“Discipling Over The Long Haul” By Francisco Arzadon IV

*Tips For Discipling

I discipled Ricky back in college days. We met every week for Bible study and one-to-one counseling and training. As he got busy during his senior year, he slowly drifted away from such intense involvement. But once in a while we bumped into each other and would briefly share what was happening in our lives. He later invited me to help prepare for his wedding, and when he opened a food business, I became an occasional customer. One day, he decided to invest heavily in his business. Since that time, he and his wife have been consulting me about the decisions they face. I feel as if we’re back to the good old days of really being involved in one another’s lives.

From my experience with Ricky and others I’ve discipled, I’ve learned the value of maintaining an open hand. After building basic biblical foundations in their lives, we should give our disciples enough space to decide for themselves what level of relationship they need from us. That level may change often through the years.

One common pitfall among disciplers is the tendency to constantly exert control. We can become overbearing in our efforts to keep people “on track.” Such a relationship can be stifling and offensive, so that as soon as the people we disciple can escape our control, they will. As disciplers, we can learn from the farmer who plants the seed, then patiently waits for his crop to grow and bear fruit. Sometimes that fruit comes years after discipling—if we keep an open hand.

The following are some principles in maintaining an “open hand relationship.”

See your discipling relationship as long term. This will remove the pressure to dump too much on a young disciple short term.

Be sensitive. Take note of the level of spiritual hunger in the person you’re discipling. Listen to him, and learn what he is excited about. Don’t give him more than he is eager to receive.

Don’t be disappointed. When someone doesn’t meet your expectations, give him freedom to grow at his pace.

Become a resource person. Maintain an open-ended relationship. Stay in touch even after your formal discipling relationship ends.

Be there for critical moments. Use natural entry points in his life (wedding, change of career, first baby, death in the family, and so forth).

Keep on praying. Ask God to make your disciple what God wants him to be.

*Article Adapted from Discipleship Journal 99, p. 87.

13 Years And 13 Tears Later – Remembering Columbine’s Rachel Scott

  Series: On This Day in Christian History – April 20th, 1999

By Mike and Sharon Rusten*

Rachel Scott was just eight when her father, Pastor Darrell Scott, walked out on her mother, Beth, leaving her with five children. A year later Rachel’s grandparents helped her mom move to Littleton, Colorado, and buy a home.

When Rachel was twelve, she had a life-changing spiritual encounter. She later wrote in her journal, “Everyone was there at the altar, and I felt so drawn to it. You have to understand that I was so young…to be drawn that way, it was nothing short of God…That night I accepted Jesus into my heart. I was saved.” From that time on her family saw a spiritual depth beginning to develop in Rachel.

Two years later Rachel’s mother remarried. During this difficult adjustment Rachel became increasingly withdrawn and private. When she was sixteen, her mother gave her a journal, the first of many. Rachel began to chronicle her spiritual journey and commitment to Christ—a commitment that cost her deeply. She broke up with the boy she loved in order to keep herself chaste and later was rejected by five of her closest friends for talking openly about her faith. On April 20, 1998, one year to the day before she died, she wrote these words: “I have no personal friends at school. But you know what…it’s all worth it to me…If I have to sacrifice everything I will.” Rachel had no idea of the sacrifice she would ultimately make (Rachel’s last school picture on left).

On April 20, 1999, Rachel sat outside the cafeteria when two troubled students armed with guns came up the stairs at Columbine High School. They opened fire, hitting three times. After leaving to find more victims, they returned to where Rachel lay crying in pain. One of them lifted her head by her ponytail and jeered, “Do you believe in God?” She answered, “Yes.” He put the gun to her temple and killed her.

About a month after Rachel’s funeral, her father received a phone call from a stranger who told about a dream he had. As Darrell recalled it, “He dreamed about her eyes and a flow of tears that were watering something that he couldn’t quite see in the dream. He was adamant about the eyes and tears and wanted to know if that meant anything to me…He told me that the dream had haunted him for days, and he knew there was a reason for it.”

Her father had no idea what the dream could mean. Several days later he picked up Rachel’s backpack from the sheriff’s office. Inside were two journals, one with a bullet hole through it. He turned to the last page of her most recent diary and was dumbfounded to see a drawing of her eyes with a stream of thirteen tears watering a rose. The tears appeared to turn into drops of blood as they touched the rose. The number of tears matched the number of victims at Columbine. It practically took his breath away to see in Rachel’s final diary exactly what the stranger had described to him a week earlier.

Looking in previous diaries, her parents discovered that same rose drawn a year before Rachel’s death. The earlier drawing simply showed the rose with the blood like drops, not her eyes or the clear tears, and it showed the rose growing up out of a columbine plant, the state flower from which Columbine High School got its name (Rachel’s drawing on the right).

Rachel’s diaries reveal the heart of a young woman who loved her Lord. When the time came to put her faith on the line, she was prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice.

 For Reflection:

Are you willing to put your faith on the line and speak out boldly of your Savior? If we follow Rachel’s example of committing ourselves completely to Christ, we too will be willing to sacrifice all if called upon to do so.

“If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.

But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.” – Luke 9:24

Remember that Jesus willingly died on the cross for your sins:

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10

“Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:17

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” – 1 John 2:2

“He himself bore our sins on his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” – 1 Peter 3:18

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved…For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-11

Author’s of the Article Above: Mike and Sharon Rusten are not only marriage and business partners; they also share a love for history. Mike studied at Princeton (B.A.), the University of Minnesota (M.A.), Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Th.M.), and New York University (Ph.D.). Sharon studied at Beaver College, Lake Forest College, and the University of Minnesota (B.A.), and together with Mike has attended the American Institute of Holy Land Studies (now Jerusalem University College). The Rustens have two grown children and live in Minnetonka, Minnesota. This article was adapted from the April 20th entry in their wonderful book The One Year Book of Christian History, Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2003.

For More About Rachel Scott: If you would like to know the whole story about Rachel see Darrell Scott and Beth Nimmo. Rachel’s Tears: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott. Nashville: Nelson, 2009, 10th Anniversary edition.

For More About Columbine’s Cultural & Spiritual Ramifications: see Wendy Murray Zoba. Day of Reckoning: Columbine and the Search for America’s Soul. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000.

 *Other Significant Events on April 20th in Church History:

1500: Pedro Cabral took possession of Brazil for Portugal with religious ceremonies this Easter Monday.

1558: Johannes Bugenhagen, a coworker of Martin Luther’s, professor at Wittenburg and key reformer, died on this day. He helped Luther translate the Bible into German and did another translation into Low German.

1884: Leo XIII issued the encyclical Humanum Genus against the Masoni order.

1946: The Lutheran bishops’ conference of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany issued a protest to the Communist government against ongoing persecution.

1999: At a Colorado school, several children were killed by classmates in an incident known as the Columbine shooting. Among those killed was Rachel Scott, a Christian girl who answered “yes” when asked point-blank if she believed in God (see article above).

*Adapted from This Day In Christian History, edited by A Kenneth Curtis and Daniel Graves, Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications.

Will Everyone Ultimately Be Saved? Sermon Outline on Colossians 1:20 – May 1, 2011 – Dr. David P. Craig Preached at Whidbey Evangelical Free Church

Universalism states that sooner or later all people will be saved. This position holds that the concepts of hell and punishment are inconsistent with a loving God. The older form of universalism, originating in the second century, taught that salvation would come after a temporary period of punishment. The newer form of universalism declares that all men are now saved, though all do not realize it. – Ron Rhodes (Christian Apologist and author of the “Reasoning With…” series of books)

Here Are Some Excerpts from Robb Bell that Suggest Universalism

“A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better…. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus’ message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear.”

