evangelism

Disciple Math

Tammy M CardwellLeave a comment
A pathway leading forward, symbolizing the journey of discipleship and following Jesus

Sometimes following Jesus begins with one step—one invitation
Photo Credit: Judy Keenan

I recently realized something interesting while reading John’s account of how Jesus called His first disciples. Check it out.

  • Andrew and most likely John, the son of Zebedee, were essentially sent to Jesus by John the Baptist (John 1:35-37)
  • Simon Peter was brought to Jesus by Andrew (John 1:40-42)
  • Philip was called by Jesus (John 1:45-48)
  • Nathanael (Bartholomew) was brought to Jesus by Philip (John 1:45-48)
  • John (who had likely already met Jesus) & James, the sons of Zebedee, were officially called by Jesus (Matthew 4:22)
  • Matthew was called by Jesus (Matthew 9:9)

I’m visual and love lists, so now let’s look at how the disciples came to Jesus another way.

Sent to Jesus

  • Andrew
  • John, the son of Zebedee (probably)

Brought to Jesus by another disciple

  • Simon Peter
  • Nathanael

Called first by Jesus

  • Philip
  • James, the son of Zebedee
  • Matthew

We always refer to Jesus calling the disciples, which He obviously did. But when you look at it broken down like this you see something we tend to overlook. Two men were sent to Jesus by John the Baptist. Two others were brought to Jesus by someone who had already met Him.

Only three of the first seven disciples were first approached by Jesus Himself.

Think about that for a moment.

Of the first seven disciples, only three weren’t either sent to Jesus or brought to Jesus by someone else.

That matters.

As Christians, we tend to think of soul winning, witnessing, and sharing the Gospel as the minister’s job. As a whole, we’re pretty slow to reach out—to invite people to come to know our Jesus, to experience this miraculous relationship.

We pass the buck.

But when you look at this “disciple math,” it’s clear we’ve got it all wrong. From the very beginning, God used people to bring people. John the Baptist sent two of his own disciples to Jesus. Andrew went and found Simon. Philip sought out Nathanael.

They didn’t wait for someone else to do it.

They went to those they cared about and shared what they’d found.

We should follow that example. More than that, we should be so excited about this new life we live that we can’t wait to share it, especially with those we care about, but really with whomever God puts in our path.

But if I’m honest, we often don’t.

We know time is short. Whether it’s because all the signs say the Rapture is imminent, or because we understand that no one is guaranteed tomorrow, we know the time is short. And when I look at myself, I see a failure you may recognize in your own life.

My relationship with God is something I say I want to shout from the rooftops, but do I? Really? Not like I should.

I look at the importance of these men drawing others to Jesus and I know I’ve fallen short. Good intentions are great. Failing to follow through on good intentions is not.

It’s time to be like Andrew and find our Simons.

Oh wow. Think about that.

What would early Christianity have looked like if Andrew hadn’t gone to Simon? Would we have been without the Apostle Peter?

Maybe it starts small, with one conversation, one invitation, one name God brings to mind. But it needs to start.

Let’s get out there and find our Simons.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Living Your Witness: The Quiet Power of Influence

Tammy M CardwellLeave a comment

Do you ever think about those who have especially impacted your life?

For me, while untold numbers of people have helped me grow, three people stand out, people who have left eternal marks on my soul and had a definite impact on the direction my spiritual walk has taken. What strikes me about all three is that they weren’t preaching at me. They were simply living their witness.

Three People Who Changed My Walk

The Best Friend – Joy in the Spirit
Marilyn, my best friend, never tried to “sell” me on anything. She simply shared her excitement about what God was doing in her life. I’d been saved years earlier but wasn’t actively living like a Christian. I was what I call a “cultural Christian” at that point.

Her joy stirred a hunger that made me face my mostly in name only Christianity and recognize its inadequacy, how little it satisfied me. She expected me to get excited too, and I did.

The Stranger – Baptism in the Holy Ghost
At a Christian Student Union meeting Ms. Jeannie, a woman I’d never met, taught me about and led me into the baptism in the Holy Ghost. She was our speaker that night and I could tell she was like my best friend in that she had “it.” In spite of my introversion and insecurity, I’d gathered my courage and asked her, “What is the baptism in the Holy Ghost?”

The conversation we had, and the prayer we prayed, changed my life forever. And I’m happy to be able to report that she became a dear friend and is still a vital influence in my life.

