Making Disciples Spontaneous Discussions and Learnings

“Hmnnn…teaching someone on how to make disciples of Jesus,” she blurted these words out while I’m wondering what she thinks about. “Are you ready to have your own funeral?” She puts exactly the words of Jesus, “Take up your cross and follow Me,” in a personal way.

Sure a person who wants to follow Christ must recognize his old self. After believing the work of Jesus on the cross for him, repenting of his sin, surely he is aware of the new life that God is offering through His Son. His old self must be condemned to death at once through baptism.

The Five[fold] Signs of Making Disciples

The early church has a way of discipling people. Let’s look at five visible facts or prerequisites.

1. Believing

Jesus says that ‘whoever believes in Me’ has life. The is the first prerequisite of following Christ. This includes trust on Jesus on believing what He did on the cross was for him and he ought to give his life also to the one who willingly gives Himself to him. Believe is in the statement, trust is in the person. This equates to FAITH.

2. Repenting

Repentance is a sign that a person admits his fault. “If we say we have no sin we make God a liar,” the Bible says. Repentance is a remorse of your sin. And I say this again and again that it is not something that you do to get saved, but something that you respond to what has done already in order to be saved. There’s a big difference on that, see my previous article down below entitled, “How To Make Disciples.” Repentance is a ‘godly sorrow’ not ‘worldly sorrow.’ It is His kindness that leads us to repentance rather than its something that we should do. No, salvation is done already 100% on the cross, nothing you can do to add what is finished already. Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished,” not “To be continued.” So here, we see repentance is necessary to follow Jesus.

3. Baptizing

This is where your own funeral will take place. It is a symbol of your own death to self just as Christ was buried with our sin and just as He rose up from the grave we also shall rise up from the water symbolizing our new man in Christ. There’s a lot of discussions going on on how to baptize. Well, as I first baptize Albert I began to think how in the world am I going to do it? Should I let him wear a white dress? Shall we sing some songs first? Shall I have a sermon on baptism in front of everybody in the beach? What in the world am I going to do. One thing struck me though, at that time he is taking with him Jomy to be baptize also. But should I be baptizing them both? I don’t feel it is right. But I wanted Albert to baptize his friend Jomy because he is the one who makes him a disciple, not me. Jomy doesn’t know me at all except in that first meeting. And so I have in my thinking, “What is the easiest, the fastest, the quickest way to baptize Albert that he can instantly do it right away after I baptize him for him to baptize Jomy right there and then?” We did it with no formula, sorry that I cannot even tell you how except for one thing, we uses the Name of the Trinity after thanking God in a very short prayer and dump him in! But as I go over on how the NT baptizes anyone, mine is still even complicated! Let’s start with John baptizing Jesus, did John pray some prayers? He just dump him in! The Antioch guy when he believed he was dump in by Stephen without a word while doing it. Paul has no mention on the how while he baptizes 4 people, as far as he remembers. Poor old guy can’t even remember who are the people he baptizes, guess he has some flue called ‘Baptisomia.’ However, Jesus said to baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost – but these words are titles, not names. Jesus is a Name. Well, please don’t get me wrong. But my point is, is how you baptize easy enough for others to follow? We must do it the fastest way or else we can make a doctrine out of it and fight over terms forever. And forever is such a long time!

Some even believes that baptism is not necessary at all, if it is only a symbol then what matters is the heart right? Well, carry on to that. Mostly also in my country are Roman Catholics in which they are baptize already when they are young, no need to re-baptize again. Well, carry on to that too.

One thing that we in a sort of ‘house church,’ ’simple church’ whatever church you wanna call it – hope these names be disappeared quickly as they arrive quickly -I wanna call it ‘Jesus Family’ as Biblical as that, well get to the point Molong, is that in doing baptism we still have a ‘holy day’ mindset. We still make schedules of it like “Baptism Sunday,” Have you recognize this or is it me alone? Molong? NT baptisms happen right away!

