ABOUT THIS EPISODE
What if revival begins with one surrendered relationship? In this episode of the History Makers Leadership Podcast, Daniel and Norival explore the difference between simply adding believers and multiplying disciples who make disciples. Through honest reflection on church growth, consumer Christianity, the Great Commission, and Disciple Making Movements, they challenge leaders to move beyond programs and into intentional, relational investment.
You will discover why multiplication requires more than activity, why discipleship begins with availability, and how God often uses the relationships already in front of us to create lasting kingdom impact. This conversation offers practical encouragement for pastors, ministry leaders, and everyday followers of Jesus who long to see revival take root in their own lives and communities. Tune in to gain insights on building a discipleship culture that continues from life to life.
Join a community of leaders who are ready to change history and make an impact in this world. When you take part in ILI training, you will discover how ILI's Eight Core Values will help you transform your leadership. Discover more at ILITeam.org/discover.
SHOW NOTES 🔗
TRANSCRIPT 🔗
00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:06.879
Man, we hear about revival all around us, but sometimes in our own lives, we look around and we go, man, God, I'm not seeing it around me.
00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:08.000
Is there something wrong?
00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:14.400
On today's episode of the History Makers Leadership Podcast, we're going to look at addition, we're going to look at multiplication, and I'm not just talking math terms.
00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:29.199
I'm talking what is the kingdom mindset that God's called us to and what are some lessons that we can take away in our own life, in the ministries we lead, in the businesses we lead, and in the disciples we make, so that we can see that revival taking place in our own life and in the community around us.
00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:37.119
Norval, I'm I'm thankful to be here again with you.
00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:39.439
Uh, it's been incredible.
00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.119
Uh, I've had just some recent travel, uh, and I think you know that.
00:00:43.359 --> 00:01:07.359
And uh, as I go around, it's been a really interesting thing to watch as Christian leaders, whether it's in Europe that we spent some time with there, or uh in Texas where I've spent some time recently, or even in parts of the Middle East, or uh in each of these contexts, I'm watching leaders who are really trying to answer this question uh, how do we accomplish this good work that God has called us to?
00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:12.159
He's called the church uh to go and make disciples of all nations, and they're all pursuing that.
00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:21.840
And we've got some similarities, we've got some differences, but in all these places we see people really energetically uh chasing that down and and trying to run after it.
00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:29.599
Uh, and at the same time, um, there can be moments where it feels like there's real success in some places and real challenge in others.
00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:35.519
Um, I'd love to have just a little bit of a conversation today around um just some ideas for church growth.
00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:36.159
What does that mean?
00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:37.200
What does that look like?
00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:44.239
Uh, what are some ways that, I mean, in your faithful leadership over the past 20, 30 years, how have you seen that navigated well?
00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:52.079
And what are some of the unique ways that, you know, uh we work with leaders and walk with leaders to navigate finding effective church growth strategies?
00:01:52.879 --> 00:02:13.520
Well, you know, um you and I have have uh recently um heard this conversation about church growth, and uh the in the last 70 years, um a science developed of church growth, particularly in America.
00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:15.120
So the church has grown.
00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:23.360
Yeah, and yet uh two-thirds of planet Earth still isn't following Jesus, right?
00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:29.439
And the majority, not because they have seen Jesus and said no.
00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:36.000
Uh, there's one-third of the population of of the planet who is called unreached.
00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:43.840
And they are basically, they don't know who Jesus was or is, they don't know anything about it.
00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:48.800
Um, in many cases, they have no access.
00:02:49.360 --> 00:03:00.319
Of course, they don't have access to the Bible, yeah, they don't have access to Christian literature, and in many cases, they don't know a single Christian.
00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:03.759
Um, so that's one part of the world.
00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:19.919
And then in in another part of the world, they know plenty of Christians, and so we may end up with the dilemma that a third of the world doesn't have Jesus because they've never heard about him, they've never met a Christian.
00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:20.319
Yeah.
00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:27.360
And then there's there's another third that don't want anything to do with Jesus because they they met some Christians.
