As Christmas and New Year’s approach, many of us are reflecting on the year that’s passing and considering the year ahead. Perhaps we need less time on our smart phone, and more time with family. Less ice cream and more exercise. Less Facebook and more time in God’s Book.
What are your goals for 2014?
In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), the Lord Jesus commands us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Clearly, this is one of Christ’s most important goals for us in the coming year, that we learn to be more faithful and obedient followers of Him, and that we help others know Him and follow Him. Yet many Christians have never really thought much about what discipleship is, or how to do it.
The Invested Life: Making Disciples of All Nations One Person At A Time is book I wrote with my pastor, Dr. T.E. Koshy. He had been discipled by “the Billy Graham of India,” and developed a great love for investing in younger believers. Koshy discipled Lynn and me at Syracuse University, and continued to invest in us until he went home to be with the Lord in the fall of 2012.
The Invested Life is a simple, practical book that you may find helpful — and you may find helpful to share with others — as you consider how to obey the Lord in this vital area of discipleship.
In the book, we make that case that every Christian needs to be able to answer two simple questions:
1) Who is investing in you?
2) In whom are you investing?
Sadly, the American Church is experiencing an epic failure of discipleship. Most older believers are not spiritually investing in the lives of younger believers. We are failing to model and transmit Biblical truth and Christ-like character and a passion for evangelism and discipleship to the next generations. As a result, the American Church is weak and in desperate need of revival. That’s the bad news. The good news is that God loves us and He is ready to help us follow Him faithfully.
The Invested Life is available in paperback from Tyndale House Publishers. It is also available as an audio book from Brilliance Audio. (It was fun to read the book for the audio version, along with my wife, Lynn.)
My hope and prayer is that as you head into the New Year, you’ll find the book helpful. Curl up with it by the fire with a cup of coffee or tea, or listen to it when your driving in your car, or while working out, or going for a walk or run.
May the Lord bless you as you embark on living an invested life — growing as a s disciple and learning to make disciples, one person at a time.
You can find it your favorite local bookstore, or online:
You must be logged in to post a comment.