Given to Developing reproductive Christians

Third Generation Disciples

and Kingdom Builders

Reposted from  July 8, 2009 | Leave a comment

 

When I titled this blog, “Third Generation Miistries,” I had in mind the progressive nature of discipling the nations. Jesus (generation 1) raised up those who followed Him (the Twelve plus, called generation 2) and sent the for to preach to the 3rd generation. Paul did likewise as described in 2 Timothy 2:2 (although you can make a case for 4 generations of discipling). In any case, that is where the name came from.
In the years of disciple making the generations have been called various things. Disciples, disciplemakers and leaders of disciple makers. The title “laborers” has been used to generate the idea of a group growing laborers as leaders of disciple and disciplemakers. Whatever works as what you call them is only a verbal way of identifying them.
Recently, the church I attend has been referring to new believer and up as “Jesus’ Followers. ” This can be thought of as being all encompassing. Gordon MacDonald referseo the group that has the world on its heart by the title: “Kingdom Builders” . This is a great title for the work of making disciple makers. It moves the focus off of the DM and onto the task of building kingdom principles into disciples’ lives so that they pursue this vocationally or avocationally, and it really defines who they are and what they do. They build the kingdom of God, one generation after another and so forth.
Any thoughts on this are welcome.
Coach Charles

The Bridge Builder

The Bridge Builder

Will Allen Dromgoole

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth, whose feet must pass this way."
"This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

Sinapup

Anotherblog

My Vision as of 11-4-2012

I have a dream that God will use me to raise up a great army of Christ-centered Christ followers.  These will learn and produce other reproductive disciples around the world.

I have a dream that God is raising up a world-wide army of Christ centered of  competent disciples who will reproduce other Christ centered, competant cisciples.

I believe that His last command before He ascended was Matthew 28:19,20 "as you go, make disciples."  I take this as non-optional.  It is fully God's intent to multiply disciples by using those who are part of His body, the church.  He also pointed out that the "field is the world, the harvest is ripe, the laborers are few, the time uncertain, the enemy is afoot and prowling".  As the line in that old song, "Give me some Men", so is my prayer that God will send laborers inot the harvest.  In Ezekiel God says that He is seeking men, when He said, "I sought for a Man among them..." (Ezek.22:30),  who would comply with God and His Word.

I am determined to be that man, are you willing to follow Him too?

Coach Charles

It must not be assumed that this is the only to say this, it revises as I live it.

Habit of a difficult nature

I am looking for clues to deal with bad habits.  My specific physical bad habit is chewing my finger nails.  No I know that I am not alone in this and I have had some times of relative success.  I would engage sound advice.

Coach Charles

Some Witnessing Questions

Here is are a few questions I got somewhere.  They aim at promoting a conversation without being provacative.  If you use them let me know how it went.

1. Do you have any kind of spiritual belief? 
2. To you, who is Jesus?
3. Do you think there is a heaven or a hell?
4. If you died at this moment, where would you go?
5. If what you believe is not the truth,  would you want to know it?

Encouragingly, Coach Charles

Genesis 25 Msg.

Even though Abraham remarried (to Keturah) he still bestowed all his property to Isaac and then gave gifts to the sons he had by concubines. In his 175 years, Abraham had learned much. "He died happy, at a ripe old age, full of years." Note, however, in the second paragraph, which is about Ismael, there is no mention of God. The third paragraph in this chapter talks about Isaac, his two sons, who were to be the foundation of much of the rest of the Bible. Isaac had two sons, of whom Jacob, though not a man of character, but extremly competent, was to be the heir through the King would come. His brother had shrugged off what would have been his, and later regretted it, as less than important. One wonders what would be if the brothers would just left where it fell out. Lord, help me to not make the mistake of replacing your plans with my desires.

Charles