Small Group Discipleship

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“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to Him those He wanted, and they came to Him. He appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.”

Mark 3:13-14

At the beginning of His ministry on earth, Jesus stepped out and publicly selected His small group.  He selected twelve men who became His disciples. He mentored and trained them over the next three years and then left it in their hands to build the church.  This is well documented in the book of Acts, which demonstrated how they started out as small groups meeting in homes. Let’s explore how we can use small group discipleship for spiritual growth and a sense of community felt by our congregations.

What are Small Groups? Small groups are typically groups of 5-12 people who meet regularly, either in a church, home, or restaurant. They meet to study the Bible, share their faith, and support and care for one another. In the context of discipleship, small groups should always be centered and focused on God’s Word. The Biblical purpose for small groups include the following:

  • Acts 2: 46-47 – “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
  • Hebrews 10:25 – “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
  • Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “Two are better than one,because they have a good return for their labor:   If either of them falls down,one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who fallsand has no one to help them up.”
  • Colossians 3:16 – “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

What are the characteristics of a Small Group? All small groups need 4 common spiritual values:

  1. Upward – The top priority is our relationship to the Lord. Our desire should be to be with Him and to follow Him. (Matthew 22:36-38)
  2. Inward – Each member of the group should be committed to each other in love and living in community together. (Matthew 22:39)
  3. Outward – The group must understand that they are all part of the Great Commission and be willing to witness to others. (Matthew 28:19)
  4. Forward – Through the small group, they learn to be obedient to what Christ has taught so they can experience His life changing power which they then pass on to others. (Matthew 28:20)

Small groups can also be formed around service to others (homeless), ministry (praise team), gender, demographics (seniors), sports, or any other common link. Pastoral support is also important. Pastors should be invited to periodically visit your small group and to also provide training for the leader or help find study materials.

What are the challenges for Small Groups?  Here are some of the key challenges along with some possible Solutions:

  1. Exclusiveness – when a small group acts “closed” to others. Possible Solution:  Have an empty chair and pray for its filling.  Also, being willing to split into two groups.
  2. Shyness – having group members that rarely share. Possible Solution:  Split into smaller groups of 2-3 for some of the time.
  3. Superficiality – spiritually weak, usually wanting to only be socially-based. Possible Solution:  Giving more equal time to worship, prayer, study, and sharing.
  4. Leader Dominance – When the leader does all of the talking. Possible Solution:  rotate leadership of the Bible Study time.
  5. Personal Problem Dominance – members that regularly dominate the conversation by bringing up their personal problems. Possible Solution:  Giving a mentor to the member with many personal problems.
  6. Children – having children attending small group with parents, as they cannot be left at home. Possible Solution:  Take turns with teaching the children or find a youth to help.

Small groups are a wonderful place where people can experience a LIFE CHANGE! They learn how to live the Christian life, how to express and receive love, how to grow deeper relationships with one another, and how to find strength to endure challenges and hardships. It is also a place to worship, pray, and study!

Discipleship is the process whereby people meet Jesus and grow in their relationship to Him and knowledge of God’s Word. Consequently, small groups are perhaps the best method a church has to carry out the Great Commission!

(From Chapter 10 in our Discipleship for Church Leaders™ Training Manual, ©2015.)

The Light Has Come!

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“The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”

John 1:9

We live in a darkened world today. It seems that wherever we go darkness is invading our nation and our world. Whether it is violence, hatred, verbal abuse, greed, lying or stealing, evil is all too obvious and pervasive nowadays. Furthermore, what once was called evil is now called good. What once was considered sinful is now being paraded around as virtue. And all the while Biblical truth and Christianity are being blamed for many of our societal problems. Satan certainly appears to be having his way in the world today!

However, we must first recognize that the world began in darkness (Genesis 1:2) and there was no light until God created it (Genesis 1:3). Our world was created by God from nothing and all that exists was created by Him. The physical light in our world comes from the sun, and as the world revolves around the sun we have alternate periods of light and darkness. In reality, though, darkness is the absence of light. And anyone who has been to a remote area understands how dark it gets when there are no lights around. We stumble around at night in our homes until we can turn a light on. Many people fear the dark because we can’t see what’s around us that might harm us.

But there is also spiritual darkness. Before Christ came to earth, a spiritual darkness existed in the world. Since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned, the world had become a place of darkness and evil. There was murder, human sacrifices, sexual sin, violence, robbery and a host of other evil behaviors. Even God’s people rebelled against Him over and over again. When the Roman empire began oppressing the Hebrew people, the only hope left was the coming Messiah who had been prophesied in the Old Testament (“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the governments will be on his shoulders.” – Isaiah 9:6).

