What experiences in your life have caused you the deepest pain and anguish?

I have good news for you. The place of your wounds are where God can show His greatest power and love through you.

There are, unfortunately, all too many examples of people who have been wounded who then live out of fear, control, or bitterness. Some start to blame anyone and everything that reminds them of how they were wounded – that’s how the enemy wants to use our wounds. But God has another plan: He will take the very place of your wounding, lead you to forgiveness, fill it with His power, and make something supernatural happen. If you let Him, He’ll take your wounds and make you great.

Joseph in the Bible, was wounded. Imagine being betrayed by family, sold into slavery, falsely accused and unjustly imprisoned by poor leaders. From this place of wounding, we see a man of God emerge who modeled great leadership and supernatural loyalty to his family. He said, “What you meant for harm, God intended for good.” 

Joseph didn’t gloss over the wrongs they did – but he let God raise him up to lead in love from the place of his wounding. Our wounds don’t disqualify us; with God they can empower us. Out of his wounds, Joseph became the very hope for the salvation of his entire family. We’ll see Someone else later in the scriptures who did the same thing for all the families on earth.

I think Paul was getting at something similar when he spoke of how God used his afflictions:

“‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

I don’t believe God causes the wounds and I know he doesn’t inspire people to do evil. But God will use the evils that have been done and the wounds they caused to show His great power and love through you.  That’s just how good God is.

So, with references to Joseph and Paul, who experienced challenges, wounds, and weaknesses as God led them toward great leadership, I’ll end with one more. Our great Leader, Jesus, was wounded, died, and rose to make a way for salvation for all the families in the world. The very cross He bore in weakness became the instrument of power for the salvation of the world.

“Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hands into the wound in my side…Believe.”

So, if you’re walking through life with wounds, don’t be ashamed. Don’t ask, “Why was I wounded?” A better question is, “God, what do you want to do with these wounds?” The place of your wounds are where God will often show His greatest power and love through you.

Forgive, trust God, and let Him create a supernaturally empowered ministry from the place of your wounding.

I’m thrilled to announce my new book, Disciple just released on Amazon.com.

“Disciple” is a solution to the issue facing every generation – how to equip all followers of Jesus to be disciples and become disciple makers. “Disciple” is not a book to passively read – it’s an action-packed power tool to facilitate real-life discipling relationships with intentionality. If you want to deepen your walk with Jesus, make other disciples, or simply need a tool for making disciples through your church or ministry, Disciple will help you raise up leaders who make maximum impact for the Kingdom of God.

What People Are Saying About Disciple:

 

“‘Disciple’ by Erik Fish is one of the most practical tools for raising up Christ-centered followers of Jesus I have ever seen. This user-friendly guide facilitates the growth of real discipling relationships that make it natural for people to grow as disciples and become disciple makers. I personally use this resource, have given it to those closest to me, and am honored to recommend it to you now.”

– Brad McKoy, Founder and Team Leader, Antioch Overflow Experiment

 

“Jesus has a dream to see every person on the planet come home to the Father’s love. Erik has articulated this dream and made it accessible for believers everywhere through this inspirational and practical guide for making disciples. No matter where you are on your journey with God, “Disciple” will empower you to participate in the Great Commission.”

– Adam Cox, 24-7 Prayer; Team Leader, Kansas City Boiler Room

 

“Few men carry with them the marks of a true disciple that reproduce true Jesus Followers. Erik is one such man! Through his passion, study and experience along with a mandate from God, he has labored to produce a “power tool” for the church. “Disciple” is the clarion call of Christ to His church and Erik has answered that call and facilitated an actionable answer. I’m honored and humbled to recommend the man and his message. Use it and be fruitful for the glory of God.”

– David Frech, Lead Pastor, Church of the Harvest, Olathe, KS

 

Disciple will help you make disciples who make disciples…. 

You can purchase Disciple here on Amazon.com.

Let others know about “Disciple” by using the social media icons at the left of this page.

Thanks for helping get the word out about Disciple!

January 2008

“Oh my gosh! The baby is being born right now!”

I held my wife’s hand as she lay on the hospital bed, in labor with our fourth child, Graham Anthem.

It had been a difficult pregnancy, not so much physically, but spiritually.

At 32 years old, a decent ministry career, and a rapidly growing family, we both sensed the Lord calling us to close one chapter in our lives and open another. I started dreaming again. Not just ordinary dreams, but dreams I sensed were from God. Dreams about seeing God move powerfully in the world. Dreams about being in the middle of a wave of God’s Spirit in our generation. Dreams about a youth movement that would shake nations. Sometimes they came at night. Sometimes they simply etched themselves on my mind as I prayed and talked with God.

I had some candid conversations with God during that time:

“God what are you doing today? How can I be on the edge of what You’re doing today? Could there be another Jesus movement in our generation? What do we need to do to prepare for it? What can we learn from past moves of God to prepare for a new movement in our generation?”

Dreams of a new student movement took shape. I saw students traveling from campus to campus, multiplying simple, creative expressions of church. I didn’t understand it at first. Sometimes God shows us things we don’t yet understand. Soon, the Lord spoke to me, “Erik, remember, this vision is not about campuses; it’s about nations.” I knew what I dreamed of wasn’t a clever way to do “college ministry.” It had to do with fulfilling the Great Commission.

