Real Discipleship - Empowering Others - The Secret to a Life of Impact, Part 2

Can I let you in on a little secret. I am way more comfortable sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with a few thousand people that I am with one single person across the table on an airplane flight, you know, we all get intimidated. Now here's the question why would the disciples so bold and why do we struggle so much today. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingram chips or Bible teacher for this international discipleship ministry focused on helping Christians live like Christian you relate to the situation should just close shy or nervous about sharing your faith with friends or family.

Wish you were more confident just a miniature sure how you can make that happen.

Discipleship know a quick listener note chipped off the series several years ago grams going to sound a little different but the truth will bring from God's word is still really impactful so if you have a Bible lady turned out to Mark chapter 6 for part two of the trips message empowering others. The secret life of impact. Jack came all the sports ministry athletes in action does a lot of baseball teams around the world and Jack got the gift of evangelist Bussey shares Christ with this guy, this guy this guy. I mean, I finally have two weeks to let maids to Christ, but Christ went some way. I mean, you're not offensive at all and when I had little plant Washington through three times he'd share Christ by member on the bus this one time and this guy was up two seats back in kind of listen and the guys just ready to become a Christian jackass and I'm thinking close the deal man close the deal know what he does, he stops is easy to set up your waiver.

Second, young college sophomore comes up, sits down with empty coming. I'm thinking Jack I don't know much about evangelism but the guys ready become a Christian when you know he brings us guy introduces let's talk a few minutes and they turns to Jimmy says not explain him and his real interest in becoming Christian, Jew talk with him a little bit. I think it will be ready to pray and receive Christ. Pearson is on the back and the 2nd GB back with us five or 10 minutes later Jim is bowing his head with this guy is what Jimmy's latest first person of the Lord to Jack King understands he's led hundreds of people to Christ, you need to learn how what you doing is multiplying his life. You want God to use you multiply your life out of this passage and how to coach people to multiply your life one remember this accomplishing tasks is less important than developing people. If you wanted two words to remember grow people it's more important that your son or daughter learn something in the garage gets absolutely clean the floors spotless for the tub doesn't have any residue every is more important for small groups gets a chance to lead seat develop people grow, people you get the test done accomplishing tasks is less important than developing people because there's always a lot of pass but there's very few people really want to grow number two ability is always less important than availability. It's not what you can do that is crucial is what God can do three so get others involved. The focus is grow people. The method is get people involved place alone. Don't pray loaning it up except for your private time to share Christ.

Bring a friend of you to pray for or involving anything bring people get involved and catch third resources are always less important than reliance you never have enough. We take the steps God provides. My philosophy of leadership is get the snowball rolling downhill and to pick up speed. Trying to sign were not because my observation is in people's lives and organizations and churches. Most of them never get the snowball off and use the rain little bit more. I don't go pack quite right. Well, you know, about 3 miles down the turn. We don't have an attorney, so get resources are always less important than reliance. Bring what you have to God and he'll do something the strategy is build on what you have. Focus is to grow people. The method is get others involved the strategy build on what you have, not what you don't.

And finally, the goal of learning more is far less important than participating what you already know make others successful letter.

Let him try, you let your kid to be small and learn to build a fire. Let him try the stove lunch it with great supervision, but come to let them try, people learn by doing, not by watching, let them pray, let Emily let them share the testimony they can take 10 minutes of the group. That's how people expand and grow. Once again coached then you need to support them because night that will teach people how to feed others. Now let's talk about how you can teach people to lead others.

We pick it up in verse 45.

Immediately after this big miracle Jesus made his disciples get about to go ahead of him to the Savior while he dismissed the crown and I said this passages in all four Gospels is really important because you have to read John chapter 6 to find out why he immediately dismissed them and sent them on ahead.

You know why well pictured way.

I mean, you got a big party you hear a good teacher. No one has anything to eat 20,000 of us on the hillside we break up into groups and the guy puts on East while I mean would you like to have this guy around and every time were hungry and we never work again, this is great.