And when Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem just outside Jerusalem, the promised Messiah (Savior) had come! It was not a glorious beginning with lots of fanfare and celebration, but a humble birth in a cattle stall. And the first people to proclaim his arrival were not prominent or famous people of the day, but actually lowly shepherds. But it was certainly a world changing event! God had become a man and entered our world to save us from darkness and sin. Jesus was born to bring spiritual light to the earth! The Light has come!

1 John 1:5 says that “God is light, in him there is no darkness at all.” So, in order to combat our spiritual darkness, it was necessary for God to send His own Son Jesus into the world to bring that light to us. And that is true for all humanity, not just those who believe in Jesus. Sadly, however, there are still so many people who have rejected that light and have chosen darkness and evil instead. And most of them aren’t even aware they have done so! The Apostle John wrote in John 3:19-20, that “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”  Throughout the past 2,000 years, people who reject Jesus and His message of salvation for everyone continue to live in darkness instead of the light and therefore prefer evil over good.

Paul wrote to the church in Rome and told them to “be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil” (Romans 16:19) We must be discerning as well today about what is evil and what is good in our nation and in our world. Paul also said in Romans 12:9 that we should “hate evil and cling to what is good.” In other words, turn away from the evil that you see around you and instead run to what is good. We should heed Paul’s advice in Romans 12:21 that says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

So, with Christmas fast approaching, how should we as Christians respond to this growing darkness in our world today? How can Christmas help us to bring light into our darkened world?

Well, first of all, we should not despair or lose hope because the Light has already come and is still here! Jesus lives and reigns in our world whether or not other people think so. We know it and should live as people of hope. As Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:9, we are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that (we) may declare the praises of Him who called (us) out of darkness into His wonderful light.” Christmas is the perfect time to remind people that the Light has already come!

Secondly, if we have the light of Christ, we should be able see the evil and darkness around us. That will help us to discern what is truly evil (not of God) and what is truly good. We need to be able to see things as they really are in order to be able to discern whether or not they are good and of God. In our world today there are very clever people who make virtuous sounding arguments that are in fact harmful to us if we pursue or follow them. The best weapon we have to stand against this evil is God’s Word. The Bible must become our armor to withstand Satan’s attacks (Ephesians 6:10-17)! Knowing God’s Word will help us recognize evil and avoid it. Reminding others of the true meaning behind Christmas can draw them to God’s Word as well.

Finally, we must accept God’s call to share this Light with others so they too can come out of the darkness and into the Light! Christmas is a wonderful time to do that as we celebrate the child who is the Light! We cannot just sit back and wait for pastors, ministry workers or others to share the gospel. Every Christian is a minister (1 Peter 2:9) and every Christian is a missionary (Matthew 28:19-20)! We must all continue to proclaim the gospel and the truth of God’s Word to a world in darkness! Christmas is a time where we can share God’s Word through the Christmas carols that we sing and the reading of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem from the Bible.

As we celebrate Christmas and the birth of Jesus this year, “let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Let us overcome the evil in our world with God’s goodness that is found in a little baby named Jesus!

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

Gaining Full Understanding

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“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.”

Proverbs 3:13

Several years ago, Ameriquest Mortgage came out with a series of commercials entitled, “Don’t Judge Too Quickly.” Here is one of them (click the video to watch the 30 second commercial):

As the commercial portrays, too often we jump to conclusions before we have a full understanding of the situation we are seeing, hearing or reading about. This is so commonplace in our world today with social media posts, mass media news reports, and paid political ads that try to persuade us to a particular belief or influence our opinions and attitudes without giving us the full story. Without a full understanding, we end up making rash judgements that are later proved to be false or at the very least, misleading.

In order to gain a full understanding of anything, there are 2 things that are needed – context and perspective. Without these two additional pieces of information, any situation or report can be twisted or manipulated to state or show a distorted view of it. In many cases it provides a completely false narrative intended to cause outrage or a quick reaction. If we are to make reasonable judgments or opinions about something, we must make sure we know the context and the perspective before coming to any conclusions or sharing our opinions.

The context of a situation is the background or events leading up to, or following, what you are reading or seeing. For example, many videos posted on FaceBook only show one part of an event, such as an arrest, and not the events that led up to the arrest. That often results in either the police or the criminal being shown to be at fault without knowing what took place before or after what we are seeing. As the above video shows, not knowing what took place before the woman walked into the apartment would lead to a completely false understanding of the situation.

