Jesus Said “Pay It Forward” by Bryan Craig

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20

I lovingly like to call Jesus and his first 12 disciples “The First Journey Group.” I believe much of our heart and intention with our discipleship efforts is to emulate what Jesus did and how He did it. As Jesus gave His Journey commencement charge to his men on the mountaintop in Matthew 28, saying “Go make disciples,” I wonder what they were thinking. Jesus was saying “Go make disciples, taking them through the same things I took you through.”

Can you imagine one of them, probably Thomas, saying, “Uh, Jesus, I think I need to go through it again. I don’t feel qualified to guide.” I can picture Jesus just shaking his head with a little smirk, and saying, “I’m sorry, but I’m out of here, so you can’t go through it again. But I am sending you some help. His name is The Holy Spirit, and He will be here soon to help you with every Journey group from now on.”

I can also picture some of them saying, “Well, Jesus, I’d like to help you with this initiative, but I’ve got to get back to my fishing business. Thanks for changing my life, but I really have more pressing matters.” To this, I think he would lower his head in disappointment.

Jesus has been getting them ready all this time for the day He would leave, so they would be able to stand alone. He sent them out 2 x 2 to the different cities, and they got a chance to “live it out.” They taught, they prayed, they healed, they cast out demons, and they discipled. They saw that they could do this ministry. And now, here in Matthew 28, right before He ascended, He says, “Just keep doing with them what I’ve been doing with you.”

I’m so glad these men took Jesus’ words as a sacred responsibility, or else how would we, today, know what to do? We can read accounts of Jesus’ work in Scripture, but Jesus knew it was far better understood and lived when it was modeled “life on life.”  These men took the next generation, who took the next generation, and so on and so forth, until it got to us.  They have a tremendous spiritual family tree, and we are part of it.

We can’t let the spiritual family tree stop growing with us!  When I was considering leading the first Journey group in Tulsa 20 years ago, one of the founders of Influencers came with Rocky to Tulsa, and he talked about this spiritual family tree.  It was the first time I had heard this or thought about it, but now, as I think of the 24 groups I’ve led through the years and all the people they potentially took through The Journey, I’m overwhelmed with gratefulness, and I feel the Father’s pleasure.  And at the end of the first group in Tulsa, I told these guys, “You have to help me lead Journey groups, or else how can we reach Tulsa!”  Thankfully, 12 of the 15 stepped up and formed 6 groups.  Now, there have been many thousands who have gone through The Journey there.

I often talk with other Influencers leaders about why more people who go through The Journey don’t step up to guide others, while some of us are so passionate about this and we know we will be leading Journey groups the rest of our lives.  There are a couple of theories on this.

The first one relates to this idea that The Journey is for everyone, but there is a much smaller group of men and women who are truly called to reproduce this as Guides.  In the early days of the ministry, someone equated the general populace of people who go through The Journey being like the troops in God’s spiritual army, who all play a part.  But the ones God calls to be guides were equated to Special Forces.  This resonates with me, but I still ponder further.

Just recently I heard another theory that made a lot of sense.  One of our leaders in NWA and I were discussing this leadership quandary, and he compared it to the Parable of the Soils.  Jesus talks about a “sower” spreading seed, and it landed on four types of soil.  Only one of the four “soils” allows it to bear fruit.

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.  As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.  As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”  Matthew 13:18-23 ESV

This man’s theory was that, first of all, God is not the Sower.  We are the Sowers, or as Rocky always says, we are “Messengers.”  We don’t know the condition of the hearts of those we take through The Journey.  Some in our groups are taken out by the evil one.  Some start on their journey and begin to grow, but when persecution comes, they fall away.  Some see some growth in their lives, but when they count the cost of being a disciple, the word and the discipleship calling get choked out.  But for about 25%, our message falls on good soil, and they embrace it, and they go on to bear much fruit and many disciples.  So, in my friend’s estimation, if 2 or 3 people out of every Journey group of 12 get it and go on to reproduce, we should rejoice and see it exactly as Jesus predicted.  I thought this was so profound, and it helped me think differently about my groups.

While I will always keep challenging men and women to go make disciples and pay forward what Jesus has done in their lives, I am recommitted to trusting Jesus and the One He sent to help us on this mission.  This is God’s ministry, and the Holy Spirit is the best Guide- producer, not me.  But for the ones we see God raising up and bearing fruit, let’s invest in them, mentor them, fan their flame and choke in their dust.