And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Hebrews 12:1
People can sometimes make the mistake of thinking that Christianity, a Christ follower, a disciple — is only about going to heaven when we die, and that the 'Great Commission' is only about ‘Converting’ people to Christianity. Eternity in heaven is part of salvation; however, salvation has definite implications for our lives right now. Every disciple of Jesus Christ is called to "Make Disciples"—not simply to make “Converts." Sharing the 'Good News' of eternal salvation is the first part of being a disciple; however, making disciples also includes baptizing new believers and teaching people to observe all that Jesus commanded. It is to intentionally invest your life into others' to reproduce and multiply more disciples. (Matthew 28:19-20)A good friend of mine is a marathon runner. He says, "A good training regimen is essential for building the endurance necessary to complete a long-distance race. You want a training program that pushes your body to gradually acclimate to the heavy workload, while allowing your body to rest and avoid burnout. However, whatever you do, don’t quit, don’t ever give up.”While giving the commencement address to the graduates of The University of Texas at Austin on May 17, 2014 former Navy SEAL, Admiral William H. McRaven, author of the book Make Your Bed, shared the following:"In SEAL training there is a bell. A brass bell that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see. All you have to do to quit is ring the bell. Ring the bell and you no longer have to wake up at 5 o'clock. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the freezing cold swims. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the runs, the obstacle course, the PT — and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training. Just ring the bell. However, if you want to change the world, don't ever, ever ring the bell."The same holds true when it comes to making disciples. The truth is that it’s hard. It’s a grind. It takes great discipline. Great focus. Great endurance. Many start, but few finish. The cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things distract and discourage people from continuing on in the disciple-making process. They “Ring the Bell” and tap out.Listen Closely: Don’t ever ring the bell! Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Don’t walk away. Why? Because Jesus never, ever quit and gave up on you! The “Great Commission” is not the “Great Suggestion.” Make disciples that make disciples that make disciples.Run with ‘Endurance’ the race that God has 'set before you.'Love God! Love People! Live Sent!Be Worth Being,KevinSUBSCRIBE TO "OVER THE HUMP" DEVOTIONALKevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 42 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.
Imagine that you could sit down and pick the brains of some of the top leaders in the country! That's the premise behind the Linch with a Leader podcast. Learn how these leaders - all among the best in their respective field - have risen to the top, while continuing to grow spiritually and chase after the Lord.
