SUMMER 2012
a publication of
Reflecting the Character of Christ Are You More Like Jesus Than You Were a Year Ago? We Need More of Our Own People! Growing in Kingdom Character: A Conversation with Author Tom Yeakley
INDIVIDUAL
W
IMPACT
A few years ago, spiritual formation was a hot
thing about their character. We called them “god-
topic among followers of Jesus. The phrase refers—
ly” men and women. What made them special was
at least in part—to the formation of the spirit, the
that they reflected the character of Christ. When
heart, the will, the emotions, and the intellect of a
you spent time with them, you had the sense
believer. One of the driving forces behind this spiri-
that Jesus had been there, too. They challenged
influenced your
tual formation is the practice of spiritual disciplines
you without issuing challenges. They humbled
spiritual growth,
such as prayer, meditation, Bible study, and fasting.
you without humiliating you. And when you left
Dozens of wonderful books and Bible studies
them—yes, you wanted to be more like them—but
have been written about spiritual formation. Doz-
really you wanted to be more like Jesus. These in-
ens more have been written about the spiritual
dividuals always made me think of the description
disciplines that contribute to that formation. For
of a couple of the early disciples of Jesus:
hen you think
about what has
what things top
the list?
me, however, there was something even more influential in the formation of my spiritual life: the
When they saw the courage of Peter and John
impact of individuals.
and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary
Some of my most formative years, spiritually,
men, they were astonished and they took note
were spent around The Navigators in college. As
that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13).
you might expect, being involved in Navigator ministry meant spending a lot of time in Bible
Peter and John had been with Jesus. They re-
study, in cultivating a personal devotional life,
flected His character. As followers of Jesus, we
in prayer, in Scripture memory and meditation.
want to live lives of influence. We want those with
There were individuals that were really good at Bi-
whom we come into contact to know Jesus. We
ble study. Some were gifted at sharing the Gospel.
want to influence those who know Him (includ-
Others were prayer warriors. Some always gleaned
ing ourselves) so that they become more like Him.
(and shared) deep thoughts from their daily devo-
But it’s not our tools, our disciplines, or our com-
tions. Naturally, there were those who memorized
mitment that makes that happen. It’s being with
and quoted Scripture fluently. No matter what the
Jesus that makes it happen. And sometimes that
spiritual discipline, someone did it well, and we
happens as we rub shoulders with others who have
respected and admired that.
been with Him and reflect His character. We hope
There was, however, a special group of individ-
you enjoy rubbing shoulders with some individu-
uals that stood out. It wasn’t their mastery of the
als who reflect the character of Christ in this issue
disciplines that made them unique. It was some-
of Disciple! D! Dig Deeper at my.navigators.org/disciple
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FOLLOWING JESUS IN TODAY’S WORLD
Reflecting the Character
R
of Jesus
eflecting the character of Jesus in a broken world is what being a disciple is all about. When we’re overcome and harried by life, God often brings us to a point of reckoning. He doesn’t want us to lead superficial, unexamined lives. He wants us to know ourselves honestly and realize that we are entirely dependent on Him every hour. It is so important for us to understand the final goal of our desire and yearning for God. As we pursue Him—even at our lowest moments—He is committed to growing each of us into a person who reflects His character. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were more interested in ritual than relationship. Their “spirituality” had little to do with knowing God and becoming like Him. Sadly, that tendency toward legalism and superficial piety remains a common substitute for life-giving faith today. Jesus exposed the emptiness of religious rituals that were devoid of changed hearts and new lives. Jesus challenged His listeners and His disciples, saying, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Then He set the bar even higher commanding them, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Jesus has a clear agenda for the lives of His followers— radical transformation. He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:9). Jesus wants our lives to be characterized by a deep longing for God and His powerful life-changing presence—something the Pharisees couldn’t even imagine. Our longing for God finds its greatest satisfaction as we pursue Him in the Scriptures. The lifeblood of our relationship with God is prayerful communication with Him and faith in His promises. God’s hope and longing for us is that we become more and more like Jesus. In His hands and by His Spirit we are transformed, we become useful to Him, we become world changers and world influencers, like Jesus. Doug Nuenke U.S. President, The Navigators Adapted from Doug’s book, Making Waves. See more at my.navigators.org/make.