“As soon as the door is opened to Muslims. Hindus, Buddhists, and Baptists from Cleveland, many Christians become very uneasy, saying that then Jesus doesn’t matter anymore, the cross is irrelevant, it doesn’t matter what you believe, and so forth.”

“Not true. Absolutely, unequivocally, unalterably not true…What Jesus does is declare that he, and he alone, is saving everybody. And then he leaves the door way, way open. Creating all sorts of possibilities. He is as narrow as himself and as wide as the universe.”

“People come to Jesus in all sorts of ways…Sometimes people use his name; other times they don’t…Some people have so much baggage with regard to the name “Jesus” that when they encounter the mystery present in all of creation–grace, peace, love, acceptance, healing, forgiveness–the last thing they are inclined to name it is ‘Jesus.'”

“What we see Jesus doing again and again–in the midst of constant reminders about the seriousness of following him living like him, and trusting him–is widening the scope and expanse of his saving work.” – Robb Bell in Love Wins.

The Bible and Universalism

1)    Universalism teaches that sooner or later all people will be saved.

2)    The verse at hand: “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Col. 1:20

3)    There is no hope for reconciliation and peace with God apart from the blood of the cross of Christ (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Romans 5:1-2)

Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name [“This Jesus” from v. 11] under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 14:6, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

4)    Reconciliation is the finished work of God bringing men from the position and attitude of enmity to the position of attitude and amity by the work of Christ on the cross – propitiation (God-ward) and redemption (sin-ward) result in reconciliation (man-ward). – S. Lewis Johnson (see Romans 5:10-11)

Romans 5:10-11, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

5)    Paul is not speaking about universal salvation here, but simply of the universal sovereignty of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18).

Matthew 28:18, And Jesus came and said to them, [His disciples] “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.”

6)    By virtue of the fact of His death and resurrection, Christ as the last Adam is Lord over all that was lost by the First Adam (cf. 1 Cor. 15:45-49).

1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have been born of the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

7)    The Scriptures continually make a distinction between the saved and the lost (see Matt. 7:13-14; 25:41; Rev. 20:10-15; Luke 16:19-31; 2 Thess. 1:7-9)

Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Paul used similar language in Ephesians 1:10 when he described God’s eternal purpose as the “summing up” or the “uniting” of “all things” in Christ, “things in heaven and things on earth” (1:10). His final purpose will have been achieved:

1) God’s grace and mercy will have been glorified by the salvation of his people,

2) God’s holiness and justice will have been glorified by the condemnation of his enemies ,

3) and heaven and earth will have been restored under God’s created and determined order, the universe placed once again under His reign without the corruption of sin (Romans 8:19-23).

Romans 8:19-23, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

“However we may describe it in the various designations Scripture provides, is one from which all conflict, enmity, disharmony, warfare will be excluded; it will mean the final triumph of righteousness and peace, in a word, of reconciliation. The powers of darkness will be cast out and by the judgment executed made to ‘confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father’ (Phil. 2:11). Bowing the knee in compulsive submission, this will be the reconciliation as it bears upon them; it will constitute the ultimate unconditional surrender, the confessed defeat of age-long assault upon the kingdom of God. We can and must see in this grand climax of victory the fruit of the blood of Christ’s cross” (Dr. John Murray, “The Reconciliation,” Westminster Theological Journal, 9).

“Paul thinks cosmically, the whole world is out of proper adjustment since the fall.  There are, in heaven, beings that are fallen beings, who are enemies of God and hostile to him, Satan and the evil angels, the demons.  All of these intelligences in this universe, as well as the physical universe itself, are touched by the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross.  What a cosmic event the cross really was, touching not simply men, not simply the creation about us, but all of the intelligences of the universe.  So reconciliation then refers, ultimately, to the bringing into proper harmony all of God’s creation.” – S. Lewis Johnson

We remember the words of Jesus when he said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matthew 7:13-14).”

What kind of a God would have such a narrow gate? The question implies a serious accusation; that God has not done enough to provide redemption for mankind. Let us examine the accusation from a hypothetical perspective. Let us suppose that there is a God who is altogether holy and righteous. Suppose that God freely creates mankind and gives to mankind the gift of life.

Suppose He sets His creatures in an ideal setting and gives them the freedom to participate in all of the glories of the created order with freedom. Suppose, however, that God imposes one small restriction upon them, warning them that if they violate that restriction, they will die. Would such a God have the right to impose such a restriction with the penalty of forfeiture of the gift of life if His authority is violated?

Suppose that for no just cause the ungrateful creatures disobeyed the restriction the moment God’s back was turned. Suppose when He discovered their violation instead of killing them, He redeemed them. Suppose the descendents of the first transgressors broadly and widely increased their disobedience and hostility toward their creator to the point that the whole world became rebellious to God, and each person in it, “did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25).

Suppose God still determined to redeem these people and freely gave special gifts to one nation of people in order that, through them, the whole world would be blessed. Suppose God delivered this people from poverty and enslavement to a ruthless Egyptian Pharoah. Suppose this privileged nation, as soon as it was liberated, rose up in further rebellion against their God and their liberator. Suppose they took His law and violated it consistently.

Suppose that God, still intent upon redemption, sent specially endowed messengers or prophets to plead with His people to return to Him. Suppose the people killed the divine messengers and mocked their message. Suppose the people then began to worship idols of stone and things fashioned by their own hands. Suppose these people invented religions that were contrary to the real God and worshiped creatures rather than the Creator.

Suppose in an ultimate act of redemption God Himself became incarnate in the person of His Son. Suppose this Son came into the world not to condemn the world, but to redeem the world. But suppose this Son of God were rejected, slandered, mocked, tortured, and murdered. Yet, suppose that God accepted the murder of His own Son as punishment for the sins of the very persons who murdered Him.

Suppose this God offered to His Son’s murderers total amnesty, complete forgiveness, transcendent peace that comes with the cleansing of all guilt, victory over death and an eternal life of complete felicity.

Suppose God gave these people as a free gift the promise of a future life that would be without pain, without sickness, without death, and without tears. Suppose that God said to these people, “There is one thing that I demand. I demand that you honor my only-begotten Son and that you worship and serve Him alone.” Suppose God did all of that, would you be willing to say to Him, “God, that’s not fair, you haven’t done enough”?

If man has in fact committed cosmic treason against God, what reason could we possibly have that God should provide any way of redemption? In light of the universal rebellion against God, the issue is not why is there only one way, but why is there any way at all? I know of no way of answering that question. (R.C. Sproul, Reason to Believe, pp. 41-43).

Guide For Community Group Discussion: Will Everyone Ultimately Be Saved?

May 1, 2011 – Colossians 1:20

1)    Certain passages – John 12:32, Colossians 1:20, Philippians 2:11, and 1 Timothy 2:4 – are typically twisted out of context in support of universalism. Look each of these up and interpret them in their context (as well as in the light of other Scriptures) – how would you answer a Universalist based on these passages – one-by-one?

