mshepherd91

(1 Thessalonians 3:10-11; Romans 1:11) What is the value of visits of special speakers to a congregation? What can they impart that your regular pastor can’t? Why is a ministry of itinerant preaching so difficult – and important? Special speakers like missionaries or evangelists can encourage congregations of some part of the overall worldview of Gods' ministry. Missionaries can impart their vision for the world as God has communicated it to them. Evangelists can encourage people to reach their neighbors or coworkers in a way that maybe hasn't been presented before. The difficulty that these ministry groups have is that they do not know the needs of the congregation and they can't reach their need. However, communicating about people groups or evangelizing your neighborhood, is a challenge and very important.

Why are "fatherly" roles so important to making disciples? How effectively do you think women can adopt these traits? I think that a fathers role in rearing children is more along the line of developing discipline in everyday life. Men usually press through difficult things and make the best of circumstances. So I think that as men we would strive to conquor our flesh or sin nature to please God. I think that it would be contrary to the role of a mom (or woman) since they typically focus on nurture and feelings. I think that both genders can do the job of making disciples (with God, all things are possible). But that we all do our part in raising children or disciples according to our several abilities.

(1 Thessalonians 2:6b-8) Why are “motherly” nurturing qualities so important to growing disciples? How effectively can male disciplers adopt some of these traits? I think that it is extremely important for other believers to feel, that as a growing disciple, we remain empathetic to others "heart cry". And be like Jesus, who is always patient and ready to listen and help his disciples to see clearly what the issue(s)/need(s) are and how to minister to those issues/needs. Then we are demonstrating the same care that Jesus has shown us in his word.