By Richard Anderson from Baltimore UBF

Key Verse 1 Timothy 4:12
 

Professor Daniel Hong had focused on the theory of discipleship making.  My task is to focus on its practical aspects.  [He is scientist and I’m engineer.]  My point of view is the point of view of an American shepherd who has been teaching the Bible at Johns Hopkins University for the past 7 years.  During this period of time, I have met and studied with many students, one student for all 4 years of his time spent at Johns Hopkins University.  Over the past year and a half I have studied with one student in particular, Dan Tobin, a sophomore student of mechanical engineering who is showing great promise to persevere and grow as a shepherd.  This may be part of the reason Missionary Jacob asked me to share some of my ideas and especially my VISION for discipleship making.  As I have said, while Dr. Hong focused mostly on the theoretical, I will focus on the practical.

Now suppose I were to begin by saying to you that after much deep thought, long meditation, and earnest prayer I had come up with a simple, complete 7-step program for changing any Bible student into a disciple, one GUARANTEED to work every time, and that here tonight at this conference I am about to present it to you…what would be your reaction?  It should be that you didn’t believe it, for there is no such single, easy-to-apply, guaranteed program.  Actually, disciples are those who hear and respond to Jesus’ call to follow Him and to feed His sheep.  As Shepherdess Mahmia and Missionary Maria shared, we can only pray that God may lead us to those whom He has chosen to grow in our ministry for the hearts of American college students.

But suppose we have met some Bible students.  I asked myself what sort of Bible student should I think about?  Most or all Bible students have the potential to become disciples and disciple-makers, but I want to think about those who are showing the most promising signs: coming to 1:1 Bible study regularly, or to Sunday worship services, or to conferences like this one.  By now this Bible student has already been introduced to Jesus, and has put his trust in him for the forgiveness of his sins.  Gospel faith is growing and he is beginning to taste the joy of a new life of obedience to Christ.  He loves the word of God and the people of God.  This kind of Bible student is ready to grow further.  But he will not naturally grow to be a shepherd without help.

The FIRST practical key to raising disciples I would like to share is COWORKING.  While the shepherd plays a major role, he or she should not feel he has to do it all himself.  Even Jesus coworked in raising disciples (With who?).
I think the shepherd needs the help of the whole fellowship or chapter.  He should not feel he has to exert total control over or be the only one to influence the Bible student, shielding him from others.  The shepherd should think of the chapter as a vessel in which the Holy Spirit can work in the heart of the student who is ready to grow further.
Of course, at the same time, he has the major responsibility to pray for, teach the Bible, and care for his Bible student.  But through coworking a student may grow more easily.

For example, Dan Tobin and another Hopkins student had been coming to Sunday worship service for a while, and this other Hopkins student had been presiding for the worship service.  But one time he didn’t show up.  So Shepherd Paul suggested to me secretly that Dan might preside.  I was reluctant to ask Dan at the last moment.  I didn’t want to put pressure on him by saying that he was the only one available to preside so he better preside or else...  I wanted to be soft and gentle with him.  But Shepherd Paul said more time would just give him too much time to think about it and worry about it and become shaky.  So I resisted my worry and asked him.  He agreed and since then has become our regular presider, taking responsibility also for copying and distributing copies of the Sunday message every week.

Another example like this is when Dan prepared his testimony for the College Park center anniversary celebration.  I thought I had done my best to help him, but Shepherd Paul suggested I should really push him to make some clear decision of faith, like beginning fishing or taking over Hopkins ministry when I left.  Because of Shepherd Paul’s pushing, I pushed Dan and some of you may have heard and remember Dan’ testimony, in which he prayed to begin fishing and to even become a leader for JHU ministry.  Then end result of all this was that by the end of last Fall semester, Dan and I were fishing together once a week and meeting many students.  And just before the end of the semester Dan had his first one-to-one Bible study with his own Bible student at Hopkins.  [I’m a little reluctant to use this kind of example repeatedly, since now Shepherd Paul is going to push me mercilessly to push Dan.  But in truth, I really thank God for his pushing and influence which helped Dan so much.  But the point is to give a real life example of how coworking helped one Bible student grow.]

There are other ways in which coworking helps.  Obviously, other coworkers can entertain the Bible student if the shepherd is busy at the moment.  I clearly remember the first time that Dan came to a College Park meeting, and he and David Brogie talked a lot about war stories and battles and generals, etc. for a long time, on which Shepherd David is an expert.  Also, other coworkers can bring up upcoming events such as conferences, so that the shepherd himself doesn’t always have to be exerting pressure on his Bible student.  Often, other Baltimore coworkers mentioned a conference to Dan, and I could find out how he felt about it before or without asking him myself.  I did not have to be the one always pushing him.  In this way there could be a vessel of the Holy Spirit, not just one sharp prod of the Holy Spirit due to one high-pressure shepherd.  I deeply thank God for Baltimore coworkers, especially Shepherd Paul, who loved and entertained Dan a lot so he could be happy while in our center and grow, even though our center is small and he is the only Bible student there.