Jen and I never imagined the adventures and the nations where our dreaming would take us – the joy, the beauty, and, at times, losses along the way.

As news of our pregnancy came that year, we felt we were pregnant with something spiritually as well.

As Graham grew in Jen’s womb, I spent six months praying about how also to respond to the dream growing inside me. It soon became clear many things would need to change about how I saw “ministry”, the church, my job, my marriage, and my family. Jen and I spent the next six months praying often, sensing a transition was coming. Those were difficult times; but they were also some of the deepest times of closeness with God I’d ever known. Though I had experienced some “success” in ministry, I was riddled by doubts and fears. During those six months, God began to Father me through those fears…and lead me to overcome them.

Are the dreams in my heart good? Can I do it? Isn’t it dangerous to step out on a precipice with God and try something new and different? What if no one understands? Will I be alone? What if I fail? 

I discovered God is a Father who raises His sons and daughters to overcome their fears – not to hide from them. This is what God did for me during that time. He led me to face everything I’d ever been afraid of – and overcome them. I believe our true destiny – the fullest expression of living life in a way that matches the deepest longings of our heart – is directly related to facing the things we fear and letting God show His power through us to overcome them.

At the end of those six months, the time came for Graham, our 4^th child, to be born.

After 14 hours of labor, Jen’s body wasn’t producing whatever it needed for Graham to be born. The doctors had given her medication, but it wasn’t working.

In the evening, a nurse came and examined Jen again. She said,

“You’re only dilated to a ‘2’. If your body doesn’t kick in to gear really quickly, we’ll have to do a C-section. For whatever reason, this baby doesn’t feel it’s ready to be born.”

She then left the room. (Women need to reach a level of ‘10’ dilation before a baby can be born.)

I realize a C-section is fairly common, but at that moment I felt something stir deep inside me. I can’t fully explain what happened to me next, but I felt the Spirit of God come upon me. The might of a father welled up inside me, and I knew what I needed to do. I looked at Jen’s body and said:

“Son, the time of your birth has come. As your father, I command anything blocking your birth to be removed in the name of Jesus. Now, son, be born!”

I don’t even know completely why I said it. I felt a little dumb, wondering if the doctors were standing outside the room, eyeing me with suspicion.

Right then, the nurse walked back into the room. Jen asked her, “Will you check my level of dilation again?”

The nurse said: “I just checked you, honey. Your body can’t change that fast.”

“I felt something shift in my body after you walked out,” Jen replied.

(She tactfully omitted the story of her enthusiastic husband commanding the baby to be born when she stepped out of the room for a minute.)

The nurse complied and examined her again. “Oh my gosh! The baby is being born right now! I can see His head!”

I stood there stunned, watching a miracle take place before my eyes. My body pulsed with Holy Spirit joy and wonderment.

Two pushes later, my son Graham was born. It was a miraculous birth.

As I held Graham in my arms in the hospital room, crying tears of joy, the presence of God was so thick I felt I could reach out and touch it. As his father, I began to speak blessings over my son, giving him a name that Jen and I agreed on and calling forth the destiny I believed God had planned for him.

Suddenly, I heard the Lord speak two things:

“Go ahead, Erik, build your school. And honor your father.”

The same day Graham was born, The Student Church Planting eXperience (SCPX), a reproducible school for equipping students to make disciples and grow new movements of the church, began. It had been gestating for quite a while. Now was the time. Just as my words as a father called forth Graham, the heart of God the Father was calling forth a new student movement.

A week later, during a historic, tear-filled time with my friend, Pam Arlund, the fabric of SCPX began to take shape. We soon realized this was more than a training: God was using SCPX to grow spiritual families with His heart for the nations.

Here is a small sample of pictures from the last few years. These glimpses show not just a movement taking shape, but sons and daughters of the kingdom rising with a “Permission Given” mindset to pursue their dreams with Father God, make disciples, and grow spiritual family, the church, in their generation.

Michael gets baptized by his sister, Meghan, at UT 2010. Movements on the campus can effect entire families.

Michael baptizes a new disciple a short time later. This is movement ... disciples make disciples who make disciples...and so on

Prayer and joy

Miriam, a Taiwanese student, baptizes a Chinese international student at SCPX UNLV 2009.

David baptizes his friend, Dustin, who he led to the Lord after being on the brink of suicide. As spiritual families of simple churches grow, they sometimes grow into a base for the region. This picture happened at The Hub, a prayer and mission base for the SCPX family outside Pittsburgh, PA.

Jaeson and I praying for the first students ever led to Jesus during a SCPX. These were Native American students at the first SCPX at Haskell Indian Nations University in 2008

Sometimes the "evangelism" students practice is so simple. Hang out on campus, play guitars, have fun, etc. Do whatever you love to do and meet people -- Jesus shows up!

Students pray for healing on campus. This was particularly fun for me to watch, because right next door, a loud, obnoxious debate about Christianity was happening. Meanwhile, these students are out loving lost people and demonstrating God's kingdom.

Students at UT Austin. These student leaders have planted around 20 simple churches the last few years, but, more importantly, are growing as a spiritual family together and spreading to new campuses and cities. They are sending a church planting team to Detroit this summer.

