True Stories of Disciplemakers Making More Disciplemakers...

Meet Curt Vanderstelt. He's in the middle wearing green. I think you can see he's a lot of fun. I've known and loved Curt since he was a teenager. Let's just say he's older now. I know. I ain't no spring chicken myself. However, all this longevity in working with the next generations has put me in a front row seat for some pretty amazing and true stories of disciplemaking life change.  Let me explain.

My good friend, Chip Hackney, was Curt's youth pastor in Michigan. That's how I got to know Curt. This picture with Curt above was taken on January 5, 2019 in Green Bay, WI, at the Evangelical Free Church District Youth Conference, where Dave Garda (left) and I were busy being disciplemaking missionaries of encouragement and equipping with many of the 4,000 students and youth leaders.

A mere 36 days later, on February 10, 2019, I was speaking to 400+ students and youth leaders at Camp Timber-Lee in East Troy, WI. There I met Taylor (above). Taylor serves Jesus on staff at Timber-lee. We got to talking and I found out Curt was Taylor's youth pastor. With great joy in in his eyes, Taylor told me how much God used Curt in his life and how that disciplemaking friendship shaped his life.

It all got me thinking. 

This true disciplemaking story is too good NOT to celebrate!

So I posted on Curt's Facebook when I got home from Timber-lee—and I tagged Chip too so he'd see it.  Here's what I wrote...

Hey Curt! Last weekend I was speaking to students and youth leaders at Camp Timber-lee​. I ran into someone who is so thankful for your influence in his life—Taylor. He is now serving Jesus at Timber-lee—helping students find and follow Jesus. It made me think of Chip Hackney​'s disciplemaking friendship with you when you were a very young man. All that to say, I love that I have been around the next generations so long now that I've watched Chip disciple you, and you disciple others like Taylor, and now Taylor is passing it all on to the next generations. We call that discipleMAKING my friend. I'm giving all glory to God—and cheering you on as you continue to make disciplemkers as a way of life!

Can you count the three generations of disciplemaking friendship with me?
* Generation 1: From Chip to Curt
* Generation 2: From Curt to Taylor
* Generation 3 From Taylor to only God knows who at Timber-lee—and wherever Taylor goes the rest of his life!

Cool story, right?

But don't miss the point: Can you count at least three generations of disciplemakers flowing out of your life for God's glory?

Wondering what this way of life might look like for you? Need some help? Not sure where to start?

Start here.

Comments

Michael said…
I love this, and it's a fact. I traced some neighbor kids my boys invited to church when they were little. The parents, grandparents, a couple aunts and uncles came along later. We don't always realize what influence we can have on people. Yay God.
6:24 AM
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