Perspective, on the other hand, is information about the individual in the situation, or our own pre-judgments about them, which causes us to believe or not believe what we are seeing or reading. This is most common in politics where we accept as truth what seems to agree with our beliefs and reject as truth if it disagrees with our beliefs. So, for example, in the video, if the woman thought the man did not like cats she might believe he is trying to kill it. But if she believed he would never hurt the cat then she would question what she sees. Consequently, if we are to evaluate and judge a situation correctly, we must shed our pre-conceived notions and try to take an unbiased perspective.

Without both context and perspective to any given post, video or writing, we are very likely to make an incorrect judgment or opinion about them. That is what so often causes conflict, sin, and harm to others. When we take the time to dig further and discover the context of a situation and look at it from a different perspective, we often find that we will have a better and fuller understanding of it. As Proverbs 3:13 above says, “blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.”

The same can also be said about the Bible. Context and perspective are crucial to fully understanding God’s Word as well. We can’t just quote a verse without understanding its context and God’s perspective.

For example, the most often quoted Scripture verse is John 3:16. It says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” But do you know the context of this verse? Do you know who said these words? Do you know when it was said and why? These additional details are important to understanding the meaning and intent of these words for us, and for non-believers as well. Jesus spoke these words to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who came to see Jesus in the middle of the night and in secret. Nicodemus wanted to know more about Jesus and his miracles, but he did not want to be seen with Jesus due to his position in the Sanhedrin. Jesus was declaring to Nicodemus who He was (the Son of God) and why He came to earth (to save the world from sin). The context not only gives us Jesus’ reason for saying those words, but also reveals His ultimate purpose!

But a correct perspective is also needed. Do we read this verse from our own perspective and what we want or think, or do we read it from God’s perspective and what He does and wants for us? If we only read this verse from our own perspective, we might think we can simply just “that’s great!” and continue on with our lives as if nothing has changed. That is what many people do when they hear those words. The verse comforts them, but they do not fully understand what it truly means. However, when we see it from God’s perspective, we develop an understanding of God’s deep love for us and his willing sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus (at our own hands by the way), to reconcile Himself to each of us. Knowing that causes us to be even more grateful and to “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:18)!!

If we don’t take the time to find the context and perspective of any given situation, or a Bible verse or passage, we will never fully understand it. And without a full understanding we run the risk of believing a lie, distorting the truth, or propagating a falsehood. In each case, that does harm to others and does not demonstrate the love of God (Romans 13:10).

So, let us strive to gain understanding and to trust in God’s Holy Spirit to give it to us!

An MCL Training Testimony

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“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

One of our global MCL Trainers, Hanna Karam from Lebanon, conducted a training on our Management for Church Leaders training material at a Bible College in Vinetsia, Ukraine back in May. He recently shared this testimony with me that he received from one of his students named Nastia. I believe that this testimony represents and affirms why God has called us into this ministry:

“Dear Hanna, I’m glad to write you now after several months since our last meeting. When we started the course of Management in the seminary I couldn’t even imagine how much information I would use during this summer. For the last month our church (which is in my village, not in Vinetsia) has organized a mini-camp every Wednesday till today. I believe God will help us to continue it. But that was not easy. The Covid-19 canceled a lot of projects. Last year we didn’t do any camps. I think the main problem was to START after such a big pause.

As you know, I am only 18, but I had great friends in church who encouraged me to take responsibility for that project. And I took it. So there I could use everything I received at the course of Management this spring. The most important thing I understood was that I couldn’t do ANYTHING without God. You know that verse in John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing”. That was my “credo” for the last months. I can do nothing without Him. But what can I do WITH Him?  “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). These 2 verses encouraged me a lot!

When we had our first planning, I knew we should divide all things into “priority” and “minor”. Just as we prayed, somebody from our team started to list that we should clean the territory, buy sugar, bags of corn, create invitation cards… I said: “Wait… I know, it is IMPORTANT. But it is not PRIORITY”. I remember that during the course we wrote the sequence of proper planning. So first of all we chose the programme, decided it would be camp for non-Christians, agreed to date, time and place, discussed finances, the quantity of children and the responsibilities of each leader. The role of coordinator is not easy, but… God blessed me with our wonderful team and showed He would always be with me. Every Wednesday for the last month 25-36 children could listen to Gospel and spend time with a great pleasure.

