I have had a few conversations the past few months with those who are walking with others on a journey of discipleship who have called themselves “rookies”. This is their first time taking the lead role in owning the spiritual growth of others in a very intentional way and they are feeling the pressures of it all.

The context of calling themselves a rookie was to admit that something they did wasn’t the best, they had failed to some degree in engaging those they were leading in what they deemed was not the most effective way. It was not that they were trying to do anything wrong intentionally, but that they simply didn’t know any better – they made what they called a “rookie mistake.”

I could sense in them a pain in their heart. They wanted to do better, they felt that they let the other person down, that perhaps they weren’t the right person to be doing this work.

We all go through these moments. At times I reflect on many things I have begun and how poor a job it must have been – the first time I preached, the first small group I led, the first out front leadership task I took on, the first new staff person I was overseeing. I wince at many of the things that I should have done differently, how perhaps someone else should have stepped in at that moment.

And yet, we can only become proficient at something by first being a rookie – everyone starts as a rookie. We can read all we want on a subject, get guidance and mentoring. At that end of it all, there comes a time when we need to choose to take the risk and be a rookie, or choose to not risk anything and stay out of the game.

I have a lot of respect for those who choose to take the risk of guiding someone else on the journey of faith. It is a spiritual journey that entails going to deep parts of a person that at times are dark. It is a spiritual battle that requires much prayer and sacrifice since someone is choosing to grow close to Jesus and the spiritual forces do not want this to happen. It is a spiritual mystery involving moments of amazing life change that you have a hard time explaining and can’t control.

We will all make rookie mistakes, and years into this great work, we will all make sophomore, junior and senior mistakes. We will never stop learning because God will continually call us deeper. If we ever believe that we have the process fully learned, that is the time we should step aside because we are only fooling ourselves.

Being on the journey of guiding others in their relationship with Jesus is an amazing work. There is so much beauty in choosing this path. So whether you are a rookie or a senior, stay in the game, learn as you go. God will go before you and show you his wonderful power at work in the lives of many.

For the kingdom.

“Movements are always sustained by the third generation. Visionary leaders can easily inspire a group of people to follow them. Sometimes those followers will take up the message and inspire others, but sometimes they don’t. And if they don’t, that new, revolutionary idea will die. It takes “grandchildren” for a movement to gain legs.” From the book A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip by Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, Warren Bird.

I have been a pastor at North Park Community Church in London, Canada for the past 12+ years. During that time, beyond my work assigned to me as a pastor, I have come alongside about 16 guys over these years in a very intentional way. This has involved meeting with just two guys on a weekly basis for about two years. During this time we studied the bible, prayed, reflected on life, served together and in many ways became friends – the goal was that they would become active disciples of Jesus. It was also always my desire that these guys would not simply stop when I finished formally connecting with them but that they would in turn build into others guys as I had with them.

Now that I am more than 12 years into this experience in the same location, I have a unique opportunity to look back to truly see if what I have been doing is working – is the theory that I espoused to and worked hard at living out being shown to work itself out?

As the challenging quote above eludes to, it’s not simply that the guys I built into take on the work of discipling others, it must be demonstrated that the guys they built into also take up the cause and do the work.

It is with joy that I can honestly say that the 3^rd and now the 4^th generation are actually doing the work. That there are guys who really don’t know that I was the one who began something 12 years ago who have benefitted from its impact. That there are guys who believe that this is what they must do, that this is a calling that Jesus gave. That Matthew 28:18-20, as hard as it is to live out, is being lived out. That guys are coming alongside other guys, as Jesus came alongside a few men, and taking a few years to simply share what they know about reading the bible for life impact, and praying beyond themselves, and serving together for the betterment of our city and our local church.

Now I also want to be a realist, not all of the guys that I have come alongside are going strong. And not all of the guys that others have come alongside are engaging in this work either. We aren’t batting 1000, not even close. Yet the impact is growing. Men are stepping up to engage in the week in and week out work of meeting a couple other guys and showing them what it means to be a disciple. There is a movement happening as defined by the quote above. The 3^rd generation is taking hold of the baton and moving it forward. And for this I am excited.

Our church’s mission statement says that we will “inspire, support and mobilize”. How often do we want to continually be inspired, yet who wants to do the hard work of support that ultimately sees others mobilized as well. Let’s not sugar coat life-on-life discipleship – it is hard work. And yet, as one who is now looking back on 12+ years of work, I can honestly say that a movement has started. That he who began a good work is carrying it on to completion. That faithfulness to the cause is resulting in good fruit. That I’m actually sowing what I have been reaping – it is true what Jesus spoke of.

I don’t know how large this movement will grow to. I don’t know how much of a difference it will make and how much it will influence others to also take up the cause. And yet, it doesn’t matter. My call is to make disciples and to do what I can to motivate those I build into to also disciple others. What they do with it will be between them and God. I am simply called to faithfulness to what I believe Jesus instructed me to do. I am but a mustard seed. God can cause it to grow to whatever extent he will choose. I declare this day that I will continue to be faithful and will look forward with anticipation knowing that a movement, no matter how small, has begun.

For the kingdom.