00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:34.080
Kind of a skeptic way to say it, but they are they are accessible.
00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:37.439
The gospel is accessible to all of these people.
00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.000
And yet they haven't been, they haven't accessed it.
00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:43.840
They haven't been able to access it.
00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:48.560
Well, and I and I wonder sometimes if it's if it's something that we've done, right?
00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:49.919
I I've recently heard about something.
00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:51.280
It's called Goodhart's Law.
00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:55.120
Goodhart was a British economist in, I guess, the 1960s, 1970s.
00:03:55.199 --> 00:03:57.680
I don't know exactly when he lived, but this is this is what he stated.
00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:03.120
He said, when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.
00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:07.759
When a measure becomes the target, it ceases to be a good measure.
00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:23.199
And I reflect on that, and over the past couple of weeks, it just hasn't left my mind because I think of how many moments does does that happen in my life as a Christian leader, and particularly uh within within our church structures, where we go, wait a second, what are the things that we begin to measure?
00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:23.519
Right?
00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:24.720
Now I'm not against measurement.
00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:27.040
Obviously, we got whole books of the Bible called numbers.
00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:35.439
God is for measurement, but when that becomes a target, how can that begin to skew uh some of the things that that that the body's doing?
00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:57.279
Well, one of the one of the critiques that I've heard of the of the of about the focus on unreached people groups has been that it has been a focus on reaching them alone, which is honestly it's an it's a it's an addictive, or not in the terms of addiction, in the terms of addition.
00:04:57.680 --> 00:04:58.399
Ah, okay.
00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:03.680
It's an additive mentality as opposed to a multiplicative mentality.
00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:05.519
Okay, so I want to pause here for a second.
00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:14.319
We're talking about two mentalities, an an additive or an addition mentality and uh uh a multiplication or multiplicity uh mentality.
00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:16.240
Help help break these down for me, real quick.
00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:17.519
What's this addition mentality?
00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:29.519
Well, you know, you know, that when uh uh I don't I don't I don't even know who coined the term, but you know, we've heard from a million sources over the last 70 years, everyone win one.
00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:30.639
Okay.
00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:35.279
Um, the idea again, the measure became the target.
00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:50.879
So the idea that if every Christian was able to share the gospel with one person, and that person would convert, would become a Christian, that'd be a great thing.
00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:52.720
Yeah, and to be clear, it would be.
00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:54.480
That's it would be nobody's against that.
00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:55.680
It would be a great thing.
00:05:55.839 --> 00:06:03.600
It just would not, it would take us so long to fulfill the Great Commission.
00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:04.959
Wait, great commission.
00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:07.120
Remind me, this is Matthew 28.
00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:08.160
Matthew 28.
00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:09.839
Okay, he says 1920.
00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:18.240
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I've commanded.
00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:18.639
Yes.
00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:23.120
Okay, so verbs, I got I got go, I got make, I got teach, I got baptize.
00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:25.120
Uh what's kind of central here?
00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:27.600
Well, the central is make disciples.
00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:29.680
It's the only imperative.
00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:30.959
Imperative, help me.
00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:32.000
I'm I'm not good with English.
00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:38.319
The only, the only, you know, all the other verbs go, uh teach.
00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:41.279
They are they're baptized.
00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:43.680
They are not a mandate.
00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.959
Okay, so they're not like they're not the mandate, they're not the instructive.
00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:52.079
Jesus is not is not saying to disciples, hey, you go and teach.
00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:55.920
No, it's he's saying, you go and make disciples.
00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:57.519
Okay.
00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:01.120
You do that by baptizing and teaching.
00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:06.480
Okay, so those are the actions that are the means by which you're doing this action, make disciples.
00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:12.560
So the command, make disciples, and you do that by teaching and and baptizing.
00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:16.000
So, Norval, uh this where does this connect in?
00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:18.720
You mentioned it, and I wanted to remind us, where does this connect in into addition?
00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:19.360
Where is it where?
00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:20.800
Well, you know what's interesting?