It is so difficult for me now to go back to Vinetsia as the school year starts in a few days. Even though there were some unpleasant moments (during the mini-camp), they taught me to trust God more. One day our teenagers, who are from Christian families but non-believers yet, had a big argument after camp. They are not leaders, but they help a lot with equipment, sport games, popcorn, etc. After that incident I had prayed for the whole day saying: “Lord, I can’t change them, but YOU can!” Yes, He is truly almighty! That was a great experience and I’m so glad that I had had a good preparing for it. I think it’s a good chance to thank you one more time! I believe God will use me and other students in a miraculous way. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!” – Nastia

Nastia’s testimony refers to some of the principles that are taught in our MCL training manual concerning leadership and planning. It is gratifying to see and hear how our training is being used and applied where it is taught, especially by young leaders with a zeal for serving the Lord like Nastia. It demonstrates how God is continually at work in the hearts of those who seek Him! While we don’t always get to hear these testimonies, we know they exist and truly enjoy receiving them so that we can share them with you. 

We give all the glory to God! “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)

Our Sick Society (and how to cure it!)

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“Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

Galatians 5:16

America is very sick. Unfortunately, many citizens don’t realize it or even recognize what’s really wrong with us. To many Americans, we are headed towards a more fair and just society. However, they are actually unaware of the precipice we are on and the dangers that lie ahead for us if we continue on this course. We all know that in many ways things just aren’t right in our country. But the cure we seek for it must be based on an accurate diagnosis of the problem. As every doctor knows, they must first accurately diagnose the problem to properly decide on the treatment for it. If they make the wrong diagnosis, the treatment that they prescribe to fix it may end up causing even greater harm. The same is true for our society.

The Problem

So, what are we sick with? What’s our problem?

To many Americans, they see our sickness as racial division, hatred towards other members of our country, unequal distribution of wealth, misinformation, homophobia, hate speech, police brutality, and religious zealotry. They often proclaim these as our illness when in reality they are only our symptoms. Underlying all of these symptoms is the illness of sin. When we look more closely, we see that these symptoms are caused by greed, anger, envy, laziness, lust, gluttony and pride. In other words, the seven deadly sins! This is the real problem in our nation and we must find solutions that will effectively deal with them.

Sin is also an individual problem. It is a problem built into every human being from birth. It cannot be eradicated by well-meaning social programs that target groups of people rather than individuals. Instead, it can only be treated individually. Just like a medical illness, no two people are exactly the same and so each individual must receive the proper treatment targeting their specific illness and circumstances. Consequently, each citizen must fight this illness of sin every day and seek treatment for it to keep it from harming themselves and others. There is also no immunity from it.

Another issue is that many Americans do not even recognize their sin, or the sins of others, as the underlying illness to our societal problems. On the contrary, they don’t see it as sin at all. Why? Because they have either rejected God entirely or have fallen away from Him and no longer read or trust in His Word. Consequently, they don’t know or recognize what sin is. So, if our leaders misdiagnose the problem as something other than sin, we end up with a treatment that is not effective. That appears to be what is happening today in America because the problems in our society are not going away despite our government’s attempt to treat them. Instead, the treatment they are applying often ends up encouraging more sin rather than reducing it.

Throughout history, governments have failed to effectively treat the problem of sin because it is an individual illness and not a societal illness. Governments can have effective economic, political and social policies that govern the lives of people in general, but those policies cannot remove the individual sins of its citizens. While governments can punish individuals for bad behavior (sin), that is not a treatment but rather a deterrent. The bad behavior (sin) persists because it has not been treated.

So, in reality, our problem in the United States is that our leaders have misdiagnosed the problems we face and have been applying policies that try to treat the symptoms rather than the real illness of sin.

The Cure

So, what is the treatment for sin? Is there a vaccine for it?

In Romans 8:23, Paul writes that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” He is declaring God’s truth that we are born sinful. In 1 John 1:8, John writes that “if we claim to have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” So it is clear that we all are infected with sin. And if we are honest, sin is at the heart of all of our problems. We also cannot get rid of sin in our earthly lives.  Sin will always be in us. Our only hope is to treat it and keep it from killing us (“For the wages of sin is death.” – Romans 6:23).

The only treatment that exists for sin is God’s Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:16 that we should “live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” When we live by His Holy Spirit, it acts like a vaccine that does not allow the sin in us to destroy us. Like a medical vaccine, it gives us some level of protection and lessens the harmful effects. But it does not remove our sin nor cure it.