Students planting simple churches learn the values of Loving God, Loving Each Other, and Loving the Lost

Students head out to meet people and share Jesus on a weekend night at the bars.

Myles, Lindsay, Meghan, and a team of interns take the SCPX heart into the urban core, planting churches among urban youth in KC.

Student leaders take SCPX to a closed nation in Central Asia, 2010. The principles of SCPX work anywhere for sparking creative, indigenous expressions of the church

An oft-repeated experience: The Fish family traveling to a new campus.

Hudson watches Sarah getting baptized at SCPX Oregon State University 2011

Alex, an extraordinarily creative student and recording artist from Arizona, baptizes a new Jesus follower at a SCPX in 2009. This student was from an unreached minority ethnic group from SE Asia

The greatest joy I've seen in the churches birthed through SCPX? Students learn that the church is held together by authentic, loving friendships. This gives me great hope for the church in the next generation.

Jasmine, Meghan, Jonathan, Courtney, Nadia, and others at SCPX for HBCU's in Atlanta. 2011

Students Pray

Brad McKoy, a spiritual dad to many SCPX students. Students at SCPX learn to make disciples and plant simple churches - while learning to walk in relationships with spiritual parents.

My kids play in the surf while a bunch of people get baptized in the Pacific Ocean. This was during one of several trips to the YWAM Kona base.

Our family traveled about 10,000 miles together that first year, making friends, loving on students, and raising up new leaders. I've been back and forth across the nation ever since, building friendships, planting churches, and growing spiritual family. Here, I take a moment for heart to heart time with my son. During our travels we grew so much as a family - during times of work, celebration, love, discipline, and fun. It was challenging to figure out how to travel as a family, but I wouldn't change those times for the world.

This summer marks the 5th anniversary of the birth of SCPX. To date, SCPX has mobilized over 2,000 young leaders from 20+ nations. 

I realize the fruit has less to do with theories and models. It has more to do with modeling for the next generation how to live as spiritual family. It’s less about “heady” teaching and more about showing people how to experience Jesus in everyday life together. The fruit I’ve seen has less to do with building an organization and more to do with inspiring a movement where the next generation has permission to dream with God as they answer His call to make disciples.

I’ve seen it all over the world – the Holy Spirit comes on the youth when they are empowered to create church for their generation – and as spiritual parents walk with them both when they succeed and when they fail. The dream grows because a lot of good friends, hundreds of partnerships, and a cadre of courageous students are catching God’s heart for their lives, the church, and the nations. Almost five years in, it’s moving beyond the campus.  The next generation is learning to express God’s heart for their families, the city, the marketplace, the arts, education, and in the nations. It’s the Jesus way … seeking the kingdom everywhere.

Now, we’re giving SCPX away to others. You can start a student movement wherever you are – teach people to paint the world in the primary colors of God’s kingdom: Love God, Love Each Other, and Love the Lost. This is where movements begin. This is where spiritual family grows. This is Church.

Permission Given: A Guide to Do Your Own SCPX

Here’s a guide to help you create your own SCPX wherever you are. There are probably other SCPXers ready to come help if you need it. Contact me through the “Connect” section of my blog to ask for help.

You have permission. Permission to dream bigger; to love deeper; to overcome fear; to believe greater; to enjoy life with God more fully – as you help catalyze a next generation movement of the Holy Spirit in your region … and beyond.

Growing God’s Family,
Erik

Recently, I was asked by a journalist, ” What inspired you to start Student CPx and why did it begin at Haskell Indian Nations University?” Here was my response:

“I was inspired to start Student CPx in 2008 for a few reasons.

 

One, I find that the best people to present Jesus on a college campus are often students themselves. This was a core value behind Student CPx – helping inspire student-led movements for Jesus on college campuses. My life changed significantly when I began following Jesus while I was a student. I wanted to see students everywhere have the chance to experience Jesus like I did, even if they may be averse to the conventional forms of church in their area.

 

Two, the statistical presence of students who express Christian faith has been declining on American universities for the last 30 years. With around 3,000 universities in the U.S., the vast majority of students are presented with only two options in regard to expressing (or discovering) faith in Jesus: Join a conventional campus ministry organization or join a local church. Since, on average, 95% of college students never find their way into one of those two options, I began to dream of a movement of ordinary students bringing Jesus with them into the places they live – houses, apartments, residence halls, fraternities and sororities, etc. Student CPx was birthed to give tools, experiences, and a national network of friends and spiritual moms and dads to help students do so. Though we had some big dreams from the beginning of Student CPx, we never thought it would spread so quickly, with students replicating Student CPx on other universities and nations.

 

Three, the idea for Student CPx came to me during a season where I was praying for college campuses and asking God what was on His heart. It seemed kind of silly at the time – students starting and leading actual “churches?” But the idea stuck, friends gathered around me to help, and the rest is history.