4. Receiving

Receiving what? The Holy Spirit on the sign of speaking in tongues. How I wish that one of these days as I continue making disciples suddenly the Holy Spirit will just drop from heaven to the person and he will speak in new tongues! Just as Peter when he preach the word the spirit came and they all speak in new tongues. Wow! Isn’t that amazing? I have been through some spirit movements like the preacher preach about ‘Speaking in Tongues’ and then have some altar calling and pray over and kind of like force something in it. Well I have done that several times though, but if it is done through what you can do you are not really satisfied with it. Do you know what I mean? I am firm to wait on the Lord, even if it takes forever, on the same happenings. Not to even try myself to do it co’z I have been through it and tired of it. Receiving the Holy Spirit happens right after or before the person’s decision to be baptize. I see it as, baptism is the person’s decision but baptism by the Holy Spirit is God’s. I feel sad that I was baptize by the spirit after one year of my conversion. But I was baptize the next day after I repent. But was glad through it all. Whew!

5. Accepting

After baptism, having a meal together is always the best thing to do to let the person feel that he is welcomed. And some affirmation words would be very helpful, I suggest you will say to the person, “Welcome to Jesus Family. We are His family. You have been a part of my family and we have been a part of you.” Then praying the Lord’s Supper should take place here. This maybe a time to shoot some words of comments to every household of God, why not make the Lord’s Supper prayer be the prayer for every meal we have? Instead of just praying for the food, thanking it and then done without recognizing the Lord’s body ‘do this as remembrance of Me,’ and ‘do this as often as you can,’ right? Thanking for the food seems too religious. Jesus didn’t pray always for the food. He just ate, but is He thankful? Of course, He is not just religious. Praying for the food is a tradition. But whenever we have meals together with Jesus Family we pray the Lord’s Prayer, that is remembering what Jesus has done on the cross for us and that by His body being broken, our lives also being broken, selfless to accept one another, empty to be used by Him.

Well, that’s all for tonight folks. Oh not tonight, but this morning, early morning! It’s 3:03 now! Bye.

DISCIPLE MAKERS

How to Make Disciples

“Go and make disciples to all nations…”

Jesus, the Christ, Matthew 28:19

THE TASK

Wherever you are right now God strategically places you in the nations to make disciples for Himself. You cannot say, “I am now in California working but my heart for the ministry is in the Philippines. How can I be useful for His kingdom?” Jesus said, “Go” and though at times He will guide your feet in specific places but generally He already sent us to the world. Jesus in prayer for His disciples is not to take them out of the world. The world is ‘your’ field when Jesus spoke, “Look at the fields.”

John 17:16-18. Luke 10:2-3.

THE WORKER

You, A Disciple Maker

Jesus chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. A disciple is not only one who follows Jesus but also one who makes others disciple of Jesus. Through his life became ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘light of the world’ others are affected by him and ultimately be affected by the One whom he follows. His life then must be one who can be trusted so that when he asks others to be Jesus disciples; they will gladly follow Him without hesitation. For they see the life that is change of following Him. What does it take then for others to believe what you are going to say, to become a trustworthy person and to be loyal to your leading?

John 15:16, Matthew 5:13-14

Finding Faithful Men Who are Disciple Makers

The job of making disciples are entrusted to those who can be trusted, that is they have people around who believe in them, trust in them and loyal to them. Paul, who is fathering young Timothy in the Lord wrote to him saying, “the things that you have heard from me…commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

I believe that the job of making disciples is for everyone who faithfully follows Christ. They know how to follow Jesus and so can be able to teach others how to follow Him. Everyone can be a faithful follower of Jesus that is obeying His commands, live and walk in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit.

2 Timothy 2:2, John 14:15, Galatians 5:25, Romans 8:14

Finding Faithful Friends Who You Can Make Disciples

“We know a lot of people,” as my dad would say, “but we only have few friends.” Jesus have called His disciples ‘friends’ because He revealed to them everything He knew what His Father had said. They have become His family on earth. The same holds true to our friends, they have become our second family on earth.

So, to start your journey of making disciples you have to start with those people believe in you, trust you and loyal to you, namely, your friends! Everybody has friends, it’s normal that everybody also has people who are loyal to them. Take a minute now and try to call someone up and see who comes! These are the kind of people then who you can easily make disciples of Jesus.

How to make disciples is easy. Jesus commanded you to go and make one so there are gonna be people out there who you can make disciples.  And the closest place to find them is through your family circle and friends who are close to you. Remember, they have already your belief, your trust and loyalty. These qualities make them easier to follow Jesus through you.

Jesus, A Disciple Maker

Ilocos Sur Trip

“Tell me how, how to make disciples,” All day these words became our topic during our table conversations.