2)    The Scriptures consistently categorize people into one of two classes (saved/unsaved, also called believers/unbelievers), and portray the final destiny of every person as being one of two realities (heaven or hell). Write a brief summary of these passages:

  • Matthew 7:13-14; 13:30, 49
  • Matthew 25:32, 41
  • Luke 16:19-31
  • 2 Thess. 1:7-9

3)    What do the following passages have to say about Hell?

  • Rev. 14:9-11; 20:11-15
  • Matt. 5:21-22, 27-30
  • Matt. 23:15, 33
  • Matt. 25:41,46

4)    Read Col. 1:13-23 and then the following passages. Why does the Bible teach that Jesus is the only way that God provided for us to be saved?

  • John 14:6; Acts 4:12 & 16:31
  • Romans 5:1-2
  • Romans 10:9-13
  • Hebrews 9:27-28
  • 2 Cor. 5:10-21

William Emerson – American Colonial Prophet and Statesman? On April 19, 1775

Series: On This Day in Christian History – April 19th – By Mike and Sharon Rusten*

The British were taxing the colonists without representation; King George III, a devout evangelical Christian, had recently declared himself and parliament sovereign over the colonies in “all cases whatsoever”; and British troops had arrived in Boston to enforce royal supremacy. During this turbulent time the colonists, more than ever, turned to their ministers for guidance, thereby giving them a unique role in history. They not only were preaching the gospel but also helping to create a nation. Their roles were both prophets and statesmen.

In Concord, Massachusetts, William Emerson (grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson) was one such prophet and statesmen. As a minister he tried to analyze the rapidly changing events in the light of Scripture. In the spring of 1775 he was quickly propelled from being an ordinary country preacher into taking part in what he called “the greatest events taking place in this present age.”

By March, Emerson and other patriots in Concord were aware that British spies had infiltrated their town and had informed General Thomas Gage about a hidden armory, where the local “Sons of Liberty” were stockpiling weapons. Emerson began to fear for the safety of his town. On March 13 he preached a sermon to Concord militia that would alter the course of history.

He had the power to either promote or discourage a call to arms. What should he say? Was it God’s will for America to fight for independence? After much prayer and study, he came on the side of armed resistance.

He reminded the militia of the inevitable “approaching storm of war and bloodshed.” He asked them if they were ready for “real service.” He explained that readiness depended not only on military skill and weapons but also on moral and spiritual resolve. He challenged them to believe wholeheartedly in what they were fighting for and to trust in God’s power to uphold them, or else they would end up running in fear from the British.

He argued for colonial resistance on the grounds that they had been standing by their liberties and trusting only in God yet had been “cruelly charged with rebellion and sedition” by the Crown. “For my own part, the more I reflect upon the movements of the British nation…the more satisfied I am that our military preparation here for our own defense is…justified in the eyes of the impartial world. Nay, for should we neglect to defend ourselves by military preparation, we never could answer it to God and to our own consciences of the rising [generations].” The colonists should go forth into war, assured that “the Lord will cover your head in the day of battle and carry you from victory to victory.” Emerson was convinced that in the end the whole world would realize “that there is a God in America.”

On April 19, 1775, British troops marched as predicted on Lexington and Concord. Before they reached Concord, patriot silversmith Paul Revere had made his famous ride into town, warning of the approaching redcoats. Because the colonists were warned, Emerson and other minutemen from nearby towns were assembled and ready. The first shot, the famed “shot heard ‘round the world,” was fired, and the war for independence began. Three Americans and twelve British soldiers were casualties in that first battle.

Throughout the war of independence, ministers such as Emerson were the single most influential voice of inspiration and encouragement for the fighting colonists. For many ministers, the religious aspect of war was exactly the point of revolution—gaining freedom in order to create a new order in which God’s principles would rule.

For Reflection:

Do you believe there was a biblical basis for waging a war of independence against England?

Was “taxation without representation” a sufficient reason for a just war?

Should the disciples have started a war against Rome in the first century because they had “taxation without representation”?

“You must obey government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience. Pay taxes, too, for these same reasons.” – Romans 13:5-6

Author’s of the Article Above: Mike and Sharon Rusten are not only marriage and business partners; they also share a love for history. Mike studied at Princeton (B.A.), the University of Minnesota (M.A.), Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Th.M.), and New York University (Ph.D.). Sharon studied at Beaver College, Lake Forest College, and the University of Minnesota (B.A.), and together with Mike has attended the American Institute of Holy Land Studies (now Jerusalem University College). The Rustens have two grown children and live in Minnetonka, Minnesota. This article was adapted from the April 19 entry in their wonderful book The One Year Book of Christian History, Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2003.

 *Other Significant Events on April 19th in Church History:

Annual: Feast day of St. Alphege, archbishop of Canterbury. He refused ransom when captured by the Danes, saying England was too poor to afford it. The Danes martyred him.

1529: In response to the decision of the German diet of Speyer to stay the growth of the new religion of Protestantism, five princes joined with fourteen cities to protest on this day. The name Protestant came from that protest.

1560: Melancthon, the influential reformer and friend of Martin Luther, died on this day. He wrote the Lutheran Augsburg Confession.

1824: Johannes Grossner gave his last Russian sermon. Originally a German Roman Catholic, he began preaching evangelistic messages until he was driven out of his native land by Jesuits. Traveling to Russia, he preached to large crowds before the Orthodox backlash forced him out of the country.

1959: The Coptic (Egyptian) Church chose its 116th patriarch, Kyrillos VI.

*Adapted from This Day In Christian History, edited by A Kenneth Curtis and Daniel Graves, Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications.

Chuck Colson: A Tribute from “Hatchet Man” to “Humble Humanitarian Man”

Charles “Chuck” Wendell Colson

(Born in Boston, MA, October 16, 1931 – April   21, 2012)

More than 30 years ago, Charles W. Colson was not thinking about reaching out to prison inmates or reforming the U.S. penal system. In fact, as an aide to President Richard Nixon he was “incapable of humanitarian thought,” according to the media of the mid-1970s. Colson was known as the White House “hatchet man,” a man feared by even the most powerful politicos during his four years of service to President Nixon.

When news of Colson’s conversion to Christianity leaked to the press in 1973, the Boston Globe reported, “If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everybody.” Colson would agree. He admits he was guilty of political “dirty tricks” and willing to do almost anything for the cause of his president and his party.

In 1974, Colson entered a plea of guilty to Watergate-related charges; although not implicated in the Watergate burglary, he voluntarily pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in the Daniel Ellsberg case. He entered Alabama’s Maxwell Prison in 1974 as a new Christian and as the first member of the Nixon administration to be incarcerated for Watergate-related charges. He served seven months of a one-to-three year sentence before being released.

But Colson never really left prison. Haunted by the desperation and hopelessness he saw behind bars, Colson knew he had to do something to help the men he left behind. In fact, he had a promise to keep. One day, shortly before leaving prison, Colson was going about his business in the prison dorm while some inmates played cards. Suddenly, one of the players, a six-foot-tall prisoner named Archie, bellowed, “Hey, Colson. You’ll be out of here soon. What are you going to do for us?”

Suddenly, the whole room fell silent. All ears were straining to hear the answer. “I’ll help in some way,” replied Colson. “I’ll never forget you guys or this stinking place.”

“Bull!” roared Archie, slamming down the pack of cards on the table. “You all say that. I’ve seen big shots like you come and go. They all say the same things while they’re inside. Then they get out and forget us fast. There ain’t nobody cares about us. Nobody!”