The Evangelist – Intimacy with God
The last of my three, Jesse Duplantis, is an evangelist. His messages are always great, but his almost casual references to his conversations with God made me hunger for that kind of walk:

“I want that type of relationship with You, God!
You’re no respecter of persons.
I want that intimate relationship too!”

So I got in the Word more, prayed more, and focused on listening for His “voice,” God speaking directly to my spirit. Over time, that intimacy became my reality – and I love how we talk to each other all day long.

The 1 Thessalonians 5:17 command to pray without ceasing? This is it. Yes, I have a set time that I know I’ll be praying, talking to God about things that matter to us both, but the conversation doesn’t stop there.

The Quiet Power of Living Faith

Other than Brother Jesse, these are normal people you’ll most likely never meet, but their influences in my life still affect how I live and what I share with others.

And those key people reached me not through preaching at me, but by letting me see the reality of God in their lives, by giving me glimpses of possibilities I’d not imagined.

They also taught me one of the most important things about sharing the Gospel.

We start by living it.

Marilyn, Ms. Jeannie, Brother Jesse…
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”
Philippians 1:3

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Message Cards: A Simple Way to Witness

Tammy M Cardwell2 Comments

Sunday’s post on tipping and my latest project come together for this one.

As Christians, we have Good News worth sharing, but the thought of stepping out and speaking up can feel overwhelming. Trust me; I get it. I’m a serious introvert (if you’ve never picked up on that) and sharing Jesus used to intimidate me in a big way. But I discovered that it didn’t have to.

A Missed Opportunity and a New Idea
Many years ago, I realized I was missing a golden opportunity. I ate out frequently and wanted to share Jesus with the servers I met but was too shy to speak up. I am a good tipper and I soon decided I needed something I could leave with my tip.

Note:
If you don’t tip well,
you might want to check out my recent post,
Don’t Let a Bad Tip Ruin a Good Witness.

I settled on what I call message cards; I designed and ordered them fairly inexpensively from VistaPrint. My message was simple: “God loves you so much He asked Jesus to die for you. Jesus loves you so much that He did. John 3:16” After some thought, I decided to include my URL so people would have somewhere to go if they had questions. These little cards became a quiet way for me to witness without feeling awkward or pushy.

I prayed that each card would reach at least one person, then I left them with tips, used them as business cards by jotting my number or email on the back, and at one point even stapled dollar bills to a bunch of them and hid them in products in stores – coat pockets, wallets, etc. (I’m not necessarily advising this, but it was fun!)

These little cards were affordable and easy to hand out, but potentially powerful.

Time for an Upgrade
I recently realized my supply was getting low, and also that it was time for a new look. I had an idea of what I wanted them to say, but no design skills, so I turned to someone I trust implicitly: my son Terry, the owner of PixelDripStudio. He’s working on my website redesign, so he knows my branding (which he also created) and my heart.

I scribbled two lines on the back of one of my old cards and told him, “This is what I want to say.” After asking several questions to help refine the idea, he got to work… and he gave me more than I was expecting.

Watching him work was a joy (If you’re a mom, you know), and I’m proud to be able to share what he created. As silly as it sounds, I’m particularly delighted with the gloss accents! You’ll see them better in these two smaller pictures.

My message is two-fold.

1. John 3:16 is Personal
Yes, God sent Jesus “for the world” but, specifically, He sent Jesus for you. He was thinking of you when He asked His Son to become one of us, to live without sin, to show us how to live, then to give His life – knowing exactly who He was dying for.

…and…

2. Jesus Chose the Cross
Sometimes we gloss over Gethsemane, choosing to pass by the pain, but we shouldn’t. Read Luke 22:41-44 and you’ll see that Jesus was under so much torment in the garden that He sweated drops of blood. (Yes, it’s a real condition! Look up Hematidrosis.) Our Savior knew what was coming, what He would endure. He had every right to back out, but He didn’t. 

“Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.”

He chose the cross. He chose you.

This is the foundation of every piece of encouragement and advice I offer here and in my newsletter. Jesus’ love for us, for you and me, is beyond comprehension. The more I think about what it cost both God and our Lord to free us from bondage to sin the more in awe I am.

The Takeaway
These new cards carry my heart, and my contact information for those who have questions. They present a message that matters and they let me share Jesus without saying a word. 

Evangelism doesn’t have to be scary and hard. It can be as simple as handing someone a card.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C