00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:26.560
Because as we were talking here, I hadn't thought about about I hadn't thought about that before.
00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:32.399
If you stop at go and make disciples.
00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:33.920
Yeah.
00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:40.319
And even if you stop at baptize, you're you're additive, additive.
00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:41.279
You're a you're adding.
00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:42.319
I'm adding, okay.
00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:44.879
I'm adding baptized disciples.
00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:45.360
Okay.
00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:56.319
The moment I teach them to obey everything that Jesus has commanded, I run full circle because one of the things Jesus has commanded is for us to make disciples.
00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:58.399
Okay, hold on here.
00:07:58.639 --> 00:07:59.279
So, yeah.
00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:01.279
So that that's where this turns.
00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:04.000
So it uh listen, like you know, I was a math teacher, okay?
00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:06.879
So my brain goes to what is addition, what is multiplication.
00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:10.560
Well, multiplication is a is a uh an extension, right?
00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:20.560
A mathematical extension that makes the addition process faster, it makes it more efficient, it makes it uh an easier way to go about that element of the mathematics process.
00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:24.000
So I'm I'm sitting here and I'm thinking and I'm listening and I'm trying to evaluate.
00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:31.199
But if if going and sharing the love of Christ with one person uh is is an element.
00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:37.200
I'll know I've made a disciple when that disciple is making a disciple.
00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:41.840
That is a very that that's a good measure of success.
00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:42.639
Okay.
00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:53.519
But I suspect, well, I don't not suspect, if I look at my church, the church that I go to, I'm not a pastor, you are, yeah, I'm not.
00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:56.879
Uh so we we we are looking at this from different perspectives.
00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:01.279
The other people in my church that are part of my congregation, yeah.
00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:16.720
Um if we get to the to make a disciple at all, we are stopping short of making a disciple that makes disciples.
00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:19.600
How do I know this?
00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:26.480
Because if we were, our church there there wouldn't be room for the people in our church.
00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:27.039
Yeah.
00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:30.639
Yeah, the growth would be would be again exponential, right?
00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:33.440
It would grow at a rate that that couldn't be contained.
00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:37.360
Norval, I I you know, I want to be sincere here.
00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:39.200
I know these are things that we've explored before.
00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:41.440
It's not like these are completely novel ideas to us.
00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:52.639
And I I imagine for many of the people that are listening, yes, uh, it's not completely novel, but uh I I'm struggling because here's the here's the sensation that that hits my head.
00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:58.000
I hear reports and we've even shared and celebrated reports on this very podcast about revival taking place.
00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:05.600
And yet there are so many that I know look around themselves and go, I don't, man, I don't see revival around me.
00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:14.240
And that's where I think this addition and multiplication conversation really should begin to say, okay, what am I doing in my life?
00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:30.879
If I know that this multiplication thing, or if I'm if I've just discovered that this multiplication thing is is a unique and special element to this this command of Christ, maybe the greatest evidence of its presence or its absence is do I see that same kind of revival taking place around me?
00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:31.440
Exactly.
00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:32.399
Is that fair?
00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:35.039
Uh yes, yeah, I think it is fair.
00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:41.679
Um But but a revival could stop short.
00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:52.639
Again, the the the part about making disciples who make disciples requires an intentionality.
00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:53.200
Okay.
00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:57.919
It requires it's it's a it's a more it's a disciplined process.
00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:19.919
And I think we I mean we could go into consumer Christianity, you know, over the last 50 years, we have we have learned we have grown up in an environment of consumer um Christianity where I am the end of the process.
00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:20.799
Yeah.
00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:22.000
Yeah.
00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:27.360
Or the disciple is the end of the process, not the beginning.
00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:31.679
In multiplication, the disciple is just the beginning of the process.
00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:44.559
I think I think there's some some truth there because I think the the again it's so much harder to to evaluate the question, is this a disciple?
00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:45.120
Right?
00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:50.159
Uh have I have I hit full on I'm following in the practice and way of Jesus.
00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:54.240
But you know, when we look at Jesus, he didn't say come and watch, right?
