HOW DOES CHANGE HAPPEN

Phil 3:7, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

In 1982 while sitting in the congregation of Church On The Rock (COTR) one Sunday morning, I contemplated this thought: “Could God use an individual with many ups and downs in his life as I had? The many mistakes that I had made that included a life of drugs, sex, and rock ‘n’ roll--can such a person really have purpose and meaning in the Kingdom of God? Can God use a life whose incentives were in many fleshly pursuits, and spiritual rejection, divorce and rejection of God’s truths, really?”

At that very moment, I believe God heard those thoughts and He sent an answer. A young woman extended an invitation to attend a Single’s Ministry adult Sunday school class. When I asked the rhetorical question: “Why should I attend such a meeting?” She explained,

“The Single Adult Pastors, Bob and Sue Farrar, are having a tremendous impact in many of the lives of the single men and women in the church, and through their dynamic teaching on relationships, their insight, caring, and prophetic wisdom, has resulted in men, and women experiencing tremendous changes in their lives.”

It was unthinkable at the time to become involved in a group of single and divorced people who were seemingly without purpose. After several weeks of contemplating and hearing about the Farrars in the church services, the invitation continued to be a preoccupy my mind. It soon became a down-to-earth alternative to attend the single adult classes than to languish in a hopeless catharsis of a wasted and lost past.

That was the case for me, and also the case for many who are now believers, the many depressed men and women who have come out of all kinds of perverse lifestyles. The place where one should live is the now and not yet. The Apostle Paul iterates this in Phil 3:7-8;12-14.

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Phil 3:7–8, ESV)

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:12–14, ESV)

The Sunday that I visited the single adult ministry of the Farrars became pivotal. Sue Farrar gave a prophetic word of knowledge during that Sunday morning class meeting.

"I would like all of the men named James to stand up. God has a specific word for several of you, and He has a word especially for someone named James, or several men named James. Today the Lord is calling you out of your death. Like the call to Lazarus who was bound and was dead. His hands and feet were bound with grave clothes, and his face also. I am this day saying to you, put off those grave clothes, and be set free and go forth. He is crying out to you just as He did to Lazarus to come forth."

There were about five or so men who stood that morning. It was a specific, penetrating word from God. At first the utterance could not possibly be for me, but the word from Pastor Sue caused a complete turn-around in my philosophy of participation in the church and with this group of single adult Christians. This also sparked greater involvement in the class, and the ministry surrounding the Farrars discipleship and ministry in that present church attendance.

Pastor Bob Farrar, one of the Associate Pastors and the leader of the COTR Singles’ Ministry later cemented this 180 degree tipping point in my life when he made a call to all persons in the COTR Singles’ Ministry to become discipled in a group process. He challenged the participants to make a commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and to others in this process. This reiterated the prophetic word given by Pastor Sue Farrar and prompted me and other individuals to make a covenant change that would require hard work in prayer, scripture reading, and memory lessons. This commitment would require doing class work from a series of books, The Design for Discipleship, published by The Navigators. At that time, this set of seven books were the premier material on discipleship in the church.[1]

Groups were formed around the Navigators and the Bible as the 2 text with the main purpose of fortifying the believer's life. Most of the participants experienced a renewed hope for the future, deeper relationship with their fellow brothers and sisters, and a strong relationship with God. This discipleship encounter took place between the years of 1982 and 1987. In the ensuing years, the call to discipleship and the call to make disciples has continued to be a strategic, and continuing goal as one of the vital essential needs of the church.

Fast forward to 1992: in a Doctor of Ministry seminar, this strategy for discipleship, and the biblical basis and mechanics of the maturation experienced from 1982 to 1987 with the Farrars, reemerged.[2] In the course, “Pastoral Care, Counseling, and Spiritual Nurture,” I revisited the process that took place with the Farrars. It had fostered the certainty that the disc The Navigators, Design for Discipleship (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1973). A set of seven books and a Leaders Guide published by the Navigators Discipleship process, mentoring, and nurturing are an important part of any ministry’s development and the Christian pilgrimage. The discipling and mentoring relationship can be described as a "big-jug" dispensing its life juices into a "little mug." This process takes time and faithful, devoted leadership to consistently fill and refill the little mug. In some cases, it takes repeated fillings for an individual to know and recognize the value of an active prayer life, and to develop a close relationship with Jesus Christ, others, and the Word of God. It often takes careful bonding and complete transparency on the part of the mentor for individuals to grow to the level of intimacy apparent in the relationships of the disciples with Jesus.

The twelve disciples knew the value of an active prayer life because Jesus modeled that lifestyle before them and taught them how to accomplish what can only be described as a successful and prayerful relationship with his heavenly father just as He did daily.

The men and women who followed Jesus understood the value of that relationship and fellowship, because their lives centered around those things. They closely bonded with one another as a result of their commitment to Jesus, and they understood the importance of the Word of God because it was embodied in Him. Jesus discipled them and developed in them the characteristics that make true disciples.

Study Questions to ponder alone or in a group.

1. When looking at Philippians 3:7 and thinking back on your life and the changes that have brought you where you are today, what was the most significant change relative to your salvation and where you are today?

2. If you are in the matured stage (30+ Years) of your Christian life or walk, what future plans of change do you see in your future?

3. Consider asking your church to offer discipleship principles where individuals become loyal, learning followers of Jesus Christ through prayer, study of the word, group fellowship with believers, and a bold outreach to a world in desperate need of Jesus Christ.

[1]The Navigators, Design for Discipleship. (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1973). A set of seven books and a Leaders Guide published by the Navigators.

[2] “Pastoral Care, Counseling, and Spiritual Nurture.” Doctor of Ministry (DMIN 713). Lecture. Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK., July 1992.