But today, 35 years later, thousands upon thousands of Christian volunteers and churches do care. They care enough to visit prison, mentor prisoners, help their families, and share the Good News of Christ with them.

That’s because in 1976, Colson founded Prison Fellowship®, which, together with churches of all confessions and denominations, has become the world’s largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families, with ministry taking place in 113 countries around the globe.

Today Prison Fellowship has numerous ways for Christians to join in ministry that is not only transforming prisoners and their families, but also transforming the criminal justice system, our communities, and the culture itself: From in-prison Bible studies and mentoring programs to helping the children of prisoners understand how much God loves them, from advocating for biblically based justice reforms to promoting a biblical worldview.

In reflecting on his time in prison Colson had this to say, “When the frustration of my helplessness seemed greatest, I discovered God’s grace was more than sufficient. And after my imprisonment, I could look back and see how God used my powerlessness for His purpose. What He has chosen for my most significant witness was not my triumphs or victories, but my defeat…my lowest days as Christian (and there were low ones–seven months’ worth of them in prison, to be exact) have been more fulfilling and rewarding than all my days of glory in the White House.”

Colson sensed God’s calling to comment on the culture through the written and spoken word. He has written more than 30 books, which have collectively sold more than five million copies. His autobiographical book Born Again was one of the nation’s best-selling books of all genres in 1976 and was made into a feature-length film.

Colson faced a health scare in 1987 when he had surgery for stomach cancer and a painful recovery. He was in Georgetown University Hospital when he learned that former CIA director William Casey was in the room next to him. As Casey was on his deathbed, Colson pointed to a crucifix and asked if Casey knew what it meant. According to Jonathan Aitken’s biography, Casey grunted in agreement. “Then you know it means that Christ died for your sins,” Colson said. “It’s important for you to know him personally at this time. Would you like to pray?” It was, Colson said later, “the real reason I was in that hospital.”

During his recovery, Colson corresponded with Nixon, where he wrote, “It takes more than Watergate or a little cancer to hold me down. I’ll be back stronger than ever.”

In 1999, Colson and Nancy Pearcey co-authored the groundbreaking book How Now Shall We Live?, challenging Christians to understand biblical faith as an entire worldview–a perspective on all of life. In this book, Colson and Pearcey argue that the great battle of the twenty-first century is a struggle between the spiritual and the secular worldviews.

In one of his recent books, The Faith, Colson issues an urgent call to the Church to recapture its passion for the historical, orthodox truths of Christianity–especially in this age when the Church is besieged on all sides by secularism, radical Islam, and militant atheism.

While Colson was one of the Christian community’s most sought-after speakers, he resolutely refused to establish a speaking fee. Perhaps anticipating criticism of any appearance of self-enrichment by a former Watergate figure, Colson donated all speaking honoraria and book royalties to Prison Fellowship, and accepted the salary of a mid-range ministry executive.

In recognition of his work, Colson received the prestigious Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in 1993, donating the $1 million prize to Prison Fellowship. And in 2008, Colson was honored by President Bush with the Presidential Citizens Medal for his years of work with prisoners and their families, which Colson accepted on behalf of the volunteers and staff of Prison Fellowship. Colson’s other awards have included the Humanitarian Award, Dominos Pizza Corporation (1991); The Others Award, The Salvation Army (1990); several honorary doctorates from various colleges and universities (1982-2000); and the Outstanding Young Man of Boston, Chamber of Commerce (1960).

Despite his work critiquing the culture, Colson’s heart was ever with the prisoner. He clearly never forgot the promise he made to his fellow inmates during his brief stay in prison: that he would “never forget” those behind bars.

Chuck was a model example of someone who used his experience in prison for good, and better yet, for the saving of many lives and the ultimate glory of God!

*Article adapted from the Prison Fellowship website.

If you would like to know more about this amazing Christian leader – Jonathan Aitken wrote an excellent biography on Colson in 2005, Charles W. Colson: A Life Redeemed published by Random House. Product description: Once one of the most despised men in American, Colson went from being Richard Nixon’s “hatchet man” to becoming a leading evangelical. How was a convicted criminal transformed into a Christian servant? Drawing on Colson’s personal papers, Aitken’s biography takes an unprecedented look at the man who continues to influence politics, religion and prison ministry.

 Here is List of Most of Colson’s Outstanding Books

2011: The Sky Is Not Falling: Living Fearlessly in These Turbulent Times (Worthy Publishing). Product description: Yes, the world is an increasingly godless place. And it’s never been as pronounced as it is in this era of 24-hour news cycles. From nasty political power struggles to raunchy reality TV, everywhere we look there is evidence of our culture’s steep decline. But it’s no time for Christians to cower in fear. In The Sky Is Not Falling, bestselling author Chuck Colson equips readers with the truth about the most difficult cultural and moral issues of our day and brings clarity and sanity to a world that seems to have gone mad. His message is that Christians must be informed of the truth of today’s confusing social and political issues so that we can live with the confidence and certainty that God has the future in his hands. Every concerned Christian needs to arm themselves with the profound insights in The Sky is Not Falling.

2008: The Faith co-authored with Harold Fickett (Zondervan). Product description: Rightly understood and rightly communicated, the Christian faith is one of great joy. It is an invitation to God’s kingdom, where tears are replaced by laughter and longing hearts find their purpose and their home. This is the heart of the gospel: God’s search to reclaim us and love us as his own. But have we truly grasped this? Those of us who have disdained Christianity as a religion of bigotry—have we repudiated the genuine article or merely demonstrated our own prejudice and ignorance? Those of us who are Christians—have we deeply apprehended the mission of Jesus, and do our ways and character faithfully reflect his beauty? From the nature of God, to the human condition, to the work of Jesus, to God’s coming kingdom, and all that lies between, how well do we understand the foundational truths of Christianity and their implications? The Faith is a book for our troubled times and for decades to come, for Christians and non-Christians alike. It is the most important book Chuck Colson and Harold Fickett have ever written: a thought-provoking, soul-searching, and powerful manifesto of the great, historical central truths of Christianity that have sustained believers through the centuries. Brought to immediacy with vivid, true stories, here is what Christianity is really about and why it is a religion of hope, redemption, and beauty.

2008: Gideon’s Torch with Ellen Vaughn (Thomas Nelson). Product description: Gideon’s Torch is his and coauthor Vaughn’s first novel, a political tale steeped in the details of the White House, the Justice Department, and the K Street maneuverings of those seeking power. As Republican president J. Whitney Lowell takes office, a woman walks into a North Dakota abortion clinic and kills a doctor. Watching the polls, Lowell decides to crack down on every antiabortion group nationwide, whether violent or peaceful, and a civil liberties debate quickly erupts. Before Lowell’s tactics can produce a killer, another group steals a National Institute of Health training video containing shots of a brutal third-trimester abortion and manages to uplink the video to the evening news. And before these terrorists can be apprehended, another group stages an Oklahoma City-style bombing on the first of the sinister-seeming Regeneration Centers, which will use fetuses in AIDS research. They botch their escape and are killed, leaving government prosecutors no case except against an alleged accessory, a Maryland preacher named Daniel Seaton. Seaton’s courtroom testimony and death in prison are linked to the tribulations of St. Paul and give the novel a certain mournful elegance. Colson and Vaughn present every warring faction fairly; the portraits of the president and attorney general are particularly sensitive, and the suicide of Lowell’s chief adviser is quite movingly done.

