Dear family
Kingfisher has a passion for Biblical disciple-making and interacts with many followers of Jesus in living out our calling. That includes believers in different walks of life as well as many in full time ministry.
My experience is that very often it is followers of Jesus not in full time ministry who put what they learn into practice and become full time disciple makers within the context where the Lord has called them.
The pastors, evangelists and missionaries, not even to mention the prophets and other in ministry very seldom make disciples. They preach what they learn, they teach what they discover, they use the insights from Scripture in counselling and words of wisdom to those they minister to, but they do not make disciples! Of course, there are exceptions, and I am fully aware that I am generalizing, but this is the genuine feedback I get from the many I interact with. I am happy that the message gets taught, used in ministry, but using Scripture only to impact others without me being impacted first is hypocrisy and teaching others without implementing it in my own life makes me a charlatan and a fake.
When I was pastoring a church, years back, someone who taught me evangelism gave me excellent advice. He said that teaching about evangelism is not going to move anyone in the church to actually share the Gospel with a neighbor or co-worker. What is needed is an example. And that example should be me! I had to share the gospel with someone and bring him into the faith community in a way that everyone could see that it is done and how it is done.
If you as spiritual leader do not yourself, make disciples and take them as a disciple group through the long and sometimes frustrating process of discipling, you will not be able to convince your church members to do what you are not doing. And I am not speaking about preaching, teaching, Bible study or running a care group. All of that is useful as it supports the foundational work being done in disciple-making. I speak about much more than an hour or two per week. I am speaking about opening your life to a group of people, sharing your house, your free time, your meals in the same way that Jesus did with His 12.
That is making disciples!
You will find that by doing it practically in real life you will learn much more than you can learn from a seminar, a manual or from me or anyone from Kingfisher. You will experience how Jesus himself become your teacher and the Holy Spirit your guide.
You will be able to use examples from your own experience in guiding others to become disciple-makers. Your sincere and genuine example will teach others more than your words on their own can do.
Without putting disciple-making into practice, you may be a teacher or a preacher, but you will be missing the greatest calling of all – making disciples like Jesus did.
Do not hesitate. Be a disciple-maker. This is your primary calling.
Greetings,
Your brother
Piet Steyn