00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:56.240
Like he's like, here, follow me.
00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:03.360
Like that's the instruction that he gave is follow in my way, and my way includes making disciples who are making disciples.
00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.759
Like that's the that's the imperative there.
00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:07.200
So, all right.
00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:22.399
Let's say I look around and I go, Man, my church is full of of programs designed to meet a person in a moment, not equip them to meet a person, to equip them to meet a person.
00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:24.879
Well, what do I do here?
00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:27.440
I mean, I lie, we teach multiplication of leaders.
00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:33.840
I mean, we obviously believe that the most faithful Christian leaders today are multiplying into the lives of other people.
00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:41.039
Where do we need to start in kind of thinking and reflecting on this if we want to have that kind of an exponential multiplying mindset?
00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:51.600
You know, you in in um one of the one of the most beautiful things that is happening in the body of Christ today is what a lot of people call disciple-making movements.
00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:52.720
Okay, yeah.
00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:58.159
And uh, and there's a lot of different methods to it, there's a lot of different things, but it's all based on a convert.
00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:02.559
On it, first of all, it's a relational process, it's not a program.
00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:12.480
I think we are so flooded and inundated with programs, particularly in the US, in the West, particularly in the English language.
00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:17.200
Uh I'm my native my first language is Portuguese.
00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:18.559
I also speak Spanish.
00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:42.159
And I know that even though there are plenty of resources in Portuguese, even though Spanish is a global language that really has nothing comes even close to the amount of programs and resources that are available for the American church, for the English-speaking church.
00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:42.879
Wow.
00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:51.440
And you know, it it's it I said programs, products.
00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:55.200
All of this sounds consumeristic.
00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:58.320
Yeah, all of these products, all of these programs.
00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:00.480
So I've seen a lot of this.
00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:05.759
People have equated uh disciple making with programs.
00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:35.600
Uh, and and that is one of the things, and and we teach, we talk about discipleship or disciple making being a relationship, you know, it's it's bringing somebody to Jesus and walking and following Jesus alongside that person until that person already has is already bringing somebody to follow along to follow Jesus.
00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:47.759
And uh and in this disciple-making movement process, one of the things that they do is the they ask several questions.
00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:52.559
So they read a passage of scripture and they say, Okay, what does that what do you have you learned about God?
00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:54.080
What have you learned about yourself?
00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:55.759
Yeah how can you respond?
00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:05.279
And then the last one, my favorite one, is there's who is who in your life really needs to hear this?
00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:06.240
That's right.
00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:14.639
Who in your life needs to have the same epiphany, let's use that word.
00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:14.960
Sure.
00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.000
Same epiphany that you've had with this scripture.
00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:38.320
Uh, it's a discovery process, and the it's the beauty of it is that that every time the this person that is in the process of being made into a disciple will have these epiphanies, we'll have these moments with God, we'll learn these things that will change their lives.
00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:43.759
And then the question, okay, who in your life needs to go through that same process?
00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:47.039
And I think that's I really think that's the the foundational element.
00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:50.159
I again I and I I go back and forth on this.
00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:53.840
I struggle with this sometimes, asking about the the efficacy of some of these programs.
00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:57.360
And and I mean, let's be honest, International Leadership Institute hosts a gathering.
00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:02.559
Like we we we have an experience that uh in an intensive that we walk people through.
00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:19.600
And we have a discipleship program, if you will, Christian to the core, is a is a beautiful um um material based on the same eight leadership core values scriptural from the from the scriptures that we teach.
00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:26.159
And and uh and people go through it as part of discipleship or disciple making.
00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:26.639
Yeah.
00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:30.399
But disciple, but disciple making is not Christian to the core.
00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:30.879
Sure.
00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:32.000
It's just a resource.
00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:36.240
Well, yeah, the relationship is well, the relationship is is necessary.
00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:49.679
And and as I'm thinking about those programs and I'm thinking about those experiences, those processes, the the key element to me really does come back to that that final question in those DMM, those disciple making movements, which is who are you going to tell?
