Jesus the Trainer--who he didn't select!
In Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You, John MacArthur writes: "Have you ever considered who Jesus didn't choose for His inner circle? He didn't select a rabbi. He didn't recruit scholars. He didn't look within the religious establishment to build His team. Instead, He assembled a ragtag bunch of folks with unimpressive resumes. The men the Savior chose were ordinary. Hopelessly human. Remarkably unremarkable."
Yet, under the training ministry of Jesus, this band of seemingly insignificant and all-too-normal guys became an authentic cadre.
Ultimately, these trained men loved Jesus so much that they did everything and anything they could--including dying horrible deaths--for the cause of making disciples (Acts 17:6). Ouch. Did I meantion that "getting wet" by jumping into the pool of God's plans for you isn't always safe? What is it about your relationship with God that would make you radical enough to suffer or even die for him?
How were these regular men transformed into a mighty ministry cadre? We believe that the training genius of Jesus welded them into a disciplemaking force whose influence continues to change the world today!
Honestly...to what degree do you believe that training makes all the difference? Mark your spot with an X.
O-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------O
No difference Some difference All the difference
Explain your answer...
How did Jesus turn this bunch of apparent insignificants--a small group of painfully average and all-too-normal followers--into a true cadre? We suggest that his relationship with them combined with training made all the difference. We believe that it can make that same difference with YOU!
Get Wet: Pray for God's love to be so real to you that you'll be as radical a follower as his trained disciples became. Ask him to give you spiritual companions who will take this radical journey with you. Pray for faith. Pray for love to overflow from you to others. Thank God in advance for the joy you'll experience as he releases you into ministry with your friends, co-workers and family.
You can download the companion book for this study FREE (PDF format) or purchase printed copies at the cadre online store.
Cadre Ministries
Box 278
Sycamore, IL 60178
A non-profit missionary supported ministry for global encouraging & equipping of local church volunteers and students.