Pastor Pusch

Could it be that the answer to the overwhelming majority of issues facing the church can be answered with these two words, “discipling men”?

This is the question I have been asking myself the last few days. Discipling men sounds like an “easy” solution to issues created by the lack of said discipleship. I’ve been reading the book, Pastoring Men by Patrick Morley and I have been challenged even more deeply about the lack of Christian discipleship happening in our churches. The truth is many churches struggle. I know this because I work with hundreds of churches across the country as I try to encourage our pastors and leadership. Churches do struggle. Often times their ministries go unfulfilled; their resources are depleting (or at least not up to par); their pastors are tired and tried by those who, truthfully, are intentional about monopolizing their time and/or make it their life goal to bring him down as he does his best to lead the flock. As a result of weakened discipleship, we’ve allowed personal preference to rule over Godly principles which has lessened our effort to do whatever it takes to win the lost to Christ. (Side Note: We seem to worry more about who to keep out of our churches as opposed to seeing all changed by the power of God we claim to know all about.) Our worship is weak and our faith isn’t much stronger.

All of the above are really secondary issues in light of what really matters most. I believe the answer to the opening question is a resounding YES. While the answer is easy to define, the process of making disciples can be much more complex. What does it mean to be a disciple? It’s much more than showing up at church and knowing the songs. It’s more than giving. It’s more than ministry. It’s more than evangelism. It’s more than being a good husband or a good father. It’s more. It is, as one pastor describes it, being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. It’s making Christ the center of all life to where we “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” It’s more than knowing the language. It’s implementing His message and making our lives more like His; being “doers of the Word and not Hearers only”. It’s counting the cost and picking up the cross. It’s more about giving up than merely showing up. It’s about living the abundant life found in Christ. It’s not about figuring how to place God in our life. It’s all about how we can place our life completely in Him. It’s about pursuing an eternal relationship with the Living Christ. It’s valuing that relationship above all others. Knowing Christ IS the primary issue. We must concern ourselves with discipling and mentoring others in Christ. When that happens, all of the secondaries will fall into place.

A Final Thought: Scripture tells us that if we “delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts.” Delighting ourselves in the Lord is no means to a Ferrari or even 10 bucks. However, when we truly delight ourselves in the Lord, His desires will become our desires as we seek to be more like Him.

“Some things are too sacred to joke about.” – Dr. Robert E. Woodard

“You can tell a lot about a man’s character by what makes them laugh and what makes them cry” – Dr. Robert E. Woodard

The first time I heard the above quotations was about 10 years ago when I began my college experience. While I’m sure I haven’t always lived up to the principles found in those two statements, I haven’t forgotten his impression. I do think there is a lot to be said as they are great words to live by. Dr. Woodard, though a tough professor, was a great encourager and had a heart of gold. I am thankful for the relationship I have with him.

Death would be one of those issues Dr. Woodard would have placed into the sacred category. Death is not just the termination of life here on earth, but it is a beginning of eternity in one of two destinations. Anytime we attend a funeral or learn of somebody dying (celebrity or not), it ought to be a sobering thought.

Surely if you have any sense of awareness of what’s happening in the world around you, you are then well aware of the iconic deaths that have taken place in recent days. Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays all have stepped out into eternity over the last 3-4 days. Where they are, I do not know, however, I do know that Christ was the only avenue into the Father’s paradise for them; I hope they made that discovery.

Making Fun of Death – It took only a few minutes after the pronouncement of death for the jokes to begin circulating concerning the deaths of Billy Mays, Ed McMahon, and especially Michael Jackson (mostly coming from friends who heard them first). In my humble opinion, I think it’s absurd. ”Some things are too sacred to joke about.”

Side Thought 1: While there is great rejoicing that takes place after the deaths of the most notorious evildoers a.k.a. Saddam Hussein or Adolf Hitler, it is still a sobering thought to know that these stood before their creator and all was revealed.

Side Thought 2: Thousands of people step out into eternity every day, notorious or not. That’s sobering or at least it should be.

“Will you give me a drink?”

“You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?”

“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

“Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”

“Anyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

“Sir, give me this water so I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

“Go, call your husband and comeback.”

“I have no husband.”

“You are right when you say that you have no husband. The fact is that you have had five husbands, and the man you know have is not your husbad. What you have just said is quite true.”

“Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claims that the place where we must worship is Jerusalem.”

“Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.  You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and is now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers much worship in spirit and truth.”

“I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

“I who speak to you am He.”
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What do you think about the encounter the Samaritan woman had with Jesus? There is so much that can be said of this particular conversation. There is a certain innocence about the woman as she obviously had no idea what she was dealing. At the same time, I love how Jesus handles this situation, meets her where she is, and uses her circumstances to communicate with her. More can be said, let’s hear it…