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My friend, Navigator Ron Bennett, describes four components of a spiritually mature disciple with specifics under each one: Commitment, Competence, Character, and Conviction, depending on one’s stage of development: child/infant, adult/mature, parent/leader (see 1 John 2.12 – 14).

Today I want to talk about competence. I was discussing with Len, a man I’ve been leading through Every Man a Warrior, how he might implement the next step in his growth: leading another man through the program. We always remember, of course, that programs don’t make disciples: people make disciples–programs are merely tools. But Len will tell you that Every Man a Warrior has been a very useful tool in his growth.

Len has a young man in mind, and the question is, how do we invite someone to enter into a discipling relationship? With Ron Bennett’s framework in mind, there has to be a basic Commitment on the part of the young man: commitment to the Word, Ron says, and, I would add, a basic commitment that he wants to follow Jesus. He might not even know the importance of the Word at this point.

Given some level of commitment, and assuming a strong relationship with Len, one point of encouragement might be, “Do you want to become competent? Competent as a husband and father, eventually? Competent to deal with life as it comes at you? Competent in some of the basic skills and disciplines of the Christian life? To be sure, our relationship with God is the foundation and learning that God wants such a relationship is fundamental. Given that, how do we pursue that relationship? And can we feel competent in our ability to meet with God through the Word, learning to listen and respond to God?

The sad thing is that we expect competence in all other areas of life. People can perform at their jobs and teach others how to do their work. Most parents teach their kids how to drive, cook, and do other basic life skills. How? Because they are competent. The Army can take kids off the street and in a relatively short time teach them to operate complex machinery under wartime conditions. Why would we expect competency everywhere EXCEPT in our Christian life? Why would we want to be spectators instead of active participants?

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things… Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. (Philippians 3.12 – 17, NIV, emphasis mine)

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4.11 – 13, NIV, emphasis mine)