 

The first Student CPx began at Haskell Indian Nations University in 2008. Why? I can’t say it was intentional on my part. One day I walked on the Haskell campus and felt a deep compassion for these students, gathered from 130 different Indian nations scattered around the U.S. Many Native American tribes are among the least-Christian demographic groups in the U.S. I realized conventional forms of church would not “work” here (they hadn’t worked very well for the last 450 years among Native Americans, anyway). Native Americans needed a Jesus-inspired movement that was indigenous to them and led by them. One day, I presented the idea of hosting the first Student CPx at Haskell to the President of the university. She welcomed us, eventually giving us access to an entire dorm to host students from around the nation. Though our decision to host the first SCPx at Haskell University wasn’t intentionally strategic on our part, it certainly proved very influential to the growth of the movement. Students were exposed first-hand to relationships with Native Americans and learned how to present Jesus in culturally relevant, non-religious ways to those who had otherwise been averse to conventional forms of Christianity. This has been an ongoing characteristic of the growth of subsequent Student CPx’es and the movement as a whole.”

Well, that’s the short version, anyway. Be on the lookout for the new SCPX Facilitator’s Guide, coming soon. In the meantime, check out this short video about SCPX:

Click here to view the embedded video.

For those of us in the Christian world, we often reflect in awe at movements of the gospel in history. Most Jesus followers want to be part of a movement. Many people call themselves one. Few people, I think, understand what they are. Before I tell some of my dumbest mistakes trying to grow a movement, here’s my attempt at a definition for what one actually is for Jesus followers:

MOVEMENT: “The rapidly multiplying, expanding influence of the gospel among a given population, with ensuing transformation in all spheres of life.”

After four years growing a movement on college campuses (or at least trying to), I thought it would be a good time to sit down and evaluate my mistakes. For some bizarre sociological reason, people respond better when I tell them the stupid things I’ve done, rather than just the sweet stories.*

Go figure.

Maybe being honest about our quirks and missteps helps pave the way for others. Before I tell some of my own painful blunders from the last few years, I’ll give myself some anaesthetic by relating a quick story of one failed expedition that led to others’ success.

About 450 years ago, a group of devoted, prayerful Jesuits set out to expand the gospel where it had never been planted before. The Jesuits were founded by ten friends, among them a quirky, often criticized guy named Ignatius of Loyola who once pilgrimaged barefoot all the way to Jerusalem (only to be promptly kicked out of the city and sent home). God often uses strange people to start movements.

The Jesuits were the most prolific force for expanding the gospel in unknown regions prior to (and in many cases, after) the era of modern Protestant missions. Along the way, several of them looked for a faster land route to get from India to China. One of them, Benedetto de Goes, traveled for four years by foot through icy, snow-packed mountains and murderously treacherous deserts searching for a new way to China before finally dying, a thousand miles short of his destination.**  Before he died, he left some notes with a traveling merchant that (miraculously) made it back to his Jesuit friends in Europe. The contents of his note basically said:

“Don’t come this way.”

Sometimes our mistakes can help others get where they need to go. (Not to mention, ourselves.)

So, with a shout out to Benedetto, here’s a note from me about a few of my dumb mistakes in growing movements: “Don’t come this way!”

1. Build a Network and Call it a Movement.

For all my bros and sisters out there who want to change the world and expand their influence to start movements, I’ve got some sobering news: Networks are not necessarily movements. I’ve learned this the hard way: by trying it. We live in an era of unprecedented partnerships. The shrinking of our world and expanding technology make network building easy. I’ve spent literally hundreds of hours with other ministry leaders from various organizations, examining scenarios for how we can “partner” our ministries together to build a larger network. Some networks I’ve led; others I’ve joined with friends. Some of these networks have indeed yielded fun and fruitful projects. Large networks gain attention and make us feel good.

However, sometimes building a network is just a poor excuse for becoming busy not really doing anything that grows spiritual sons and daughters. You feel better because you feel bigger. And because you planned a lot of stuff.  Think about this: Imagine if we networked every single Christian on the planet — Maybe we called it the “Global Christian Network” — absolutely zero net gain for the kingdom would happen just by virtue of being connected.

Yea for networks. I’m 100% for collaboration, partnership and working together.  I’m glad to benefit from and sow into the different ministry networks which I identify with. We must collaborate as the Body of Christ. Networks can help us. Just don’t call building a network from the top-down the same thing as growing a movement from the ground up. I’ve tried. They’re not the same thing.

2. Whine about all the churches who are not growing movements.

OK, this is a wake up call. I love dwelling in the camp of those who are creating simple, reproducible models for making disciples and growing churches. I sometimes speak at conferences and rub shoulders with some well-respected pioneers among the “missional” thinkers and practitioners in the U.S. (thinkers and practitioners are often not the same thing, by the way). Most of them are awesome people who I respect and are doing great stuff.

However, so many of us “missional” people have attracted a following of complainers. Oops, I’ve been there. I said this was about the dumb mistakes I’ve made right? Somehow the mindset creeps in that, “If everyone would just listen to me and understand what’s wrong with the church, it would somehow cause a movement.”

Some of those frank discussions about the church need to be had. However, complaining about what’s wrong with the North American church doesn’t make more disciples; it just makes more whiners. It doesn’t grow a movement.

Stop whining and go love somebody who doesn’t know Jesus. Go make disciples. That’s what I plan to do more of.

3. Measure your progress by your Facebook friends and Retweets.

Social networking is a great tool. You might be reading this because of Facebook, Twitter, or some other social networking tool. But tools are just that: tools.

Believing a large Facebook fan base will cause a movement is kind of like thinking that the large crowds that followed Jesus were the great legacy He left behind in the world. (Remember, the crowds that cheered Him later yelled, “Crucify Him!”).

Or, perhaps a better analogy is the means of travel the 1st Century church used to expand the gospel to new cities. The roman roads and marine shipping lanes were a means to increase speed of travel, communication, commerce, and troop deployment. The Apostle Paul and others used them. But the means of networking different areas together didn’t cause the movements. They just helped connect people. Social networking can be used for the same thing.

The demographics in the U.S. where movements are needed most (lost, hurting pagans, the urban poor, etc.) don’t give a crap about my Twitter following. They’re probably not going to find Jesus because of some brilliant Facebook post I wrote. They’re out there in the real world, in a very different social network than is reflected by my online community.

I love how God can use social networking. Yea, for social networking tools. I use them. I advocate using them. But don’t gauge your sense of success by them or mistake Facebook activity and your Twitter connections as growing a movement.

The dumbest mistake I’ve made with Facebook and Twitter? Finding myself up at 11:30 p.m., watching to see who has responded to a post because I’m bored and want to feel like my ideas are influencing people. “DON’T COME THIS WAY!”

Oh, and make sure to tweet this article if you like it.

My resolve in 2012 is to get out of “Facebook land” more, and get into real-world relationships and disciple making more.

4. Start a Conference

When I first started training student church planters, I dreamed of creating a very large conference in a few years.  It didn’t happen. Maybe it’s just because I kind of suck at creating large events, promotion, etc. Whatever. I started speaking at other conferences. It felt good. I think I helped some people.  It was fun to see my picture on posters and online invitations. Nothing wrong with that, I guess.

I love big celebration meetings where there’s energy, momentum, and corporate experiences with God. Yea, for conferences. I look forward to some of them in the future. (OK, not really very many of them, but I don’t want to sound like a whiner. I’m in recovery).

But here’s the deal. We’re addicted to conferences. I was, and I didn’t realize it.

Somehow, somewhere along the way, this subtle idea crept in that the way to grow a movement was to get a big enough conference. God’s a good Dad. He still comes to our conferences. I’m pretty sure conferences can help movements, and they can be very good. It’s just a mistake to think that the way to grow a movement is to grow conferences.

My “mission field” is the next generation. It probably always will be to some extent. From what I’ve seen, there’s a sickness among the youth expression of Christianity in the U.S. We’ve so celebrated “fame” in Christianity, that many young Christians I meet dream of becoming conference speakers. It’s like you’ve truly “arrived” in the kingdom of God if you become a noted conference performer. “DON’T GO THIS WAY!”

Young people: I celebrate you when you have been faithful to walk with Jesus right where you live; when you have devoted yourself to bringing other lost people around you into following Jesus with you; and when you’ve embraced God’s heart for discipling the nations. That’s the stuff that will make you a leader in my book.

Conferences can be great encouragement for us as Jesus followers to keep going, to be encouraged, etc. Conferences where I’ve spoken have probably encouraged people. They’ve helped me be a little more popular (or a little more unpopular, in some cases). But most people who aren’t following Jesus aren’t going to get the gospel because of a conference; the gospel has to be brought to them, where they live.

A conference is not a movement. They may help movements, but be aware of the difference. That’s what I’m learning from my mistake.

5. Timidity

Lastly, in the theme of dumb mistakes I’ve made, is being timid. It takes courage to make disciples. It takes courage to do the on-the-ground stuff to lead people to Jesus, train them to reach others, and walk with them to resist the enemy, remain faithful, get back up when they fail, and go on to make a difference in the world. I’d come out of such a controlling Christian environment, I started thinking being timid was a safer way to make disciples and grow movements. It’s not. “DON’T GO THIS WAY.”

If you want to grow a movement, it takes great courage, perhaps a bit like the humorous lessons from the shirtless dancing guy many of us have seen.

Jesus was humble, yet He was passionately assertive. He boldly called people into God’s purposes. I’ve returned to discovering that strong leadership and assertiveness in reaching lost people and boldly calling people to be disciple makers has brought more fruit than being hands off or timid. Yes, we need to be gentle and humble and celebrate the values of freedom. If you have a spirit of timidity, God didn’t give it to you (2 Timothy 1:7). Timidity is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Gentleness is. Gentleness is shown in the person of Jesus: the strongest leader who ever lived. It is HIS movement that continues to grow through history. He is our example for how to grow movements. (And He is the means to get up and keep going when you realize you’ve made some dumb mistakes.)

The last year, I’ve returned to courageously championing very intentional disciple making and celebrating every single changed life. I created a tool for making disciples that myself and others are using. You can download it free here.

Perhaps I may write later about a few things I think I’ve done right as I’ve learned from my dumb mistakes. Whether that’s a future article or not, what’s “right” is sure to be pretty basic: Follow Jesus and make disciples like He did.

Let’s follow Jesus as our example so we can play our part in growing HIS ever expanding, greatest movement in history. That’s the way to go.

Erik

*I was inspired by a recent post by Steve Sjogren. Subscribe to his short blogs. They are super encouraging.

** Heroic Leadership, by Chris Lowney, pg 71

At 20 years old, Dustin had enough of the broken relationships, heartbreak, and lost dreams. He’d lost his football scholarship. He’d lost his girlfriend. He’d lost his job. He’d lost his relationship with his dad. Dustin found the last stash of drugs and laid a massive line on the table. He reasoned it was easily enough to end the pain of his earthly life. Permanently.

