The Christian Journal - February 2009
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The Christian Journal
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Page 9 Page 15
February 2009...
[More]
Editorials, Letters
Theme Page
Feature Pages
Classifieds
Directory
Events Calendar
Media
INSIDE
2
3, 4, 5, 7
6, 8-11, 14
13
12
13
15
See our new online edition! Check out www.
thechristianjournal.
org
Page 9 Page 15
February 2009
Christian Concerts.
.
.
Michael
Robert:
Musician
With A
Mission
What does discipleship mean to you? What does it look
like? I expected similar answers as I took pen and paper
throughout Southern Oregon.
Instead I was surprised to
discover that discipleship takes on different meanings with
different people, from the busy young mother to the mature
missionary.
There are lots of ideas here we can apply to our
own lives.
Julie—Ruch,Homeschooling
Mom, former Wilderness Trails
Girls Camp Director:
“I really had to say goodbye
in many ways to how I did
discipleship at Wilderness
Trails Camp when I left to start
my family.
My kids are the ones
I’m now discipling.
Six-year-old
Matthew is old enough to go
out and do his own discipling.
He was on the radio the other
day and he just went on and
on sharing verses.
I seldom get
alone time with the Lord, but
I learn more about the Bible
and the Lord while teaching my child than I ever have.
Matthew and I are going through the Old Testament and
doing a Bible study program.
Doing history and starting at
creation is really fun! It’s pretty intense for a six-year-old
and yet, he’s getting it.
For me at this point, discipleship is
about me growing with my kids.
”
Cat Cathcart—Prospect,
known as The Cat Man in
outdoor circles.
“Discipleship happens.
When two people who love
Christ share a relationship,
they learn and grow together.
When one is weak, the other
carries them along, reminds
them to turn to God in all
things.
My hunting partner
and I have been switching
from teaching to learning
and back again over the thirty plus years we’ve been
friends.
We didn’t set out to discipleship one another.
It
just happened.
”
Lane Hall—Rogue
Valley, artist (www.
lanehall.
com)
“Discipleship is more
than believing in Jesus;
it’s also becoming more
like him.
”
David Johnson—
Central Point, father,
grandfather, youth
worker:
“My perspective is when two or more believers are
together they continually disciple each other.
It just
happens.
It’s not something you set out to do.
My
goal is not to answer questions but to show others
how to answer their own questions according
to the Scriptures.
Have them do their own
exploration, read what the Bible says, because
most people read what they think it says instead
of what it really says.
My friend, Brian Davidson,
is a new Christian.
He basically knows very little
about the Bible, so he wanted somebody to do
a Bible study with
him.
So my son Eric,
my grandson Little
David, and I meet
with him.
It started
out with my son and
me.
I’ve discipled my
son all my life and
I’m continuing to
do so in adulthood,
although now that
he’sanadult,heoften
disciples me.
Then it
became Brian and
Eric and me.
Then
after six months,
twelve-year-old Little David asked to become a
part.
Age makes no difference.
We’re studying the
Word.
The Word has no age boundaries.
Brian is
very aggressive in verbally sharing Christ with
others, and that’s someone I need in my life, so he
encourages me in evangelism, and I’m discipling
him in maturity.
So we’re both disciplers and
disciples.
It’s not a one-way street.
”
Peggy Overstreet—Eagle Point, mother and writer:
“I would liken discipleship to a construction site.
As tools in God’s hands we are willing to mentor fellow
workers, building their areas
of weakness and inexperience
where God has strengthened
us, and humbling ourselves
to receive in our own state
of demolition.
Most of my
discipleship has come through
my pastor who is a wonderful
teacher of theology.
I also
find lots of opportunities to
encourage new or younger
Christians who are fresh in
their theology.
It happens
wherever and whenever
throughout my week when the Holy Spirit prompts me with
a word of encouragement for a specific person.
Those are
my favorite times because I know God is using me.
I’m
currently sending cards to friends to encourage them in the
Lord and let them know I appreciate their friendship.
”
Terry & Cynthia Pruett—White City, Missionaries with
American Missionary Fellowship:
Cynthia; “Discipleship to me is
about teaching, and that’s a gift.
Terry and I are not evangelists,
but we’re both gifted at teaching.
Discipleship is about learning
about God through prayer and
reading Scripture and applying
it and passing it on.
The best
disciplers are the ones who are like
Jesus.
Good disciplers challenged
me to use what they were teaching
to make changes and pass it on,
which I do when I speak at ladies’
functions and Bible studies.
On a
one-to-one basis it’s not just listening to words, but listening
for what the person is really asking.
So discipling can mean
being a good listener.
I love the excitement of learning and
helping others that discipleship offers.
”
Terry: “Disciple is both a verb and a noun.
Discipling is
a process and I like to think of it as a process of instruction
with a goal in mind.
It’s not just teaching random things,
but teaching for the specific purpose of making a disciple.
Being a disciple is about being a learner who wants to
follow in their teacher’s footsteps.
When we talk about
being a disciple of Christ our goal is to become like Him.
Many of the Rabbis in Jesus’day had disciples who wanted
to be like them, John the Baptist, for example.
John Wycliffe
discipled the Lollards.
A disciple wants to learn what his
master believes, learn what his master is, and believe
and emulate the
same things.
I was
discipled a little
haphazardly.
I came
to Christ alone in
the middle of the
night, but my pastor
had essentially led
me there.
Scripture
memorization was
one of the first
things he led me into, but not verse by verse.
He had me
regularly memorizing chapters! His formula was memorize
and meditate, give back to God.
From there he gave me a
Strong’s Concordance and kind of turned me loose.
”
Sandy Cathcart writes from Prospect, Oregon.
(Would you like to
be a part of a future question and answer topic? Email sandy at
scatquarryhewn@aol.
com)
Southern Oregon Christians Speak Out.
.
.
.
What Is Discipleship?
By Sandy Cathcart
Julie
Cat
Lane
David
Peggy
Eric
Little Dave
Terry & Cynthia
Page 14 Page 9
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