9 December 2019

DISCIPLESHIP A LIFE-TIME EXPERIENCE.

By John Ollis

We arrived back into the Port of Melbourne on Saturday morning, after a well planned relaxing 13 day cruise around N.Z. The highlight was catching up with my 90+ half sister in Wellington.
We had to wait for some time for our Shuttle Bus to arrive to take us home, so I took the opportunity of making some phone calls, including a dear friend of over 50 years, (they live in a bush fire area and was concerned how they were getting on) . I also served with him for 11 years in the first Bible College I taught in from 1987-1997. he is an exquisite Teacher and New Testament scholar, and very well versed in the Greek text.
I know many Greek words, and some of the Greek tenses and many years ago, he said to me that I had  what he called”Intuitive Hermeneutics”.  Hermeneutics is the “Principles of Interpretation” so that a person can rightly interpret the Scriptures, as Paul said to Timothy in 2 Tim.2:15 NKJV Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
For those of us who are not Greek scholars, we have a TEACHER/TUTOR who lives inside of us, the blessed Holy Spirit, and Jesus tells in John 16:13 NKJV However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.
In our conversation he told me that he had been doing a fresh study of the Great Commission in Matt. 28:18-20 NKJV And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
He was very excited as his study of the Greek text had shown him that the language used clearly suggests that DISCIPLESHIP IN NOT A 6 WEEK CLASS (AS IS THE PRACTICE IN SO MANY CHURCHES) BUT A LIFE-LONG EXPERIENCE.
If you have read some of my previous blogs on the topic you know my definition.

BIBLICAL DISCIPLESHIP IS SOMEONE WALKING WITH THE NEW BELIEVER FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES UNTIL BEING A CHRISTIAN HAS BECOME A LIFESTYLE.

I have seen until now a transition from Discipleship to Mentoring, and we have to see we have Mentors in our lives.  So whatever you call it, Discipleship and Mentoring, it should never stop until we are promoted to glory.
Interestingly, in my mentoring of leaders, I always go back and spend time checking their spiritual foundations. Poor and faulty discipleship sadly can produce Leaders who:
1.Do not have a regular and structured daily Quiet Time
2.Do not spend quality time in the Word of God every day, (unless they are preaching), and often have not learnt to mediate on the Word and learn how to hear God’s voice through the Scriptures.
3.Have not been encouraged to daily use their prayer language.confirm what I believed
4.Do not know how to use the keys (weapons) God has given us to protect our mind.
The list goes on and on, these items above can not be covered  in a 6 week class, but requires someone to walk with the new Believer until these have become an essential part of their life.
Interestingly, the movement I am part of is concerned about the well-being and Mentoring of our Ministers and Leaders,
So, I have not said anything new in this blog, it was just so encouraging to talk to my friend and to know what I have come to see and believe  from the Holy Spirit’s tutoring clearly lines up with the Word of God.
May my repetition on this important topic, bless and encourage you.