The SECOND practical key I want to talk about is perhaps deeper and more important.  It is the issue of the Bible student’s PREVIOUS IDEA.  Every Bible student has his or her own strong previous idea about what the work of God or the Christian life should be.  This idea may be deeply rooted and is not always bad.  We want them to grow as disciples and disciple-makers of our crucified and risen Lord Jesus; but many times they are looking for other things and want to do other things.
As we know, the disciples had a fixed idea about what Jesus’ ministry would be like.  They thought it was about earthly power.  Their idea was so persistent that even the words of Jesus could not penetrate.  [In Mark’s gospel, immediately after Jesus spoke of the suffering of the Messiah, they objected or began quarreling about who would be the greatest in Jesus’ earthly kingdom.  In the very next section.]  Their idea was not bad, but they needed new direction.  And it was not until they witnessed Jesus’ sufferings personally that they were changed.  Eventually, they commited themselves to being apostles.

Often students previous idea of Christian life is having good Christian friends, or helping those who are hungry or suffering or poor; or even political activism.  These are all good things.  The problem is we hope that they will become disciple makers for college students as soon as possible.  My previous idea was the church I grew up in.  For two years after graduation while I was in Pittsburgh, I attended both UBF and my childhood church.  My Bible teacher in Pittsburgh worried.  He told me he hoped one day I might even become a missionary.  Wow!  I was moved by his holy desire and vision for me.  But I had a previous idea that was still with me.

This weekend Dan Tobin wanted to attend George Bush’s inauguration in Washington D.C., rather than come to the Leader’s Conference.  On Monday, he will participate in a pro-life rally also in Washington.  He is involved in a number of campus organizations such as a pro-life group, the athletic team Band (even though I think he only plays a bass drum that only requires him to pound the drum with one hand several times a game) and with the Orchestra, though again he doesn’t do much.  He’s always helping here and there and committing himself to many small things everywhere.  Again, these are all good things.
 

Sometimes our previous idea comes from our family background, the culture we grew up in, childhood experiences.  Some of you know that Rimas Orentas’ mother died of cancer when he was young.  This led to a care>

Transfer interrupted!

I think the key here is to realize that these previous conditions make the Bible student who he or she is.
 The key is to pray that these things can help the Bible student become a better shepherd one day.  They are talents God has given to them.  Everyone is unique.
There is no blueprint or pattern from which every student must be cut in order to become a disciple-maker.
We cannot look down on their interest just because it is different or not one of ours.
Jesus set the example by calling 12 disciples representing various walks of life.  Rather, we should learn from our Bible students’ interests.  Perhaps in addition to the life of political activism or feeding the hungry they can also become teachers of the gospel.  They can help students who share their interests.  Eventually, they can settle down and take root in the work of God in a single place, so that they can bear much fruit.  Through practical discipleship training they can overcome all their previous conditions and beome disciplined servants of God.
Shepherd Bruce was a runner who never stood still for more than 5 seconds.  But through discipleship training, he became a disciplined and fruitful servant of God.  His discipline as a runner transformed into discipline as a servant of God.
I heard that Missionary Jacob used to give College Park shepherds David and Bruce a lot of message training a long time ago.  Shepherd David used to only think about war and destruction.  That was his previous condition.  But as you heard from his message, now he is filled with the vision of God.  Now his war background makes him a unique and wonderful shepherd.

My THIRD practical key is probably the most important so far.  It is PATIENCE.  It takes a long time to raise a faithful man of God.  Or a faithful woman of God.  Indeed, only God truly can raise a faithful man or woman of God, when He plants in them sincere personal love and calling of Jesus.

Patience is difficult.  To wait in prayer on God’s working is the most difficult to do and support.
But I believe there is a sense in which we cannot push Bible student against his will.  If he’s not ready, he’s not ready.  The shepherd should not push the Bible student until he believes he is ready, until he knows he wants to do something or will do something.  So the shepherd has to be very sensitive to the Bible student’s spiritual condition.
It’s better to find out what in the work of God your Bible student likes to do or wants to do and encourage him to do that.  If he likes to preside, let him preside.  If he likes to sing, let him sing.  If he likes to pray, let him pray.  It is very important to have joy rather than too much stress in the work of God.  For example, the Jagun sisters love to sing.  Even during regular congregational singing, behind me I heard them singing in harmony.  It was so beautiful.  Therefore they should sing as the Holy Spirit continues working in their hearts.

Dan Tobin had a shepherd heart for his fellow college students.  He wished they might come to 1:1 Bible study so that they also could meet Jesus.  So I asked him about meeting for early morning prayer each week if he did not mind getting up early.  He said that was no problem.  So we began to meet faithfully for Daily Bread and world mission prayer last semester.  I would lead with testimony one week and he would lead the next.  I think he really liked it.  Often he would pray twice as long as I would pray.  He struggled to come to that meeting.  Once he came running still wearing pyjamas.

