gamer but doesn't like books. There's more but I think you get the picture.

Janae got a different picture though. She found him to be a good friend, who was kind to her and easy to talk to. 

Janae decided Brandon just needed to meet God. She told him God loved him and that he should come to church. He told her "No, thanks," but commented that she had a light in her that kinda baffled him. One day, the light won out and he showed up at youth group. The kids accepted him immediately and invited him to an end of school bash on the following Friday.  He came again. The evangelist made an invitation. Brandon accepted. He attended church camp and made further commitments. 

In the last couple of months, we have seen God faithfully at work in Brandon's life. The first book he ever kept in his room was the Bible he was given. He has been reading it. He has had questions. Good ones. He has felt guilty for doing things that before would have barely stirred his conscience.  He has respected our very strict parameters around his friendship with Janae.  He invited his whole family to come to church with him.  They came. He has done yard work for us a couple of times and worked hard and thoroughly.  We were impressed! And this week, he is going to start meeting with Carl for discipleship. 

Obviously, this is early on in the sanctification process. But God is great and good and we are asking Him to complete what He has begun in this young man's life. Will you pray for him and for his dad, Bill and step mom, Christine?  I am having coffee with Christine tomorrow.  I don't know where that will lead, but I am praying that I will be able to reflect the kind of Light to her that Janae has to Brandon. 

In Matt. 5:16, Jesus exhorts us to let our lights shine before men that they may see our good works, resulting in praise to the Father. I think that at times I am so fearful of the dark places in the world that my light  is barely visible there. Janae has challenged me to "let my little light shine." 

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

My blog has been rather silent for the last few weeks.  But silence should not be confused with inactivity! As I have mentioned to many friends, my 88-year-old mother has recently taken up residence with Carl and me and it has taken lots of hard work to make it happen.  We had to sort and reduce a lifetime of pictures and memorabilia as well as a houseful of furniture and "stuff".   I am happy to report that she is 99% settled in her new space with us, though for some reason she is reluctant to let me change her address with the post office yet.  She may be secretly hoping we change our mind...

My 2 siblings, Linda and Steve (and Steve's wife, Sandie) spent a week in May helping me with the moving and sorting process.  Steve and Mom and Linda and I are pictured above.  It was so great to have the additional brain and muscle power since I had been working almost non-stop for 3 weeks prior to their arrival from Chicago and Portland and I was seriously running on fumes.

I know from the many emails I received that this process of moving an aging parent is not a new one and there certainly is comfort in common experience.  But, I also noted that no one said it was a breeze.  Difficulty apparently is part of the common experience.

My sister, Linda, is the oldest of the 3 of us. She is patient, nurturing, kind and understanding. She is a wife, a mother of 9 and a grandmother to 9.  And, she is most often the first to call us to prayer, not after we are in a pickle, but before. One morning, as I was climbing the ladder to delve into the attic, she sweetly reminded, "Would you like to pray first and ask God's blessing on the day?" I sheepishly climbed back down and said, "Sure."

"You know," I said, "you remind me of Mary...(the friend of Jesus who's first priority was to sit at the Savior's feet and listen to Him) and I am more like Martha (the sister of Mary who also loved Jesus but who couldn't relax when there was work to be done...the familiar story is found in Luke 10:38-42.)"

Just then, my brother, Steve, walked out into the garage and Linda quipped, "Oh, and here comes Lazarus!"

Okay, I don't normally like to explain jokes, but this may merit it.  Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha. Lazarus died and Jesus brought him back to life after he had been in a tomb for 4 days. (See John 11.)  Steve wasn't in a tomb for 4 days, but his heart had to be restarted 4 times on the way to the hospital after his recent heart attack, and he was definitely brought back to life! :) We shared a good-natured laugh over that. We needed some comic relief...

Honestly though, I have wondered a number of times why the Lord chose me to serve my mom in this way. My sister is way more patient than I am.  And my brother is a psychologist for goodness sake. Surely they are more qualified to give Mom what she needs at this time of life.  But every time I think, "I just can't do this...", God tenderly reminds me that He knows exactly what Mom needs and He knows me and He designed this arrangement for the greatest growth in both of our lives. Thanks to those of you who have assured me you are praying.

What is God doing in your life to cause growth? I would love to hear!

I love multiplication!

Well, actually math was never one of my best subjects.  I do better with words. But today, I love multiplication. Lisa, (the woman in the purple shirt), and I have been in a discipleship relationship for the last 18 months.  We have grown really close as we have walked through some tough life issues together.  I have seen the Lord lovingly work on Lisa and on me during this time and it has been an encouraging process that runs two-ways.

We finished today. I hate to see the weekly connection end (though, of course, the friendship doesn't). But since we knew this day was inevitable, I have been prompting her to begin praying for step 2 of discipleship...the one where she becomes the mentor/discipler/leading partner for someone else.

