Dear Family
As part of our training program “Making disciples the Jesus way”, we invited three couples for In-house training in South Africa. This time they came from India and Malawi. As the third couple had to withdraw because of health reasons beforehand, we could include others with whom we had been journeying before, for the last week. Our policy is that our guests get here on their own budget, and we trust the Lord for all costs here. In this way everyone invests himself in the process.
The program stretched over almost three weeks and we lived together in one house. The training itself covered the whole gospel of Matthew as disciple-making manual, but was not theory only. Living together in close quarters, preparing all the food ourselves and doing normal daily chores meant that we had to practice what we preach!
Training disciple-makers who are in a position to train others can never be just an academic exercise in a classroom setting. Jesus integrated his training program with the twelve into the hustle and bustle of ordinary life. We had to do the same. That means that training was not restricted to formal sessions with the Bible open on the lap and a Notebook and pen in the hand. Training continued while we were chopping onions, sweeping the floor or serving each other in various ways. We went on excursions as a form of experiential learning, met with believers from local churches and took part in the worship services of two different churches. All of this with two questions in mind the whole time: What does it mean to follow Jesus as His disciple? How do I learn from Him how to be a disciple-maker?
We had deep discussions and sometimes extensive debates about the meaning of the text we are reading, the way in which it can be applied in our very diverse cultures and different church backgrounds. This was challenging. But we also had to learn how to love each other even when we differ or when our customs and cultures clash.
In short, we had to learn how to be body of Christ in a very real practical way.
So, it was hard work, much laughter, some tears and growing in Christ in an incredibly special way.
The feedback we got was first that what made the biggest impact was the unintentional and unplanned exposure to the way the Lord works in each of us, in the way a husband and wife talk to each other, including the occasional gardener at the dining room table and the way local churches and believers showered the guests with love and care.
This is not the first time that we are doing a cross cultural In-House. Every time the impact on all of us is life changing. If I had the opportunity, this is how I would have wanted to do all ministry – intense, focused, relationship orientated and practical.
We responded to Jesus’ call, we heard what He said, we saw what He did, and we followed Him in putting it into practice.
May you have the blessing of experiencing the same.
Regards
Pieter S