Is there a cure for sin? Fortunately, yes there is! It is faith in Jesus Christ! Only Jesus’ death on the cross can remove our sin. Jesus declared that he came to save the world from sin (John 10:9) by offering himself as the sacrifice for sin. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we are freed from the consequences of our sin when we put our faith and trust in Jesus alone! However, the cure cannot be experienced in this life, only in the life to come. In our earthly life, we have the treatment and the promise of the cure, but only if we put our faith and trust in Jesus!

When governments try to treat the illness of sin with social program and policies, the end result is that very little changes and the situation often gets worse. It is because they fail to even consider that our problem is spiritual and not physical. As a result, they ignore God and the spiritual solution He offers and thus fail to pursue the needed course of treatment for our problems. They are blind to the truth of both the cause and the cure!

So, when it comes to treating or curing the sin in our culture, it is necessary that each individual get the treatment for sin and accept the cure for it. The government cannot do that for them, nor can anyone else. It also cannot be mandated like a vaccine, but must be chosen voluntarily by each individual.

We as Christians need to speak this truth into our culture and lead people to Christ, the only treatment and cure for sin that exists!

Discipling Men

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“Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.  For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

Genesis 18:18-19

In the beginning, God gave men the responsibility of leadership in the family, in the faith, and in society in general. In the Old Testament the Bible clearly states that man was created first in the form of Adam, and that Eve was made as a helper to him (Genesis 2:18). In the New Testament men are given the responsibility to be heads of their families and are to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:23). So in God’s hierarchy of responsibility, men are placed in a position of leadership and therefore it is essential that they be trained to be spiritual leaders.  It is the responsibility of fathers to disciple their children and so the church must be involved in the discipleship of men so they are equipped and supported for that task. Many men are absent from the church because they often see their primary responsibility as work in order to provide for their family. But spiritual leadership is far more important. Consequently, the church must disciple men so that they can become the spiritual leaders God has called them to be.

Men have 3 basic roles in God’s plan. First, they are called to be leaders in their families. In Ephesians 5:23, Paul writesthat “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.” Similarly, men are also called to be leaders in their church, their nation and the world (Genesis 2:18). Second, men are called to be providers and to work to support their families. Genesis 3:17 says, “To Adam he said, because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘you must not eat of it’, cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.”  Third, men are called to be teachers and to pass on knowledge and the faith. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”  

Because of these callings from God, the discipleship of men is critical for the Christian faith, as well as the Church. First of all, we know that Satan attacks leaders. “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). Satan knows that if you thwart the man, you thwart the church and also the family. Secondly, men are role models for children. “Jesus said to his disciples: Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.  It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause any one of these little ones to sin.”  (Luke 17:1-2)  Children look to men and fathers for behavioral examples. As a result, men have influence beyond their words. And thirdly, men are role models for society. “Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)  Men look to society’s leaders to see how to behave or act. But it is also true that what society permits is often more dangerous than what the law permits. So men must also know God’s Word!

There are 3 key obstacles and challenges to reaching men. First, most men are independent. They like to be in control and want to make their own choices. They also want to solve problems by themselves and don’t like to ask for help. Second, men are career and work oriented. They get their self-worth and their identity from their jobs and their job often defines who they are. Consequently, if they lose their job, they often lose their identity.  Men also see their primary function as family providers and work is the way they earn income for food and shelter. Third, men face several key temptations. “No temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) These temptations includesex (physical gratification), money (provider gratification), and power (control gratification).

Here are 5 strategies for men’s discipleship:

  1. Create a connection – it can be social (common interests), faith, sports, or business related (career or work)
  2. Teach Scriptural authority – Man’s calling and purpose (“No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money.” – Matthew 6:24)
  3. Develop ongoing opportunities – monthly meetings, retreats, Bible studies, men’s conferences, sports, missions, or social events.
  4. Reach Men Individually – Use personal invitations.  Men often don’t respond to general invitations. Consider mentoring other men.
  5. Create events that focus on topics relevant to men’s interests or struggles – These may include career, family, faith, success, or overcoming temptations.

The discipleship of men is an important role for pastors and church leaders if we are to raise up leaders for the church and in the family. This will not only grow the church, but will also ensure the passing on of the Christian faith to future generations.

(From Chapter 7 in our Discipleship for Church Leaders™ Training Manual, ©2015.)