I could not say more about my trip to Vigan, Ilocos Sur, it was one of my favorite. Not only everyone is excited about my coming but also challenging that dropping at Clark airbase from Cebu I didn’t know anyone nor have been to the place before. It was 10 in the evening; it could take $10 to fetch a taxi just to get to the city. Well, from this time on I find a better way to minimize cost, I approach a white man with a beautiful Filipina wife who is renting a van and I get even to sit in the front seat with no cost at all. “Hmnn…I could do that then whenever I travel.” My cash is only $12 when I arrive at Clark, taking a taxi, bus fare and my dinner could have make me broke then. I find my way to have my dinner for $2 and a bus fare for $9 and that left me $1 to reach my place which is a 5-hour trip.

My host there which I met for the first time, Edwin, a 30 year old man married to his wife Norma who is 33, they have 3 wonderful kids, 2 boys and 1 girl, pick me up at 3 in the morning. From then on we talk ‘til the morning. A day later, I knew then that he didn’t have sleep that night, he is excited waiting for my coming.

House Church Talks

Edwin hosted some families and young people at his house for a house church meetings every week, along with that he has some Friday night prayer meetings. But my purpose in coming is not about telling him what to do and what not to do. I simply was coaching him by asking some questions that he can find answers through what he has been doing.
When the church does meet? For how long are we going to meet, until Jesus Christ comes?

Not only that most house churches are like having a little Sunday Morning Church Services in their homes but also they’re having endless meetings week-after-week ‘til forever, and forever is such a long time. Until we become family we will still continue to meet. Nothing wrong with meetings but until we stop calling them ‘meetings’ we will not become a family. A ‘meeting’ is not the church but the church meets. Nobody ask me as a member of my family, “When is your meeting?” But we certainly do meet during meals together, walking together, sit together, just doing things together. Have we called it a ‘meeting?’ Do we have to call it a ‘meeting?’ What kind of meetings? A ‘Sunday’ meeting? A ‘Wednesday’ meeting? A ‘Prayer’ meetings? A ‘Bible Study’ meetings? For how long again?

“Now we will not have any more prayer meetings,” as his wife Norma announced after hearing enough of my explanations one night of fellowship, “but we do pray.” Another night also while discussing a topic on ‘how to convert a Christian into a disciple of Jesus’ we ended up at 2 in the morning and then when I woke up the next day Edwin and his wife have a good talk in their Ilocano language which I could not understand and then they paused and said in English, ‘Good Morning’ to me and continued, “Indeed you’re coming is a blessing to us. Thank you.” Norma then continued, “After pondering on how to make disciples, God reminded of my friends who believe in me, trust in me and loyal to me. It is time to meet them with a meal and make them Jesus disciples.” Here is a part of Edwin’s email to me after days that I left:

“My wife started also making disciples to the young ladies. We are in the process of learning about making disciples and being a church. Thank you.”

Summit ‘09

[The thoughts here are based more on my personal experience and learning during the event and not as corporate one.]

On August 26-29, leaders of house church networks from different provinces in the Philippines met once again for the fourth time in Cagayan de Oro City. Compared to the past summit, this one rises as among the best. Here are some thoughts that we have shared for 3 days.

Around 20 of us representing different networks from different ministries and expertise. Some have focused on having simple church gatherings among Muslim communities especially the ladies among us are so compassionate on reaching the unreached people groups in the Philippines. The stories are so wonderful to hear but I am so sorry to keep my mouth shut as they are confidential. Simple church meetings work so easily yet powerfully because it is simple enough that you don’t have to name your church organization nor even call it a ‘church’ as we know it. But clearly enough to see that Jesus, Isa is in their midst.

A team is working together among high school and college students. Reaching them out through simple church movement. One particular guy, 28, has been working so closely with these young people that he is even registered at DepEd to train on how to play ‘communal’ soccer game. That is what anyone can play anywhere as long as their is a basketball court. Well, every community here has one! I dumped him some “Back to the Basics’ books and a box of book of John, the Gospel as they are free to be given away as requested HERE. They are so good to win friends and in the long run make them Jesus disciples.

