Tag: disciple making

Do you know the joy of the first fruit?

I can still remember the day around 2007 when I checked my Adsense account and found about 10cents in there. I was so happy. It was not the amount of money that mattered but the fact that I could make money from my website by writing articles to help people get visas just like I got mine a few years earlier. That was only the beginning!

I was excited about the possibilities of being rewarded over and over again for the work I had done on the website.

I also remember very well the joy I had and I have had over and over again when I see people come to Jesus and are transformed by Him.

I remember how joyful I was when I held Demilade in my arms on December 15 2006.

I know what it means to work hard and see the fruit of your labor.

I can only imagine the joy in heaven when another lost son comes home!

“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”” Luke‬ ‭15:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

That’s why I know you really want to see a friend, family member, coworker or neighbor come to the saving knowledge of Jesus. Or just anyone!

What it takes is diligent prayers, obedience to God’s words, continuous sowing of the word of God, demonstration of love and patience.

Sometimes we wonder what to do or what to say because you know that you don’t want to loose your friends. There is no need to loose your friends. You can lead people to Jesus without loosing your friends.

All you need to do is share with those who are hungry! Share with people who want to know more. I can’t share all the details here. But know that there are always people who want to know more around you.

Back to the story of my online discovery. We made over $100K from that website before google algorithm changed and the income practically disappeared. (Story for another day)

Why am I sharing this? I want to use something very simple like making money in a way that is not obvious to show that if you invest some time into loving the people around you and praying for them! You can see not just one person changed but thousands of people!

A Powerful Message from a convicted Murderer?

Charles Peace was a burglar and murderer that lived in England between 1832 and 1879! He was sentenced to death by hanging for killing his neighbor. Just before he was hung, the prison chaplain was reading to him about hell. Here is what Charles Peace said:

Sir, if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living, just to save one soul from an eternal hell like that!

Do you believe that there is an eternal hell? Why then are we not willing to do whatever it takes to save as many souls as possible from it?

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”” Luke‬ ‭19:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We know that Jesus is doing it. All you need to do is join Him and say I am ready to do whatever it takes to save as many as possible!

If you want to learn how to make disciples with more ease and as a lifestyle, take the free BiVo Minister course.

July Books – Packets of Wisdom!

I enjoy reading and I learn a lot from books. I believe that books are packets of wisdom. In the first week of every new month, I would post a list of the books I read in the previous month and the books I have bought or borrowed to read in the next month. I hope that I would be able to inspire you to read some of these books and share some good books that you have read with me. At the same time, I hope that this habit would inspire me to read more :).

Completed in July

Here are the books I completed in July. This means that I finished reading the book or listened to it on Audible. It does not mean that I started reading or listening to it in June. I may have started earlier.

Currently Reading

These are books that I am currently reading or listening to on audible. Yes, I read more than one book at a time.

Hope to start reading this Month

These are books that I have already purchased or borrowed and I look forward to reading.

Have you read any of these books? Do you know some good books that you think I should read? Please suggest them in the comment section below. I got some recommendations last month and I look forward to more. Thanks.

Priority!

If all disciples are called to make disciples that make disciples that make disciples and on and on, then any disciple that is not doing that is missing out on some high level fulfillment in life!

“Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭4:31-32‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Making disciples for any disciple of Jesus is like fish swimming in water! It can easily become your lifestyle. And there is tremendous joy involved in when you see people who were lost filled with the joy of being accepted by Jesus!

I got a call yesterday from one of our sisters in Chibiri, Nigeria. She was so happy that God used her to reconcile a lady back to Jesus and the lady got filled with the Holy Spirit.

Make disciple making your PRIORITY!

Will Jesus call you a disciple?

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? It means to obey the commands of Jesus and to be devoted to His goals, mission and vision.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Matt 16:24.

For a disciple, her greatest joy is that the master is pleased. The disciple is fully committed and devoted to the cause of the master!

Why is it then that making disciples who make disciples is not our priority? Why would a disciple of Jesus be satisfied with themselves when they are not consistently engaged in disciple making?

Could it be because we have convinced ourselves that the little we are doing is the best that we can do? Even if we suppress the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the truth remains the same! We love something more than what Jesus called us to do.

Disciple making should be your lifestyle and mine too! I have devoted my life to making it easier for you! Will you take some time to learn and take action? Get into a group of disciple-makers? Will you devote more time to this than you devote to losing weight?

Will you ask questions and see disciples being made? Don’t wait another day! Start by taking the BiVo Minister Course. It’s self paced and I am sure you will become a more fruitful disciple as a result of this course.

Are you doing the works of an apostle?

An apostle is one sent out for a special mission. A missionary is an apostle. They go from place to place to plant churches and break new grounds.

So how does an apostle equip the church? What does an apostle do that we all can do and should do?

An apostle is specially gifted in starting things that continues when they are no more there. Because an apostle usually starts new churches, they have considerable strength in all of the other works of ministry! The apostle is a muti-purpose minister.

To do the works of an apostle, you should be able and willing to share what you have learned with a group of people who will be able to continue without you!

For many years I thought that only an apostle is gifted enough to plant churches regularly but I knew and taught people that every disciple of Jesus could start a small group within the local church!

I also taught people that these small groups should be considered as smaller churches!