The Top 10 Things I Have Learned on the Foreign Mission Field

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“Listen and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”

Proverbs 19:20

I went on my first foreign short term mission trip to the nation of Kazakhstan in April of 1996, and it was the beginning of an incredible journey of faith for me and also led me into full time ministry! Over the past 25 years, I have been blessed to be a part of 136 foreign short term mission trips to 48 different nations. Through these trips and cultural experiences, God has taught me some valuable lessons about life and people. He has also given me a new and much broader perspective.

Here is my top 10 list of the things I have learned from Him on the foreign mission field (in reverse order):

#10 – Everything is edible, but not everything is tasty.

I have eaten horsemeat, dog meat, guinea pig, hippo, shark, snake, and many other unusual foods. And guess what? I am still here! And I never got sick from any of them either!

“As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself.” – Romans 14:14

#9 – Lack of air conditioning and hot showers will not harm you.

A cool shower after the heat of a day is actually refreshing. It’s amazing to me how well I adapted and adjusted to my surroundings rather quickly.

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

#8 – I have way too much stuff.

People I met usually had only 2 sets of clothes, the ones they were wearing and the ones they were washing. I had a closet full of clothes that I did not use or need.  So, I got rid of them, mostly to those who needed them, such as the homeless and other charities.

“A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” – Luke 12:15

#7 – Americans have 2 things to offer – our money and our time.

We are a blessed nation with abundant resources, and we are a blessed people with abundant gifts to share. And when we give to others, we are blessed even more in return!

“Give, and it will be given to you.” – Luke 6:38

#6 – People are virtually the same in every culture.

All humans have the same needs and desires – meaningful work, to raise a family, to live in peace, and to be free. The family is the foundation of every society and God put freedom in the heart of all of His creation. People need hope to truly live, and true hope is only found in Jesus!

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

#5 – Happiness is not found in wealth or possessions, but in knowing God.

Being poor does not mean people are unhappy, and being rich does not mean people are happy. The poor in foreign nations are generally happier than wealthy Americans! True peace and contentment is in knowing God.

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” – 1 Timothy 6:17

#4 – The most important thing in life is our relationship with God and other people.

Life has a purpose with God. Relationships enrich our lives and the lives of others. The Church is a community of believers who have a relationship with Jesus and one another.

“All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” – John 13:35

#3 – The Bible is universal and applies to everyone, everywhere.

God’s word is flawless (Proverbs 30:3) and God’s Word never changes (Malachi 3:6). God’s principles were meant for all peoples in all places and in all times!

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy 3:16

#2 – Worship is a lifestyle, not Sunday church attendance.

We worship God by how we live. We worship God not only when we praise Him, but also when we trust Him, obey Him, share His love, and serve others.

“If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 4:11

#1 – The love of Christ cuts through every cultural boundary.

All people need the Lord. We cannot impact a culture without first impacting its people. I could always tell a Christian in every culture or nation by the smile on their face that comes from the joy in their hearts! We are called to make disciples of all nations! (Matthew 28:19)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

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I have been blessed beyond words by the experiences I have had serving people in other nations and by the personal relationships I have built across cultures and national boundaries. God is the one who has knit us all together in His tapestry of love and brotherhood, and I cannot imagine what life would be like without God’s presence and these dear friends in my life!

The Spiritual Dimension

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“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”

Ephesians 3:17-18

In our world there are three physical dimensions – length, width and depth. However, most often we only think of only two dimensions. For every top there is a bottom. For every left there is a right. For every front there is a back. There is nothing in our world that doesn’t have an opposite side. There are also opposite sides in non-physical things such as politics (liberal versus conservative), economics (capitalism versus communism), and law (legal versus illegal). But perhaps most importantly, it seems to also be true in people’s beliefs about reality (absolute truth versus relative truth).

When it comes to truth, there is only truth and falsehood. Many people try to rationalize the truth and come up with their own opinion or interpretation of what may be the truth. But in the end, there is truth and there is falsehood. They are opposites. Something cannot be simultaneously true and false. The question then ultimately becomes the source of that truth. Is it from God, or is it from our self or someone else? And this is where the spiritual dimension comes in.

God is spirit and sovereign over both our physical and spiritual world. And as our Creator, He sets the standard for truth in our world because He is the Truth. Isaiah 45:19 says, “I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” If humans get to determine what truth is, then it will ultimately depend on what every individual person thinks it is, or what the majority of people think it is, and therefore it cannot be a standard for all people. It is plainly obvious that humans cannot set the standard for truth. It must come from our Creator! He is the only One capable of determining what truth is for everyone.