00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:53.679
Jesus from the very beginning started having his disciples teach others, right?
00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:55.759
He would send them out in pairs, he'd do these different things.
00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:00.240
He began very quickly, before they even probably were ready, right?
00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:03.919
In the sense that you and I might say, Oh, okay, well, you've now been through seminary.
00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:13.200
Now you can read Well, in a way, they weren't ready until Pentecost, and yet they were sent three years earlier, right through the beginning of the ministry of Jesus.
00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:14.000
That's right.
00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:25.920
So, but teaching everyone who's following the Jesus way and to understand that, well, by following the Jesus way, it is a way that talks to other people about what God is doing in you and through you.
00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:38.559
And and uh I think I think one of the best ways we can can combat that consumer Christian context is by teaching uh really self-sacrifice and above all purpose.
00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:50.640
And when we recognize we have a purpose, and that purpose in Christ is to help people discover the abundant life that I've offered in Christ in a way that allows them to help others discover it as well.
00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:58.400
And it's funny to me because you know, in so many areas of our life, when we experience something that's life-transforming and joy-filled, what do we do?
00:17:58.559 --> 00:17:59.440
We tell everybody.
00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:04.720
Yeah, it's just that like it's the normal like consummation of our joy to celebrate with others.
00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:15.359
I'm thinking here, you're at this awesome place, you all of a sudden you run into Matthew McConaughey or Leonardo Capri.
00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:16.079
What do you do?
00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:20.319
You get a selfie because you want to share that moment with everybody else.
00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:23.759
Now, you have a personal encounter with Jesus.
00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:25.279
A risen savior.
00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:28.000
The risen Jesus, a risen savior.
00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:30.319
Get a selfie with him and go share.
00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:31.359
I mean, that's it.
00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:32.079
That's it.
00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:35.359
Okay, so I'm I'm a leader who's listening to this.
00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:41.200
I'm hearing some of these ideas, and I'm going, okay, I want to step into multiplication, I want to step into some of these practices.
00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:55.200
Um, you know, I think the first place I would start is by is by really saying, hey, I need to understand how to find my place in the midst of this and find a way to teach others how to find their place.
00:18:55.359 --> 00:19:02.000
Um, I know for a long time we've taught the power of vision, which, which, which talks through a couple of key elements in that process.
00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:18.559
And I have found it being uh an incredible tool to not only help myself see God, where are you calling me, but also as a discipleship tool, so that they are receiving, oh, okay, I know where God's calling me, but I now also can help others discover where God's calling.
00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:25.519
Uh so can you just kind of quickly, hey, what does it look like to discover that?
00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:50.079
And is there some kind of a uh a biblical framework that we can work through that's going to help a leader not only discover for themselves, but have a real simple tool that they can pull on to introduce other people to God's call for their life and and begin moving people from um, you know, passive participant uh or passive observer into active uh contributor to the kingdom here.
00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:51.119
Yeah.
00:19:51.359 --> 00:20:00.160
Daniel, look, there is a you're you're um let me see how am I gonna phrase, how am I gonna state this?
00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:03.920
This pro this is not our project.
00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:16.160
So to anybody who's hearing so you got you you all of a sudden you hear you hear us talk about this and you want to you want to be a multiplier, you want to multiply.
00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:22.720
This is not your project, it's God's project.
00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:23.279
That's right.
00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:28.240
All right, so what would I do?
00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:40.559
And would I what I should be doing, what we all should be doing every day, is just quiet down, bow your head, and offer yourself to the Lord.
00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:42.240
Here I am, Lord.
00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:50.640
Send me someone, create the opportunity, because he's the one who's gonna create the opportunities, Daniel, anyway.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:55.279
Yeah, I can't manufacture that, I can't go out, you know.
00:20:55.359 --> 00:21:05.920
I could um, you know, if I'm if if I were an extremely extrovert person, I could go, you know, harassing people in the on the street and one by one.
00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:12.720
Hey, sure, sure, hey, hey, give you give them a a leaflet or something like that.
