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Never Too Old to Have Impact for Christ
Throughout Scripture, the Lord used many older people as His instruments of grace. He even called Joshua “old, advanced in years” (Joshua 13:1) and still wanted him to keep serving because “there remains very much land yet to be possessed.” What God said about Joshua reminded me that you and I as believers never retire from our calling to witness and work in God’s Kingdom until He takes us home. Listen to this blog as a similar podcast, “Staying Faithful to God by Choice.” Anna, an Old Woman Who Impacted Others Who was Anna? Don’t forget Anna! As you recount the Christmas story and tell about the angels, shepherds,…
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Casting the Vision for Lifestyle Disciplemaking
It happens over time in large and small Bible studies. Women are excited to study God’s Word. But as their knowledge accumulates, the next thing you know they are being snippy about the study questions or whose group they are in or the table decorations. I have seen it happen among godly women in very successful Bible studies. I call it restlessness because we easily get stuck in discipleship and forget our purpose for disciplemaking. I believe that is from Jesus calling us back to our purpose. This post will cast the vision for you to answer the call from the Lord and leap into lifestyle disciplemaking. Jesus followers become…
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Old Testament Disciplemaking (2 Chronicles 17-20)
Have Christians who really love God been strong influences in your life? How have they helped you to stay faithful to God in the midst of a culture that wants to rip you away from your faith? When we know the stories of faithful believers in our great God, even with their faults, we can counterbalance our culture’s attempts to distort our view of ourselves as Christians by belittling our past. But that requires a commitment to follow God and intentionally teach the next generation about the true heritage of those who walked with God before them. That is what King Jehoshaphat did. Ever since first being introduced to Jehoshaphat…
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Off the Shelf Discipleship
Leadership is broken because leaders are unbroken Recently I ran into a researcher who received a grant to determine how pastors are doing discipleship these days. When I asked him what he’s discovering, he said, “Pastors are going to the Christian book store and buying what’s on the shelf.” Off the shelf discipleship. Whatever looks good. Whatever works. Now there are several good discipleship resources on the shelf, and many pastors are consulting what others have done while putting their own thinking together, a very good step. Yet many others could be making two serious mistakes that are giving disciple making a very short shelf life in…