In November of last year I had the wonderful privilege of traveling to South Africa with AIM (Adventures in Missions). They asked me to come and help be a part of the training process for 50+ young men and women who would be spending the next six months serving the Lord in different nations in Africa.
AIM is a wonderful agency that has successfully trained hundreds of young people for service all around the globe. They have a proven track record of quality training and innovative mobilization for evangelism. I was blessed not only to be invited to go but also because I had dreamed of traveling to Africa since I was in my teen years!
The highlight of the trip for me was to take Nathan Haas and Greg Beel along for the journey. When I look at Jesus and his powerful example of raising up others through empowerment and love I cannot avoid the call to follow in His footsteps. Jesus took others “along for the ride” wherever He went. He ministered not by himself but with the disciples right by his side. I think that in modern day ministry we forget to travel on our journey with others, we loose out on the powerful impact of community, mentoring, and life on life ministry!
I was asked to teach ten sessions on Discipleship and how to make disciples. While Greg and Nathan did not teach, they contributed abundantly in counseling, friendship, exhortation, prayer ministry, and laughter. Their participation in this trip made it a huge success. I’ll never forget the moment when Nathan took up a basin and towel and washed the feet of a young lady who was full of hurt because of a broken relationship. She was healed powerfully as Nathan served her in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Greg amazed me as he spent countless hours listening to so many of the young people. There was something powerful that would come over Greg as he stopped and listened to their journey! It was as if for a moment he was in the story with them carrying their weariness, learning from Jesus with them in their journeys. I thought many times…”if Jesus were sitting there hearing this story he would look just like Greg!”
What an incredible gift these two men were to so many young men and women who were learning how to serve Jesus! One of the AIM staff members commented, “I did not really know why you brought Greg and Nathan but now that we have spent the last week with them I can’t imagine them not being here! They ministered so powerfully to us!”
Who are you taking “along for the ride”? As you serve the King how are you following in His footsteps? Do you invite others to participate fully in the journey with you and you serve Him? I would challenge you today to consider how you are inviting others to participate fully in your journey. I am confident that as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus we will see the Kingdom of God emerge on the earth all around us!
-Jim Bailey
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