Originally published on March 1, 2016

I’m not a huge pastry fan, but I do enjoy a fresh, hot slice of apple pie with a generous scoop of rich vanilla ice cream.
The rich, creamy ice cream, luxuriously melting over the warm, flaky, buttery crust is pretty much irresistible. Pie a la Mode was invented about 1885.

Fruit pies were common in the Roman Empire as early as the 5th Century B.C., and ice cream was available to the general public by 1660. Yet, the world would wait more than 200 years before ice cream and pie were combined to offer something wonderful—pie a la Mode. The moral of the story is that sometimes “both and” is better than “either or.”

What Is the “both and” of making disciples?

We need to be both filled with the Spirit and intentional in making disciples. Some might assert that not being intentional is organic, thus led by the Spirit. But that’s not necessarily the case. Similarly, one could argue that if a process is intentional (strategic), it’s of man (flesh) and not of the Spirit.

But again, a review of the Scripture reveals that the claimed divide between organic and strategic is a false dichotomy. In fact, a review of Paul’s ministry at Ephesus demonstrates the “both and” principle (Acts 19:1-7; Eph. 5:18).

Have you ever met people who claimed to be followers of Jesus, but there just seemed to be something missing that made you wonder if they were really submitted to Him? When Paul returned to Ephesus, he found some disciples and asked the curious question “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” On no other occasion do we have a record of Paul making this inquiry. What prompted him to ask?

Presumably, there appeared to be something missing in their spiritual lives that prompted the question. Perhaps they didn’t seem to be submitted to Christ as Lord, or empowered by the Spirit for Christian living, or perhaps Paul had some discernment about what was lacking. These disciples at Ephesus confessed their ignorance of the Holy Spirit (verse 2).

Yet, the text indicates they were disciples and implies they were believers. They understood the need for repentance and desired to follow Jesus (verse 4). But they were apparently seeking to become mature followers of Christ by either the power of self-discipline or man’s efforts rather than the power of God’s Spirit.

And Paul recognized the problem. Subsequently, the Holy Spirit came upon them and was manifest (verse 6).

Jesus declared that His followers would receive power to represent Him when the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:8). He likened it to being baptized with the Holy Spirit or being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5, 2:4).

We believe that the baptism, or filling of the Spirit, is distinct from salvation, but it may occur at the same time or subsequent to being saved. The work of the Holy Spirit empowers Christian living. Jesus affirmed that the Holy Spirit was available to those who sought this gift from God and were yielded to Him (Luke 11:9-13).

When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he instructed them as follows: “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).

The Greek reveals that it’s a commandment, and the tense can be translated “Being constantly filled with the Spirit.” The terminology of being filled might cause some to assume that we can leak the Holy Spirit, like a car engine can leak a quart of oil. Or we might think that the issue is how much of the Holy Spirit a believer has. Nevertheless, the issue isn’t how much of the Holy Spirit we have, but how much of us the Holy Spirit has.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit flows from being submitted to Jesus. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to be disciples and to make disciples.

Once the believers at Ephesus were filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul began an intentional process of mentoring them to become mature followers of Christ (Acts 19:8-10). Paul taught the Scriptures daily to make disciples and develop leaders at Ephesus.

The Bible helps us to understand God and know His commandments. Thus, Bible learning is critical to being a disciple. For example, it is through the Scriptures generally, and Ephesians specifically, that we learn how being filled with the Spirit is manifest in praise, gratitude, mutual respect, marriage, family, and the workplace (Eph. 5:17-6:9).

But having knowledge, apart from the power of the Spirit, to apply the lessons is futile. So, making disciples requires us to be both filled with the Spirit and intentional (“both and”).

The filling of the Spirit is so critical to disciple-making that Paul issued a sober warning: “And don’t be drunk with wine in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit …” (Eph. 5:18). Please pardon the pun about “sober” warning, for the issue is not limited to excessive alcohol consumption. Paul’s exhortation is connected to the earlier cautions to live carefully in wisdom, redeem the time, and understand and do the will of God (Eph. 5:15-17).

Excessive alcohol consumption is an obstacle to being controlled by God, and is sin. And Paul notes that being drunk is dissipation. Dissipation relates to squandering energy, time, money, or other resources.

The only way to avoid wasting resources and wasting a life is to be intentional to live as Christ’s disciples, disciples who make disciples. And the only way to be a disciple is to be controlled by God or filled with the Spirit.

Thus, the moral of this story is that sometimes “both and” is better than “either or.”

Lifework

1. How can disciples neglect the need for the filling of the Spirit?
2. Why is it helpful to have an intentional process, along with the filling of the Spirit, to help become a disciple?
3. How do you believe that being filled with the Spirit and intentionally going through the discipleship process would help you in making disciples?

