A Disciples and Their World

Feb. 4, 2025.

DISCIPLES ARE COMMITTED TO INFLUENCING THEIR WORLD, BEING OBEDIENT TO THE GREAT COMMANDMENT (MARK 12:30-31) AND THE GREAT COMMISSION (MATT. 28:19-20)

It was Mission’s week at Church on the Rock (COTR) in Rockwall, Texas. The appeal to go on Missions excited me as I listened to the speaker from India, a businessman, Dr. P.J. Titus, who had come to America and made his living, acquiring the American dollar and deciding someday to go back to India and plant a Bible school. He was encouraging Dr. Larry Lea Senior pastor to help him in this plant project of a Bible school in Visakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The design was to evangelize north India which was basically an on Christianized part of India North India, populated by Muslims and Sikhs. With no apparent schemes in operation in that part of India the school was to became "COTR Bible School India”. I became excited about this development from the church that I attended and the possibility to go to India. In the ensuing months, as Dr. Lea’s vision became more apparent, I knew this would possibly take me to India to be a missionary and work in the school. I began to talk to the missions Director, Dr. David Shibley, about going to India to see that school and possibly work there.

Dr. Lea was excited as well, realizing that my wife, Adeline, was from India, which would be a real plus for sending me to the seminary there. Earlier, I had become acquainted with several Indian people in our church. Dr. Titus’s nephew, Mathew, attended Oral Roberts University (ORU) at the same time that I did and acquired his M.Div. at the same time. Rita, a friend of my wife Addie, had originally introduced us and became instrumental in Addie joining my cell group when I had become an expansion cell in the Singles Ministry at COTR, multiplying out of my friend Jim Schwartz’s cell group.

COTR was growing at a tremendous rate, which was the result of the multiplication of the cell group ministry in the church. It was a big thing, and it was one of the first meetings that I had. After opening the cell meeting, I made a statement: “I am getting ready to go to India with Dr. Shibley and win souls to the kingdom of God. I will get my doctorate from ORU and work in the Bible school in India!” I heard a voice in the back of the cell meeting say, “He will not survive in India.” To which I replied, “Who said that?” It was the little mousy voice of my future wife, Addie. When I asked her why she would say that, she replied,

“You won’t make it in India, because you have no idea of the kind of things that exists there, the religious demons, and all of the other things that are not common to America. The culture that prevails in India is so different, and besides you like eating American snacks, that you can’t get in India!”

Since then, the experiences I gained at ORU have taken me around the world to teach and preach. This growth has been incredible. Everyone should explore beyond their comfort zones of habitation, by an encounter that I call "Jumping Culture" is it lunchtime by etting outside of where you live, what you do, how you have been indoctrinated, and realizing there is a world other than where you came from. Take a vacation to another country, visit an island, go on a mission trip, or travel somewhere new. Many individuals have never explored different regions here the United States, like states in the North, Midwest, West, and South,

The mandate or commandments from Jesus in Mark 16 and Matthew 28 are pretty emphatic. As you delve into this lessons, I pray the impact will begin to affect you as it has done to me. You decide, “What does discipleship look like for me?” From the eight lessons in my book "ComeFollow Me" you will travel down the road to spiritual success, which can only happen when you seek the avenue of what I call the “Big Four”— The Word of God, Prayer, Fellowship, and Evangelism. As you investigate the gifts and purposes that God has given us, it will become more real and revelatory and ultimately usher the kingdom of God into your life and those around you. I really believe His return is precipitated by our obedience, even being a splinter of the great commission and great commandment. As it has come to me, I have been presented with a position to make disciples of all nations. The word in Greek is (ethnos) and in Hebrew (goyim). We have all been called, and I pray that your obedience would be like that of his servant Abraham, who became the father of many nations of people. Those who choose to serve him will come to an understanding of who God is and that salvation can only be received through his son, Jesus Christ. 

LET’S READ: 1 COR. 9: 19-23

"19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all so that I may win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may, by all means, save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it."

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

1. What is necessary to connect with people different from us if we hope to have a relationship with them?

2. Why would anyone want to build a bridge with someone beyond cultural or racial barriers? (See verse 19)

3. If we could meet Paul, the apostle, and have an unhurried hour with him, what might impress us about him?

4. How would you describe Paul’s motivation for making relationships across such a broad spectrum?

CONSIDER THIS:

God is calling you to be a person full of grace and integrity. You know that. However, have you grasped that the Lord is calling you to be a Godly person who, as much as anything, sees the order, who first loves God heartily and completely, and then loves the world of people who need to know Him?  To love the world in desperate need means also to make disciples of all nations (all people, all races).

*Adapted from Go the Distance, edited by John Trent and published by Focus on the Family, ©1996 by Promise Keepers. All rights reserved.  International copyright secured.  (Used by permission).