Daily Readings

became the passion of his life. He is the man who founded the Navigators. However, that was not always how Trotman looked at Christian living or ministry.

One day early in his ministry, Trotman was driving along and saw a young man walking down the street on his way to caddy at a golf course. Trotman often picked up hitchhikers, for it gave him a chance to witness. As the young man got into the car, he used a few expletives just as Trotman was handing him a tract. The young man glanced at the tract then looked at Trotman and said, “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?” Trotman looked at him closely. As it turned out, the two men had met on the same road the previous year. Trotman had witnessed to the young man and led him to accept Jesus as his Savior. After Trotman had prayed with the young man, (in his own words) he sped on his merry way.

But a year later, there was little to be merry about. There was hardly any evidence of a new birth in the young man’s life, much less any kind of spiritual growth. That second encounter with the young man bothered Trotman so much that he became sick at heart. But he used his despondence to change his approach to ministry. He began to go back and find some of his “converts.” He started working more and more on follow-up and on developing new ways of mentoring those whom he had led to Christ. His ways have been used by countless followers of Jesus Christ to not only grow as disciples, but to also share their journey with Christ.

Trotman had rediscovered what Jesus told those whom He had discipled – “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, even to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

The word “disciple” occurs 269 times in the New Testament while the name “Christian” is only used three times. The way of life that Jesus came to earth to invite others to follow is not just about accepting the initial presentation concerning our salvation or even our experience of it through the waters of baptism. It is about growing more and more each and every day to be like Jesus and then sharing with others that same journey which Jesus made with His first disciples. As Dallas Williard wrote, “the disciple of Jesus is not the deluxe or heavy-duty model of the Christian – especially padded, textured, streamlined and empowered for the fast lane on the straight and narrow way. He or she stands on the pages of the New Testament as the first level of basic transportation in the kingdom of God.” Each of us has the opportunity of helping others become disciples. And the way we are to do it is by simply taking the time to share with others the road to the Cross that we are walking. It must have been extremely important to Jesus because it was the last thing He said to His disciples. Will it be that important to us?

John Harp

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