But there are other opposites in our world where without God and the spiritual dimension there also is no standard. For example, let’s take light and darkness. In our world there is light and there is darkness. Darkness is defined as the absence of light. There is no in between. A little light is still light. From God’s Word we know that “God is Light; in Him is no darkness.” (1 John 1:5). God’s desire for mankind is to live and walk in His Light (1 John 1:7). But our world loves darkness (John 3:19). Without God, men will dwell in darkness!

Similarly, there is good and there is evil. Something cannot be both good and evil at the same time. God’s nature is goodness. Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good!”  God’s standard is good, not evil. The world is sinful, corrupt, and filled with evil. So without God there is only evil. If evil becomes our standard then we are in deep trouble! We need God to prevent that. As Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

God also sent his Son Jesus into the world to be His standard for salvation (John 14:6). Jesus was sinless and took our sin upon Himself to enable us to receive God’s gift of eternal life. It is His grace alone that saves us. Ephesians 2:8 says that “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.”  In our world many believe the opposite, that they can earn salvation by doing good works. Every religion other than Christianity holds to that belief. But in that belief salvation is not from God, it is from man. Therefore, it varies and is not a standard we can depend upon!

When it comes to beliefs, however, many people choose to believe something in the middle. Although there are opposite sides to every issue, we often forget about the space between each side. A coin has two sides, but there is a space in between the two sides, however small. And that leads to the 3rd dimension of depth.

In our world of beliefs, the depth between opposites is usually a measure of one’s conviction, either weak or strong, about that belief. For example, you might not know for sure if something is true or accurate and so you have a certain level of belief that it is. People also have different experiences and perspectives which result in varying levels of attitudes towards an issue. Unfortunately, that does not result in clear choices between two opposites. Instead, people end up choosing the option that more closely fits their beliefs. That is often most clearly represented in surveys that we take, choosing along a scale as to whether we agree, disagree or are in the middle somewhere with what we think about a particular statement.

Similarly, there is also a spiritual depth to our faith and beliefs, even though God’s standards for truth, light and good are absolute and don’t change. He wants us to adhere to His standard and live according to it. But we can’t. It is because as people we are sinful and our nature is to do what we desire, which is evil and the opposite of good. So, in order to meet God’s standard of good, He sent His own Son Jesus into the world to die on a cross and become the standard for us. Consequently, we are only able to meet God’s standard when we place our faith in Jesus.

Furthermore, God sent His Holy Spirit to enable us to not only believe in Jesus, but to also trust in God’s Truth and live in God’s Light. The Bible says we must “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5) and “Live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Galatians 5:16) But when we don’t live up to His standard, because of Jesus, He forgives us, and we are cleansed so that we can once again meet His standard (1 John 1:9).

Finally, it is worth mentioning the 4th dimension of time. Many scientists often add time to the other 3 dimensions in our world. We can be in the same place but at a different time, and that could also have relevance to our lives and change our thinking. For example, you could go back to a place that you once lived a long time ago, and while it might look the same, it would not be the same. It is because of changes in the people who live there, changes in the culture, physical changes in the neighborhood, or other changes over time. People’s attitudes and beliefs also change over time. So, time impacts our world – the way people see it and what they believe.

But God is timeless, and His standards of truth, light and good never change (Malachi 3:6). Truth will still be truth. Light will still be light. Good will still be good. And His grace will still be available, as long as Jesus has yet to return as promised in Scripture. We are warned to be ready for that day, lest we find ourselves without His standard for salvation due to our unbelief (Matthew 25:13).

Without the spiritual dimension of God in our lives we are destined for destruction. So, let us have faith in Jesus (John 3:16), accept God’s Truth (John 8:32), walk in God’s Light (Isaiah 2:5), and cling to what is good (Romans 12:9). And not only right now, but also in the time we have left!!

Teaching God’s Word

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“You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.”

Titus 2:1

Teaching the Bible to others was something I had never really contemplated throughout most of my life. But when the Lord used a pastor in the Philippines to call me into the ministry of teaching pastors and church leaders 20 years ago, I found myself in the awkward position of having to do so. Although I was called to teach and train on leadership and management for the Church, the ultimate source of that training was God’s Word. I often remind our global trainers that although we teach on church leadership and management, we are really teaching God’s Word. It is because our training is based on God’s Word and what He has to say on this topic.