So the people in it says in John six they came and tried to make him king by force that can you imagine if there did the disciples are quite ready though not quite mature their leadership is quite where it needs to be. Jesus doesn't want us to that he gets rid of you guys get out about. I'll catch you later is one of the things about developing leaders is the principle of peace never give them more than they can handle. The disciples are not ready to because they're still still in a nationalistic they still a lot of ego involved in. They like to be the best buddies of the new King. So Jesus sends in the way.

Second thing, notice what he does secondly develop leaders and leaving them. He went into the hills to pray it's something the church talks a lot about, but we need to take more seriously than we ever taken for you really want to develop leaders. What do leaders need you coach people and give them skills what do leaders need to really do go on to give them support you with any any confidence they need guidance in any character. How do people get confidence, character you now.

God gives and the only thing you can do and I can do to produce that in the lives of other people is one model at the two you pray for humility in so-and-so's heart. You pray for strength and vision. You pray for conviction from this one. You pray you intercede and this was a pattern of Christ life and I went to school. It has a lot to do with people that are there really pretty smart and I was intimidated for a couple years but you know I went different professors offices for almost 2 years and taught Canada what Baker's office while Baker is a missionary in Haiti for 15 years and he goes back every summer with about 40 or 50 students and I know the guy just came and asked the question I came and he shut the door. Oh gosh, what's can happen here and we had a very brief conversation. I started to get up. He reached out his hand, means that big candies of man, and he put his hand around me and put his hand my shoulder menisci. Pray for I will shake while CP didn't think the getting more in my head would change my life. God did something in my car change my life later on with a group of businessmen with Walt and few other pastors. We were in Haiti and he and I roomed together at this little village and is like a hot informing with the Betta member waltzing chip was pray this mammoth guy with the big arms and it's a sweaty little place and we kneel down and so help me.

My knees hurt and I don't know cells with the man of God, and I heard him cry out for the people of Haiti and for me. Big bear hug arm on my shoulder will see.

That's how you transform people's life. Develop leaders tricks and techniques in books and jazz that appear, but you need to enlarge their heart, after the principle of pacing. The second principle is the principle of power perspective you give power to people by praying for them. Now notice where he goes from here after he prays for now he's going to stretch them when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake come in verse 47 and he was alone on the land and he saw the disciples straining at the oars.

Now I could see him. It was the Passover time.

We know full moon is at Passover time. The lake is only about 4 miles wide. He's up on a mountain he can see the wind was against him adversity that had a big victory. This is the way usually happens now the adversity comes about the fourth watch of the night. It's 3 AM to 6 AM. He went out to them walking on the lake. What leaders need. Well they been praying for, but now in their time and adversity. What they need is your presence. They need support they need encouragement because the most committed people get out there and do it do it and they do it in the just like you not to get discouraged and wonder if it makes any difference. He was about to pass them by.

When they saw him walking on the lake they thought he was a ghost, and he cried out because they all saw him, and they were terrified. Notice how he stretched see this as a planned member. The last time he was in the boat with the disciples member chapter 1 Chapter 2 it was day time then what is it now nighttime. Would you rather go somewhere unknown in the day or night, which is more challenging. The last time he was in the rear of the boat was any, and the waves are crashing all they had to do was reach over a chair or not. He took care of it now is not in boat. He's on the mountain.

Praying rezone the water in what he wanted to learn whether to stay or whether tonight whether my presence is there physically or whether I'm praying for you. My presence is available I will help you through.

I am your Shepherd and I'll be a shepherd to use even be a shepherd to others. He stretches in their terrified and they cry out he gets in the boat boom happens again see there's a real balance. There he he stretches them. He takes them to a new level and then he comes right back and he comforts third principle I see here is the people, opportunity and responsibility. The principle of faithfulness he stretches and they were faithful in this area gives a more faithful here. He gives them more.

I do little preaching the good job out against the 5000 base they begin to trust him, so he strikes and gives them experiences even more difficult. Pretty soon, guess what, he's not in the boat. He's not on the mountain. He's in heaven, and Peter will stand up for 5000 people say you know what the weather's right to do what God wants. What women want a pay what you kill me because he's real he's real.

