Desiring Discipleship

Desiring

Discipleship

 

Discipleship… the word means different things to different people. For some, it brings back memories of Sunday School initiatives and weekday night gatherings that their church would put on to foster community among the congregation. To many, it means meeting with our friends and neighbors new to the faith and passing on the knowledge we’ve gained over the many years of trusting Jesus. For others, it means taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ and spreading it to those who have never heard all over the world. We at Alpha Ministries take discipleship seriously and work hard to keep it at the forefront of everything that we do and to maintain it in the core of our mission. Stop and think… what role does discipleship play in your life? We’re thankful that you’ve made your way to our blog and hope that you leave encouraged, rejuvenated, and with a better understanding of what discipleship truly means.

 

Our Approach…

At Alpha Ministries, we’re in the business of seeing God radically change hearts and lives all around the world while doing everything we can to support their earthly well-being. Many humanitarian and development organizations who work in similar areas to us believe solely in promoting and supporting the physicalneeds of individuals in vulnerable conditions. While we understand that many of these organizations are doing incredible work (and are often wonderful friends and allies to our ministry), there is so much more that we strive to do through our initiatives. At a fundamental level, we believe that long-term, sustainable change can only be achieved through saving faith in Jesus Christ. We know that this is where the importance of discipleship lies. Therefore, as always, we need to first look at what scripture tells us about making disciples.

In the book of Matthew, chapter five tells us that, “Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” This particular verse is one quickly to be used when friends and family raise support for short-term mission trips, when our pastors are emphasizing the church’s global vision for their congregation, and countless other common scenarios you may be able to recall.

At Alpha Ministries, we believe that this verse commands us to share Jesus and His love with the unbelieving world, walk along side of current believers by helping them grow in their faith, and then doing everything in our power to ease the suffering that people may be experiencing due to living in a fallen world as proof that we have been forgiven and redeemed.

As you may already know, we even have an entire program in place to send what we call our “Frontline Messengers” to unreached villages in South Asia and East Africa. Their responsibility is to evangelize to those who have never heard the Gospel while also training and equipping others to do the same.

While we as an organization have programs and different ministries in place to focus on discipleship, we know that this scriptural mandate is to all individual believers. Which brings us to the question you may be asking… “how do I, an individual, make disciples?” We’re glad you asked!

 

Start Where You Are!

Many Christians hear the term “discipleship” and immediately opt out of becoming involved due to the fear that they may have to pack up their lives, give up their careers, and move to a remote jungle region somewhere in the world that they’ve never heard of. We’re not saying that isn’t what God is asking you to do… but for most of us, God wants to use you right where He has you!

Start with your family. Our families at times can often be the most difficult people to discuss spiritual matters with and to truly get to the root of difficult life issues. Years of disappointment and past hurts may plague your current relationship with a parent, sibling, or child, but imagine the amazing opportunity at hand when you decide to be mindful and committed to making disciples within your own family.

As you continue to share biblical truth and witnessing to your family, consider the elderly widow next door who you suspect battles with loneliness. Introduce yourself and do what you can to help her. Who knows, maybe she’s never even heard the Gospel and you can be the first to tell her!

Volunteer through your church or city’s outreach program and serve men and women less fortunate than yourself. By first meeting a physical need, you will be amazed at the incredible opportunities that arise to share the Gospel or to hear where someone currently stands in their relationship with Jesus.

Commit to Send Others!

 

While access to the Gospel is commonplace in the West, many in remote or restricted parts of the world are not able to ever hear about Jesus or obtain religious texts of any kind to grow in their relationship with the Lord. Through our Frontline Messenger ministry, we are changing that! By sending our partners to minister to vulnerable people groups, we have seen many come to know the Lord in a personal way and are expectant that God will continue to grow this ministry. By giving the resources you are able, you can actively become a disciple maker to not only people in your own community, but in communities abroad as well.

For more information regarding unreached people groups and to learn about ministry opportunities you can be a sender for, we suggest visiting https://joshuaproject.net!

 

 

Commit to Go!

While most Christians are called to be active in discipleship within their own communities and to send disciple makers abroad, God could very well be calling you to go to the ends of the Earth for yourself! At Alpha Ministries, we have seen the Lord inspire and motivate hearts of many volunteers who are now working fulltime overseas. We know that God calls many of our friends, neighbors, and relatives to become disciple makers in foreign places and count it as an honor to help equip and send them. If you are considering becoming a full time disciple maker overseas or in another part of your own country, we suggest that you pray, seek wise counsel, and begin to research organizations and nonprofits you can begin volunteering with. God is faithful to use those who are willing to obey His call!

 

We Are All Called…

At the end of the day, whether we are sharing Jesus with our neighbor, friend, or beneficiary overseas, all Christ followers are called to be actively engaging in discipleship. As believers who have been redeemed and bought at a price, we have the obligation and privilege of sharing with others the invaluable treasure we have found in Jesus and count it as pure joy.

 

For more updates on our ministry and to continue learning how you can be involved, find us on Instagram (@frontline_messenger65) Twitter (@FrontlineMesse1) or Facebook (Alpha Ministries)!

New Year // New Reflections

 

Happy New Year!!!

