I have begun a journey to disciple a young person one on one in 21 consecutive days. This is not fast food discipleship, but rather pushing people, including myself, into a pattern of thinking and searching for the answers about life in the Jesus Christ, daily! Hopefully, Establishing them into a spiritual community and asking them to duplicate what we are doing with someone else. We are going through the Book of John but have on a couple of mornings taken rabbit trails to other passages as the Spirit leads. We may or may not continue after 21 days, however the time spent seems to be planting seeds of hope and life in both of us.
The first such “victim” is a young man by the name of Dillion, single..21... full of energy and enthusiasm. He did come out of a religious background. However, he turned away from sin towards Christ about 15 days ago. We have been meeting every morning for 11 days with a fresh cup of Java and the Bible on my porch. We are simply going through the book of John one chapter a day and talking about life as it enters our conversations. I only ask him to read the chapter one additional time later that day and journal some thoughts before the next morning meeting. We discuss the journal thoughts the next day before reading the next chapter. Life just comes out of these meetings. You begin to deal with everything. I am beginning to understand why Paul met with the people in the temple courts “daily”. Paul could not wait 21 Sunday’s to establish people in the understanding of the Gospel.
The relationship is about seeking Jesus Christ and not a One Up and One Down, “I know better than you” relationship. Both of us are urged to ask questions and encourage each other to pursue Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the center of the meetings, leading, guiding, exposing and encouraging us as we seek to know Jesus Christ more and more. Prayer comes in naturally about life issues and religious things. It just happens. The prayer that seems to reoccur is one for our families.
During these meetings, the Holy Spirit seems to have guided us to pursue a specific group of young people with the Gospel. He has also led Dillion to start meeting with someone else on this same 21 day pattern of discipleship. Please keep Dillion in your prayers as we seek to disciple people into knowing that Jesus is the answer.
I was blessed by one of Dillion’s journal entries. I asked if I could publish it and send it out to my friends. He agreed. Lindsay, my daughter, typed it up for him and here it is. Please note the part that is in bold and underlined. (my emphasis) I think Dillion captures the essence of teaching people to be Christ’s disciples.
The following is by Dillion Stach
I believe that John 2:37-39 gives insight on how the Lord leads people to Himself. In verse 37 two of John the Baptists disciples follow Jesus after someone-else, John the Baptist, tells them Jesus is God.
More times than not, people begin their journey of pursuing the Lord when someone else who knows the Lord makes Him known. Notice how John, the one making God known, says, “Behold, the lamb of God!” (The word behold means to deeply contemplate and watch closely) John was simply revealing who Jesus was and saying watch and think upon Him, which is what God’s people are to do. After hearing and believing John’s testimony, they started their journey in following Yeshua. Afterwards, Jesus turns and asks the question, “What do you seek?” that’s the question that the Lord wants to settle in the heart of everyone who claims to be a follower. You need to get brutally honest before the Lord. Are you following because someone is hammering you constantly to repent and get right with God? Are you seeking to see some miracles or some amazing high? (Which is O.K to admit to the Lord) are you seeking to get our personal problems dealt with? Money? What is it? The Lord wants honesty. It’s O.K if it’s any of these. The heart is exceedingly wicked. The Lord often uses these things as bait to lure someone into a greater desire. The answer the Lord desires is how the two responded in verse 38, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” They simply wanted to know Him and spend time with Him. That’s really what Christianity is about.
If you have another desire but you feel bad now after reading this, that’s O.K. The Lord’s the only one who can put this desire in you. Confess what you have been seeking and ask the Lord to change your heart’s desire. This is where the true Christian walk begins. He’s the only one who can change your heart and He’ll do it. After your heart’s desire is settled as to just wanting to be with Him, where He is, He’s not going to just give you everything and reveal all the mysteries of God while you sit back and do nothing. He wants the pursuits, He wants your will, He wants your passion, He’s saying, “Will you trust me and leave everything else behind and count it all loss, long to be with me wherever I am? Do you trust me?” The Lord unfolds glorious mysteries to your heart as you follow Him by faith even when you don’t know where you’re going. It’s the glory of a King to search out his Maker. The Lord has gold nuggets and jewels hidden, but seek them like ravenous wolves.
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