Sunday, July 29, 2007

Amazed and filled with joy...

I am amazed and filled with joy over what has transpired over a few short months. Too many stories to tell here, but one that must be told here.

Josh was left for dead in a parking lot after he was given drugs that caused his death. He was revived as some good Samaritan happened to find him laying in that parking lot. Several days later he came to True Vine where he accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior. He was different. He was redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Josh later attended several of our disciples making disciples training sessions. He responded to his need to be baptized in the Spirit. We prayed over him. He cried and cried and laughed and cried. When I asked him what happened to him as we were praying he could not describe it. He had a God encounter that was indescribable.

Josh left that training and immediately went to the hospital to share Jesus, the Jesus in his heart with a friend who was near death and very sick after having a long seizure coupled with kidney failure. Josh was so concerned with JR that he shared Jesus in a matter of life and death way because for JR it was a matter of life and death. Josh could not bear for his friend JR to spend eternity without Jesus.

Josh shared his experience or story about Jesus and how He changed his life and how He brought him from death to life. He told JR that God was going to touch Him in a way that He would know that God is God. JR was so messed up by his long seizure that he was having therapy to learn how to walk again. It almost immediate after Josh spoke the promise of God's touch that JR got out of bed and walked on his own, he needed no more therapy. He was healed.

Josh was so convinced God was going to save JR that he told us with passion that JR would come to Christ soon, he was sure of it.

When JR saw the power of God heal him so that he could walk when the day before he could not, he accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. Here's the take, Josh was saved and filled with the Spirit, Josh got involved in a spiritual way in JR's life and now JR is saved. These two men were once lost and now they are found, they are Christ followers.

See how it works, Pastor Terry led Josh to Jesus, Josh led JR to Jesus (with the help of Pastor Terry) and now it is JR's turn to lead someone to Jesus. Isn't this exciting?

Today in our True Vine gathering (our worship, praise and communion) at the park, Josh baptized JR his new Christ following disciple.

So now you can see why I am amazed and filled with joy. God is a God of miracles, both physically and spiritually. While some argue with our approach on this blog, I have seen more true miracles in this Holy Spirit led disciple making movement than I have in my entire 24 years of ministry. Something truly happens when it is led by the Holy Spirit and perfectly aligned with the supremacy of the Great Commission.

2 Comments:

At July 30, 2007 8:18 AM, Blogger gltnforpnshmnt said...

it is key that you had josh baptize JR.

 
At July 30, 2007 9:36 AM, Blogger Bob Carder said...

Adam, I sure miss you bro!

We believe it is key that the person leading them to Jesus also help their new Christ follower take their first step of obedience in baptism as soon as it is possible.

Let me take it a step further. In the church we miss the boat when we for whatever reason do baptisms once or twice a year. Baptism as a declaration (to the world)of a heart change and commitment to follow Jesus must not be delayed.

Baptism is the first act of obedience every new Christ follower must do to solidify that commitment and receive God's blessing for being obedient. See Matthew 28 There is no real commitment if they will not declare to us what Jesus has done in their lives through baptism.

We believe when a disciple maker leads someone to Jesus they should walk their new disciple through their first act of obedience (Baptism) This is really important because following baptism a one one one discipling relationship continues as long as necessary.

What the disciple maker pours into the new believer's life is what your disciple then pours into the life of someone else.

This really does work just as Jesus commanded.

 

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