By Samuel Mushibwe of Zambia
Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.
(shared as part of the International Leaders Meeting, June 2025)
I believe that within every person God calls, there is a divine seed just like a mango seed. That seed already contains a tree and fruit, but it needs time and process to grow. The same is true of people: they are drawn to fruit, not seeds. Our mission, then, is to help every believer grow from being just a follower into becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.
One key scripture that shaped my journey is found in Luke 15:20, where Jesus tells of the father’s loving reception of the returning son. It reminds me that discipleship begins with a loving invitation: “Follow me.” That is not just a call to movement but to transformation.
In our congregation, we began to realize that many members were followers, but few understood that inside them was a sleeping giant called disciple. We began teaching that inside every follower are spiritual gifts and fruit, planted by God to be released for the benefit of their generation.
We invested in training, teaching, and mentoring, and the results were powerful. Followers began to discover their purpose. They began to serve, lead, give, and even raise others just like the early disciples. We saw that discipleship is true leadership training. It is about growing from knowledge (information) to understanding (comprehension), and then to wisdom (application).
Many in our church had never understood why God created them. But as leaders began sharing the church’s vision, something changed. Members started seeing God’s purpose for their own lives, their future in pictures, just as Isaiah 46:10 says: “Declaring the end from the beginning…”
But for people to truly walk into their vision, they need:
- A person of influence
- Someone to inspire them
- Someone to convince them
- And above all, a God-given passion to pursue their purpose.
As they surrender to Christ, they also surrender their resources. Their giving becomes a true reflection of their capacity and calling. Discipleship transforms hearts and generous hearts build the church. That is my mission: to turn followers into disciples and awaken the giant inside every believer. I submit this testimony to the glory of God.
Prayer Phrase
“For in him all things…were created…” (Colossians 1:16).
The International Community
Find (or imagine) a globe or map of the world. Look at all the nations and find a country other than your own. Notice the geographic distance between your homeland and this one. Picture a person living there. Pray for this person. Sense God’s love connecting you just as the oceans connect the continents. Thank God for the spiritual connection you have with all of God’s people around the globe. Ask a blessing on the church as a community sharing Christ’s peace, drawing all into the family of God.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.