Disciple-makers are invisible, possibly 'failures' by the standards of Christendom

Being a disciple-maker, you are invisible. You are not on a platform, but you are doing the essential, daily nurturing, edifying labour which is sourced from the Lord’s passionate love for the young ones He has brought alongside for the season. You are continually giving of your time, in my husband's case---hardly ever programmed---continually, by phone, visit, email, and rarely in a formal ‘spiritual’ gathering. Sometimes we do 'meetings' (these days we like to have a no-leadership-structure when these happen)

There is no glory; or wonderful expression of your anointing manifested to an amazed crowd, by your profound messages, little if any recognition; rather you share one on one, pouring into the people the Lord has brought alongside for the season.

Then inevitably there is (for me) that dreaded sense that again this beautiful season where the Spirit of the Lord has rested so sweetly, powerfully and beautifully on your tiny group, is coming to an end; and sure enough the little flock is sent out in various directions, and ‘your’ tiny church is emptied yet again.

Many people believed we lost our way from our call, or have been 'passive', and 'failed'. Contempt is poured on our minute numbers by more 'successful' leaders, especially when even the few we had didn't form the foundation of a 'church plant'! They ran off to do their Lord's bidding!

This has happened to us repeatedly.

In our ministry MANY of these dear ones, over 2 decades, remain friends and loved family, Kumar regularly chats to them, thanks to the Facebook and email (they tend to turn to the 'wise' dad figure though I know they love me too). We have a large family spread across the globe who we love, not a concrete building with a structure of activity.

For any of our friends who have wondered why we haven’t planted a church, how we've 'failed'---we are called first as disciple-makers, and in our experience it has left no time or room for building a 'church', whatever that is. And we have been so blessed by the presence of the Lord in our ministry.

Comment by Steve Queen on September 8, 2008 at 7:35pm: Your post is encouraging. My family and I have been on this simple/house/organic journey since April 2008. I can see even in this short time that we will probably experience what you write about. Thank God, the prospect of FUNCTIONAL disciples being spread all over the state, the nation and the world can be a reality!

Comment by Laura S on September 9, 2008 at 1:08am: Hi Steve, some would theorise that what we do is the 'pastoral' ministry but sadly not as part of an apostolic team (which I guess, would be building one of those institutions we call 'church'). True or not, the strength of what we do here in the Western world is that we are not prosletysing anybody into an institution, an activity feared and hated here in UK. We are also being light and salt of the Kingdom of God in the world, largely invisible as God zaps powerfully in situations we find ourselves in. I've watched awed as God has dealt with longstanding issues that He has brought us in on towards their conclusion. Just do/be what the Spirit is 'unctioning' deep within you. God is building His Church and spreading the Kingdom of God, we live and move in Him.

Comment by Kumar on September 9, 2008 at 4:35am: Just to add to what my wife, Laura, has written in her blog, of a interesting conversation I had recently, with one of the leaders, after a church meeting to which I was invited to, asked me of the way Laura and I do 'church' and how many people do I have in our church?

I said, "Firstly, it is the Lord who gathers the people. It is always these 4 groups of people that God brings into our path -A) the lost; B) the backslidden; C) those who have left church and looking for an alternate way meeting with no fuss, programmes, structures and D) those who are hungry to become disciples of Jesus."
I told him that even some local pastors/leaders of church has asked us to disciple their youth leaders and interested to know the way we disciple. He thought that was interesting.

It was my answer to his 2nd question of how many people do we have in our fellowship/church baffled him.
I replied, "our church is Empty. It was full and now its empty and it has been like these with every 'church plant' since 1990 here in UK'"
The brother had this perplexed look on his face and said "What do you mean by empty?"
I said, "Empty!"
Still looking baffled as though he thought I was trying to wind him up, I continued, "we have released all those whom the Lord has sent to us to be discipled, to go and do the Lord's work and they are still keepin in touch with us and the testimonies of what God is doing in thier lives is so wonderful and encouraging and see them mature in the Lord."
I then continued, "Like Paul in the scriptures, I thank God for their lives that is producing fruits that will last for eternity."
I said," God has not called us to contain His people BUT to release them all to go and fulfill the Great Commission."
I said to him jokingly if you want to know the name of the church that my wife and I pastor, we are pastors of the "Full Empty Church Fellowship". Come and be Emptied to do God's work.
Kumar

Comment by Cara on October 15, 2008 at 2:49am: Well, I have known Laura and Kumar for YEARS...they have such a passion for Christ and have been through so much, People just wander in and out of their house and fellowship. These guys give everything.. Life has no class here.. Im talking about Grass Roots and Gravel !!!

Comment by Solomon Gopaul on January 20, 2010 at 8:23am: Hi Laura
I am planning a trip to the UK in May and will keep you informed. I like your thoughts on discipleship and the one on one system works for me. Quality is of utmost importance. I identify with the comment on "Little Flock" the very words of our Lord. Many will not hear the heart beat of God only those who like John the Beloved who put his head on the bosom of Christ. There will always be that little flock, the first fruit or the remnant that want more than just a good meeting but desire truth (only Christ) in their inner most being
Regards
Solly, Durban South Afric

Disciple-makers are invisible, possibly 'failures' by the standards of Christendom

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