Then the phone rang.

Dustin had a friend named David. David was an NYU student and a rapper rapidly ascending the ranks of the underground circuit in New York City. He encountered the Holy Spirit and left the drugs, sex, and fame to spend a year at the Antioch Overflow Experiment, a HUB outside Pittsburgh for the SCPX family. One night, God brought his old friend Dustin to his mind. He picked up the phone and called him.

“How you doing?” David said.

Tears began to pour on the table in front of Dustin, next to what would have been his suicidal last line of drugs.

“Not too good, man.”

The conversation went on. David prayed with Dustin. As they talked on the cell phone, Dustin stepped outside his house, walking away from the death that lay on the table. Beside a trash dumpster outside his apartment complex, Dustin fell to his knees and surrendered his life to Jesus.

David and his friends Ryan and Blaze began to walk with him and teach him how to grow as a follower of Jesus. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. That first week, Dustin received recurring dreams from the Holy Spirit about his call to tell others about Jesus and bring them into God’s kingdom. This weekend, when I visited the AOX base in Pittsburgh, I spent the weekend building a relationship with these young warriors who are spreading the hope, love, and power of Jesus. Here is a picture of David baptizing Dustin.

David baptizes Dustin at the AOX Hub outside Pittsburgh this weekend

When there are no pools of water around, we use whatever we can find

When someone catches Jesus, it’s like a good virus that begins to spread – bringing healing instead of sickness. It’s not about religion. It’s about a powerful relationship with the One who brings new life, both now and for eternity. He’s worth following. Tell someone!

Jesus’ ministry was going great. His followers were growing. Demons were getting cast out. Sick people were getting healed. Other people started jumping into the movement. The disciples encountered one of them trying to cast out demons in Jesus’ name. “We need to put a stop to this,” they must have thought. “We’re not sure this guy has proven credentials.”

This became a powerful teaching moment for Jesus to correct his disciples’ fleshly tendency to stifle people by restricting their use of Jesus’ authority to set people free.

We’ll pick up the action in a few moments…

I’ve seldom written an article that speaks correction to other ministries. I am writing this because I have personally seen so many people hindered and stumble over an issue I believe seriously hurts the fruitfulness of the Body of Christ: “Only ordained ministers are allowed to baptize.”

The policy that ordained pastors are the only ones allowed to baptize people is a violation of Jesus’ commands to us. It hurts our chances of bringing transformation to every nation in our generation. If you are leading in an organization where this is a policy, I plead with you to repent and repeal it. The benefit for doing so is the potential of great fruitfulness and blessing ahead for you!

When I started Student CPx with my friend Dr. Pam to equip students to make disciples and plant simple churches on their campus, I quickly (and sadly) discovered how controversial baptism policies were.  I received a call from a veteran campus minister working with a very well respected college ministry. The conversation went like this:

Campus Minister: “Are you teaching students they can baptize other students?”

 

Me: “Yes. Why do you ask?”

 

Campus Minister: “I’ve been working for the ministry for 12 years. The policy of our organization is that I’m not allowed to baptize people. All the leaders in our organization are required to send students to local churches where ordained pastors are supposed to baptize them.”

 

Me: “Well, what did Jesus tell us to do in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20?”

 

Campus Minister: “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…”

 

Me: “What is the mission of your organization?”

 

Campus Minister: “To fulfill the Great Commission in our generation.”

 

Me: “Well … how can you fulfill the Great Commission if you forbid people from obeying it? … Let me ask you another question. Imagine a student I train on your campus starts reaching Buddhists for Jesus. A group of Buddhist friends start reading the scriptures together with her. At some point, they come to the words of Jesus where He commands people to repent and be baptized.  They all decide they want to follow Jesus and obey Him, so they go out to the campus fountain and the student baptizes them. Then they start reaching other Buddhist friends with the gospel and teaching them to obey Jesus together. Would you tell me that what happened was wrong?

 

Campus Minister: “Wow. I guess not. Actually, that would be really good.”

To be clear, this man represented a ministry organization with a rich, honorable legacy of reaching students for Christ. He loved Jesus. He loved students. His heart for God was evident. But he was misguided by a policy similar to others that have plagued the church throughout history. “Only priests should be able to read and interpret the Scriptures.” “Our denomination is the only true church.” “Only certain Christians can serve communion, and only in specially sanctioned services.”

This man worked in a city where over 250,000 college students studied. I later asked someone close to him how many students were baptized last year in their city that they knew of.

The answer: “One.”

Ironically, here’s a video of what happened about six months later at a SCPX follow up gathering:

The policy of restricting baptism to only ordained people isn’t helping more people meet Jesus and get baptized. As I’ve consulted numerous churches and para church ministries the last four years, I’m saddened by how controversial this issue continues to be.

No matter the reason, placing restrictions on which followers of Jesus are empowered to obey Jesus and baptize is wrong. I’m not talking about the qualifications for eldering or other recognized positions of authority in the church. Even so, not even one time in the New Testament is it even suggested that only elders or other positions of authority should be the only ones baptizing people.  The command to make disciples and baptize people is for every disciple of Jesus.

