The Start of Generations

By Grant Dibden

A number of years ago I met a young man at Macquarie University. Dan was a keen guy studying to become a primary school teacher. We met for a number of years one-to-one looking at how Jesus discipled His followers. We saw that Jesus worked deeply with a few, despite being able to have had thousands of disciples if He wanted. I mean if you can heal the sick, provide free food, walk on water and raise the dead, you can have a crowd of disciples!

But He didn’t. He invested His life in 12 guys. They lived with Him, they saw Him deal with life day to day, they saw Him pray, they heard him teach and they were the ones he explained things to, not the crowds. They were with Him and there was a constant learning process occurring. This must have been a deliberate strategy.

We saw that the Great Commission in Matthew 28 calls every believer to not only be a disciple of Christ, but in doing so, they are also to be a disciple-maker. To be a disciple means you will be making disciples! That truth took deep root in Dan’s heart.

I encouraged Dan to find someone who could be discipled. Dan played table tennis with a younger man, Tom, whom he knew from youth group and who lived down the road. Dan prayed for him and asked him if they could read the Bible together after they had finished table tennis sometimes. Tom was a little hesitant at first, but eventually agreed and they started to read John’s gospel.

Dan and I discussed and prayed about what to do with Tom. Tom and Dan had a mutual friend who also was praying for Tom and encouraging him to follow Jesus. Over a year, the Bible studies became more frequent and the Holy Spirit began to transform Tom’s heart as they read John together. Just over a year ago Tom came to faith – thank you, Lord Jesus!

Tom had found Year 12 tough and he got mixed up in a party culture. This, and some health issues, saw him skip his HSC trials and therefore not gain entry to university. However, through studying at a pre-university college and working full time, he gained entry into Macquarie University this year.

During Orientation Week, Tom sought out the Navs team on campus. He is intending to get involved there and Dan is keen to follow him up.Tom is still trying to work out what is best for him in terms of a career and where to live but he is seeking to work this out with God’s help.

I am really looking forward to hearing about Tom being used of God to make a disciple. That will be the fourth generation!

Dan, Tom and Grant three generations of disciples!

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