He did learn that overnight he was faithful a little and then he was faithful much we need to do that. Our children need to do with leaders that were developing and then let's go on and find out what he does when he climbed in the boat with them. The wind died down. They were completely amazed because this is the problem with all developing people in our problem, for they had not understood about the loaves and their hearts were hard.

The most important thing we can do is develop people's faith, their faith, not their skills not their head.

Their belief system that God is real, that is powerful, whether they know this much that much so that when they are in a crisis instead of them. First, dialing the phone and think it's really bad, really, that we'll help me help me help me get on their knees and turn to God telling Bill Hatcher and I became good friends. I was a coaching and teaching and leading ministry and in this this college had a big open court and at night. I got a basketball he was the S&H representative for the region and we became friends make a long story short Ray lot of pizza.

We had a lot of fun play volleyball and four months later he trusted Christ and then I met with him once a week and started coaching with the skills. Here's how you read the Bible. Here's how you pray and then I started supporting Missy begin to reach out to people in the marketplace where he was. One night he and I and Teresa we wanted to go to a different college and see a game and Tresa had a friend there. So we dropped Reese off and we went down this long for 800-5200 feet and we just assume it was rural snowy. We just assume there was a different way out okay so we go all way down this thing and we assume draw and what happens is we dropped Reese off, we turn the car around me anymore dead minutes long. This is a low grade. There's no way to get up and then gotten something that please take this right.

This is happened for five times in my life right this is not some extraterrestrial experience I had little prompting from God that said ship.

No audible voice. I want you to pray. I want you to pray role vividly and pray specifically that I will reveal myself.

So Bill will know that on powerful and can even do stuff like this and care about him. Brandon Christian and I'm thinking first of all, I've been reading too many novels to this is can be God boom boom I get prompted again and then I'm thinking first all God of this will really embarrass you if it doesn't work right. You know, and so okay got all do this about my head I say hey Bill let's pray he sees green yeah sure how this works. Anyway I bow my head and I still vividly move guys that God whether we go to this game is irrelevant when we get the skills around but I'm asking you now that Bill might understand that there is a God of his power, who is actually supernatural and can do anything, would you allow this card go right at the still so Bill would know that you're real and you can take care of each looked at him and drive it with me. What right he put it in drive unwitting slip.

We get to the top of the hill in the sky's eyes are like this.

Now that I had to tell him I said hey Bill, I'm scared to death.

When you work, but God want me to do it. Bill look no matter where you go is that he was can be transferred. You need to know. You need to get Jesus. That's the final step, the principal transference what you want to do is give people the ball.

The ball of faith where they know God will be their God, then you know that success you multiplied your life. You want your kids to walk out the door.

As a mom, dad things. I love you but I am.

That's a successful parent with all the ups and downs and things are getting hit in the end of the small group leader in the ministry team person in the friend at work that you're helping grow it. Coaching is supported in the new delegate and they catch the vision.

Guess what that would apply here. Look at the result, the product of this kind of ministry is not that we add a little here and there, the product of this kind of ministry. Look at the in the passage is fantastic. Then Jesus told the crowd and crossed over they landed at Jenna Sarah and anchored there, and as soon as I got out about people recognize Jesus. That's what happens when lives are more like people multitudes recognize Christ. They ran throughout the whole region.

They carried the sick on Matt's work everything. He was everywhere he went to the villages or towns or countryside.

They placed the sick in the marketplaces they thanked him to let them come in touch even edge their cloak and all who touched him were healed. The story starts with people where like sheep without a shepherd. He invests in coaching and supporting the 12. How does the story in with the people who recognize Christ and have their needs met sheep now have a shepherd.

Who are you teaching the fish and I don't mean for Sam who you teaching the fish. Who are you pouring your life into willfully, strategically, with a plan to coaching and support them so that a year from now they can do everything that you can do with a heart to do that in the lives of that's how you impacted the Bible because of discipleship, spiritual milk dictation ready go for holy others secret to a life of series real discipleship. You may be asking yourself what does it mean to be a disciple is trip walks through Mark chapter 6 through 10 impacts. This complex idea of discipleship by using the simple lessons Jesus taught his followers stay with us as we learn how commitment to evangelism, humility and trust paint an accurate picture of what a genuine disciple of Jesus. Looks like to learn more about the six part series real discipleship or to catch up on past programs resist LivingontheEdge.org trips in studio with me now and shipped today. You wrapped up your message on empowering others to make an impact with their lives. Would you mind sharing how other people have empowered you absolutely Dave when I look back on the moments in the investments of people throughout my life.

