Attribute #4 of a Marketplace Ambassador
The last recorded statements from Jesus before he ascended to be with the Father were recorded in the Bible in Matthew 28:19-20
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
What does this really mean? How do we do it? What does it look like in today’s very hectic busy world?
I would suggest that we not over complicate this and learn how to practically apply this into our everyday lives. You see, many years ago, I was very confused and almost anxious about learning to live the Christian life. In August of 1996, I realized that I was a sinful man in need of a savior. I also believed the Bible when it said “that If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” So it was at that time that I gave my life to Jesus and began my new Journey of living as a Christ follower.
However, this has not always been easy for me. There have been may ups and downs, times of doubt, struggle, and challenging of my beliefs. My first paradigm to be challenged was my view about ambition and money. Up until that day in 1996, I was on a quest to be as rich as possible and didn’t much care about who I hurt or the rules I needed to bend to get there. Once I was a new creation in Christ as the Bible teaches, my old self was gone and I suddenly had a heart for people and a desire to play by the rules and no longer possessed a “win at any cost” mindset. Well. Now what? The rules of business and life had changed for me. For almost 5 years I struggled with this new paradigm and knew that there was nothing else to live for other than Christ, however I needed to make a living. Was it ok to make money? Accumulate wealth? And, what do I do with my ambition? Thankfully, in 2001, almost 5 years after turning my life over to the Lord, I met a businessman in Indianapolis, Eldon Kibbey, that agreed to spend time with me and teach me what the Bible had to say about life. He took me through discipleship material called Operation Timothy. This led to many deep conversations about life, marriage, business, money, death, faith, and many other questions that I always had about God and the Bible but no one that I was comfortable with enough to ask. This was a key defining moment in my spiritual journey that has impacted every area of my life. Since that time, I have had the privilege of meeting with dozens of men in a life on life relationship and been able to spend time walking through life’s challenges together. I am eternally grateful for the investment of time that Eldon Kibbey made into my life and thoroughly blessed by those I have had the privilege of meeting with!
Operation Timothy is an absolutely wonderful track to be able to walk through life with others that I highly recommend/ In addition, here are some practical ways to get started in the life on life discipleship process with others.
1. Pray that God may help you identify someone for you to begin a discipleship relationship with.
2. Find another Christian and begin doing life together. This a very significant step in the journey. This can involve fishing, hunting, golfing, lunch, or whatever activity that may be a common interest with the person you are meeting with.
3. In time, you may consider Operation Timothy www.operationtimothy.com or another teaching to walk through together.
4. Be a friend by making yourself available to others. Meeting people where they are and being a good friend is the single most effective way to develop these meaningful relationships that I can assure you will be mutually beneficial.
5. Ask God to help you grow closer to Him. This a prayer that He always wants to answer for His children.
Comments