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:15.039
That's not me, and probably not you either.
00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:18.799
We're not we're I'm I'm an introvert, I'm not gonna go out looking for people.
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:19.680
Sure, sure.
00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:25.119
So, but God will put people in my path.
00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:35.440
I believe if I if I put myself in the position to see these people, he would put me, he would bring those people into my path.
00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:46.160
If I am intentional about um walking with that person, paying the price, it's not easy.
00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:55.759
One of the things that we say at the end of our discipleship session is it's about life to life investment.
00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:59.759
Investment requires.
00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.839
Uh investment.
00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:03.759
You got to be invested in it.
00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.839
Think about it like this.
00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:07.759
My son is a chef.
00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:11.039
He wants to open a restaurant.
00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:26.079
Well, the first thing that he's going to have to do, we're going to have to do is come together and figure out a way to raise a certain amount of money to pay the price to open that restaurant.
00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:34.960
And then he's going to work like crazy to make that restaurant work and serve people.
00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:36.960
Discipleship is the same thing.
00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:46.319
Salvation is free, but the life of a disciple has a cost.
00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:10.720
But the path of discipleship is because it's it's an uphill battle.
00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:13.680
And so yeah, we need to count the cost.
00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:17.920
We're building a tower, we're going to war against an enemy.
00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.599
We need to count the cost.
00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:23.119
So I think the first thing count the cost.
00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:42.319
And if you think that's it's worth it, and it is, then wait, I I am very you can be almost passive in that, in that you wait, you're waiting for God to send somebody your way, but then act on it and just start a relationship.
00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:45.359
I don't think it I don't that's what we teach.
00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:45.599
Yeah.
00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:46.640
And I believe it.
00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:51.119
It doesn't require a program, it doesn't require sophistication.
00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:56.799
Um it all it requires is is that submission and availability.
00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:01.440
Availability and that just that start walking with somebody.
00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:02.079
Yeah.
00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:03.680
Man, I love that, Norval.
00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:13.920
Um such a very, I think, uh uh uh spirit-centered and and again natural relational response.
00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:20.480
Um listen, leader, if you're out there and you're listening, you're reflecting on this, I want to encourage you.
00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:23.839
Uh, it's not always the new relationships that you have to go out and seek.
00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:26.799
It's oftentimes the relationships God's already entrusted to you.
00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:35.759
It just is the courage necessary uh to begin having some of those conversations and being honest and open with people about what is God doing in your life.
00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:46.480
And uh that can always begin by daily surrendering to Him and saying, God, do something in my life today that I need to experience, see, and share with someone else.
00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:49.839
We love walking with you as a Christian leader.
00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:52.559
And at the International Leadership Institute, this is what we do.
00:24:52.720 --> 00:25:00.160
We walk with Christian leaders, helping them to discover practices and values that are transformational for their life and the life of others.
00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:02.640
We want to see a healthy, thriving church.
00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:05.279
We want to see healthy, thriving Christian leaders.
00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:13.519
And so we invest eight core values into people's lives so that they have a tool that can be invested in someone else, so on and so forth.
00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:16.000
We want to see disciples making disciples.
00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:24.079
That's when we're gonna see uh God's glory among all nations, tribes, and people uh and and worship from each of them.
00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:26.480
Uh, it'll be such a beautiful thing.
00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:27.680
Uh, this is what we do.
00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:32.960
If you want to find some incredible resources, you can go to iliteam.org, learn a little bit more about us.
00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:40.400
You can go to iliteam.org slash vision and see some cool tools about the power of vision, some other things that can help you in the midst of that process.
00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:48.480
Uh, and if this is helpful to you, let me ask, man, like, subscribe, give us a comment, uh, some kind of interaction so that we can create the best tools for you.
00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:54.720
And if this has served you in some way, pass it along to somebody uh so that they too can be encouraged, uh, just as you were encouraged.
00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:59.119
Again, it's not just about what we receive, it's about what we give away to others.
00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:00.880
Thanks so much for joining us today.