Tuesday, July 10, 2018
This is how you make a disciple
I met Charlie in Princeton, NJ last Sunday and got to watch him become a disciple. Here is how it happened and I think it is a great blueprint for us to follow. And it a great reminder of how God works to bring people to him.
Charlie is married to a Christian. In fact, his father-in-law is a preacher. So Charlie got to see up close how Christians live.
He attended church fairly often with his wife and even helped in a few church projects. He made friends and formed connections.
He made friends with John and Jhis family at church. They got close and John would talk to Charlie about Jesus and what it meant to follow Jesus.
Charlie got to know the preacher, Bruce. He and Bruce would talk about his spiritual journey and next steps.
And that is when I got to play a small part.
I preached on Phillip the evangelist. Talked about the Holy Spirit connecting believers and non-believers. Told the story of Jesus. Talked about the part Phillip played in changing the Ethiopian's life forever. Shared how Phillip didn't just tell others about Jesus but his whole family were believers that talked about Jesus.
During the invitation time, I walked the aisles to pray with people about those they wanted to reach for Jesus. John asked me to pray for two men he wanted to reach for Jesus. So we prayed for them. Though at the time, I did not know who he was... one of those men was Charlie.
After church, Charlie talked to me. He was really struck by the Ethiopian deciding to commit to Jesus right away. He pointed to John and said he had been helping him learn how to follow Jesus. He pointed to the baptistery and said there is water. He said that he should die and be raised with Jesus.
About that time Bruce shows up and Charlie tells him he is ready to take the next step so when it is convenient he was ready to be baptized. Bruce said how about now. Charlie said there is water and I am ready.
So I got to see John baptize his friend Charlie into Christ.
Because believers lived Jesus, prayed for him, welcomed him, talked about Jesus with him, encouraged him to stay on the journey, and a visiting preacher told just the right story to convict him. Planting and watering and watching God give the increase.
Charlie, John, Bruce, Steve, and Jesus making followers.
Go God.
Charlie is married to a Christian. In fact, his father-in-law is a preacher. So Charlie got to see up close how Christians live.
He attended church fairly often with his wife and even helped in a few church projects. He made friends and formed connections.
He made friends with John and Jhis family at church. They got close and John would talk to Charlie about Jesus and what it meant to follow Jesus.
Charlie got to know the preacher, Bruce. He and Bruce would talk about his spiritual journey and next steps.
And that is when I got to play a small part.
I preached on Phillip the evangelist. Talked about the Holy Spirit connecting believers and non-believers. Told the story of Jesus. Talked about the part Phillip played in changing the Ethiopian's life forever. Shared how Phillip didn't just tell others about Jesus but his whole family were believers that talked about Jesus.
During the invitation time, I walked the aisles to pray with people about those they wanted to reach for Jesus. John asked me to pray for two men he wanted to reach for Jesus. So we prayed for them. Though at the time, I did not know who he was... one of those men was Charlie.
After church, Charlie talked to me. He was really struck by the Ethiopian deciding to commit to Jesus right away. He pointed to John and said he had been helping him learn how to follow Jesus. He pointed to the baptistery and said there is water. He said that he should die and be raised with Jesus.
About that time Bruce shows up and Charlie tells him he is ready to take the next step so when it is convenient he was ready to be baptized. Bruce said how about now. Charlie said there is water and I am ready.
So I got to see John baptize his friend Charlie into Christ.
Because believers lived Jesus, prayed for him, welcomed him, talked about Jesus with him, encouraged him to stay on the journey, and a visiting preacher told just the right story to convict him. Planting and watering and watching God give the increase.
Charlie, John, Bruce, Steve, and Jesus making followers.
Go God.