FIELD NOTES NOTES
“No, we need more of our own people!”
Navigators most often engage with
could finish my thought, my friend popped
people who will never go on to join
his head out of his open Bible to interrupt:
Navigator staff. These people are Navi-
“This fits my country now!”
gators at heart—but they earn their living doing something else. In some
A bit startled, I asked him for some clarification.
cases, God has called these people to
“There is a cult in my country that
other vocations. For others, a “con-
tricks people into following them and giv-
ventional” Navigator-style ministry
ing them all their possessions. They espe-
wouldn’t be effective in their environ-
cially target college students because they
ment. And in some cases, it simply
are just beginning to think for themselves,”
wouldn’t be allowed.
he explained. “And there are so many stu-
And yet, these people receive the
dents there,” he continued. “It reminds
same personal instruction, attention,
me of that place in the Bible that says the
and life-on-life training as those who
fields are white for harvest . . . ”
become staff members. We like to call them “natural laborers.”
Then it struck me: my friend was seeing the need for laborers in his home
You can find an example of this at
country. When I suggested sending
a university in the Midwest where one
more American missionaries to fill that
Navigator staff member invests his
gap, he emphatically concluded, “No,
life in students who will return to a
we need more of our own people!”
country where the Gospel cannot be
While this man may remain in
openly proclaimed. “David”* shared
America for now, he is drawn toward
the following story recently:
having a spiritual impact on future
After reading Matthew 24 and discussing its implications with my friend, I drew our attention to verse four. “There will be deceivers,” I began, but before I
generations in his home country. D! * In order to protect the privacy and safety of the people with whom he works, we have not used his real name.
Join the conversation with Doug at blogs.navigators.org/DougNuenke/blog my. n av i gato r s .o rg/ d i s c i pl e
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by matt bell
FOLLOWING FIELD NOTESJESUS IN TODAY’S WORLD
The Purpose of Money: Does Our Consumption Reflect Christ? Early in my journey of learning about money, I noticed a very odd disconnect: On one hand, there’s no shortage of personal finance information out there. On the other hand, lots of people struggle with money. Eventually I realized that knowledge about money isn’t enough. We need to fully understand the financial side of our identity in Christ and the purpose of our lives. Our culture calls us consumers. To consume means to use up, devour, or spend wastefully. How’s that working out for us? Consumer is more than a word; it’s a worldview.
We need to fully understand the financial side of our identity in Christ. If I’m a consumer, I am the most important person in the world. Life is all about me—my pleasure, my comfort, my happiness. If I’m a consumer, happiness is found in money and stuff. And if I’m a consumer, life is about competition. I’m happiest when I have more than others have 4 | d i s c i pl e! | s u m m er 2 012
and more than I had before. And yet, the Bible says these are the exact wrong priorities for anyone seeking a meaningful, purposeful life. From a financial perspective, the Bible describes us as stewards, or managers. God has entrusted us with His resources in order to fulfill His purposes. When Jesus was asked directly what’s most important in life, He said to love God. He then said our second most important priority is to love others. And the Bible says we’ve all been given talents and passions in order to make a difference with our lives. Since those are the three overarching purposes of our life, they are the three overarching purposes of money. We are to use money to love God, love others, and make our unique contribution to the world. If you were to honestly evaluate your current use of money, how well does it line up with these three purposes? D! Matt Bell is Associate Editor at Sound Mind Investing (www.SoundMindInvesting.com), the investment newsletter from a biblical perspective. He is also the author of three personal finance books published by NavPress. my.navigators.org/mattbell
O
By Donald S. Whitney ne early explorer to the North Pole, who charted his journey hourly to ensure that he stayed on course, experienced a strange phenomenon. His instruments indicated that although he had been walking north,
he was actually farther south than
he had been an hour before.
