Recently, a tree fell into my backyard and I had to cut it into pieces to remove it. My back is still hurting. I’m a big dumb boy, but even with a sharp ax I couldn’t chop that tree in half with one swing. I had to go at it several times and from different directions. It was a process.
Leading someone to Christ is very similar. It is very rare these days that a person will accept Christ with one shot and one perspective. Years ago it was not uncommon for a person who had never heard anything about Jesus to go to a “revival meeting” and get saved. These days it takes a process to reach people.
In his outstanding book “The Complete Book of Discipleship”, Bill Hull describes a four step process based on steps he adapted from B.A. Bruce’s 1871 publication “The Training of the Twelve.”
Step One: “Come and See” based on John 1:35 – John 4:46. This step can take anywhere from one week to five months. At this stage a person gathers information about the faith. They learn about who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He requires from those who will become His disciples. People will engage in Christian community and might even connect in a small group or Bible study.
Step Two: “Come and Follow ME” based on Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:16-18. This step is the first step of faith followed by consecutive steps of obedience for 6 months to a year. At this stage a person repents of sin and receives salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ by completely surrendering themselves to Him and leaving their old way of life. They will be baptized, join a local body of believers, be trained to participate in and begin a daily devotional life, serve somewhere in their local church, and get connected in a small group for accountability, Bible study, prayer, and support. They will also begin to help others take step one and step two as they have.
Step Three: “Come and Be with ME” based on Mark 3:13-14. This step is the first step of leadership in disciple-making. During this year to two year stage a disciple will come to understand their unique giftedness and begin to focus their spiritual development and service to Christ. This phase of their faith fosters a deep love for God that results in humility, courage, kindness, mercy, peace, joy, discipline, and faithfulness that may wane but will never die. They will begin to equip, encourage, and enable other disciples to take others through steps one and two and will journey with other leader-disciples who are in the process of step three.
Step Four: “Remain in ME” based on John 15:5,7. This step is the last step that takes the rest of the disciple’s life. At this stage the guiding power of the Holy Spirit is encountered regularly to direct the disciple down the path of righteousness. There are also dark nights of the soul, when it seems that God has abandoned the disciple, but their faith is strengthened. This strengthening takes place in different ways for different people. Doubt, pain, and personal challenges that may come in the form of persecution, success, solitude, or some other experience will require the disciple to abandon self-centeredness, will-power, and self-capabilities and trust completely in Christ. There will also be times of overwhelming delight and power as God reveals Himself and chooses to work in and through the disciple in miraculous ways.
What step are you on? Are you progressing or regressing? You never stay the same. You are either going forward or backward.
Who are you helping take the steps? In December we will be offering the Holiday Kick-Off Concert on the first weekend in December, the Christmas Eve services, and Sunday morning services for you to bring friends and family to “Come and See.” Is it time for you to be baptized, join the church, and connect in a small group to “Come and Follow ME (Christ)?” Are you ready to “Come and Be with ME (Christ)” and start serving in the ministry and helping others through step one and two? Or is it time to “Remain” and grow through all-out surrender to service to Christ? This is not just giving some time. It is life given to service and surrendered to the Holy Spirit all of the time.
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