Looking back at Luke 9:1-17, I want to focus on the flow of the ministry of Jesus in the region of Galilee. His public ministry there started when He went to two sets of brothers who were engaged in a profitable fishing business on the Sea of Galilee. He went to Peter and Andrew — and then James and John. He told them to leave their nets and follow Him. So with those four guys He went about Galilee, preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God, working miracles and delivering people from demonic oppression and possession. As a result of that first season of preaching, a huge number of people started to follow Jesus. At the end of that first season, we remember how Jesus went up into a high place to pray — and when He came down, He chose from that large number of people eight more men to be with Him so that He might send them. Remember the title He gave to them? “Apostles” — which means “sent ones.”

In the second season of Galilean ministry, He brought those 12 guys with Him everywhere! They watched Jesus and learned from Jesus in every single context of life. Imagine what that was like! Watching His every move — listening to everything He said — how He said it — how He communicated — who He said it to. They watched everything He did — who He did it for — how He did it.

The disciples came to know the ebb and flow of the life of God incarnate.

They came to know what things His heart beat after because Jesus said — “You guys come and live with Me, eat with Me, talk with Me — observe everything about My life!”

TWO THINGS in all of that:
1. THAT is how WE become disciples of Jesus. “Take My yoke upon you and LEARN OF ME.” Obviously — we can’t observe Jesus like those guys did. But the Holy Spirit inspired some of those men to record what they saw Jesus do and heard Jesus say. We learn of Jesus in the pages in the Gospel. THAT is why we place such an emphasis on the teaching and the study of the Word of God.
2. Jesus is the ULTIMATE teacher — and if we want to be faithful and fruitful in the Great Commission to, “go into all the world and make disciples of all men” — THAT is how it’s done. Many Christians think of discipleship as a packet of information to be deposited into new believers — as a curriculum to study — finish the curriculum, and you are an official disciple of Jesus. I’m not saying information and curriculum have no role in that process. But I believe that Jesus demonstrated that the best way to make disciples is to open up our lives to men and women. Parents — raising children is the ultimate discipleship opportunity! They are watching your every single move.

But here in Luke 9 we come to the third season of Galilean ministry, and it starts with Jesus calling those 12 and sending THEM out.

Matthew tells us in his account of the life and mission of Jesus that, “When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities”(Matthew 11:1). It appears that the 12 didn’t go to their own hometowns and that while the 12 were going into these other towns and villages, Jesus went to their hometowns. After the 12 returned to Jesus, they’re were to debrief and take a trip to a deserted area where Jesus performed a miracle and fed the 5,000 — and then — a little further on in the Gospel of Luke — Jesus took a team of 72 disciples and sent them out two by two to proclaim the Gospel.

I don’t want us to miss this: Jesus was very intentional — very strategic. Round 1: Jesus started with four guys. Round 2: Jesus added eight —taught them. Round 3 (which is the last year ministry before Jesus dies on the cross for the sins of the world): Jesus gives the 12 hands-on experiences. Jesus had a plan within the plan of the cross and resurrection.
“Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.” –– C.S. Lewis

He trained those men for the day that He would return to heaven and send the Holy Spirit upon them, in which He would continue His work on earth through THEM — through US!

He prepared them for the time when they could no longer watch Jesus go and proclaim the Gospel and heal the sick. He prepared them for the time when Jesus would go through them. The church (you and me) is the Body of Jesus on earth —and through the members of His body He brings men and women to saving faith in Him! “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.”

Jesus gave to them POWER — the ability to do and AUTHORITY —the PERMISSION to do. This is so absolutely amazing. When we think of this batch of men, it is shocking that Jesus would give them anything, let alone power and authority.

It begs the question: WHY would Jesus do that?

FIRST — Gospel work is God work. It is beyond the power of man to convict a person of sin and cause them to be saved. Such work requires the power of God!

SECOND — He did that so we would be left with absolutely no doubt about what He has to work with. It is amazing that Jesus would give ME or give YOU power and His authority! This mission moment is the living illustration of how God deposits His power and authority in jars of clay!

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

It’s not about the vessel — it’s about the power of God and the message the vessel contains. Jesus gave them AUTHORITY — the permission to do — the specific work He was sending them to do. After the Cross and resurrection, and before He ascended into heaven, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples…”(Matthew 28:18-19).

In other words — the authority that we have to do what we do when we gather as the church to worship Jesus and study the Bible — the authority that we have to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples — is not from Washington D.C. or Sacramento, CA, or even from our downtown Civic Center. It is permission given from Jesus to exercise the divine enabling to proclaim the Good News concerning the Kingdom of God.

Every elite athlete has at least one thing in common – they have been coached to maximize God-given potential. In the context of sports, coaching is presumed and is an accepted and expected part of the culture. On the other hand, meaningful coaching and mentoring is less prevalent in the context of Christian ministry. Accordingly, the benefits of development are hindered and hamstrung.

