TGC Life Ministries

Come unto me all ye that labor and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest: Mt 11:28

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Matthew 11: 28-30 (Msg.)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me---watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Reflections

Chambers

Through the bible in 1 year

- For a "nourishing" Word, hold your cursor over a picture -

UPON ARRIVING IN HEAVEN

Upon our arrival in heaven we will be asked just how seriously we took His commands to know Him, follow hard after Him, preach the gospel, and to make disciples:

”Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:37-40) "Then Jesus came to them and 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." (Matt. 28:18-20)

Tell me, is your life full to the brim and spilling over with your “stuff”--- like work, then taking the kids to their matches and practices, tending to the house and yard, going to the endless “fellowships” and parties, and then throw in a few favorite TV shows. Phew, that makes me tired just thinking about it. Then there is all that “stuff” for God. You know, running around making sure people know about the church picnic, the community Bible study, greeting people at church, serving at the local soup kitchen, sitting on the board to decide how to grow the ministry, deciding when the new building expansion should start, giving to the poor and needy, etc.? There is no doubt that all of this is important. But it must not be done at the expense of intentionally investing in people with the end view toward facilitating those people in “becoming conformed to the image of Christ” (spiritual maturity). IT IS CALLED DISCIPLESHIP.

Dawson Trautman, founder of the Navigators, once said, "Activity is no substitute for productivity; productivity is no substitute for re-productivity." It is God's intention that believers spiritually reproduce after their own kind --- Converts that grow into mature, fruitful followers and mimics of Christ. (Jn. 15:8,16)

A few things to ponder concerning making disciples:

	The Two Great Commandments and The Great Commission are not a special interest, but a way of life. We are not to do discipling as much as we are to be followers of “The Way” (Disciples of Christ). Fruitfulness will flow from "being". Discipleship is not a piece of the pie (like church choir, Monday night evangelism, divorce recovery class, etc) but the crust of the pie; the very foundation of all emphasis and programs.
	Because discipleship is difficult and costly, we become adept at coming up with excuses and shortcuts. (Mass production at the expense of giving individual attention, for example) (Lk. 9:23,24; Jn. 13:1-17; Jn. 15:13; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 3:13; Phil. 2:30; Col. 1:24; 2 Tim. 2:3,10)
	What we are be-coming is critical to effective discipling, since most of the time we don’t produce what we say, but who we are. All too often, we are human-doers as opposed to human be-ings. (Matt. 7:15-20)
	Ultimately discipleship comes down to prioritizing and a time-investment in what Christ said was critical to Him ---Intimacy with Him and a time-investment in people. (Jn. 13:34,35; 17:20,21,23; 21:1-19; Phil. 2:25-30)
	What will convince people to accept Christ and then follow him, is sharing out of our life and experiences. This is especially important today where people are looking for our authenticity and availability before they "buy in". “What we do speaks so loud that others can’t hear what we say”.
	Institutions of learning (Christian colleges, seminaries, churches, etc.) often are forced into a system that does not facilitate the discipling process. Too often the emphasis is on numbers, money, building, activity, and academic achievement, at the expense of focusing on the development of Christ’s mind and character in others lives, and equipping protégées with ministry skills. Think about this: Jesus, the incarnate Creator of the universe personally invested the lion's share of his ministry in twelve ordinary working men. Dare we weaken and minimize the discipling process he personified?

Today, it seems that the local church is often market-driven where large numbers are perceived as the mark of "success". It is axiomatic that unless individuals, or small select groups of people are being “discipled” into the mind of Christ by a more mature "discipler", Christ's Greatest Commandments and His Great Commission are surreptitiously by-passed.

QUESTION: Given the present focus of your life and/or your ministry, how do you feel about meeting Christ upon your arrival in heaven, when he quizzes you on how seriously you took His commands to know Him intimately, then preach the gospel to every creature, and "make disciples"?

TGC Life Ministry P.O.Box 767294 Roswell, GA, 30076

Our Site News:

TGC Life Ministries Website is a work in progress that will change and expand rapidly as the ministry changes and expands in the near future. With this site, it is the sincere desire of everyone connected with TGC Ministry to provide you with a repository of quality and qualified materials, that will assist and facilitate your walk with and into the mind of Christ.

A HUGE THANKS to a good friend Daniel Nicholson, who has donated hundreds of hours to TGC Life Ministries in technical help and moral support in getting this website up and running.

It is our desire to make this site relative and useful in your daily walk into Christ, so the content and design will change often. Please thoroughly browse the TGC Life Ministries site (including the "interactive" pictures) to understand what TGC is all about, and check out the many tools and aids that will help you in your journey into the bosom of Christ. I look forward to serving you through the Ministries of TGC and this website.

"Intimacy With Christ" Seminars

If you would like to host a TGC Life Ministries "Intimacy With Christ" seminar (2-3 hours one day, or 4-5 hours two days) in your church or group, please click HERE

TGC Life Ministries held their first Board Of Directors meeting on Monday, November 24th, 2003. The founding Board Of Directors includes Jim Ballew, President of Covenant Administrators; Gary Gonzalez, President of Leadership Mortgage Services; Buzz Nofal, President of The GraceNet; Doc Parrish, President of Parrish Communications; KC Rowe, President of Carpenter's Son Home Renovations. TGC praises God for the leadership and support of these Godly businessmen.