2007: God & Government (Zondervan). Product description: How should Christians live their faith in the public arena? Twenty years ago, the first edition of Chuck Colson’s Kingdoms in Conflict became a bestseller, a must-read for people interested in politics and the relationship between church and state. Now, with a passion for truth and moved by the urgency of the times we live in, Colson has written God and Government, re-voicing his powerful and enduring message for our post-9/11 world. In an era when Christianity is being attacked from every side—books being written charging Christians with being theocrats and trying to impose their views on an unwilling culture—what is the message of the Christian church? What does the Bible say, and what do we learn from history about the proper relationship between faith and culture? Appealing to scripture, reason, and history, this book tackles society’s most pressing and divisive issues. New stories and examples reflect the realities of today, from the clash with radical Islam to the deep division between ‘reds’ and ‘blues.’ In an era of angry finger pointing, Colson furnishes a unique insider’s perspective that can’t be pigeonholed as either ‘religious right’ or ‘religious left.’ Whatever your political or religious stance, this book will give you a different understanding of Christianity. If you’re a Christian, it will help you to both examine and defend your faith. If you’ve been critical of the new religious right, you’ll be shocked at what you learn. Probing both secular and religious values, God and Government critiques each fairly, sides with neither, and offers a hopeful, fair-minded perspective that is sorely needed in today’s hyper-charged atmosphere.

2005: The Good Life co-authored with Harold Fickett (Tyndale). Product description: Sharing from his own life, as well as the stories of others, Chuck Colson exposes the counterfeits of the good life and leads readers to the only true source of meaning and purpose, Jesus Christ. But he does that in an unusual way, allowing powerful stories to illustrate how people have lived out their beliefs in ways that either satisfy or leave them empty. Colson addresses seekers—people looking for the truth. He shows through stories that the truth is knowable and that the truly good life is one that lives within the truth. Through the book, readers get to understand their own stories and find answers to their own search for meaning, purpose, and truth.

2004: The Design Revolution: Answering the Toughest Questions About Intelligent Design with William A. Dembski (Inter Varsity Press). Product description: Winner of a Christianity Today 2005 Book Award! A 2005 Gold Medallion finalist. Is it science? Is it religion? What exactly is the Design Revolution? Today scientists, mathematicians and philosophers in the intelligent design movement are challenging a certain view of science–one that limits its investigations and procedures to purely law-like and mechanical explanations. They charge that there is no scientific reason to exclude the consideration of intelligence, agency and purpose from truly scientific research. In fact, they say, the practice of science often does already include these factors! As the intelligent design movement has gained momentum, questions have naturally arisen to challenge its provocative claims. In this book William A. Dembski rises to the occasion clearly and concisely answering the most vexing questions posed to the intelligent design program. Writing with non-experts in mind, Dembski responds to more than sixty questions asked by experts and non-experts alike who have attended his many public lectures, as well as objections raised in written reviews. The Design Revolution has begun. Its success depends on how well it answers the questions of its detractors. Read this book and you’ll have a good idea of the prospects and challenges facing this revolution in scientific thinking.

2001: Justice That Restores (Tyndale). Product description: America’s justice system is broken. Offenders repeat and return to jail. Chuck Colson shows why the prevailing systems of criminal justice simply don’t work. The book showcases Colson at his best, including personal stories, historical study, and shocking statistics. Bottom line: only a system that is based on a biblical worldview, a system that restores both the offender and the offended, will have any lasting success. This authoritative work is Colson’s legacy statement about criminal justice. These proven principles can reverse the current criminal decline.

1999 & 2000: How Now Shall We Live with Nancy Pearcey and Harold Fickett (Tyndale revised in 2004). Product description: 2000 Gold Medallion Award winner!

Christianity is more than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is also a worldview that answers life’s basic questions and shows us how we should live as a result of those answers. How Now Shall We Live? equips Christians to confront false worldviews and live redemptively in contemporary culture.

1998: Burden of Truth: Defending the Truth in an Age of Unbelief (Tyndale). Product description: Popular author Charles Colson provides practical help for Christians in understanding difficult issues on which their faith collides with the surrounding culture. Burden of Truth covers topics such as medical ethics, education, crime, science, pop culture, family, art, and government. In Burden of Truth Colson spurs Christians on in confronting the deception of the world with the truth of God’s Word.

1996 (Revised in 2004): Being The Body with Ellen Santilli Vaughn (Thomas Nelson). Product description: Charles Colson has been called, “one of the most important social reformers in a generation.” Ten years ago in The Body, Colson turned his prophetic attention to the church and how it might break out of its cultural captivity and reassert its biblical identity. Today the book’s classic truths have not changed. But the world we live in has. Christians in America have had their complacency shattered and their beliefs challenged. Around the world, the clash of worldviews has never been more strident. Before all of us, daily, are the realities of life and death, terror and hope, light and darkness, brokenness and healing. We cannot withdraw to the comfort of our sanctuaries…we must engage. For, if ever there was a time for Christians to be the Body of Christ in the world, it is now. In this new, revised and expanded edition of The Body, Charles Colson revisits the question, “What is the church and what is its relevance to contemporary culture at large?” Provocative and insightful, Being the Body inspires us to rise above a stunted “Jesus and me” faith to a nobler view of something bigger and grander than ourselves–the glorious, holy vision for which God created the church.

1994: A Dangerous Grace with Nancy R. Pearcey. Product description: In his first book of daily readings, Charles Colson shares truths and warnings on timely and timeless subjects ranging from Aristotle and the Apostles to MTV, the arts and evolution. In this daily devotional Colson presents a full year of cutting edge, “think” pieces sure to motivate Christians to action.

1993: A Dance with Deception: Revealing the truth behind the headlines (Word – revised edition – 2004). Product description: Here are more than 150 commentaries on life in America today, transcribed from Charles Colson’s daily radio program “BreakPoint”. Colson pulls no punches in this confrontation between the myths of modern life and the truth of God’s Word.

1993: The Body: Being Light in Darkness with Ellen Santilli Vaughn (Word). See the Revised Being the Body above.

1991: Why America Doesn’t Work with Jack Eckerd (Word). Product description: In this uncompromising bestseller, two veterans of public service and private business reveal how America’s work ethic has been stripped of its true meaning. Readers are then given the critical steps necessary to halt America’s declining work ethic through an infusion of unique programs, hard work, and a renewed sense of integrity. Colson founded the Board of Prison Fellowship Ministries, and Eckerd founded the Eckerd drugstore chain.

1989: Against the Night: Living in the New Dark Ages (Servant). Product description: Ten years ago when Charles Colson’s top-selling Against the Night appeared, he described the demise of Western culture as the “new dark ages.” The book describes in particular the ominous shadows that have engulfed politics, family life and education. Today as we face the new millennium, the book is still pertinent, as the darkness has not lifted. It seems in many ways to have thickened. Against the Night, however, is not pessimistic. It gives Christians hope that as we regain our vision of living in God’s kingdom and being God’s people, we will be a light in the darkness.

1987: Kingdoms in Conflict with Ellen Santilli Vaughn (William Morrow & Co.). See revised and expanded edition: God and Government above.