My sister punky who model Jesus to me as a young teenager you know Dave, the bricklayer who sat with me in his kitchen table and invested his life in me as a young adult, or Decca, a man who came to me and said hey Chip, we need to put this teaching that of yours on the air and he started Living on the Edge wherever we are in our journey were never beyond the need for discipleship might come through a listening ear and Encouraging Word over a couple coffee or it might be one of those side-by-side doing Bible study together, but it's always born in the relationship and it's deliberate. It's an investment into the life of another person Living on the Edge were committed to making that investment in helping people grow deeper in the relationship with Christ. And so, whether it's teaching on the radio or podcasts or ab or tools such as daily discipleship or resources are geared to help people in every season of life. And here's my question. If God has used the ministry of Living on the Edge to guide her deep in your life or the life of someone that you love would you be willing to pray about investing in a few ways. Number one would you pass on what you know to someone else. Second, would you share ministry resources with others. We have all kind of free ministry resources on the web it on the cheap anger map and third would you pray about giving financially to the ministry so that we can continue to make disciples at a time when it's more needed than ever before. And right now through July 7.

Every gift that you would give will be double dollar for dollar. So thank you for pausing thinking and praying about what God want you to do and if you will do whatever he shows you we will have all we need to do all God's called us to do.

Keep pressing ahead with your ready to support us. Thank you. Your gifts are helping us in profound ways all around the world. But if you're still looking for a way to make a difference. Let me suggest that you become a financial partner right now is a great time to join the team because, thanks to a handful of donors. Every gift we received between now and July 7 will be doubled to send a gift call us at AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org hapless. Donate. Thank you in advance for whatever God leads you to do will trip as we wrap up this message or take a minute and share with us some easy wagers we can practice the principles Jesus used with his disciples.

I'd be glad to Dave you know Jesus is so patient and he has this amazing ability to stretch his disciples when they need to be stretched and I just made a handful of observations. One is only give people what they can handle too much too soon will crush them.

He knew they were ready when he said you feed them. They just had no idea how it was can happen. Those of you that her parents I would start with your children. I think sometimes we get this idea that taking them to church, dropping them off having them you know in a youth group or elementary classes you've done your job. Those are support vehicles you disciple your children. The second thing is you gotta mold them from a distance and I watch my wife transform the lives of our children by prayer and you know there at school you see issues that are coming up. You are meeting with someone in another struggling with an addiction or you see situations where people were struggling. You can mold people from a distance. You empower them when you pray specifically for them.

Just had that experience last week where I prayed very very specifically for a guy that I'm helping and you know only God can change your heart. So I had talked enough.

I asked God to move in his heart and when I got back with him. He volunteered you know that counselor that you talked about my wife and I we went to see him and it was super encouraging because it was God at work. The third is feed them opportunity and responsibility. Jesus had only walked with these disciples.

Not very long, and after they were learning. He not just allowed them he got them into the game I think. So often we have people come to classes and learn more and learn more and go to a Bible study and we fill people's heads.

Instead of allowing them to be hands-on and learn as they go and again I just would say parents don't go anyplace alone when you go to the store take when your kids with you when you go anywhere or do anything. When you go out to minister engage your kids engage the people that you want to help more really is caught than taught. This is a passage where Jesus is turning the tables and helping his disciples really learn what it means to be a disciple maker because the people who learn the most to grow the most are the people that are helping others learn the very things their learning.

So let me encourage you to do it. A good pace. Pray for them very very much. And then jump in and let them be a part of the action. They won't do it as well as you wanted to, but we remember getting the task done is not the priority getting the task done perfectly, or even right is not always the highest priority growing the person is that such a great reminder trip fix was we close you know a great way to stay engaged and connected to chip and Living on the Edges through the chip and were about to get free access to all of Chip's recent messages as message notes and much more will be with us again next time. When Chip continues his series real discipleship over this early saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge