Disciple

“Houston pastor ordered to pay $2.45 million …”

Click2Houston website

This headline grabbed my attention recently. A jury reached a verdict in the case involving a local pastor finding him liable for passing a sexually transmitted disease to someone and ordered to pay damages of $2.45 million. Being in ministry for over two decades, nothing really surprises me these days. This story does hit closer to home because a few of you are involved in this pastor’s church.  When an event of this nature happens, I think about how many church staff will be let go, missionaries cut, and ministry budgets reduced. Did he have men in his life that were holding him accountable, and was he in a discipleship relationship?

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples” (John 8:31). A few months ago, a senior pastor asked me to disciple his new youth pastor. I am humbled by this responsibility. It has been a pleasure teaching this young man to become more like Jesus in his life, marriage, and ministry. I have undertaken this role as a discipler before, and the most difficult part of the process is when you need to rebuke and challenge someone because of their actions. I remember being challenged as a young Rice University student by an older man at a Christian retreat about my relationship. Repentance followed. This man’s love of the Lord allowed him to interject into my carnal state and placed me back on the path of becoming more like Christ.

Continue to pray for my ministry. Discipling men in local communities will be key to transforming them into Great Commission communities.                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                 Sincerely,

Leon Best