1983: Loving God (Harper – Revised in 1997 by Zondervan). Product description: In his magnificent classic, Chuck Colson shakes the church from its complacency with a penetrating look at the cost of being Christian. For those who have wondered whether there isn’t more to Christianity than what they have known—and for those who have never considered the question—Loving God points the way to faith’s cutting edge. Here is a compelling, probing look at the cost of discipleship and the meaning of the first and greatest commandment—one that will strum a deeper, truer chord within even as it strips away the trappings of shallow, cultural Christianity. ‘Looking for the complete volume on Christian living? This is it. And the title sums it up. If you desire life deep, rich, and meaningful, then it is simply Loving God.’ Joni Eareckson Tada President, Joni and Friends

1979: Life Sentence (Chosen Books – Revised in 1999). Product description: The sequel to Colson’s bestseller, Born Again, this book reveals how he began a new life and his struggle to begin a new ministry.

1976: Born Again (Chosen Books – Revised by Hendricksen & Chosen in 2008). Product description: In 1974 Charles W. Colson pleaded guilty to Watergate-related offenses and, after a tumultuous investigation, served seven months in prison. In his search for meaning and purpose in the face of the Watergate scandal, Colson penned Born Again. This unforgettable memoir shows a man who, seeking fulfillment in success and power, found it, paradoxically, in national disgrace and prison. In more than three decades since its initial publication, Born Again has brought hope and encouragement to millions. This remarkable story of new life continues to influence lives around the world. This expanded edition includes a brand-new introduction and a new epilogue by Colson, recounting the writing of his bestselling book and detailing some of the ways his background and ministry have brought hope and encouragement to so many.

Three Essential Qualities of a Disciplemaker by Lee Brase

“Who Me? Make Disciples?”

 By Lee Brase

 THE KEY IS NOT in the technique but in the heart. Who has had a great influence on your life for Christ? What qualities did this person have that enabled him to have such an influence on you?

I’ve asked hundreds of people these questions. No one has ever said he was helped because the person was so intellectual, had a dynamic personality, or was so good-looking! Neither do people mention the syllabus they studied, or the hoops they jumped through.

What they do say is that it was the person’s relationship with people and God that really mattered. “He really cared for me.” “She had such a genuine interest in me.” He believed in me.” “He had a close walk with God.” “She took time to listen to me.” “She was open and honest.”

When the disciples heard Jesus say, “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19), they responded, “Yes, Lord,” and did it. Today when we hear this same command, we respond, “Who, me? I’m not eloquent. I haven’t been trained. No one’s ever shown me how to do this.” However, the qualities of a disciplemaker are available to all of us. To emphasize this truth, our Lord seemed deliberately to train those who were “unschooled, ordinary men” (Acts 4:13) and leave His work in their hands.

I’ve discovered three essential qualities of a disciplemaker. God expects them of any Christian. If you have them, you can expect God to use you to help others grow.

(1) A Walk of Faith

 When God appeared to Moses through the burning bush, He told him he had seen Israel’s misery and wanted Moses to go back and lead them our of Egypt. Moses’ immediate response was to question God’s judgment in selecting him (Exodus 3:11). Forty years earlier, Moses had attempted to help the Israelites and failed miserably. He’d run from Egypt with an Israelite’s question ringing in his mind: “Who made you ruler or judge over us?” (Exodus 2:14).

Most of us, like Moses, have attempted to help people along the way and failed. The second person I tried to disciple dropped me a note after several months of meeting regularly: “I want nothing to do with you or God.” I wanted to do what Moses did—run to the desert and work with sheep. It was hard to get excited about discipling the next person who needed my help.

Where do we find courage to get involved in people’s lives after we’ve failed? Or what about the courage to help that very first person?

The answer lies in God’s response to Moses. He gave the promise, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12).

God didn’t try to encourage Moses to rely on his ability and training. He simply assured Moses of His presence. Jesus made the same promise when He commissioned the apostles to go and make disciples. None of these men had a good record of accomplishment. Yet, each risked his life to disciple people all over the world. Jesus backed up their commission to make disciples with two statements: “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me” and “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18, 20).

If Jesus Christ were here in human form and went with us to help someone, we’d go with great confidence that the person would receive what he needed. That’s exactly what He’s promised to do. Faith is the ability to believe that what God says is more real than what our eyes see. We can rely on the promise of His presence.

People who trust God make excellent disciplemakers. Knowing that only God can change lives, they become people of prayer. They see God work way beyond their natural abilities. God receives the glory only when our ministries go beyond what we could do on our own.

Believing God also frees us to believe in people. I remember a time when my spiritual growth accelerated. Why? The person helping me believed in God and believed in me. He believed God could do things with my life I never dreamed possible. I grew in accordance with his faith.

It was only natural that I should then believe God for the people I was discipling. Some years later, a man I’d discipled said he knew his solid walk with Christ had occurred because, “You believed in me.” He boiled down hundreds of hours together to that one statement.

“The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). A discipler has faith that God will work through him to make disciples.

(2) A Heart For People

A disciplemaker must love those he wants to help. In addition, love sees people the way they are and then serves them.

A disciplemaker’s goal is to build people up in Christ. The Apostle Paul, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). It was Paul’s love, more than his knowledge and abilities, that established hundreds of Christians throughout Asia Minor and Europe. He was able to write to the Thessalonians, “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:6-8).

Love, like faith, expresses itself in action. That’s why Paul went on to say to the Thessalonians, “Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you” (1 Thessalonians 2:9). Paul called himself a servant to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:1). Serving is love in action.

Several years ago, a Chinese Christian stayed with us for a month. He observed how I tried to train people using my programs. My experience and knowledge limited the training. Finally, he confronted me: “You train a man and he can only become what you are, but if you serve a man, the sky is the limit.”

This liberated me from thinking of discipling as getting people through programs and methods. I began thinking of how to serve each person to help him become more mature in Christ. The person, not my program, became the focus. Those who want to co-labor with Christ in others’ lives are not to “lord it over them” (Matthew 20:25), but to serve them.

Every human being has needs and birdens. They-re necessary for growth. We help people grow when we “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Doing this takes a servant’s heart.

We have a beautiful picture of serving in Jesus’ life. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). His invitation came at the end of a very difficult day. Jesus had just had to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed because the people didn’t repent (Matthew 11:20). People who questioned His motives called Him “a glutton and a drunkard” (Matthew 11:19). And John the Baptist had just sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:2).

Jesus had had enough disappointments that day to make most of us withdraw, sulk, and cry. However, He invited others to bring their cares and burdens to Him.

Love gives us the capacity to serve others even when our burdens are heavy. It enables us to put our cares aside for the moment and give ourselves to someone else. Without love, we’ll never truly disciple others. They’ll have to fit into our schedule and needs—and they won’t, and shouldn’t have to.

(3) A Life Patterned After Jesus

A disciple follows Jesus Christ with the intent of becoming like Him. This implies two things: That he focuses on Christ and that he’s a learner.

A Focus on Jesus: Imagine what would have happened if Jesus had called to Peter and Andrew, “Leave your boat and nets and come join my Bible study class” and three years later had said, “Go into all the world and promote my three-year discipleship program.” No one would give his or her lives for a class or a program. These things aren’t worthy of our lives. But Jesus Christ is. Everything in life finds meaning when we properly relate to Him. He leads, we follow. We know we’re disciples when we allow Jesus Christ to order our lives—family, finances, career, pleasures, friendships, possessions, etc.