Someday, I want to share Lisa's testimony with you.  She came from a home with a father who was not her hero, to say the least.  And yet, God wooed and called and rescued her and became the Father to her that her heart  longed for.  Her road to maturity in Christ has had its challenges (in large measure due to her earthly father's weaknesses), but she is so teachable and so absolutely committed to being all that she is designed to be in Him.

So today, I wrote her an encouraging note and gave it to her along with a little gift as we sat in Starbucks.  In it, I reminded her of our prayer for the woman who would be her step 2 partner.  After she read the card, she looked up at me and said with a hint of nervousness, " I am having lunch today with Maira.  We became friends on the church mission trip. (See women in the blue shirt and hat above...) Do you think God wants me to ask her?"  

Maira has been in a couple of the women's Bible Studies that I have taught.  She has a beautiful heart to serve. Each week she would get to the morning studies early to put on the coffee.  And, she has been on several of those yearly church mission trips. During the Radical study, she confessed that though she wants to tell others about Christ, she feels at a loss about how to go about it.  I see in her a young woman with a heart to grow and reach out.  She just needs someone to come alongside her and show the way.

So my answer to Lisa's question was, "Yes! Totally!!"  Lisa invited me to come have lunch with them so as Lisa and I ended our meeting, I prayed...that Maira would be like an apple on a tree that was ready to be picked, with no tugging required.

We left Starbucks and drove to Panera Bread. (I like my office space, don't you?) I smiled as Lisa hesitantly laid out the offer and smiled even bigger when Maira responded with, "I can't think of any reason I wouldn't want to!"

Spiritual multiplication.  Yep.  I love multiplication. :)

God's Story

When I set out to write the "God's Story" portion of my personal tract, I figured it would be easy. I have plenty of resources at my disposal and after all, I know the gospel backwards and forwards. Right.  Trying to condense these glorious, eternal, and life-defining truths into 650 words is at least, daunting and at most, impossible. I guess that's why the Bible is 1200 pages, give or take. But maybe these few words will pique some interest or stir emotion in someone who is beginning to listen to the Holy Spirit's call. Certainly, I have the promise that the Scripture that is included will not return void. (Is.55:11)


Again, I invite a response from you. Is the message clear? Have I left out critical elements? I am open to suggestions. 

God's story is the backdrop to all others. 
He is the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe and He was there before it all began. The first verse in the Bible says: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

After creating the stars and planets and solar systems, the earth and seas and every creature in them, He fashioned human beings, male and female, making them in “His image.” The Bible doesn’t say exactly what that means, but to be made in God’s image apparently makes a human unique amongst all of creation with Spiritual DNA, so to speak. The world God created and the relationship he enjoyed with the first two humans was in a word, perfect.

The second chapter of God’s Story is, however, tragic.  Though People were created to enjoy the beauty, goodness, truth, and love of uninterrupted fellowship with God, humanity chose instead to go their own independent way by following self-will instead of God’s will.  As a result, fellowship with God was tragically broken.  This self-will, characterized by active rebellion or passive indifference is described in the Bible as sin and the Bible is clear: All have sinned. (Rom. 3:23)  And, sadly,  “the wages of sin is death.”  (Romans 6:23) 

*Note: Death is used in the Bible to refer to two types of separation...

• a physical death, where the soul (the spiritual part of man) separates from the body (the material part)
• and a spiritual death where man’s spirit becomes separated from God’s.

 Both are a result of sin and neither were a part of God's original design.

This broken fellowship with God, ultimately caused all of created order to become distorted. When sin and death entered the picture, beauty began decaying, goodness turned into depravity, truth became deception, and love became self-centered.

Fortunately, chapter three of God’s story brings hope to the middle of the mess created by sin.
God declared that the only way out would be through the redeeming work of His Son, Jesus Christ. To redeem means to “buy back”. It involves setting free through paying a ransom.

Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, never sinned so He was not subject to the penalty of sin and subsequent death.  But, (and this is huge), He willingly paid the ransom for us through His death on the Cross.  God’s Story explains it this way, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Rom.5:6)

The height of God’s story occurred when Jesus rose from the dead three days later, proving that death had no grip on Him. (See 1 Cor. 15)  Jesus' atonement (think..."at one" ment) is God's only provision for our sin. That which kept us from being "at one" with God was removed by His sacrifice.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

When I personally chose to believe in Jesus and receive His payment for my sin, my story and God’s story aligned.
That day, I received eternal life (John 5:24), I became God’s child (John 1:12) and He made me a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

Jesus’ invitation extends to you as well. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

God’s story actually has no final chapter. 
World history as we know it will someday be complete. But God intends to fully restore His rule in the Universe when He creates a new heaven and a new earth. (See Rev. 21, 22) Incredibly, He invites you and me to enjoy Him and His new creation forever.   I am wondering…where is your story taking you?  Will it align with God’s as mine did?  I pray it will.

If you would like to interact further on this, my email address is: cyndisown@sbcglobal.net.  I would love to hear from you.