Alex, a student from Arizona, baptizes a new Jesus follower at an SCPX

Now, back to the story I started with at the beginning…

Here are some Biblical reasons why the command of Jesus to make disciples and baptize people is for every disciple of Jesus.

Reason #1: Jesus demonstrated an empowering, “permission given” model for ministry.

When Jesus’ disciples came upon someone who wasn’t “endorsed” by them casting out demons using Jesus’ name (His authority), they told him to stop. Jesus was clear in his correction to them:

“Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:38-40)

When Jesus’ disciples began to try to limit people from following Jesus’ example, He emphatically corrected them.  This temptation has hindered the church for 2,000 years whenever it rears it’s ugly head.

If Jesus told his disciples not to stop others outside their group from casting out demons, representing His name, why should we try to hinder people from baptizing others, using His name?

Some would counter this point by saying, “What about the sons of Sceva who tried to use the name of Jesus and got beat up by a demon possessed guy?” (Acts 19) They’re missing the point. The sons of Sceva weren’t followers of Jesus. All disciples of Jesus are commanded to use Jesus’ name to call people to repentance, baptism, and freedom. If you’re not a follower of Jesus, yes, it’s silly to try to represent His authority. But even then, Jesus never once forbids people from trying. He says, “These signs will accompany those who believe,” not those who are ordained.

Reason #2: In the New Testament, baptism was an immediate action that accompanied repentance and faith in Jesus.

Examples of this are prevalent in the book of Acts. The Ethiopian Eunuch is just one.

“So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.” (Acts 8:35-38)

If a similar story happened today, many of us in the body of Christ might have responded to the Ethiopian’s question, “Why can’t I be baptized?” with, “Well, you can’t yet because you haven’t taken a baptism class and there’s not an ordained pastor present.” Thankfully, Phillip had never heard of such a policy. I’m confident Jesus is not a huge fan of the policy, either.

This kind of scenario is almost exactly what happened to my wife when she started following Jesus. She had an encounter with the Holy Spirit in her apartment in college. She went out and got a Bible, started witnessing to her friends, and even baptized one of them who started following Jesus. When she went to a local church to get baptized, the pastor seemed confused and said she couldn’t get baptized until she completed the necessary requirements. The traditions of men were already coming in to squelch the innate, spiritually reproductive power of the gospel my wife had caught.

I realize there are sometimes missiological reasons for waiting for baptism (e.g. honoring the heads of a household when a minor begins following Jesus). But the truth remains: If all people are commanded to preach the gospel, than all people are called to baptize others as well.

Reason #3 The Apostle Paul didn’t make a big deal about who was doing the baptizing – in fact, he warned against it.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul says:

“I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church…. I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.” (I Corinthians 1:10-17)

There were other unique contextual issues in the Corinthian church Paul addresses in this letter, but the point is the same: Paul demonstrates it doesn’t matter who does the baptizing. He warned them about bragging about having a certain leader or another as the one who baptized you. The important thing is whether the gospel of Jesus is being preached with power to transform people’s lives. It doesn’t really matter who baptizes you if you sincerely want to follow Jesus.

Reason #4: Even Jesus didn’t baptize – His disciples did.

“Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John  (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.” (John 4:1-3)

Jesus didn’t say, “Only I have the authority to baptize, because you guys are young and inexperienced.” Jesus Himself modeled for us that He empowers others to baptize. We should do the same!

Reason #5: It’s a sinful temptation to substitute our traditions for God’s clear commands.

“For you ignore God’s commands and substitute your own tradition.” (Mark 7:8)

In the case of baptism, we have made the same error so many have done through history: we’ve substituted our own tradition for a command of God. This doesn’t invalidate our ministries. God is able to work powerfully through all sorts of churches and ministries who have shortcomings and even faulty theology. He is so gracious! However, just because our ministry has been fruitful is never a reason to hold back from repenting when He reveals something that needs to change. As followers of Jesus, we should never let our policies rise above the authority of Jesus’ clear commands, the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit.

Reason #6: Jesus commanded us to baptize people!

“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

The words of Jesus are crystal clear: Go make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey all He commanded. Any policy that restricts people from obeying Jesus is wrong, no matter how well intentioned.

Here are a few arguments for the policy of limiting baptism to only ordained ministers I’ve come across:

Isn’t baptism something that people with recognized authority should do?

The short answer to this question is, actually, “Yes“. It’s just that all true followers of Jesus have that authority!

Some have argued that Jesus only told His disciples to baptize – not other people. The argument goes that a recognized place of authority (ordination) is required to be able to baptize people. Think about this with me – the same logic used to make this argument for only ordained ministers having authority to baptize leads you to the conclusion that only ordained ministers are fully disciples of Jesus – everyone else is not. Furthermore, this argument is a slippery slope few would be comfortable extending to its conclusion. At what point do you draw the line? Are only certain Christians qualified to pray for healing? To lead people to Jesus? To forgive and love their enemies? There’s no logical basis for restricting the commands Jesus gave to His disciples from anyone who is His disciple today.

If you are a disciple of Jesus, you not only have authority, you have a responsibility to obey the words of Jesus to make other disciples and baptize them. This issue is so clear in scripture that it comes down to “it is better to obey God than man.” (Acts 5:29). If your ministry organization restricts baptism to only ordained ministers, you must appeal for change, or respectfully disobey it.

