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"20/20 Vision"
 A Biblical Strategy for Growing & Discipleship
 by Sam Nadler

WORD OF MESSIAH MINISTRIES is committed to establishing the Great Commission of Messiah (Matthew 28:18-20) among Jewish communities worldwide. This work includes evangelism, discipleship, leadership development and congregation planting. In this capacity, I’m often asked by congregational leaders, “Why don’t congregations ‘mature’ in the Lord?” Why is there jealousy, backbiting, gossip, lack of concern for the lost, etc?” In other words "Why is there lack of application of the Word of God to peoples’ lives?”

     In Acts 20, Paul the apostle speaks to his own disciples, now leaders of the congregation at Ephesus, about the work he had done among them. After telling them that he had spent quality time with them (v.18) and with a tenderhearted servant attitude in the midst of their difficulties (v.19), he reminds them of his teaching ministry that made the difference in their lives: “(You know) how I kept back nothing that was profitable, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house.”(20:20).     

Public & Personal Teaching
There needs to be public teaching. Paul says he “taught publicly”.  A biblically strong pulpit ministry in the congregation that teaches the basic issues that unite a congregation in the faith is vital. Proper discipleship also includes one receiving public teaching. I will generally meet with an individual for personal teaching (discipleship/counseling) for a very limited time unless they make an attempt to come to services and gain the ‘big picture’. This way they learn the personal application for their lives ( Heb 10:25).

     There needs to be personal teaching as well. Paul taught “from house to house”: encouraging personal application for the believer from the principles he gave publicly. Paul didn’t make his visits mere social calls, but applied public teaching to individual’s life.  Be sure there is personal discipleship of individuals as well as public teaching from the pulpit.  New believers need to be individually grounded and rooted in the faith.  This is why WMM discipleship materials are written in an ‘interactive format’. One congregational leader recently wrote us: “Dear Sam, Thank you so much for your discipleship materials. I now have 10 sets for our people. I am personally meeting each week with a Jewish woman, who became a believer a little over a year ago, and her son, who has been a believer a few years but is still a young believer. Your materials are helping them tremendously. Your statement that ‘you meet with people one on one’ was exactly what I needed to hear--it is transforming my ministry! (It was) so simple that I had missed it!   Love in Messiah, Jonathon.”

Profitable Teaching
     Paul says that in his teaching he “kept back nothing that was profitable”, that is, useful and beneficial to their spiritual lives. From this we learn several aspects of the content of his discipleship work.

Profitable teaching is…
Courageous Teaching
    Paul ‘kept back nothing’. This word was used by the rabbis in the Septuagint for ‘showing partiality’ (Job13:8). Too many teachers shrink back from teaching publicly or privately the “tough love” or difficult subjects of the scriptures. A  minister recently told me that although he knew a member of his congregation was a crook, he would never think of confronting him, let alone placing him under congregational discipline. It is no wonder that congregations remain immature and carnal with this “shrinking back” of the leadership. Leadership demands boldness to stand for the truth regardless of who or how it impacts. Failure comes from cowardly rather than courageous leadership.

Communicated Teaching
     Paul states that he had both ‘proclaimed’ to them and ‘taught’ them. ‘Proclaiming’ is to inform, reveal, announce (1 Jn. 1:5) and openly divulge the truth. (Deut 5:5, Ps. 92:15). ‘Teaching’ is to instruct in order to be carried out (2 Tim 2:2).  ‘Proclaim’ to inform, ‘teach’ to perform: “The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might perform them.”(Deut 4:14 ) “...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you”(Matthew 28:20). Generally we might call this ‘preaching and teaching’ (1 Tim. 5:17).  There are different styles that are intrinsic to each. 

We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Messiah (Col. 1:28). Both preaching & teaching are needed to complete and mature the believer.

Constructive Teaching
     Profitable means what is appropriate (Pv. 19:10).  It’s not what is merely permitted, but what is good and profitable for the believer (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:23, 12:7).  Teachers are not to “tickle their ears” with some new spiritual fad (Acts 17:21), but to help them grow in the grace of God.

Comprehensive Teaching gives… 
Crucial Content
Paul details comprehensive teaching in Acts 20:21 “...solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”

‘Testifying’ as used in Luke 16:28, where it used for warn.  I may use a joke to illustrate a point in my message, but my message is not a joke. Rather, it is vital and eternal. Paul taught the truth as a solemn testimony (Acts 18:5), ‘... the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God.’ Whenever one teaches the word of God, one never preaches an unimportant message- it is either crucial for you, or it’s not worth your time to share it, or their time to hear it.

Universal Content
“...to both Jews & Greeks."  The unique unity we have in Messiah means there’s no exclusivism permitted. We must teach what is sufficient for all people. This results in unity in Yeshua.

Directional Content
“...repentance and faith.” That is, turning from sin and also trusting in the Lord. The focus though is not what have we given up, but to Whom we have turned. Not what, but Who are we living for. This encompasses the grace of God and the whole counsel of God. A directive style of expository teaching is needed to understand the focus and direction of Scripture. Congregations alone can give full discipleship by teaching the full counsel of God.  "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:26,27)  Presenting ‘the whole counsel of God’ was liberating to Paul and kept his conscience clear. 

     Is courageous, constructive, and comprehensive teaching going on in your congregation? If your congregation needs assistance in developing ‘20/20 Vision’- making maturing disciples that will endure and glorify the Lord, please contact Word of Messiah Ministries for materials, seminars and coaching that can help you and your congregation grow in Yeshua.  May we press on to ‘finish our race with joy, and the ministry which we’ve received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.’ Shalom. Y

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