Oh, How They Love Jesus!

We are a discipling church. All churches should be. Everything we do that is rooted in the Scriptural model layed down for us leads to the discipling of people. Even worship, focused on God and for His pleasure alone, is offered acceptably when we learn from Jesus how to do it ("in spirit and in truth"). We can't do anything with confidence that it is acceptable to the Father without having the Word of our Master-Rabbi to assure us.

This being the case, it is essential to our success in the work of discipling that our leaders be focused and purposeful disciples themselves. All those who teach and lead must first be taught and led by the Chief Shepherd Himself. We must be bridges leading to the Man himself. We must be moons reflecting his glory and light. If we are not connected to or illuminated by him, then what can we do for others? What a joy it is for me to see genuine discipleship in the lives of those who lead with me! I see in your deeds and hear in your words the deep desire to learn, grow and draw nearer to Jesus himself. What's more, God has gifted you all to take part in the discipling process in various ways - teaching, encouraging, showing love in tough circumstances, forgiving hurtful sins, etc. These are all parts of the whole work of developing men, women and children who understand what following the Master is all about.

One of my most important jobs - one that I am committed to accomplishing more and more effectively - is to ensure that those who lead and teach are being discipled themselves. We will continue to encourage each other to see Jesus as the source and the goal - "the Beginning and the End" - of all our efforts. We are not primarily interested in passing on our particular church culture or norms, but the culture and norms of the Master himself. Our church-specific culture and norms (unless in violation of the Scriptural model) are good and positive, but not necessarily the only good and positive culture and norms out there. His kingdom's culture and norms, though, ARE exclusively acceptable, and so we will commit ourselves entirely to the work of promoting and abiding by them. As we do, more and more people will think and say, "Oh, how they love Jesus!" What sweeter words can be spoken about us than those?

Each and Every Part

Lee Cockerell, a former executive vice president of operations at Disney World, wrote a book titled Creating Magic. This book is a guide to leadership based on the principles he helped develop - principles that are taught at the Disney Institute. One of the key principles he highlights is that everyone is valuable in every organization. He went so far as to claim that the person sweeping up the grounds is as important to Disney World's success as is the president of the company. Each plays an important role, he argues, or else why would the company bother to hire someone for the job?

Here at New Hope, our goals are different than those of the 'cast' members of Disney World. We don't aim to give people the best vacation of their lives or to make a profit for any shareholders. No, we aim to be and to make competent, confident and committed disciples of Jesus Christ. We long to make an eternal profit for our King. Not surprisingly, however, Cockerell's principle holds true here in a little church in Lancaster, CA just as it does in the world's largest resort in Orlando, FL. It's not surprising because this principle of everyone's importance is expressed in the Scriptures. Wasn't it Paul who wrote about the members of a church being the parts of a body - each having its own function and each needing the others? Paul spoke for Christ who spoke for the Father.

I'm thrilled to be able to see this principle in action all around me at New Hope. I watch as one hugs and greets, another speaks words of encouragement, another prays for someone as soon as a need is made known. I appreciate so much that there are those who disciple our children and show them uncommon love while others do the same for our youth and adults. There are those who are generous with their personal resources to help fund the church's ministries or to meet an individual's urgent needs. People are fixing eight-foot light bulbs, they're cleaning out storage closets, and they're teaching small groups about Christ and His Kingdom. They are selecting and teaching music or they're learning music; they're passing out pamphlets and serving the elements of communion. On and on this list might go, proving that every member who serves in any capacity is essential to our success because the body needs every part. Indeed, the body could do even more if more of her parts were engaged in the work as well (and we're working on that). May God help us value each other as we ought. May He open each person's eyes to the value he/she has in this Kingdom work we share. May He grant you the joy and deep satisfaction that comes from realizing that your work, done for the eyes of your Father who is unseen, will be richly rewarded. Amen.