I have just returned home from the New Ground family of churches leadership conference where Hannah Silley challenged us with the inspiring biblical mandate to invest in the next generation - to build a church for everyone for forever.
The morning before she spoke God had been impressing on me that this is not a job for the few but for the many. I felt He wanted to challenge and encourage us with the question – What are you waiting for?
Whether you have been a Christian for 1 year or 30 there will be things that you have learnt along the way and there is an invitation and a call on all of us to pass on what we have learnt from our friendship with Jesus.
You can encourage others with how you have found God to be utterly faithful, or how you have experienced his tenderness his pursuit and his kindness. You can pass on how you have known him to be your rock in the good times but also in the times of sickness, unanswered prayer or tragic loss.
Through your journey you have probably learnt that sometimes life is really hard, but you have learnt how to abide, how to pray, how building your life on the rock of Jesus is the best way and how peace is found even in storms.
You have grown in learning how to pray for the sick, how to lead a discussion, how to share your faith, how to give generously, how to read and understand the bible, how to listen well and how to love people deeply.
The point is, we all learn things on our journey which means we all have something to offer to others on theirs.
The call to a Christian life is fruitfulness and I can’t help but wonder how much more fruit there would be in the kingdom if we all passed on what we have learnt, and what we are still learning to strengthen, equip and encourage one another. If we scattered seed so new life can grow.
So what stops us ?
Do we think we have to be perfect asking ‘how can I help someone else when I still struggle with …?’(you fill in the blanks). Do we feel we are not skilled enough so we leave it to the ‘experts’, or are we waiting for someone else to give permission?
In Matthew 28 v 19- 20 Jesus says to 11 of his imperfect unskilled friends
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Jesus gave permission to his imperfect, not particularly skilled friends to go and make disciples and the same Jesus gives permission to us his imperfect, not particularly skilled friends to go and do the same.
He gives permission for us to make disciples - to help people learn to hear Jesus' voice and obey his teaching in the power of the Holy Spirit
D.L. Moody once said, “If this world is going to be reached [with the gospel], I am convinced it must be done by men and women of average talent.”
So, if you feel you are of average talent – then that’s just great -because it turns out our God is very good at taking what little we have and multiplying it for his kingdom and for his glory.
And before you write yourself off because you are young in age or faith. Dear friends, we are family and yes, I have learnt much from the wisdom and experience of those older than me, But I have also been challenged by the energy, passion, faith and confidence of those younger and I have been strengthened by the empathy and understanding that has come from walking with peers.
So, what are you waiting for?
Of late I have started asking myself this question more frequently and am trying to step even when it feels uncomfortable to do so. I’m about to run a short course on the Prophetic with a few people at church. I’ll bring what I have learnt and we will learn together and believe God will use it for his glory.
Why not take some time now to ask Jesus what you have that he would like you to pass on and in which context this could take place. If you are tempted to write yourself off because you don’t feel ‘expert’ enough or ‘good’ enough why not bring those feelings to Jesus and ask Him what he would want to say to you.
We have a God who speaks and guides so as you come to him be expectant for him to speak to you.
DL Moody quote - Making Disciples in a Post-Christian World By John M. Haselton ThD