Simple ‘house’ churches are in a sense a community based since their meetings is easy enough to communicate simple people in the community. Where there are two or three or more people gathered together with you as a follower of Jesus then the spirit of God works among everyone. Church is not where we meet basically, but it is where Jesus Spirit can move, reveal and express Himself to us, the church. Church is people, not buildings nor homes, and there is a Kingdom of God, so who are the ‘members’ of this Kingdom? The church, people! That is why if church is buildings then it is a counterfeit of the Kingdom. The word denomination comes from the word denominate, meaning to dominate. Church today became little tribes celebrating their own human founders. It should not be so among us who pledge our allegiance to only one King, and that is Jesus!

Hearing God for Your Family

“Let me hold your hand.” Patrick hear God speak.

Hearing God speak  is desperately needed in the church today, many Christians  doesn’t know how to hear Him, some heard occasionally but only few hear intentionally. When I say ‘intentional’ I meant not only asking God what to do when you needed Him but giving your ears to Him while you are on your every day life with Him. It is not a prayer anymore but a communion with Papa.

“Let’s go swim Papa.” As his son grabs his hand and headed towards the water. The photo you see is him with his son, I have no idea that God was talking to him while taking this shot. God uses my eye view, my love to see how a father and son relationships glow in my eyes while shooting them at their back. What I loved here as well in this shot is their reflection in the waters below. As they starts walking he recognizes the rocky ground beneath them while his son is excited running to the waters unaware of the dangers of bruising him. The tide is low enough for you to see some sea urchin which is surely harmful if you step on it. His child’s fear started to creep inside him and instead of taking him into his arms he just switch to holding his boys hand instead of his son’s hand holding to his. Actually he holds him by his wrist. Immediately God spoke to him.

This father, Patrick, my close friend as well have been in the journey of his family life. Married to his wife Cathy for 6 years and bear a son named Edward. Cathy was saved in the church who I pastored before and Patrick came to visit and they found each other. Such a wonderful couple to be with. They have been transferring from house to house to live, either offered by some to stay for free or they go hunt for a house to rent. Quite a struggle at the early stage of marriage. I remember my marriage life as well of how struggling yet challenging to start raising your own family.

As Patrick and his son interacting with the scenery, he and his God as well have a nice talk.

A Church With No Name

The Church of Jesus Christ bears no name, however it has a description – a body, an army, a bride, a family.
Let’s take for example a family. It has ‘parents in the Lord’ and ‘Children in the Lord.’
It has ‘many fathers, mothers, brothers and sister’ as Jesus would describe it.

As Gary Goodell’s hearts desire for the church to be he says, “I wish we stop having meetings and just be family.”
As my friend Mike Peter’s would say, “We don’t have many christian neighbors, we are family.”

If you are a member of a family no one will ask you, “When is the meeting?” Meeting of what?
If you are a member of Jesus family no one should be asking the same question.
The meetings is not the church but the church meets.

I am a member of my family, it would be absurd if someone ask me, “When did you meet?”
We meet with my family, talking, eating together, having a party but we don’t make a schedule of it, we don’t make a tradition out of it.
So having names of your church; is not a family at all.
Having scheduled meetings and activities to attend to is not a family at all.
Having ‘materials’ and ‘curriculum’ in order to raise a spiritual son and a daughter of Jesus is not a family at all.
In other words, its not a church at all.

So what is it?
I do not know, its up to you.
But you can call it whatever you want except a ‘Church.’

Louie Dan’s Baptism

The day is the 23rd of May, ‘09.

Louie Dan, classmate of Albert, Jomy and Jilian was baptized in my
baby’s swimming pool. He came with them at the house, and we gave them
time together to make him a disciple of Jesus. After about 30 minutes,
we ‘interrogate’ him to check if he understood the gospel and is ready
to follow Jesus, and he did.

At that day, a feast was made again in heaven!

Jilian’s Baptism

The day is the 19th of May, ‘09.

Jilian who has beliefs in Roman Catholicism’s charms, wearing some crosses and taking with him a rosary on his backpack. When he finally decided to follow Jesus through the life witnessing of his classmates Albert and Jomy, he get rid of it all, but we advices him to still continue wearing them, maybe not all, but some for the sake of his friends for him to remain the friednships he has for his friends and witness. When he came one day, he was baptized by Jomy. It was a sort of ’special’ day to him co’z an Australian friends are present to celebrate with him that day.

