Discipleship

Ps Tony gave a very interesting talk to the 'older youths' of Rgen who are thinking of moving on to the young adults. It seems that this is the question of the season for some of us, with many of us thinking about moving up and the implications that will follow it.

Strangely I've asked myself that question more in the last 2 weeks then ever before. Kopi conversations with the Pope and some other kakis sort of led me to understand it from different perspectives, with last Saturday's 'Dialogue Session' with Ps Tony to help put all of them together.

We are no longer kids.

Ps Tony set the 'graduation' mark of teenagerism and promotion to young adults at 22 years of age and working, but emphasized that it is based on a case-to-case basis. As far as I'm concerned, I passed the teenage mark the day they handed a rifle to me. Now out of army, with a job and having to attend night lessons, it can be a daunting affair, facing this world and at the same time resisting it's lure to be part of the system.

Shouldn't I be moving up then?

I have asked myself such questions on countless nights when sleep alludes me. The question of whether I should be moving on paved the way to more questions. “What am I doing here in the youth ministry? Where are you leading me in this ministry? What's my mission?” There no specific answer given. Yet in the case of Job, God sometimes won't give us any answer right away; He wants us to journey with Him to discover the truth.

And journey on I have, and God has been showing me a part of what I must do, not complete, just a part.

The word is “discipleship”.

It's more than just taking care of people. In Jewish culture, when a student was placed under a mentor or a teacher, he practically lived with the person. In every area of the student's life he was guided and taught not only from the Torah and the laws, but also from the life of his mentor. It was a journey alongside the teacher that the student truly learnt. Jesus taught not only from the Scriptures, but He demonstrated it with the washing of His disciples' feet. This is discipleship in it's rawest form.

God has challenged me to think about what lifegroup ministry is all about. It's more than meeting needs and fellowship; it's about preparing others to be prepared to serve. It's our responsibility to train people up in the faith, in their gifting and their callings. There are pastors, teachers of the Word, Lifegroup leaders, worship leaders - servants in their specific fields of expertise that are waiting to be trained, and we cannot leave them to the Pastor alone to cultivate. No. In a community, the seniors will train the juniors, regardless of the senior's position or standing in the juniors' lives.

Are you willing to be a part? Will you be willing to give a part of your life and invest it into someone else's that they might learn from you as you learn from God?

Will you be willing to point them in the right way?

I want to play a part in someone's life, training the person up in the faith and in serving, teaching them everything that Christ had taught, and is still teaching, to me. I want to train new aspiring worship leaders, vocalists, teachers of the Word – areas I'm more familiar with. And even though my contributions are small like a speck of dust in the spiritual arena, I am a part of a collection of many other 'dusts' - servants who toil and labour for God's Kingdom.

And this collection of dusts will one day form a mighty mountain.

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” - Deuteronomy 6:6-7