J.I. Packer was once asked what he saw as the greatest need in the Church in the Western world. His response was that we must get back to the centrality of Jesus Christ. Paul said to the Corinthians, “But I’m afraid that…your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). One of the major reasons many Christians avoid discipling others is that they have lost that pure devotion to Christ. They give themselves to activities, classes, and programs, and that’s all they have to offer others.

One of the best disciplemakers I know was raised as a flower farmer. Because of the needs on the farm, Dirk had to drop out of high school. However, his mind was alert and his heart set on Christ. This drove him to the Bible. He memorized a verse every day and then meditated on it while working. Such a heart for the Lord was contagious. Before long, university students sought him out for help in their lives. It was the Person of Christ in his life that attracted others.

A Teachable Spirit: The disciplemaker is a learner. He is open to change. For him, the entire world is a classroom. He not only teaches the one he’s discipling, but also learns from him. The wisest man on earth said, “Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning” (Ecclesiastes 4:13).

The disciplemaker studies people and seeks to become skillful in helping them. Paul said he discipled the Corinthians “as an expert builder” (1 Corinthians 3:10). He became that by observing them so well that he knew just what they needed.

Bob and Dave have a ministry together that reaches into several states. They are both well educated, mature men. They know enough about the Lord, His Word, and ministry techniques to put most of us to shame. Yet, as I have traveled with them, I have seen them constantly put themselves in the position of learners rather than the ones with the answers. As a result, they always have people around them asking questions.

Yes, You!

 Three facts stand out for us as Christ’s people:

The Lord wants us to make disciples. He commissioned us to do it when He said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

Plenty of people need to be discipled. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37).

Any of us can disciple others if we believe God, love people, and follow Christ with the intent of becoming like Him.

Don’t wait until you feel capable. The heart of the disciplemaker is his character, not his skills. Step out in faith, invest your life in someone else, and pick up the skills as go along.

 Questions For Reflection:

 Who has had a great influence on you? What were some of the qualities of people who you found inspiring as you were formulating your spiritual path?

Who is someone you tried to influence but failed? As you look back, why do you think you failed?

One Brazilian disciplemaker was asked what he felt was the key to the success of many generations of disciples in his country. After thinking for a few days he replied, “I give you a new commandment – to loveone another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.Everyonewill know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Why do you think he thought this was key?

Article Information: “Who Me? Make Disciples?” Discipleship Journal 60, November/December, 1990, p. 40.

About the Author: Lee and his wife Marilyn, live in Portland, Oregon, where they’re partners in The Navigators’ Prayer Ministry.

Questions For Reflection: From the FANTASTIC book by Ron Bennett and John Purvis, The Adventure of Discipling Others: Training in the Art of Disciplemaking, NavPress, Colorado Springs, 2003, 30.

How To Keep Growing as A Christian By Using the Acronym GROWTH

The Acronym GROWTH*

G – Go to God in Prayer Daily

R – Read God’s Word Daily

O – Obey God, moment by moment

W – Witness for Christ by your life and words

T – Trust God for every detail of your life

H – Holy Spirit – allow God to control and empower your daily life

*Adapted from Jamie Buckingham’s book Power for Living Arthur S. DeMoss

Foundation]; 3rd edition (November 1998). I don’t necessarily recommend this book – (it’s an average book on spiritual growth & sanctification – there are much better books on this subject under the category “Spiritual Life” on this website) but I think the acrostic for GROWTH is helpful.

According To Billy Graham Who Has Touched The Most Lives For Christ?

“DAWS”

“It’s hard for the flesh to think God thoughts. It’s hard to concentrate on spiritual concepts. The brain doesn’t like to think, especially if its on spiritual matters. We like to sit down in a nice, soft chair in a cool breeze and float to heaven on a flowery bed of ease. I’m that way and I know that in life, there are a lot of things that come easy, but getting the Word of God on your heart through memorization isn’t one of them. It’s spiritual. Anything spiritual is work, and my flesh and blood doesn’t like work. But it can be done, and we can do it!” – Dawson Trotman

Mini Biography of Dawson Trotman: The Reverend Billy Graham preached the funeral of Dawson Trotman in 1956 after Trotman died while rescuing a swimmer at an upstate New York lake. “I think Dawson Trotman has personally touched more lives [for Christ’s sake] than anybody that I have ever known,” Graham said. Graham knew Trotman and the ministry he founded—The Navigators—quite well, using material Trotman developed as follow-up instruction for his crusades. The Navigators’ influence has since grown to worldwide proportions with about 3,600 staff representing 60 nationalities working in 101 countries. Trotman founded The Navigators in 1934. He originated its Bible teaching material and led it through its formative years as it expanded from an initial emphasis on discipling military personnel to reaching college students and laymen. At the heart of Trotman and the ministry he founded was and is the discipleship of believers—grounding Christians in the spiritual disciplines of prayer, worship, Bible study, and service. (Billy Graham and Dawson Trotman pictured at right in the 1950’s)

The Conversion: Trotman’s high school years featured impressive credentials. He was class valedictorian, student body president, chairman of the student council, and captain of the basketball team. However, the next several years saw Trotman’s life drift dangerously. He gambled. He drank. He became a noted pool shark. However, a late night encounter with a local policeman was the catalyst for a spiritual encounter with Jesus Christ. Drunk and unable to find his car, Trotman was arrested at an amusement park. Fortunately, the officer saw a deeper problem than alcohol. “Son, do you like this kind of life?” the officer questioned. “Sir, I hate it,” Trotman replied. The policeman returned Trotman’s keys and encouraged him to change his lifestyle. Two days later, Trotman attended a youth gathering at a local church where contests were conducted for Scripture memorization. Given ten verses on salvation, Trotman was the only person in the group who memorized them for the next week’s meeting. Given ten more verses to memorize on spiritual growth for the next week, Trotman quickly grasped them as well. Several weeks later, one of the Scripture verses on salvation flashed through his mind. And it was then that he asked for Christ to change his life. “Oh God,” he said, “whatever it means to receive Jesus, I want to do it right now.”

The Beginning Of Ministry: Trotman spent the next several years engaging in intensive personal evangelism while committing himself to a disciplined life of prayer. As usual, his focus was on the intake and absorption of God’s Word. In 1934, Trotman was asked to visit a sailor, Les Spencer, and share God’s Word with him. Betty Skinner, the author of Trotman’s biography Daws, described the scene: “Parked by a schoolhouse, they were pouring over the Scriptures when a security guard approached and asked what they were doing. ‘Reading the Bible,’ Trotman answered and seized the opportunity to witness . . . Dawson turned from one passage to another to explain the Gospel and answer all the defenses of the hapless guard. “On the way back to the landing [Spencer] said, ‘Boy, I’d give my right arm to know how to use the Word like that.'” It marked the beginning of The Navigators ministry, so named for its nautical origins. Spencer led another to Christ who in turn led still others to salvation. The discipleship ministry of The Navigators was birthed, and the process of winning and discipling men and women for Christ continues throughout the world today.