He continued to get farther from the Pole. He discovered that he had ventured onto an enormous iceberg that was drifting south as he was walking north. There is a world of difference between activity and progress. The Christian life is meant to be one of growth and progress. We are even commanded in 2 Peter 3:18, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” How can we know that we are growing in grace—that we are making real progress and not merely deceiving ourselves with activity? The following questions can help you discern whether you are maturing spiritually. 1. Are you more thirsty for God than ever before? The writer of Psalm 42:1 said, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” Have you been thirsting for God like that? Is He your passion? If so, your soul-thirst is a sign of soul-growth. Do you yearn to know Jesus Christ more intimately? In spite of all of his maturity in Christ, in spite of all he had seen
Are You
Than You Were A Ye ar Ago? and experienced, the apostle Paul declared late in life, “I want to know Christ” (Philippians 3:10). Didn’t he already know Jesus better than most of us ever will? Of course he did. But the more he knew Jesus, the more he wanted to know Him. 2. Are you more loving? The mark of a Christian is love. “Dear friends,” urged the apostle John, “let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God” (1 John 4:7). If you are growing in love you are growing in grace. Can you recall recent instances of Christlike love in your life? Have there been occasions when you’ve sacrificed your own preferences, plans, or rights for those of others? These are mileposts on the journey in grace. 3. Are you more sensitive to and aware of God? The grace of God causes us, who were once dead to God, to be “alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). One result of this new life is the glorious invasion of our souls by the Holy Spirit. His resident presence can give us a sense of being “alive to God” in daily life. As you read this, you are bombarded by radio and television signals, cell phone conversations, and satellite transmissions. You are entirely unaware of them, for you aren’t built to receive them. Once you are “alive to God,” the Spirit makes you alive to God’s presence everywhere. Not that you are always sensitive to and aware of God, but if you find yourself noticing and often choosing to enjoy the Spirit’s promptings, chances are you’re growing spiritually.
4. Are you governed more and more by God’s Word? Before we are made alive to God, we’re controlled mostly by what we want. But after we become alive to Him, we have a new desire to be governed b y His will. The true Christian has a new compulsion to do what God wants him to do. A classic text on the sufficiency of Scripture for the Christian is 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training are all growth-related words. When you are growing as a child of God, you can regularly point to how the Word of God has been teaching you, reproving you for sin, and showing you how to correct mistakes in your life. You can point to how the Bible has been training you to live in new ways God says are right. Can you point to specific ways the Word of God has been doing this in your life during the past months? If so, you are growing in grace. 5. Are you concerned more and more with the physical and spiritual needs of others? In Luke 9:11 we read of Jesus encountering a crowd of people: “He welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.” This was typical of Jesus. He taught them God’s truth and often He would heal or feed them. He was concerned primarily with their spiritual needs but cared deeply about their physical needs, too.
The more we become like Jesus the more concerned we will be about the physical and spiritual needs of others. Have you been demonstrating a concern for the physical and spiritual needs of others DONALD WHITNEY through helping to provide for someone’s food, clothing, shelter, or health needs? Have you proven it through praying, giving, witnessing, or encouraging? A sure sign of Christian growth is seeing needs you never saw before and beginning to meet them. Growth in grace happens intentionally, not automatically. Like the explorer on the iceberg, you can drift away from spiritual progress, but you never drift forward. Without purpose and occasional evaluation, you’ll eventually find that, despite your activity, you’ve been carried away from Christlikeness. The question isn’t how quickly are you growing, but rather are you growing? Regardless of your maturity, what is past is past. You can start fresh today. D! Adapted from 10 Questions To Ask To Make Sure You’re Still Growing, in Discipleship Journal, Jan.-Feb. 1997. Use by permission of NavPress.
Want to expand your study on this topic? Download a FREE chapter from Donald Whitney’s Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health at my.navigators.org/donaldwhitney.
