A discipler is helping his disciple’s dream take flight. Ray, the youth pastor of Shepherd Community Church (West Kowloon), has been mentoring JoJo for 3 years. JoJo, the young hopeful, aged 21, is charting his life for long-term mission in the Middle East in 2 years’ time after believing Jesus for 4 years. Instead of talking too much and doing so little, JoJo went on STM in Egg this year to get closer to his vision.
A discipler is helping his disciple’s dream take flight. Ray, the youth pastor of Shepherd Community Church (West Kowloon), has been mentoring JoJo for 3 years. JoJo, the young hopeful, aged 21, is charting his life for long-term mission in the Middle East in 2 years’ time after believing Jesus for 4 years. Instead of talking too much and doing so little, JoJo went on STM in Egg this year to get closer to his vision.
“God grants every child a dream. My job is to dream with him and get his true self out,” Ray summed up his main task on JoJo. Ray finds that self-awareness helps a boy mature. The short cut is to help the boy find out his passion and motivation in pursuit of his dream. If the boy knows he is walking in God’s will, he will humble himself and be obedient to his discipler.
JoJo described his relationship with his discipler. “Ray is my role mode. I have learnt from him a lot. How he treats and mentors me has inspired me. How he keeps a resilient relationship with me sustains me. We often argue over the biblical or judgmental issues. Sometimes we stand against each other; sometimes we stand up for each other. We never give up our relationship. His example pushes me to think deeper. How would I disciple people if I become a long-termer?”
It was the STM trip that brought JoJo in face of the reality among the refugees. “There you see the young people without dreams. They think it is too costly to dream and somehow the Good News – the Hope - is not costly though.” He knows mission is a lifestyle. Where he lives, where his impact brings.
Having been knowing JoJo for 3 years, Ray had a hard time dealing with JoJo who once was a spoiled and self-centered boy with less discipline. But now he is delighted to see that “JoJo has found his dream in God and charging in with enthusiasm. And it’s time to drill him up.” While JoJo is overwhelmed by the applauses from audience, Ray will give JoJo a reminder that “he must do what he says”. All talk and no action mean nothing. After all, Ray expects to raise up a good, faithful and truthful servant to be a blessing in the field.
What had happened in STM did capture JoJo’s heart, but he learnt the truth that “it is easy to be an overnight martyr in a game while being a life-long missionary takes courage. I should not be boasting about it.” Now JoJo sounds more like Ray’s teaching.
Meditating at the Cross in the STM training session, JoJo was honest to himself that he truly wants to go on the path of missionary. He has figured out the price and wanted to pay it. But a thought came cross his mind. “Well, being part of it (the movement) is all I care about; it doesn’t matter whether I’m missionary or not.” Perhaps dream takes wings when it goes back to the basic after all the excitement.