Building Lego Towers

​Building Lego Towers
By Lori Joiner

When my sons were younger, one of their chores was to tidy up their
rooms. Often, I would send them to their rooms to begin the cleaning
process and they would get sidetracked. Instead of putting laundry in
baskets, or placing toys on shelves, or making their beds, they would
start playing.

One morning when I went to check on their progress, instead of
following my instructions, they were building Lego towers. All the
Legos were spread out, the room looked worse than before, and they had
built very tall Lego towers.

And while the tall Lego towers were impressive, that was not what I had
asked them to do. I had made it clear their rooms needed to be cleaned
before we left for the day.

In a way, we as Christian adults have the exact same tendency when it
comes to the Great Commission. Jesus has told us clearly what he wants
us to focus on while we are on earth, awaiting His second coming.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me.  19  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,  20  and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus wants us to focus on making disciples. However, many of us are
building Lego towers. We are doing everything but making disciples.

We are:
 Attending church
 Attending Bible studies
 Volunteering
 Financially giving to great causes
 Building businesses
 Having lunch with friends
 Going on vacations
 Binge watching our favorite shows
 Carpooling kids to activities

Discipleship often is not even on the list of activities that fill our
schedules.

I feel this too.

I am raising two sons, I am a wife, I have dinner to get made this
evening, swim team practice to take the boys to. I have emails to return,
and old friend to meet for lunch tomorrow, and a ministry to run. I have
a neighbor that needs some extra help in life right now, I have a dog to
walk, a kid that needs to go to the orthodontist…and on it goes.

So often, in the business of life, following the main thing Jesus told us to
do is not only an afterthought-it is no thought at all. Many of the
individuals that make up the body of Christ are not passing on the faith
to the people around them. We are building Lego towers and not actually
doing discipleship.

Ok, I am being a bit fatalistic. I know a small handful of people doing
this, I can count them on two hands. Even many people in full-time
Christian work get too busy with other things and don’t truly meet with
and disciple others in any ongoing way.

I am not just observing this, I am not just writing about this, I am deeply
burdened by this reality. So burdened that I launched a 501c3 ministry to

full-time navigate into this area and see what God could use me to do to
address this issue.
What I have found is that people WANT to do this but are stuck. Stuck
on a variety of issues such as:

 Where to find disciples
 How to start-literally what to say to get the ball rolling
 When to find time to meet with a disciple
 What to do when you meet-what does this discipleship time look
like
 Personal hang ups-like feeling as if you don’t know enough,
feeling as if you don’t have the right personality, feeling
inadequate as you may not have ever been discipled yourself

But there is hope!

With God all things are possible! Even discipling someone with your
busy schedule! Even discipling another person if you have never been
discipled. Yes, even discipling someone with YOUR personality.

And I am in your corner! I want to not only propel you in this endeavor-I
want you to LOVE discipleship! I have a TON of resources to get you
started disciplining someone this week!

 Your Discipleship Coach Podcast-This weekly 10-to-15-minute
discipleship time will equip and encourage you in your
discipleship efforts.
 Discipling Others Blog-Monthly Discipleship help covering all
areas of discipleship.
 Start Here and Next Steps Bible Study workbooks-These
straightforward Bible studies on the basics of the Christian faith
are perfect place to start when discipling someone.

 Discipling Women-This resource breaks down the nuts and bolts
of discipleship, explains the biblical basis for discipleship, and is
packed full of helpful advice when discipling others.
 The Discipleship Starter Kit-This free resource offered on my
website includes an 8-week calendar of what to do, day by day, to
disciple others.
 The Time Is Now discipleship training retreat-This 4 talk retreat is
specially geared to helping people, in one weekend, learn to
disciple others.

When I stand before the Lord I want to have done the things he
specifically asked His followers to do. I don’t want to say face the Lord
and show him Lego towers. I want to face him and show Him disciples.

And I want to help you do the same. As I navigate this life and all the
demands on my time, I am looking for lost souls, asking people if they
want to grow spiritually, and keeping margin in my schedule for the
women I can disciple and help spiritually. My goal, is that they too will
turn around and pay it forward and disciple others also. My aim is to
help you, and recruit you, to join me in this Great Commission effort.
​
Let’s go build God’s Kingdom together!