F09 Tools in Fields One to Three
List of the Online Lessons: A B C D E F G H
F09 Tools in Fields One to Three
Wherever we have gone, where the movement works and bears great fruit, we have encountered tools that the local people tuned up and practiced. Then they don’t have to invent anything in contact with their people. In order to make sure that the steps can be grasped even by completely new Georges, we need a small number of only few really most important tools; a „irreducible minimum“.
1) The first field is EMPTY.
Here are the tools:
a) Relational map
Let me add that we need to keep it up to date! I highlight friends I’ve had good conversations with and add new ones.
In the empty field, there is important also
b) Invitation to Discovery
2) The second field is dominated by DISCOVERY.
The main tools here are:
a) The lightning story in fifteen seconds
b) My one minute story („testimony“) how I was converted; as short as possible.
c) An illustration of Jesus‘ bridge over the gap of our wrongs and…
d) The Discovery Series
The order of these items in the second field is not prescribed. Invitation to Discovery in conversation with friends can easily be the first. But sometimes it’s more appropriate to start with my lightning story…
What are you going to do with George, who has just invited Jesus into his life?
3) For the third field, that is, for GROWTH
or for the so-called „discipleship“ we have mentioned so far:
a) The coin which on one side shows who I have become by accepting Jesus, and on the other side inseparably shows my calling to be an ambassador of Jesus. Several items of my new identity are reminded by the abbreviation „BOSS“.
In all the records in the book of Acts as someone believed in Jesus, we see early and very important „tool“ of the third field. For newly believing George it should be
b) Biblical baptism
Once George’s confession of Jesus as Savior and Lord is clear, there is no reason to delay a brief biblical explanation of what baptism means, and if George agrees, there is no reason to delay baptism in water somewhere. Jesus commissions the same disciples to perform baptism as those who made new disciples.
Then in the third field we speak of…
c) Short-term discipleship
Brief and simple „topics“ can be helpful. What are the first five or at most ten themes a new Christian needs to know, experience, and learn to do in order to develop in a healthy spiritual way? Remember that Jesus leads us to teach new disciples to DO all that He has commanded. So it is not just about intellectual knowledge.
When we have taught George, briefly and mainly by our own example, to continually talk to Jesus (i.e. pray) and to read the Word with profit (to „feed“ himself) and a few other basic things, then comes so-called
d) Long-term discipleship
This can take the form of ongoing Discovery with a group of disciples, or the form of „LTG“, Life Transformation Group. (See a separate lesson.)
Do you remember the indivisible components of discipleship as we identified them in the statement of the Lord Jesus a few days ago? He who loves me will keep my word. (John 14:23) Following the Lord Jesus is meant to affect all components of our personality: it brings (a) information, (b) emotion, and (c) a new way of making decisions.
What tools do you use in each field? Can your disciple pass on your tools to his new people?
While I speak of tried and tested tools and repeatedly advise You to learn to use them with ease, I also emphasize again and again that no tools and perfectly rehearsed procedures will convert anyone! Only the direct touch of living Lord Jesus coupled with their own decision will convert them! Yet we can open those inputs of Jesus into the lives of our unconverted friends very effectively by our abundant and urgent prayers! Combination of great tools with our persistent prayers can work wonders!
Thank You Lord Jesus for listening attentively as we obediently cooperate with You.