Decided to share some of personal thoughts & reflections after coming back from yet another inspiring & refreshing youth workers retreat organised by Truthmin at the Le Grandeur, Palm Resort in JB. Where we spent an amazing 4 days & 3 nights interacting with youth workers & leaders from different methodist churches with a couple of our Anglican friends. We also had the wonderful privilege to have our favourite guest speaker Rev Dr Tan Soo Inn who spoke to us a few times before, as he spoke on 5 sessions on the topic of "Discipleship re-defined" .
Besides the good time of catching up with fellow youth workers/leaders from last year retreat, as well as getting to meet new people again. This year we had a lot more space for interacting, listening and dialoguing with each other after each session. And it's always so encouraging to hear how God has called each of us in different churches into ministry be it in full time or as a volunteer.
This specific retreat has also reignited a strong burden in my heart for our youth ministry yet again and reminded me of my calling into ministry. Especially after the last night where we were brainstorming in our own churches on what we can do next to implement such a Discipleship culture in our youth ministry. This has been an area which has been resonating in my heart a lot more in the last couple of years since serving full time as a youth worker. Hearing the similar struggles from fellow youth workers and leaders from the other churches just compels me of the so much more I hope I can do or could have done better for my youth ministry. But having said that, I have been feeling this strong tension that I've to eventually dropped all my commitments in this youth ministry once I start my new season in Seminary on 1 july. Not sure when I can be back again serving in this area of ministry but will hope that I can be back again one day serving in a different capacity in the future.
Below are some of the notes that i've taken from the 5 session talk by Rev Dr Tan Soo Inn, which I hope will encouraged you all as how it has encouraged me!
"Discipleship Re-defined: The Primary relationships of a Disciple" by Rev Dr Tan Soon Inn
Session 1 : Discipleship & the Kingdom Agenda
Matthew 4:12-25
12
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel
of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all
nations, and then the end will come.
Going back to Genesis 1, the garden of Eden
1) Jesus proclaims the good news of the impeding rule of God.
Kingdom of God. Where God is King over man & creation.
2) He bears witness to this impeding rule through deed & word
Jesus demonstrates in Kingdom in DEED & WORD
- He hangs out with children & women
- Even the sinners
- Tax collectors , prostitutes
- the Samaritans (Half Jews)
- the Gentiles
3) He calls people to realign their lives with God to be part of this new beginning.
His agenda has begun, but not yet completed
To
help others to able to live out to the fullest in God's kingdom in
every sphere of living. Helping others to live out Kingdom values
"A church succeeds when they help our people fulfil their calling either in the church or in the world"
4) Jesus calls together a community to be an instrument of the Kingdom
Jesus demonstrates the kingdom.
Our lives should be different, until people ask why we are different.
People need to see the power of the transformation in our lives
5) The church is to continue this mission till Jesus returns.
Are we giving our people the vision of this Kingdom?
Are we allowing our people to be a part of this mission?
We are to demonstrate to people & allow them to follow!
People catch vision from you!
4 kind of leaders:
- Vision casters
- Strategist
- Manager/implementation
- Team builder (make sure the 3 don't "kill" each other)
Session 2: Discipleship and your personal life mission
1) The General Call (Call to follow Christ)
2) The Specific Call (a vocation that is unique to a person; that individual's mission in the world)
3) The immediate responsibilities (how to live moments by moments)
Creation:
Genesis 1&;2
Adam & Eve were called to tend the garden. But different duties.
Personal mission:
Jeremiah 1:1-19
- Called to be a prophet to the nations
Ephesians 2:10
Don't compare to others calling, be true to your own calling.
Focusing on your primary calling
Recognising God's hand in your life!
Believe in faith that Jesus is the author & perfecter of your faith!
Knowing of your wounds, to know that you can get substantial healing in it.
Living a life of on going repentance. (Isaiah 6:1-13)
Being a COG! Child of God is the highest calling anyone can get!
Be careful that "Ministry success can be a drug".
Make sure your joy is not in success, or in meeting needs, but in your relationship with God.
The ABCs of discerning your life mission.
A- Ability
What you do well?
-Natural abilities (creation)
-Acquired skills & knowledge (education)
-Spiritual gifts (Salvation)
What do you well & enjoy doing?
(E.g think back of your 10 most happy moments in your life)
Which
ability, which, when you exercise it, you lose all sense of time? What
do you do that makes a significant impact in the lives of people &
organisations?
What are the things that people say you do well?
B- Burden
(1 Sam 17:12-58; Acts 17:16-34)
What need(s) in the world really bugs you? (Everyone has different convictions)
What needs doing in the world, which you would like to focus on?
What things/issues do you daydream about; wish you had more time to our energy into?
What do you care deeply about?
What would you like to invest your life in?
C-Circumstances
(1 Cor 16:9, Philippians 1:6)
What are the defining moments of your life?
What have you learnt from them?
What are the closed doors and open doors in your life?
Have you been invited to do something that feels right to you?
What
is your personality type? What clues does that give you as to the
kinds of work you should be doing?do the details of your life seem to be
converging to a particular focus?who are they key people in your life?
Have they shared with you what you think you should doing with your
life?
"A humble prophet who prophesy over one sld give one space for discernment still"
Community helps too!
Direction can come:
- Prophetic way (special revelation)
- Faithfully serving God, reflecting God's leading
Nothing in our lives are wasted..
Session 3: Discipleship and the new realities
(See worksheet)
Session 4: Discipleship and your personal timeline
1. A key way of celebrating and releasing the uniqueness of individual disciples
2. Life is lived forward but understood backwards.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards"- Soren Kierkegaard
1. A key way of celebrating and releasing the uniqueness of individual disciples
2. Life is lived forward but understood backwards.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards"- Soren Kierkegaard
(See worksheet)
Session 5: Disciple making--- some basic convictions
1. Basic convictions about discipling
- the first step in any mission is shaping people
- nurturing lives is a "slow & deep work."
- start a grassroots movement not a programme or Organization
- paying attention to individual is key.
- make our churches & fellowship ministries "significant places of learning & growth."
2. What is needed in disciple making?
- 4 keys needs of a disciple
- models
- accountability
- life processing
- encouragement
"Discipling is helping one group in Christ likeness, Mentoring is the processes"
"Spiritual
mentoring in the context of discipling is an intentional, relational
process by which one person takes responsibility for guiding the
spiritual formation of one or several others. It provides It provides a
safe relational context for discipling by providing a context for
encouragement, accountability , life processing & modelling."
3. The 3 directions of discipleship mentoring
- Upward
- Peer
- Downward
4. Discipline making & the church
- teach about the meaning & the importance of disciple making
- use existing small groups & other miniatures of the church to do some level of disciplemaking.
- the pastor & other key leaders must lead the way
Explore the setting up of more formal discipling programmes.
Session 6
Some tips for praying & intercession
- Asking one what one can be prayed for?
- listen to one as one shares, listen to the spirit at the same time & pray specifically
- Following up with one again
1) Ask
2) Listen
3) Discern
4) Pray
5) Follow up
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