One of the men who is a spiritual father to me, Tom Johnston, said if we are to live a lifestyle of discipleship it would be worth our time ask these three questions of people that we meet.
- Who is this person in Christ? Is he or she a new Christian or a longtime Christian with a mature faith or somewhere in between? Maybe he or she is not a Christian at all. Knowing where they are at will help give you discernment about how to disciple that person.
- What has Christ done and is currently doing in this person that I can partner with? This question has been particularly helpful to me. We should not be under the impression that we are expected to be able to help everyone with everything. God has given each of us spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, personalities, and experiences that make us equipped to handle certain people, challenges, or questions well. We need to know and embrace the grace that God has gifted us with so that we can discern how we can best come alongside people. We cannot meet every need that comes along. But we all can meet some. That said, I have been learning that God tends to bring people who fit my gifting into my life. I do not spend time looking for them.
- What does Christ want to do through this person? This question is about knowing she or he well enough to help equip them to do the kingdom work that God has designed and gifted them to do.
I have found these questions very helpful. Perhaps you will too. As you can tell, if you are going to answer these questions you are going to have to spend some time getting to know them. My suggestion: get together for dinner, meet for a cup of coffee, or even a beer. Somewhere where you and whoever you are getting together with can be yourselves, be personal, be friendly, be relaxed, and listen. For me, it is often at the Smokeshop over a cigar, but you go where God leads you.
Learning To Be Full Of Grace And Truth. 