Model, Assist, Watch, Leave Part 1

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters. When I lived in

Ecuador, I took my car to a very good and careful mechanic. Don Walter never

worked on my car by himself. He always had one of his four sons help him. If

all of his sons were in school, he would not work on my car. He said it was too

easy to make a mistake if there were not another set of eyes watching the

mechanical work being done. Don Walter was an excellent mechanic; his sons

were too!

A wise missionary once told me, “Never do anything alone.” He taught me to

take someone with me when I evangelize, to take someone with me when I

teach, always have a partner when I train. In ministry, “Never do anything

alone.” Don Walter practiced this precept as a mechanic and the result was

that his sons also became very good mechanics, just like their father.

When Jesus ministered, he took his disciples with him. When Jesus sent out the

seventy, he sent them two-by-two. Jesus modeled the way. And he expected

his disciples to follow his example. He explicitly told them to follow his

example after he washed the disciples’ feet in the Upper Room. Jesus said in

John 13:15-17, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done

for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a

messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these

things, you will be blessed if you do them.” Jesus led by example; he taught by

example. His disciples learned by following their teacher’s example.”

Jesus way of teaching is powerful. It can be summarized in four words: Model,

Assist, Watch, and Leave. Model the way in ministry; be an example. Assist

your disciples as they minister. Then watch your disciples minister without

your assistance. Finally leave ministry responsibility and authority in the hands

of your disciples.

The four Gospels show that Jesus was very consistent in his application of this

leadership development methodology. He modeled the way to his disciples. His

disciples joined him in ministry. He gave them clear instructions for ministry

and then watched them minister. He helped them when they struggled and

failed. Finally he gave them full authority to minister without his supervisory

presence. Upon his ascension into heaven Jesus said, “All authority in heaven

and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the

Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And

surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Let me encourage you too to model, assist, watch, and leave. If you want to

train and multiply disciple makers and church planters, model, assist watch and

leave.

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this

encouraging word with today?