What I did not realize was that I was asking people to do the work of an apostle. You may not be an apostle, but you can and should do the work of an apostle.

“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” ‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭2:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Start discovery bible study groups every where you have the opportunity to do so! Do not teach the group, lead the group to discover and obey the truth in the Bible. When you do this you are doing the works of an apostle!

If you would like to know how to start a discovery bible study group please let me know in the comments section below.

Are you doing the works of an evangelist?

Sharing good news is normal to us as humans! That’s why we have viral videos and posts. If you get something very good or very bad or very funny etc you don’t want to keep the experience to yourself! Even very quiet or reserved people share things with people who are close to them!

As a believer and a follower of Jesus, the best thing that has happened to you should be your salvation through Jesus! And I’m sure you were excited to share it with some people when it happened.

But then, maybe many people thought you were crazy or you got too busy! Whatever the case, it is important to remember that there are many people all over the world that are just waiting for someone to introduce them to Jesus! They want to meet Jesus in you! The need the love and acceptance that Jesus has for them.

“But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” II Timothy‬ ‭4:5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As a disciple you are expected to share the good news of the kingdom of God! You don’t have to be an evangelist to do the work of an evangelist. The very life of Jesus is in you and you can expect the grace on you as you share your story or the scriptures with people that live or work around you.

For years I was of the wrong opinion that I needed to convince people to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Now I have learned that I am not expected to convince them! I am called to love them, share the truth with them, and trust that if I continue to water the seed with love, the word is powerful enough to convict them because the Holy Spirit continues to work long after I have shared with them!

Have a goal of having a meaningful spiritual conversation with those who are not saved every week and pray for the lost every day!

This is how to do the work of an evangelist!

If you want to learn how to do the work of an evangelist with ease, take my free BiVo Minister Course!

How is your ministry?

Every disciple of Jesus is a minister and has a ministry! You and I would have to give a report about our ministry to the Lord (Rom 14:12). The parable of the talents in Matt 25:14-30 also shows us that there is no idle person in the kingdom. So my dear friend, how is your ministry?

Are disciples being made? Are disciples being baptized, are they being thought to obey the commands of Jesus? Are they living victoriously? Are you shining as light and attracting people to Jesus?

You are called to be a disciple maker! As a disciple you are a BiVo Minister!

How is your ministry?

One thing you lack!

What is that one thing that would change your life if it can be changed right now? Or who is that one person that you know can make a big difference in your life? What is the one thing they would do or change?

I cannot count how many times I have gotten just one more thought or idea that totally changes the result of a project I am working on.

If you need a combination of 6 letters as a password to your bank account or any other account, and you have 5 of the letters right, but just one letter is wrong you will not have access.

This rich young ruler got everything else right except one. Yet he was unable to enjoy the kingdom of God!

“Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” Mark‬ ‭10:21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As long as money, fame, reputation, academic achievements and other goals on earth have a higher value in your heart than, preaching around with Jesus, you still lack that one thing.

If you are not willing to let go of everything to serve Jesus in whatever capacity He chooses then you lack the same thing this your ruler lacked!

If you do not think that the most glorious position to be on earth is to be doing whatever Jesus Christ would have you do to fulfill the great commission, then you lack that one thing.

Heaven will not be heaven to those who do not see that nothing on earth is worth holding on to when compared with living in obedience to the Holy Spirit.

We are sent to make disciples for Jesus! Every disciple must be willing to give up every thing to invest in saving the lost and being in constant communion and obedience to Jesus!

It is not a task for you and I to do. The Holy Spirit will work through us.

What you and I must do is this! Make sure that we repent and get back on track whenever we value anything more than simple obedience to Jesus!

The young rich man walked away because he undervalued Jesus and overvalued his stuff. His stuff which can become of no value to him if he becomes very sick or dies in the next hour!

Oh Lord may I never underestimate the value of following you to love the lost!

Give me a drink

Would you think that this statement would lead to the transformation of a whole village? Isn’t it interesting to know that the life changing encounter of someone may be tied to a simple question? Or request?

“A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
‭‭John‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Jesus did not start every conversation with a scripture. We don’t have to preach to everyone we meet. In fact, we can learn from Jesus that we can begin a relationship by receiving help from someone!

We must however be ready to share the good news with anyone that is ready!

How then do you know when to share or not? Here is how! You live for Jesus fully and with great joy and gratitude! You talk about Him like you would talk about a loved one. Then you give more details to those who show interest.

This is how you find out those who are ready to learn more! If you mention Jesus in your conversation and the person you are sharing with remains engaged, you can then ask if they would like to know more. If they say yes, then tell them some more. If however the person tries to change the topic or looks uncomfortable, let it go and continue to build the connection! They can be loved whether they believe in Jesus or not.

They may become interested tomorrow, next week or in a few years.

I remember a man we met on one of our outreaches in Kuje! We started the discussion by talking about business and it led to praying with him. I also remember a neighbor who had two big dogs in our neighborhood in Kingston. We started our conversation with discussion about the dogs and we transitioned into faith discussions. She did not become a disciple of Jesus at the time but some good seeds were sown.

There are many people out there all around our cities who have been prepared by the Holy Spirit. I pray that you and I would find someone today whom we can ask a question and it would lead to their encounter with Jesus! We find them by looking out for them!

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.”
‭‭John‬ ‭4:39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