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g r o win g k in g d o m
T
om Yeakley and his wife, Dana, have coached and devel-
oped emerging leaders with The Navigators for more than 30 years—both in the United States and internationally. Tom’s book, Growing Kingdom
Character, addresses the critical importance personal character plays in the lives of leaders— or any follower of Jesus. Tom shared with us why character is so crucial.
Character Disciple!: Why is character such a big issue for emerging leaders?
Tom: The felt need that emerging leaders have is for competency or skill development. They’re often asked to take on responsibilities that they haven’t had before (such as leading a Bible study). So they work on the skill. If they’re successful, they get more responsibility—and have to learn new skills. As their responsibility grows they influence more people. But what’s interesting is that as leaders get older—and perhaps reach the pinnacle of their influence—what causes them to stumble are flaws in the character, not flaws in their skills. Leaders can pass on skills and delegate responsibilities to others. But you can’t delegate the development of your character to someone else. D!: As you meet with emerging leaders, do you find that they have misconceptions about character development? Tom: We make the assumption that as we get older we’ll also be wiser and somehow naturally be more like Jesus. But it doesn’t “just happen.” We have to be intentional about becoming more like Christ. Unfortunately, we’re really not very objective about ourselves. That’s why we need mentors— people we can connect with at a heart level. And we need to give them permission to address not just our skills and knowledge but our character. D!: It sounds like maybe you had some first-hand experience with that. Tom: When Dana and I were in our 20s we approached a Navigator staff couple about meeting with us weekly—both individually and as a couple. It was a formational time with a very intentional focus on developing Christ-like character in our lives. The Bible study and Scripture memory we
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engaged in were critical later when our character was tested. And the real test of character is what you do when you’re alone—when nobody is watching.
D!: There are certain character traits you focus on in your book. Why did you pick those? Tom: The character traits in the book aren’t an allinclusive list, but they help us know where to start. And some of these traits are absolutely essential. Love, for instance, is a character trait that separates Kingdom leaders from marketplace leaders. Integrity is probably the number one trait that followers look for. And being a servant is another Kingdom characteristic Jesus talked a lot about. It’s so important because being a servant leader is not just an activity—it’s an identity. D!: Do you think there’s a “character crisis” in the Church today? Tom: Sure, but the thing is, there always has been. It’s just that leaders today are much more on display. Character counts. It always has and always will. D!
Developing Leadership that Lasts Most leaders fail at the pinnacle of their influence, not because of a lack of leadership skills but because of character flaws. When it comes to leadership impact, it’s character that counts. Drawing on 30 years of personal discipling and mentoring, Tom Yeakley delivers teaching, application exercises, and Bible studies on ten essential character qualities that make this handbook a must-have for anyone involved in shaping the lives of future Kingdom leaders. Order Tom’s book, download a FREE chapter, or check out The Nuts and Bolts of One-to-One Discipling at my.navigators.org/tomyeakley
Resources for Today’s Disciple
When it comes to living out our faith, we all need a little extra help at times. Here are some resources to help you pursue a deeper walk with God.