If you want to influence God’s kingdom, there is likely no more rewarding use of your time than coaching existing and emerging leaders. The same is true for those who receive coaching. Kingdom leverage is created every time a leader is coached to be more effective. Church leaders continue to need support at every stage of development, because of the unique challenges that are experienced along the way.

Some of you have been blessed to have coaches and mentors along your journey. They encouraged you that you had the right stuff to finish well and motivated you to discover your God-given potential. They warned you about potential dangers you might encounter and how to avoid or overcome the obstacles that are inherent in every leader’s journey. Unfortunately, too many of you did not receive that type of support. You embarked on the journey and God was gracious, faithful and blessed your ministry.

Yet, don’t you agree it would have been beneficial to have someone who was ahead of the curve, with whom you could relate, to coach you along the way?

Have you ever thought about coaching others or receiving coaching?

What do coaches do?

Coaches provide intentional, relational support to create accountability for existing and emerging church leaders.

They assist in assessing and aligning God’s people with His plan. Gary Collins, a leader and pioneer in coaching, defined Christian coaching as, “The practice of guiding and enabling individuals or groups to move from where they are to where God wants them to be.” Christian coaches encourage others to find God’s vision for their lives and from following their own agendas to pursue God’s purposes. Miller and Hall, in their primer on Christian coaching offer the following definition: “Christian coaching is a focused, Christ-centered relationship that cultivates a person’s sustained growth and action.”

Coaching is primarily related to support. A coach doesn’t have to have all the answers, nor are they supposed to constantly tell other leaders what to do. Coaches often are most effective when they help leaders learn to listen to God for themselves. A coach’s goal is to help others succeed. The art of effective coaching can be learned, and the basic process is relatively simple. By following a basic framework and implementing some general coaching skills, you can learn to coach.

How does coaching differ from mentoring?

The primary distinction between coaching and mentoring is the process of training. Coaches generally ask questions to help a leader discover God’s answers. On the other hand, mentors generally give answers, rather than ask questions, in an effort to guide a leader. The coaching or mentoring style may both be used at any time of training. The mentor-disciple relationship is generally characterized by a mentor instructing a disciple, “Do this.” Yet, in a coaching relationship, the coach is primarily helping the leader to discover the answers [e.g. What do you think you should do?] and occasionally instructs the leader to “Do this.” Bob Logan notes, “Good coaching isn’t the art of giving good answers. It’s the art of asking good questions.” When a person discovers a course of action for himself, it will be followed with greater passion and conviction than when a trainer simply tells a leader what to do. What keeps existing and emerging leaders from receiving effective coaching, or becoming effective coaches?

There are numerous reasons, including ignorance of the benefits, but the four most common that I’ve observed are as follows:

1. Time:

Both coaches and the coached are concerned that they don’t have the time to for a coaching relationship in addition to their numerous other responsibilities. Nevertheless, an effective coaching relationship can be established in one hour per month, for 6-12 months. If you are presently unable to figure out how to carve out one hour a month, you’re very likely in need of coaching.

2. Money:

It can be discouraging to say the least when you see a leader charging $200+ for an hour of their time to serve as a coach. Let’s put aside the issue of whether that is a wise or valuable investment of resources to become more effective. I’m aware of many capable and Christ-like mentors who are offering to coach for no money or relatively little money. Trying to make a living by coaching is extremely challenging. So, the more capable leaders who simply recognize that they can give some of their time for the kingdom purpose of training, the more that money will be eliminated as an obstacle.

3. Fear of accountability:

The same attribute of chutzpah that motivates many to seek to become leaders is an obstacle to admitting that we don’t have all the answers and need help. When you discover that you are encountering obstacles to Christian life and ministry, then coaches are an answer. Rather than let the fear of accountability or inadequacy paralyze you, create a healthy relationship with accountability to overcome.

4. Where to begin:

Here are some ideas to overcome the obstacle of wondering where to begin. First, become familiar with a basic approach and general coaching skills. I’ve written a book on the subject called “Coaching,” and it is available for free here. Second, the team at Calvary Church Planting Network [CCPN] and Velo Church Leaders are prepared to coach 30 to 50 leaders for free in 2016. Third, we are interested in expanding the sphere of coaches willing to help aspiring leaders. So, if you want to receive coaching or be part of a team offering coaching, please don’t hesitate to contact me at bruce@velochurchleaders.org.

Pastor Jim Gallagher of Calvary Chapel of Vero Beach speaks at Creation Fest 2015.

Creation Fest is a Christian Music Festival and Bible Week held at The Royal Cornwall Events Centre (Royal Cornwall Showground), in Wadebridge.