Jesus told his disciples before he ascended to heaven to “make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey all I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)  In the same way, I believe Jesus is calling all of his followers to teach the Word as well, including you and me. That means we should teach his Word to others in Bible studies, in sharing our faith, in prayer, or in raising our children. But the Bible also says that “some are called to be teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). And I believe that God has indeed called me specifically to be a teacher of His Word as a ministry. And I have been doing so since 2002, even though I have never received formal Bible training nor attended any seminary or Bible college.

That lack of formal training often creeps into my mind (obviously planted by Satan) to try and distract me from that calling. I am aware of the Scripture that says, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) And that is true for me as well. But it is also an encouragement, because it compels me to read and study Scripture even more so that I don’t misquote it, misread it, or misrepresent it to others. But I often still feel somewhat unqualified to be a teacher. I think that comes from our western culture that says we must have a degree or a certification from an educational institution to be considered qualified. In other words, we must have some sort of evidence that we are qualified to teach. It’s like the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, who was told he only needed a diploma to have evidence of a brain! But the Bible makes no such demand. It simply says that we “must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1).

To be a good teacher, however, one must also have some practical experience in what they are teaching. Many teachers simply teach what is in a textbook and do not have any practical experience in the subject that they are teaching. That often results in them not being able to answer questions effectively or give students knowledge on how to apply what they are learning. The best teachers are those who not only know the material they are teaching, but who have also applied that teaching in their own life and can then offer examples on how to apply it to the student’s life or career pursuit.  Jesus said in Matthew 11:19, “Wisdom is proved right by its actions.” Consequently, wisdom comes from applying the knowledge that we are taught in our lives. If we are to be a good teacher of God’s Word, therefore, we must also then practice what we preach by applying God’s Word in our own lives!

In my business career I often attended national conferences about topics that pertained to my job. There would often be large plenary sessions for everyone taught by some well-known speakers, and there would be workshops led by others who were generally less well known. They led the workshops because they had practical experience in the subject they were teaching. And I usually found those workshops more beneficial than any talk by a well-known speaker. It was because the well-known speaker often only shared principles and philosophies and not so much practical applications of what they were teaching. I found the best help and ideas from the workshop leaders who had tried to apply those principles and knew what worked and what didn’t, and most importantly, why. It’s the same with teaching God’s Word. It is not enough to just know what it says. It’s also important to know what happens when we apply it in our lives. Because in doing that we actually discover the truth of God’s Word and its wisdom for us.

I think it is fair to also point out that as human teachers, we are still sinful. We are not perfect as Jesus was. Consequently, none of us are fully able to live out God’s Word as we teach it. But does that mean that what we are teaching is not true or God’s Word? No, it doesn’t. We can still teach God’s Word even though we fail to keep it ourselves, as long as what we are teaching is truly God’s Word and not our version of it. We mislead others when we teach falsely or misrepresent what God’s Word actually says or means. That is why all teachers of God’s Word must be careful to study His Word and be guided by the Holy Spirit as we teach it.

Teaching God’s Word has been a tremendous blessing in my life. I not only get to share and teach it in our ministry of training, but I also have the opportunity to teach it in my church on a regular basis, in my men’s Bible study group twice a month, and to a group of homeless men each month. As a teacher, I must also be better prepared than my students, because they will ask questions – tough questions! And when I don’t know the answer, I know exactly where to send them – right back into God’s Word!

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

FaithLife Ministries Introduces MCL Training Tip Videos

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We recently introduced the first and second installments of a new series of videos that we are making that share some training tips from our Management for Church Leaders™ training. These training tips are meant to be informational and draw interest from pastors and church leaders around the world to our free training resources. These short 3 minute videos are being posted on our ministry FaceBook page, which currently has about 1,000 followers. They are also posted for the general public so that anyone can view them. I am posting them monthly on the first Thursday of the month.

I am also posting them on our website and will continue to add them to our website each month after they are posted on FaceBook. Our first training tip was posted on March 4th and the second one was just posted last week on April 1st.  

Each video has the same opening and closing and just the training tip itself is different. There is a call to visit our website to request our MCL Self-Training Book at the end of each video. This will help maintain continuity and visual branding. Click on the image below to view our 2nd training tip video:

We encourage you to watch the video and give us your feedback on it via email, or by liking or commenting on the YouTube video itself. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified of future training tip video postings. We would also request that you share the link with anyone you may know who might have interest in our training, whether abroad or in the USA.

Thank you all for your encouragement and support of this ministry!