blogs If you’re looking for inspiration and insight into what it means to reflect the character of Jesus in your world, consider the following blogs: Making Waves Doug Nuenke, U.S. president of The Navigators, shares his personal reflections on what it means to walk with God and help others do the same. my.navigators.org/make Downstream Barry Sneed, executive vice president of NavPress, offers his thoughts on disciplemaking, life transformation, and environments of grace and trust. http://blogs.navpress.com/barrysneed/My-Blog
video The New Me Videos These are powerful scriptural and visual montages about what it means to become more like Christ. The New Me videos invite you to bridge the gap between frustrating old feelings and emerging new realities of who Jesus is and who you are. Use them as personal meditation tools or to begin conversations about where you long for change and fresh tastes of God. The New Me Part 1 my.navigators.org/newme
books Revolution of Character by Dallas Willard with Don Simpson If we want our character to reflect Christ’s, we need to discover His pattern for spiritual transformation. Real change comes when we give our heart, mind, body, social life, and soul thoughtful and prayerful exposure to God’s transforming work. my.navigators.org/dallaswillard Christlike by Bill Hull The final court of whether or not you are becoming like Jesus is not attending another church program but how you act in daily life. Christlike helps you change your outward actions through inner spiritual growth and an uncomplicated obedience in your relationship with God. my.navigators.org/billhull
bible studies Experiencing God’s Attributes by Warren and Ruth Myers Gain a better understanding of God by studying His attributes. This study provides 13 opportunities for discovery. my.navigators.org/ruthmyers Becoming More Like Jesus by Michael M. Smith This study will help you understand Jesus’ teachings on character and evaluate your life from that perspective. Explore love, humility, and integrity while learning to avoid negative character traits. my.navigators.org/mikesmith
booklets Christlikeness by Jim White This small booklet has a huge impact. If you’re looking for a powerful, quick-to-read summary of what it means to reflect the character of Christ, this booklet—packed with real-life stories—is just what you need. And the small price makes it a great giveaway for members of your Sunday school class or small group study. my.navigators.org/jimwhite
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save the dates
upcoming navigator retreats and events
G et t o g et h e r w i t h like-minded people to pursue a deeper walk with God at Glen Eyrie Conference Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Here are just a few of the upcoming events. Closer: A Marriage Prayer Retreat A married couple that regularly prays—both alone and together— is best positioned to have a deeply fulfilling and blessed marriage. This
retreat is designed to help you grow in your prayer life. July 27-29, 2012 October 26-28, 2012 Marriage GetAway Do you wish you had more time to focus on your relationships with God and with your spouse? Marriage GetAway is the perfect romantic retreat. August 12-15, 2012 (Sun.–Wed.) September 13-16, 2012 (Thu.–Sun.) October 11-14, 2012 (Thu.–Sun.) November 8-11, 2012 (Thu.–Sun.)
Summit Worldview Conference In a world of constant crises and change, Christians must be able to explain how God’s word speaks to current ideas and issues. Equip yourself to engage successfully in this battle for hearts and minds at Summit Ministries’ Adult Worldview Conference. February 24-March 1, 2013
Physicians’ Discipleship Conference As a doctor, the demands on your time are heavy and constant. This event is the perfect way to refocus your professional and personal lives by tapping into the peace and perseverance found through Jesus Christ. February 21-24, 2013
For more information, please call Glen Eyrie Conference Center toll-free at 1-877-488-8787 or visit www.gleneyrie.org.
Join Greg Laurie and The Navigators for Harvest America, August 26, 2012
Be part of reaching millions with the Gospel— right where you are!
Earlier this year, NavPress, the publishing arm of The Navigators, announced that they would be creating an online study guide to accompany pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie’s book, Start! to Follow: How to Be a Successful Follower of Jesus Christ. The study guide will be used as follow-up material for Harvest
Crusade’s Harvest America event that kicks off this August and hopes to reach millions across America with the Gospel over the next three years. A significant part of this endeavor depends on the support and involvement of local churches across the country. Currently more than 600 churches have committed to participate in the efforts to reach millions of Americans over the next 1,000 days. NavPress is pleased to continue promoting this event while developing the study guide that will be a key component of helping those who come to faith in Christ as a result of this event become established as disciples of Christ.
As both an evangelist and a pastor, Greg Laurie has voiced his commitment to see individuals come forward to follow Christ and to continue on, growing in spiritual maturity. That’s why, Laurie says, “I’m so excited to partner with an organization such as The Navigators that understands the importance of evangelism and discipleship.” D! To try out the new study guide, download a free sample at my.navigators.org/starttofollow. If you or your local church would like to participate in this important event, visit www.harvestamerica.com for more information.
Copyright © 2012. Chief Development Officer: Jim Young; Editor: Mike Smith; Art Director: Anne Meskey Elhajoui; Electronic Production: Steve Learned; Memberships: Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and Evangelical Fellowship of Missions Agencies. The Navigators • P.O. Box 6000, Colorado Springs, CO 80934. www.navigators.org Feedback or Story Ideas? Email us at info@navigators.org. 8 | d i s c i pl e! | s u m m er 2 012