After such a semester, it might be expected that he would eagerly attend this Leader’s Conference.  But he did not.  Unexpectedly, he chose to attend the George Bush’s inauguration in Washington D.C.  But I pray he may attend next year.  I thanked him for his prayer for the conference and for America.
I was happy for his desire simply to continue 1:1 Bible study after 1 month off at home surrounded by his family.  I think disicple-making requires patience.
Trevor from Towson University came to the International Summer Conference two summers ago, but not our regional conference last summer.  But he is here again at this Leader’s Conference.  Thank God!  Patience is important.  It takes a long time to raise a faithful man or woman of God.  Be patient!

My FOURTH and final practical key is the most important of all.  It is your EXAMPLE before the eyes of your Bible student.  Shepherd is responsible NOT to be Jesus, but to love and honor Jesus and imitate Jesus.
Why is our EXAMPLE so important?  Because while the gospel has power of itself to change lives, we learn and understand best, things become most vivid and powerful through living EXAMPLE.  It is Jesus who saves us and it is Jesus in whom we put our love and trust, but it is through a living, human  reflection of Jesus that we learn practically what it means to follow his lifestyle.
We may try to push or rebuke our sheep and at times we must.  Jesus did so for his disciples.  But frankly I don’t have much experience in that yet, so I can’t talk much about it practically.  Instead, I will talk about EXAMPLE.  Anyway, I think EXAMPLE is more important.
Everything we do in our shepherd life before our sheep is an advertisement either for or against the shepherd life.
Most of all, in order to become a shepherd themselves, Bible students need to observe the true beauty and power of their Bible teacher’s shepherd life.  [So through this kind of practical advice I’m giving you a kind of straightforward way to help your Bible students who are ready to grow further to become shepherds and disciple-makers themselves.  Missionary Jacob said this conference is the time to relax.  Fine.  However, I don’t think he meant to suggest that you should continue to relax once you return to your mission field.  In 1 Timothy 4:12 Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.  If you devote yourself to this, then, I believe, that you can have a great hope that God will use you to raise your sheep who are ready to grow further into shepherds and eventually disciple-makers.

In my case, I remember with explicit clarity the first time I met Missionary Jacob Lee.  It was the summer of 1991, after I graduated from Hopkins, when I visited Collge Park center.  I was not satisfied with just meeting him.  I wanted to know if he was genuine, if he was for real.  I wanted to hear his life testimony right then.  I wanted to find out if he was for real or not.  Well, he did not share his life testimony right away.  But since then I have had much opportunity to see the EXAMPLE of his life of faith.

Again, the EXAMPLE of my Bible teacher Rimas Orentas had a great influence on me.  From him I saw an unforgettable example of what it means to love and honor Jesus above all.  Furthermore, even today in many situations in which I find myself, words of counsel that he gave me years ago, still ring in my mind and heart.  For missionaries among us, probably, it was the example of your shepherd which revealed Jesus’ shepherd life vividly and gave an attractive example of what it means to live as a shepherd of God’s flock.  Of course this does not mean you must be perfect.  It means you must have a sincere and wholehearted struggle before God to imitate Jesus’ shepherd life.

My VISION for shepherd life this Spring for Dan Tobin.  I pray to be an attractive advertisement of the shepherd life for him.  I pray to be an example for Dan in serving, Bible study, and growing in Jesus.  I pray that he may begin to practice and learn shepherd life, and that together we may learn Jesus better.
- Sheep’s previous idea that needs to be changed.  The disciples had a fixed idea about what Jesus ministry would be like.  Their idea was extremely persistent.  Deeply rooted.  The words of even Jesus could not penetrate.  They thought it was about earthly power, but it was not.  It was about restoring the kingdom of heaven to mankind through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection.  Not bad, but needs new direction.  For long time, I was faithful to two ministries.  Dan right now wants to do many things such as go to pro-life marches, Bush’s inauguration, and is involved in many campus groups and organizations, with many commitments.  Not until they witnessed Jesus’ sufferings on the cross did their idea change completely.  Later, Peter referred to himself in 1 Peter 5:2 merely as “a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who will share in the glory to be revealed.”  Step by step we need to be remade into the image of Christ.
- Patience: takes long time.  We usually cannot push sheep until he is ready.  Rather than asking him to do what he is not ready to do, find out what he wants to do and encourage him in that.  Dan liked to sing, and preside.  I believe we should not ask the sheep to do something unless we know that he wants to do it or will do it.  Do not put sheep into a situation in which you as shepherd are forcing him to do something he doesn’t want to do, or is not ready to do.  You must be quite sensitive about this.  At the same time, there will come the point of decision or several points of decision.  When many left Jesus, Jesus asked, “Will you also leave?”  Dan passed this point when his fellow Hopkins student Glen left.  Later still, Peter denied Jesus and failed.  Would he leave in despair at his failed human strength?  No.  Why?  Because he loved Jesus.  The moment of failure of the sheep is a moment of truth.  When Gore lost, he said he learned a lot about himself.  The more we believe sheep loves Jesus, the more responsibility and training we can give.  Ultimately, the proof is in his track record, how long has he served faithfully?  And how has he served?