What about cults?

Some have argued that limiting baptism to only ordained ministers is a way to prevent cult groups from forming. I’d ask, “Well, how is that working for us so far?”

Cults will come and go. The greatest response we have to the spiritual forces that deceive people is not to restrict the true members of the body of Christ from obeying Jesus, making disciples and baptizing people — but to empower them!

What about supporting the local church?

Some have argued that limiting baptism to only ordained ministers is a way to support the local church. Let me ask a question, “Do you want a local church where only the ordained ministers do the “important” ministries? Or do you want a local church full of disciples who make disciples?”

Ephesians 4:11 says the work of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastors, and Teachers is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.” It’s quite clear the purpose of any position of authority in the Church isn’t to restrict people from obeying Jesus – it’s to empower them to.

A GOOD QUESTION

Ponder this question: Is the problem of Christianity that we have TOO MANY PEOPLE baptizing people?

Come on! It’s time for the body of Christ to grow up and quit coddling silly baptism policies that hinder us from fulfilling the command of our Lord Jesus to disciple all nations!!! We keep thousands of people on the sidelines through the subtle but devastating belief that healing, evangelism, baptism – whatever – is only for the “ordained.” We’ve got a whole world to reach for Jesus – we need everyone to play if we’re to accomplish the task!

There are approximately 4 billion people on the planet who don’t know Jesus. There are over 2,000 ethnic groups who don’t have a single Christ-follower living among them. Do we want to instill in people the belief that they can obey Jesus and reach others or teach them that they can’t?

If we want to see spiritual awakening and the fulfillment of the Great Commission in our generation, it’s gonna happen NOT by teaching people that they can’t obey Jesus, but by teaching them that they must.

If you have upheld a doctrine about baptism being only for “ordained” people, recognize it’s wrong and turn away from it.  If you’re in an organization that teaches this, I appeal to you to change these policies. If you’re an “ordained” minister (like myself, by the way) who has followed the policy of limiting baptism from people, start to change by inspiring others that they CAN make disciples and baptize them – and equip them to do so.

We need millions more disciples sent out to make other disciples and baptize people. A good place to start is by repenting for fleshly policies, no matter how well intentioned — that have prevented us from equipping people to fully obey Jesus.

We’ve got a whole world to reach for Jesus. Let’s do it!

Praying for new followers of Jesus after they were baptized in a university residence hall

Knowing God is a Father who loves us and is proud of us as His children is a core value that has transformed my life. Our future “performance” can never add to or take away the Father’s deeply passionate love for each one of us who have been adopted into His family through Christ. Next to my own times with God, some of my favorite moments in life are watching others encounter Father’s love personally.

This happened for Sarah this week at Student CPx at Oregon State University.

Sarah gave her life to Jesus this summer. She came to SCPX to learn how to plant a simple church for her non-Christian friends in her residence hall. Sarah was baptized a few days ago by another student in a fountain on the Oregon State campus during SCPX. (I took Hudson with me – he’s pictured below sitting on the shoulders of Isaiah, a good friend and leader in Corvallis, OR.)

Later that night, we spent time worshiping and meditating on the message of God the Father’s love for us. That night, Sarah went off by herself and felt God wrap her in his arms. Though she didn’t have a strong relationship with her earthly father, her new Father in heaven was wrapping her in His arms and affirming her with His love. The next morning, she shared a song she wrote out of this encounter with God:

Close your eyes, My child

You can rest now, My child

You can be weak now, My sweet child

You can just be. Just be, My sweet child

I know what happened way back when

You don’t have to defend

I made you a fighter; a survivor warrior

Nothing is coincidence, My sweet child

How I love you

How I love you

How I love you

My sweet child

People began to weep as the Father’s love seemed to fall like a warm blanket around the room.

I have great hope in my spirit when I think that a new generation of young people is awakening to the love of the Father – and they are going forth to their campuses to bring others into a relationship with Him.

“The Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us we are God’s children.”

(Romans 8:16)

You were created to walk in a deeply personal, tangible relationship with your Father in heaven because of Jesus. Nothing fulfills like His love for us!

May you encounter God the Father’s love for you this week!

Erik

P.S. SCPX at Oregon State was an astounding time flowing from the Father’s love into demonstrating that love on the campus: RT @cullylarson: “Gluten and dairy allergies, asthma, broken shin, hurt back, and upset stomach, all healed this week at@oregonstateuniv!”

Thanks to Myles Hamby, Lindsay Ellyson, and Lauren Nanson for leading this incredible SCPX in Oregon!

Injuries and broken hearts healed. Relationships with God restored. Churches starting in hookah bars…. Jesus loves to go with us to bring his love in odd places.

The gospel spreads most powerfully through uneloquent speech and authentic, ordinary people bringing the gospel to the places people do life – the marketplace, the classroom, homes, and the places where people socialize.

“Erik Fish brings us a horde of stories and simple lessons about how we can minister to people just by being ourselves. Erik teaches us that putting on a huge facade of how a Christian should minister to people is not the way – just be open to God and be yourself. Erik challenges us to live our lives after God and be fishers of men in our everyday life so we can fulfill God’s plans for the earth.” (message from Church of the Harvest, Olathe, KS)

Watch my message below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For the podcast, click on the itunes link below and go to “Fishers of Men.”