then and now

for the last 11 months, i took at least 3 days a week to see Bobby. along with teaching him the Word of God, i was answering his questions. questions regarding the Bible passages he was trying to read, questions that Jehovah witnesses were raising at his door, questions that other Bible 'teachers' had raised in his life -- this 56 year old man was a babe in Christ and needed continual care and follow-up.

parents wouldn't bring a baby in the world and leave them in the delivery room and only casually meet them back there once a week to ask how they're doing. parents don't leave the doctor in charge of meeting the baby's immediate and long term needs. yet that's often what we do when we bring a friend to the altar and help them receive Christ as their Savior and enter a new birth experience. we celebrate with them there, share the new birth announcement, maybe encourage baptism -- but there they often lay, struggling at the altar floor, in need of nourishment, in need of training, in need of steadfast love.

the first time i missed seeing Bobby for more than a few days, someone was there offering him a drink. when i got to him afterwards, he was sorrowful, repentant, and begging me not to give up on him, but to pray for him. our new converts in Christ will be met with opposition and temptations that have a destructive purpose. Jesus said that satan comes to "steal, kill and destroy" (John 10:10) and Peter compared him to a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8) -- as i understand it, lions attack a herd and end up with the old, the lame, or the young.

the responsibility is on the church, the saints. new converts should not have to be expected to line up spiritual mentors to disciple them and help them handle the Word of God correctly. as the church, we need to fulfill the great commission of Christ and "make disciples...baptizing them...and teaching them to obey everything I [Jesus] have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19, 20)

i am fortunate that one of my mentors, Kurt, took Dad aside after he had rededicated his life and discipled him before he could have any part in the youth ministry Kurt was directing. Dad in turn, took me aside on mornings to do the same for me in patterned instruction, daily Bible readings, and follow-up. Dad went on to disciple many and prepare several discipleship courses that have been used in a variety of settings.

Discipleship can take place in a group -- but its best one-to-one. Discipleship is the patterning of our lives after Christ, not that we learn about Christ, but learn to be like Him in his conduct and character. discipleship is not simply an external process of passing on knowledge or changing outward conduct ("but how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" from Romans 10:14-15). but discipleship is also an internal transformation of the character of the individual by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit -- Paul and Peter both testify to this in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, and 1 Peter 1:2. as God's word is passed on into the life of a new believer by mature and loving believer(s), the new convert matures and Jesus becomes the Lord of their life. Jesus prayed in John 17:17 "Sanctify them by the truth, Your Word is truth".

at Bobby's funeral this week, i shared his testimony, and the relationship we developed together through those visits. i talked about his desire and crying out for mercy, the steadfast loving relationship of someone in his life to lead to positive change. i shared how we were all in need of that kind of mercy and offered a time of response, so that others in the room could cry out for mercy. and i encouraged immediate follow-up, for them to talk to a pastor or older Christian in the room.

three responded. a nephew who talked to one of Bobby's brothers, the one who had given him the Bible i had found in his apartment 11 months ago. a neice, who talked to her mother, Bobby's sister, who introduced her to their pastor. and Bobby's brother-in-law, the man who was sitting on Bobby's porch the day i showed up looking for him to help Eddy. Bobby's brother-in-law asked me after the funeral if i would mind visiting him like i did Bobby -- so, the follow-up will continue...