Baptizing Arlene and Analyn

The day is the 16th of May, ‘09.

Arlene and Analyn are the younger sisters of Albert. He has been sharing his faith to them whenever he visited them at my house. [The sisters stayed with us].

Finally, we call it ’spirit-led’ or ’spontaneous’ meetings here, he and his classmate Jomy who he makes disciple of Jesus came one early morning and we had breakfast together. Topics are about anything including discussing ‘making disciples’ of how Jomy and Albert did it to Mark his classmates too. The sisters listen and interact and ask questions until they decided to follow Jesus. Immediately, we invited a neighbor, friends to come along and celebrate with us and to witness the event. We went to a nearby seanear us and baptize them.

Albert is the one baptizing them, my wife backs him up. At the back is Jomy celebrating. Me? the photographer

 

 

STARTING YOUR JOURNEY in Making Disciples

It’s time to mention a long time friend. Have you tried listening to a person talking and somehow his words do not ring in your ear yet somewhere along the way you recognise that what he said is an experience that you need to walk? A level which he has journeyed that you’re still trying to figure out if you’ve walk in it before or not? Ching Alquino’s life touches something in me called “fathering.” If you visit his SITE then you’ll know what I am talking about.

We talked for almost an hour today on the cell phone and I received some encouragement and support that I have badly needed. He is there for me, for which I am glad. Isn’t that what a family is for? However ‘fathering’ is not what we’re going to talk about here, but how to start your journey in making disciples of Jesus, which we discussed over the phone as well. I borrowed some themes from Ching to start writing, like ’starting your journey’ .

Relationships

The key in starting your journey in making disciples, which automatically starts the new believer’s journey as well, is building healthy relationships.

Everything that has a being has relationships. First, God as triune speaks about a relation. When He sends His Son it is because of love, and that love is impossible without having a relationship. I liked how Stuart Gramenz illustrates ‘eternal life.’ He said that that eternal life does not mean ‘heaven’ it means a relationship. Like a man and a woman getting married, they enter into a new life together which is limited on earth by a contact. The same as you and me, being in union with Christ, we give our lives to be with Him, and that begins a new life together with Him, and this kind of life is meant to be eternal, ‘eternal life.’ What a relationship we have in Christ!

The New Covenant of ‘loving God’ and ‘loving one another’ and all the one-anothering in the New Testament speaks simply about relationships. We cannot do them all without a relationship with one another. I should say, Church is about relationship. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Jesus was Relational

It is no ’secret’ to many in denominational churches today that they have lost the connection to the world. Isn’t it Jesus’ way of starting His journey with someone by reaching out to people who are in need of Him, inviting them to follow Him and enjoy the everlasting life [relationships] with Him to the fullest?

For most Christians today ‘relationships’ is hidden somewhere within their own ‘Christian World’ with their own Christianese language, Christian Phrases, Christian Services, and Christian schools.

We have created our own world and the ‘worldly’ people can not reach us. And that’s where we come up with the words “Come to us” as an invitation instead of the “Go and make disciples” commission. We have filled our churches with rules and legislations and now the world has to live up to them to be a part of us. We know that the Jesus in the Bible does it the other way around.

Normally we call the worldly people ‘unbelievers’ and ’sinners,’ and we are the ‘believers’ and ’saints.’ If I have called or defined my ‘worldly’ friends as unbelievers and sinners, what can I expect from them? I don’t think I can build success relationships with them to make them Jesus’ disciples. I realize it’s not Jesus who calls these ‘worldly’ people ‘unbelievers’ and ’sinners’ but the Pharisees of His day.

Imagine Jesus if He named them ‘unbelievers’ and ’sinners’ of His day, I don’t think He can associate with them and win them to Himself. Yes, He is harsh and direct to those who are ‘hypocrites’ and ‘vipers’ of His day, the ’self-righteous’ ones, the Pharisees, but to those who are ’sick’ He is ‘gentle and kind’ enough to heal and receive them. To those who are ‘hungry for righteousness’ He blesses them. To those who are ‘thirsty’ in the spirit He overflows and satisfies them.

Without Jesus building such a vital relationship to Nicodemus, Nicodemus would have not been so curious to ask what this “being born again” was all about? The woman at the well would not have spread the word and witnessed to her town if relationship was not in her conversation with Christ.

What is 20 pesos for a drink?