Our leisurely pace of one chapter/day going through the Pentateuch allows me to see things I haven’t seen before. Today, a simple metaphor inspired by the successful building of the Tabernacle.

I wrote a few weeks ago about my deck furniture building project. The steps were simple:

• Step 1: find a plan
• Step 2: acquire the materials
• Step 3: follow the plan
• Step 4: set up the furniture on the deck

The Tabernacle followed the same progression

• Step 1: receive the plan from God (Exodus 25 – 31)
• Step 2: get the materials from the volunteer donors (Exodus 36.3 – 7)
• Step 3: follow the plan (Exodus 36 – 39). For example:

Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side… (Exodus 37.1 – 3, ESV) – “Bezalel made the ark…and then it describes exactly how he made the ark following the specifications given, in this case, in Exodus 25.10 – 22.

And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain. (Exodus 25.40, LSB)

• Step 4: set up the Tabernacle (Exodus 40)

Bob made the deck furniture. Bezalel and his team made the Tabernacle. Jesus told us to make disciples. How are we doing with that project?

• Step 1: receive the plan

Jesus was clear: “You make disciples” (Matthew 28.18 – 20), “I’ll build the church” (Matthew 16.18). We sometimes get the plan mixed up. We think that if we build a “church,” in some magical way, disciples will get made. On the contrary, disciples are made when people intentionally train other people (Mark 3.14, Matthew 4.19, 2 Timothy 2.2. That’s the plan.

• Step 2: get the materials

In this case, the materials are the people. We’re in America, and we have an abundance of “materials” – disciple-making tools. I’m a huge fan of tools, and I talk frequently in this space about The Navigators’ 2:7 Series, and Every Man a Warrior, for example. But Jesus didn’t say we have a shortage of materials. He said we have a shortage of people:

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9.36 – 38, ESV)

• Step 3: follow the plan

And what are we supposed to do with these people? We’re supposed to follow the plan and invest in them through disciple-making relationships. And that’s where we get off track. Instead of training members to do ministry as Paul commanded…

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,… (Ephesians 4.11, 12, ESV)

…the leaders often see themselves doing the ministry while the members watch. Or, as one pastor said in a sermon, “My job is to feed the sheep. Your job is to love the sheep, and one way to love the sheep is to volunteer to fill the jobs here on Sunday morning like teaching Sunday school and keeping the nursery.” I’m working through a book right now entitled The Discipleship Dilemma by Dennis Allen. The teaser for the book containing phrases the author uses early and often reads:

Disciples, living in discipling relationships are Christ’s model to make effective disciples. Yet the traditions illustrated in The Disciple Dilemma explain how people have been derailed from following Christ for centuries, and likewise, derailed the development of making more disciples. Unless leaders understand the dilemma and act, the dissipation of disciples grinds on, producing passivated spectators and disillusioned Nones and Dones. 

Strong language, so it’s not just me…

• Step 4: set up what you built

Just as I wrote in my blog about my deck furniture, the chairs had to be moved to the deck! I couldn’t just leave them in the garage. Neither can disciples be left inside the church. We turn them loose to continue the work.

Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. (Matthew 5.13 – 16, MSG)