am i being followed?
How did Paul and his missionary team come to be known in Thessalonica as, “these who have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6b)? How did they leave a new healthy reproducing church in Thessalonica after only 3 to 4 weeks? We know from the letters written later by Paul to the Thessalonians that they: “Became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you," (not from Paul), "the word of the Lord sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place” (I Thess. 1:7,8a).
Even after a very short time, Paul and his partners left behind vibrant reproducing churches that extended to reach every place in that region with the word of God. How is that possible? We find the answer in God’s word through the follow-up letters of Paul to churches that he planted, and in his letters to faithful disciples like Timothy and Titus. Paul reminded the Thessalonian churches: “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus” (I Thess. 2:14a). Paul said to the Corinthian believers: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (I Cor. 11:1).
When physical reproduction takes place in a family, characteristics are passed on from parents to children. The children grow up demonstrating not only some physical resemblance to the parents, but also acting out some of their character traits, both good and bad. These characteristics can be passed on from generation to generation as children form their own families reproducing grandchildren and so on.
The same is true of spiritual reproduction. The disciple will imitate his teacher. The new church will imitate the mother church. Imitation of fellow believers in Christ through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit is the means for spiritual reproduction. If disciples, churches and leaders reproduce, this will lead to multiplication, and the kingdom of God can be extended to populate every place, just as it was in the first century.
But what or whom should we imitate? There must be a pattern or model that we follow in order to reproduce. Paul gave the churches a model to imitate. This model was reproduced over and over again through faithful disciples like Timothy. Paul told Timothy: “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” (II Timothy 1:13,14). Paul instructed the Corinthians: “Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church” (I Corinthians 4:16,17). Paul also said to Timothy: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (II Timothy 2:2). Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). So this process for training came from the Lord. Christ gave a model for His disciples to follow and reproduce. Paul imitated Christ and modeled for others like Timothy how to follow a pattern so that they could teach others also.
If we followed a pattern, could we become a model for others to imitate, train them to teach others and see reproduction for many spiritual generations to come? This would need to be a model that anyone among our focus people could follow and reproduce. I am not saying the pattern would look the same for every people and place. But I am saying that we need a simple reproducible model/pattern for making disciples among our focus people group, if we want to see multiplication.
Let's ask ourselves: "Am I being followed?" The next question: "Are my disciples being followed?"
posted by Tim Patterson @ 1:10 PM
5 Comments:
"Am I being followed?" The next question: "Are my disciples being followed?"
This is actually a pretty scary question! What you write is right on target though, as uneasy as it is to accept it. We need to be quite conscious of everything we do, say, teach, etc. for this very reason. It is likely to be repeated by those doing the following.
Guy,
You hit the nail on the head. They most likely will repeat what we do and say, not anything more than that (and probably a lot less). So, is what I do and say reproducible, not only for the generation I am discipling, but for their followers and succeeding spiritual generations?
I honestly believe the majority of what I teach is not reproducible in our context. There are just a few simple things they have caught and are running with, so we are not there, yet. I really believe this is the main key to generational growth, which leads to multiplication. Also, we are observing that it is more of a pattern they will follow, not so much the content. Although, both are important.
I honestly believe the majority of what I teach is not reproducible in our context. There are just a few simple things they have caught and are running with...
I can certainly identify with that statement! We are so content oriented and think they just have to get every point we give. But as you say, it is the pattern that gets caught, not so much all the content.
I just walked in the door from an afternoon in training the second module of our cp which is prayer. I had all this great stuff that I wanted to cover on the importance of prayer...we never got past the first point which was the need to make a list of lost family and friends. They were so moved about the lost that we ended up spending nearly the entire time just praying for the lost.
Was the afternoon a failure? According to all I had planned to cover--yes. But in terms of them getting the idea that we must prayer for our lost friends and family--they got it!
I go home unfulfilled in that I was unable to teach all this great stuff about prayer. They go home with the understanding that they are to daily pray for the lost until the Lord saves each one on their list.
Mr. T,
You and Guy Muse have stoked my fire this morning. I've just finished reading your last several posts, as well as those one Guy's blog, and am having a mini revival in my own heart right now.
I wish I had a list of missionary bloggers that I could connect to and read daily. If such a thing exists pass it on.
I'm beginning a list of people for whom I'm praying regularly and you are now on that list. Keep up the good work as well as good writing of blogs.
Paul Burleson
Thank you Paul for your words of encouragement and especially for your prayers. It means alot coming from someone like you.
Guy knows more about missionary bloggers than I do. He has been doing this a lot longer. I have his link and a few others that I read mentioned on my site. But there are many many more.
Blessings to you and look forward to keeping up with your blogs.
mr. t
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