Still on the Stove

There are five types of people.  The second type was discussed yesterday and was the individual who had received God as Savior, but he was still on the front burner of life while God was on the back burner.  Today, we are going to look at the third type of person.  This person has grown in her relationship with the Lord and God is now on the front burner.  The problem, however, is this person is still on the stove in the back burner position.

This type of person is the second most common in the church behind the type two person.  This person has grown and they are maturing in Jesus, but they regularly find their carnal self rising to try and reseat themselves on the front burner.  Notice I said regularly and not habitually.  This person really is growing in the Lord.  This person really is more often than not walking in a manner of obedience to God.  Unfortunately, there are too many times in which this persons desires rise up and knock them off track and before they know what has happened, Jesus is on the back burner.

What is encouraging about this type three person is once they recognize what has happened, they are much faster at repenting and putting Jesus back on the front burner.  They really are desiring to grow in their relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords.  In many ways this type three person is similar to the type four person.  The primary distinction is frequency of times in which they find themselves removing Jesus from the front burner.

This individual is caught by surprise more than any of the other types of people.  Type one people are never surprised because they don’t even have a foundation in the Lord.  Type two people are not often surprised because they are still living life for their own personal goals and pleasures.  Type three are legitimately trying to grow and are often surprised they have walked off of the path into the deep part of the forest.

I think John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is one of the best stories to visualize this process.  As the character Christian of the story goes further on his journey, the stronger he gets.  He is able to withstand temptations more and more along the way, but he often times makes the wrong choices and deviates from the course.  Many times this course correction is because he thinks he is taking a short cut.  Before the Christian realizes what has happened, he is in trouble and in need of deliverance.  

In Bunyan’s story, often times the character is rescued by another character.  I mention these characters because our goal as leaders is to move a person from a type three person to become a type four person.  By now you ought to know the way this happens.  My hint with mentioning characters from Bunyan’s story ought to have helped you figure the way a person becomes a type four person.  The answer is relationships.

At this point you are engaging this third type of person in more ministry opportunities.  They are watching you and then they are doing it.  As they grow, you start to send them out and you coach them on their successes and failures.  You are helping to make them better Christ-followers.

In what kind of ministry engaging opportunities are you participating?  How have tried to bring a type three person along to make them a type four person?  Respond in the comment section and share with the rest of us your ideas.  We will be greatly appreciative of your insight.