Woman to Woman: Three L’s of DisciplemakingSmakprov

Learn! Learn! This is the second key word I emphasize in women discipling women. Remember, a disciple is a learner as well as a follower of Jesus. If you stop learning, you are no longer a disciple of Jesus—you’ve got to be one to make one! Share your journey with her. The best thing I have to offer is not wisdom from someone who’s arrived, but a glimpse of how I continue to grow! And fail. And to humbly ask her to pray for me as well! “Don’t read your Bible like this,” a good friend once shared as he pointed to his Bible then pointed toward me—meaning, to find stuff you can share with others. “Instead,” he said, “read your Bible like this,” and he moved his hand from the Scriptures towards his own heart and then up and out. I’ve shared quiet times in Genesis 1 and Psalm 1 with friends more times than I could ever count, but every single time I listen first and foremost for what the Lord wants to say to me. This is true when I’m preparing to lead Bible studies too. I seek to do the study first for me, even if I’ve done it a zillion times! It’s the Living Word of God. The Author is right there with you! He never runs out of new treasure to reveal! It’s “fresh bread,” and things always taste better when they are served fresh from the oven! Learning also means seeking to learn how she learns. People learn in very different ways. Some learn best by reading, others by hands-on doing. What works best for her? My husband once started meeting with a new believer who said he was eager to grow. But each week Jim would give him an assignment, and week after week he’d show up not having done it! Jim really wondered how interested this guy was in growing . . . until he learned he had dyslexia and struggled to read! I can’t stress how key it is to put effort into learning what works best for those you are meeting with!