LEARNINGS TO SHARE…

I recently told my wife that “disciple-making is painful, I can understand why some pastors just don’t get too close to people”.

Our church, Crossroads Church, is a disciple-making church.  We are very intentional about helping people in their walk with God.  obviously, this intentionality involves getting up close and personal with people.  (To be honest, I do not know any other way to do it)  But this “close-ness” has a price, one that I did not realize how costly it would be.

You see, the Lord used us and 15 others to start Crossroads about 5 years ago.  During that time, we have had the privilege to get involved with many people’s lives.  Some have come and gone, but for the most part, most have stuck around and are still here!  PTL, because I have heard that, such a thing,  is unique.  Well, that is where the pain comes in.  When you are close to people and involved with them, when they hurt, you hurt and their burdens become yours, and over a period of time, you develop history with them.

So, the devil and his demons hate disciple-making.  He is evil and tries to destroy good people’s lives.  When he deceives one of Jesus’ disciples, he can be very powerful and those who once were following close to Christ and working diligently to stay connected to God, sometimes find themselves far and distant, and rebellious, disobedient and leaving the church and ditching God.  their lives become a mess and even more pain develops from the consequences of their sinful choices.

Pain!  worry!  sadness!  Hazards to your health.  Disciple-making can be painful and should come with a warning….”warning: disciple-making can be hazardous to your health”.  you know, I think Jesus did say that..”if any man would come after me….he better, take up his cross, hate his mother, father, brother, sister, family, lose his life to find his life….etc.

Well, even with its challenges and pain, its still the best mission on the planet to give your life to, and the only mission that has the promise that Jesus will be with us every step of the way, to the very end of this age!!  even though disciple making can be painful, its still the best thing going…

This entry was posted on November 19, 2009 at 8:14 pm and is filed under Discipleship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.