This month saw a lot of change and growth up here as well within the men. Nick completed the first two approaches and now is moving from the School of Discipleship to the School of Theology here within Discover Life. Read his final essay HERE. To view some other written essays and testimonies, click HERE. We also celebrated John's transition from inductee to student as he continues in the School of Discipleship. We are encouraged to see the students make that transition. We were able to serve a regional ministry in the restoration of one of their own back to their ministry. To serve in that capacity is an honor. We also saw the return of Alan to Discover Life to continue in the emptying of himself before the Lord. I ask that you pray for all of the men as they attempt to go deeper in their walk with Christ.
The Discover Life Mountaintop Ministry has also continued to grow as we meet weekly on Tuesday nights. This ministry is focused on walking people through the healing of their hurts, habits, and hang ups specifically but also provides an excellent opportunity for discipleship and fellowship between believers belonging to several churches in the Catskill Mountaintop community. There have been several testimonies of people being freed from the pain of their past. I ask that you continue to pray for the people of this ministry as they continue in their walks to freedom. It can be a very trying time. Please also pray for the people of the community that need to be here that aren’t coming … that God would open doors where necessary and place a burning in their hearts to come.
I also want to praise God for some answered prayers and for His ability to meet needs through people who are willing to give. This month we were blessed with the news that we have some computers, a wireless printer, and a commercial copier on their way! This is exciting!!! We go through a lot of literature up here but have been extremely limited to using equipment that is not sufficient for the task. We have had a delivery of meat and groceries for the men as well as some class and teaching materials. I will continue to adjust the needs list as we go along. But thank God and thank all of you who have responded to help. We are believing God for assistance in renovating the Farm House that will allow us to house 20 students for ministry here (currently maxed at 7). If you are looking for a way to invest in God’s kingdom, I can assure you that we are good stewards of your giving and that Discover Life is a ministry to invest in. To look at ways you can invest in the lives of the people being impacted for the kingdom by the ministry of Discover Life, CLICK HERE!!! You are invited to help us we help others!!!
A note to ministers: It is vitally important that referring ministries understand the nature of our ministry when considering someone within their scope of influence as a possible candidate. We are not a rehab facility. We are a school of discipleship. While rehabilitation is a natural outworking of discipleship, our methodology is Christ. Individuals who are merely looking to be sobered will struggle here. We serve as a wonderfully sharpened tool for the minister’s toolkit to serve in specific situation. Seeing the lives transformed is a wonderful opportunity I get to experience daily. Yet seeing those who do not wish to be discipled struggle through accepting the reality that Discover Life is not the place they need to be is difficult, but necessary. Everyone who comes up here from a life strangled with addiction goes through induction before they become students. Inductees are under constant observation and are not transitioned into students until they demonstrate their desire to be serious about being disciple in Christ considering the three prerequisites He gave Himself for discipleship: abandoning all, taking up one’s cross, and counting the cost. We discuss these three in great detail in terms of both definition and application. An inductee is not considered for candidacy for studentship until this is accomplished. You can get a sufficient understanding of the ministry here especially determining whether we are the best fit for individuals you are considering by checking out our website: www.discoverlifeministry.com and by reading our handbook and applications found HERE!
I also want you to be aware of the Discover Life School of Ministry. It is a fully equipped preparation degree program for people specifically desiring to be prepared for ministry. As your high school graduates are considering different options for preparation and education, consider us as a viable option. Students who graduation from our School of Ministry will have a degree in Biblical Studies or Biblical Counseling and will be ordained for ministry. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us HERE. I am also available to come speak with your student groups about the discipleship ministry opportunities here. We are proud to have our discipleship and ministry process underwritten and supported by Dr. James Segountos (former professor at LSU and Nyack College) and Dr Larry Poston (professor at Nyack College).
Lessons From The Saw Mill: “You Can’t Smoke a Rock!!!”
One of our favorite (weather permitting) morning exercise traditions is taking a hike up Pratt Rock (our local version of Mount Rushmore). There is a perch of rocks up at the top that allows us to do our morning devotions while overlooking the beauty of the Catskill Mountain region. While first hiking the mountain I noticed the vegetation that grows out of the face of the rock. Wait a minute!!! You can’t plant in a rock!!! Could you imagine throwing your seed out in the road and thinking to yourself, “that will produce an abundance of tomatoes!” In fact, as evident in our yearly garden, the whole of Huntersfield is growing from bedrock underneath!! You’d be crazy right??? But yet here on the mountain is a bunch of nourished and established vegetation growing directly from the rock itself!
Then I remember a situation years ago that always makes me laugh. I was near the end of the Drill Sergeant School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. We had this senior drill instructor that seemed to thrive in making our lives as uncomfortable as possible (with good reason). One day we were marching somewhere (close to course completion) and one of my buddies got into some trouble with the senior drill. He dropped him (made him get down and start doing push ups). My friend yelled out (playfully) “You can’t smoke a rock Senior Drill Sergeant!!!” Senior Drill Sergeant Mitchell responded without hesitation “But you can crack one!” and continued to make my bud push until there was nothing left … and we had to help him too of course … no one pushes alone.
What’s the point? Well Jesus calls Peter a rock…
Mat 16:18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
So was that an insult? Isn’t being a like a rock negative according to Jesus’ teaching in Matt 13? Well maybe not in the way one would think … but check this out.
There are places in our lives that God has strengthened for the purposes of planting and securing others as well as firming our own resolve to carry out His purposes in our lives. But how does life grow from a rock? Isn’t that impossible? Not at all. In fact the answer is in my old Senior Drill Sergeant’s response: you can’t smoke a rock but you can crack one! It is the very cracks that develop in the rock that allow soil to penetrate and plants take root. What a gift to the vegetation but it comes to great loss to the rock. How do those cracks develop? Many ways including weather, ice, fractures, shifting etc but it always involves stressing the rock beyond its ability to adjust … and a crack is made.
What about our lives? Do we find that the circumstances of life can seem to stretch us beyond what we think we are able to handle? Do we accuse God of failing us during those times or do we recognize that He may be doing something in and and to us that will allow us to become that which provides life for others. Paul spoke of this when he said that he was being poured out as a drink offering:
Phillipians 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
Do you desire to be of use by God? Would you consider being used by God as a planting point for others? It is in the acceptance of our loss that others can grow. Though the splitting is uncomfortable and at times seemingly unbearable, in time the result is a beautiful scape thriving with live that would otherwise had been a barren, lonely, cold rock. On this rock will He will build His church? Then I better get ready for some splitting … because it’s beautiful up here!
That’s my take anyways! Thanks for reading.
Original Post: Discover Life: Wrapping Up May 2015 - Could Have Used Some of Those Showers!!
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