Memorization And Meditation: Trotman’s conversion experience centered on memorization and meditation on God’s Word. He was a discipler of men because he himself was first discipled by God through the Scriptures. His emphasis on memorizing Scriptures, arranged on topical themes, continues to be part of the core curriculum of The Navigators today. Memorization was not approached in legalistic fashion by Trotman, who understood that God’s Spirit must create the desire and will to mine the treasures of His Word. Regular Scripture memorization and meditation are fundamental to experiencing an abundant Christian life. The psalmist “treasured” God’s Word in his heart (Psalm 119:11) and meditated on the Scriptures “day and night.” (Psalm 1:2) As you write God’s Word on the tablet of your heart, you will find your mind renewed and ready to face temptations, challenges, and adversity from God’s perspective of truth. It is truth that sets you free; and the more Scripture you store in your heart, the more like Christ you will become. Graham summed up Trotman’s life this way: “Dawson loved the Word of God. I think more than anybody else he taught me to love it. He always carried his Bible around and always had it marked. The Word of God was sweetness to him.” 

If you want to read more on Dawson Trotman. Betty Skinner has written a very enjoyable biography on his life entitled “DAWS” – Dawson’s beloved nickname. Product description: From his youth as a liar, gambler, and pool shark to manhood as an indefatigable witness for his Lord Jesus Christ, Dawson Trotman revolutionized the practice of evangelism and founded one of the most widespread and respected Christian organizations in the world today. This moving historical account, drawn from the memories of those whose lives he touched and from the author’s firsthand knowledge, will both encourage you in your faith and inspire you to action. 391 pages, paperback, from Navpress.

John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs – April 18 in Christian History

John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs – April 18 in Christian History

 Series: On This Day in Christian History, April 18, 1587 By *R. J. Morgan

John Foxe entered Oxford still a boy. He was eventually elected a fellow of Magdalen College, and from 1539 to 1545 he studied church history. He converted to Protestantism and was forced to resign his academic position as a result. In 1550 he was ordained by Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, and he became friends with Hugh Latimer, William Tyndale, and Thomas Cranmer. But when Queen Mary ascended the throne, tilting England back into Catholicism, Foxe fled. In Switzerland he heard horrible news filtering from England. Latimer, Ridley, Cranmer, and countless others were being captured and burned.

An idea formed in Foxe’s mind, soon obsessing him. He would compile a record of the persecution of God’s people. Living on the edge of poverty, Foxe spent every spare moment on his project. He labored by day in a printing shop to support his family, but by night he pored over his manuscript. He wrote vividly, giving details, painting word pictures. In 1559 Foxe published his book on the continent—732 pages in Latin. Returning to England under Protestant Elizabeth, he resumed pastoral work and translated his book into English. John Day published it in London in 1563 under the title Acts and Monuments of These Latter and Perilous Days Touching Matters of the Church (title page of the first English edition in 1563 at right).

But Foxe wasn’t finished. He spent four years interviewing witnesses, tracking down documents, finding letters. After long days of church ministry, he sat by flickering candlelight, continuing his writing. In 1570 a second edition appeared—two large volumes totaling 2,315 pages—then a third and fourth. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs was one of the most important publications in Elizabeth’s reign, having an extraordinary impact. It was in every cathedral alongside the Bible. Francis Drake read it aloud on the Western seas. It inspired the Puritans. It took the world by storm.

But it also took a toll on Foxe’s personal health, and he never recovered. He died from weariness on April 18, 1587. But he had given us his life’s crowning achievement.

“At that time the church in Jerusalem suffered terribly. All of the Lord’s followers, except the apostles, were scattered everywhere in Judea and Samaria…The Lord’s followers who had been scattered went from place to place, telling the good news.” – Acts 8:1-4

Author of Article: Robert J. Morgan is the pastor of Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee and the author of the best-selling Then Sings My Soul, From This Verse, On This Day, and Red Sea Rules. He conducts Bible conferences, parenting and marriage retreats, and leadership seminars across the country.

*Other Significant Events on April 18th in Church History:

 246: Cyprian of Carthage was baptized. Cyprian was a notable North African bishop who wrote about the unity of the Church. He died a martyr.

1161: Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, died. He had been chosen as archbishop in 1138 for his meekness, and he remained a moderate churchman for most his life. However, he disobeyed an order by King Stephen not to attend a council in Reims. He also refused to crown Stephen’s son, Eustace, and crowned Henry the II instead. His successor was Thomas a Becket.

1587: Isabella Thobum opened her school, one of the first for the women of India. Seven frightened girls were coaxed into attending. Their priests had warned them that the gods would destroy them if they gained education.

1874: David Livingstone’s remains were interred at Westminster Abbey in London. The explorer missionary died in Africa.

*Adapted from This Day In Christian History, edited by A Kenneth Curtis and Daniel Graves, Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications.

21 Positive Contributions Christianity Has Made Through the Centuries By D. James Kennedy

Despite its humble origins, the Church has made more changes on earth for good than any other movement of force in history. To get an overview of some of the positive contributions Christianity has made through the centuries, here are a few highlights:

(1) Hospitals, which essentially began during the Middle Ages.

 (2) Universities, which also began during the Middle Ages. In addition, most of the world’s greatest universities were started for Christian purposes.

 (3) Literacy and education for the masses.

(4) Capitalism and free enterprise.

(5) Representative government, particularly as it has been seen in the American experiment.

(6) The separation of political powers.

(7) Civil liberties.

(8) The abolition of slavery, both in antiquity and in more modern times.

(9) Modern science.

(10) The discovery of the New World by Columbus.

(11) The elevation of women.

(12) Benevolence and charity; the good Samaritan ethic.

(13) Higher standards of justice.

(14) The elevation of common man.

(15) The condemnation of adultery, homosexuality, and other sexual perversions. This has helped to preserve the human race, and it has spared many from heartache.

(16) High regard for human life.

(17) The civilizing of many barbarian and primitive cultures.

(18) The codifying and setting to writing of many of the world’s languages.

(19) Greater development of art and music. The inspiration for the greatest works of art.

(20) The countless changed lives transformed from liabilities into assets to society because of the gospel.

(21) The eternal salvation of countless souls.

The last one mentioned, the salvation of souls, is the primary goal of the spread of Christianity. All the other benefits listed are basically just by-products of what Christianity has often brought when applied to daily living.

When Jesus Christ took upon Himself the form of a man, He imbued mankind with dignity and inherent value that had never been dreamed of before. Whatever Jesus touched or whatever He did transformed that aspect of human life.

Many are familiar with the 1946 film classic It’s a Wonderful Life, wherein the character played by Jimmy Stewart gets a chance to see what life would be like had he never been born. The main point of the film is that each person’s life has an impact on everybody else’s life. Had they never been born, there would be gaping holes left by their absence. Jesus has had an enormous impact—more than anybody else—in history. Had he never come, the hole would be a canyon about the size of a continent.

For Reflection:

How different would your life be, had Jesus never been born?

What are you most thankful for – because of Jesus?

*Dennis James Kennedy (November 3, 1930 – September 5, 2007), better known as D. James Kennedy, was an American pastor, evangelist, and Christian broadcaster. He founded the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was senior pastor from 1960 until his death in 2007. Kennedy also founded Evangelism Explosion International, Coral Ridge Ministries, the Westminster Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, the Knox Theological Seminary, and the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, a socially conservative political group. In 1974, he began Coral Ridge Ministries, which produced his weekly religious television program, The Coral Ridge Hour, carried on various networks and syndicated on numerous other stations with a peak audience of three million viewers in 200 countries. The above 21 points were adapted from the Introduction to the fascinating book What if Jesus Had Never Been Born? Coauthored by D. James Kenney, and Jerry Newcombe, Nashville, Thomas Nelson, 2001. They go on to elaborate with overwhelming evidence the gaping hole that would exist – had Jesus never been born.