 

For us at Alpha Ministries, 2018 was a year covered by the fingerprints of God and one that was immersed deeply into His sovereign plan of provision and grace for our lives. Over the course of the past 12 months, we as an organization have experienced our fair share of highs, lows, valleys, and mountain tops and are certain that all of you reading this have as well. Yet we know that in every second of the past year, God has orchestrated the awe inspiring successes along with the unplanned (and often unwelcomed) setbacks. At the end of 2018, we have made it a point to look back, take some substantial time to reflect, and to set our expectations high on all that God has in store for 2019! We’d like to share with you some of the incredible victories we have experienced this year through the various ministries and programs we have in place around the world while also providing you with some possible goals you may want to take on for yourself. We’re excited you’ve found your way here to our blog and hope that you leave encouraged and excited for a new year!

 

The Statistics…

 

2018 was a huge success concerning the “numbers” produced through our different projects and ministries. While we understand at a fundamental level that our identity and effectiveness does not lie solely in the large numbers based on production, we praise God for the positive results we’ve experienced and want to share with you, our faithful partners, the incredible impact that has been made!

 

In 2018…

 

  • The IMPACT conferences that were held equipped 7,271 Frontline Messengers and Christian leaders for more effective evangelism.

 

  • A total of 51,690 individuals heard the gospel during a one-on-one encounter.

 

  • 8,768 home groups are actively in operation.

 

  • 1,200 needy children are being provided monthly care and nurture through believers care.

 

  • A total of 37,721 children attend CBC (Children’s Bible Class) across Burma, Nepal and India.

 

  • A total of 119,823 tracts, gospel portions, and other pieces of evangelistic literature were distributed.

 

  • A total of 31,800 Bibles were given to individuals who were eager to read the scriptures in their own language.

 

  • A total of 35,643 New Testaments were distributed to seeking hearts.

 

  • A total of 14,014 people made decisions for Christ through various outreach programs.

 

  • A total of 2,851 people were baptized by Alpha Churches in Asia.

 

  • A total of 1,398 new villages were reached and church planting/stations were established.

 

  • 76 elderly senior saints received support, which included food, support and other medical help.

 

  • 286 jackets for children were distributed.

 

  • 15 families that suffered because of persecution were relocated in 2018, majority of them were in partnership with Voice of the Martyrs.

 

  • 19 children received educational scholarships to secondary schools and college for further studies.

 

  • 12 living clean water at each well.

 

  • 14 church buildings were constructed.

 

  • 515 people attended the Church Based Bible Institute.

 

  • 736 Bible in a Backpack

 

  • 274 graduated from M28 training

 

  • 610 pastors were given care packages.

 

  • 800 families received relief aid during floods and other natural calamities in Burma and India.

 

  • 600 helmets were distributed

 

  • 97 Small battery operated PA system

 

  • 2 bathrooms were constructed through “A Bathroom for every family”

 

  • 1000 M28 Pastors Library were distributed

 

  • 4vehicles were given to frontline workers

 

  • 3 sewing machines given through VITAL project.

 

  • 64 bicycles and 55 motorcycles were given to frontline Messengers

 

  • Thousands upon Thousands of people received clean drinking water through 40“Water Huts” located in different regions of North India during summer’s intense heat droughts where no water was available.

 

In 2019…

 

As we are finishing off this first week of 2019, we at Alpha Ministries are waiting expectantly for all that God will do in the new year. While we trust in Him fully to provide for our needs and to continue his transforming work within us, we still believe it to be necessary to set personal goals for ourselves that are focused on growing and becoming more and more like the people God has called us to be! As you continue to ponder on your new year goals, we’d like to share with you two character traits you may want to consider growing within yourself this new year!

 

Become A Listener

One of the greatest ways that we as followers of Christ can convey to a lost and hurting world that they have intrinsic value to God is by taking the time to deeply listen to them. Can you a recall a time in your life when, during a season of suffering or heartache of your own, you felt genuinely listened to as you worked hard to articulate your thoughts? The experience was one that we are sure deeply ministered to your soul. Throughout Jesus’s ministry, he regularly took the time to stop and listen to the outcasts of society and those down and out in their difficult circumstances. In Mark 10, Jesus takes the time to listen to the blind man, Bartimaeus, while in Jericho. Locals of the area at the time scorned Bartimaeus for reaching out to Christ. Scripture says, “Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” Mark 10: 49-52

Can you imagine the feeling Bartimaeus must have had that day? While we may not be able to give the blind back their sight, we do have the opportunity to listen to our neighbors, our coworkers, and our family members. Rather than idly thinking on what we will say to them next in a conversation, we can pause, hear out those who come to us for compassion, and then hear them fully. Watch and see the power behind the ministry of becoming a good listener can do.

 

Become A Giver

Let’s be clear, we completely understand that starting off a new year with a spirit of giving is not always our first response after spending so much of our resources over the holiday season. Coming out of what seems like an entire month of lavish giving, stricter budgets and new year savings plans are often on the forefront of our minds. While the temptation to cut back on our charitable giving is often in full force during the month of January, we want to encourage you to not let up! Scripture tells us, in the book Matthew, “(Jesus said) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We at Alpha Ministries deeply believe that we cannot out-give God. Over the years, we have seen the incredible provision of God as we choose to step out in faith and give even when our budgets and bank accounts may advise otherwise.

As we continue to move full-steam ahead into 2019, we ask that you consider how you can be a part of the incredible work God is doing around the world! We look expectantly to all that God has in store for you this new year and can’t wait to join you in discovering more of His faithfulness in 2019.