Disciplines of a Godly Man

by R. Kent Hughes

The key to liberation from the power of materialism is not an exodus from culture—abandoning Wall Street or leaving the wealth of the nation to others—but the grace of giving.

Resources for Further Growth Books Chasing Contentment (Erik Raymond) The Grace of Giving (John Stott) Living in the Light: Money, Sex, and Power (John Piper) The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (Jeremiah Burroughs) Redeeming Money (Paul David Tripp) The Things of Earth (Joe Rigney) The Treasure Principle (Randy Alcorn)

Statistics demonstrate that ordinary Andrew relational evangelism is the most effective way to go. The American Institute of Church Growth surveyed some eight thousand church attenders and found that 1 to 2 percent were people with special needs; 2 to 3 percent were walk-ins; 5 to 6 percent were influenced to come by a particular preacher; 2 to 3 percent came because they liked the church program; 1 to 2 percent came because they had responded to a visitation effort; 4 to 5 percent had been reached by Sunday school; 0.5 percent came through evangelistic crusades/TV programs; and a whopping 75 to 90 percent came through the influence of friends or relatives.5 Clearly, the personal ordinary Andrew approach is the most important method of evangelism, far outweighing institutional approaches many times over.

Identifying Relationships All of us have a complex network of relationships built around four natural contact points: biological (relatives and family members, and by extension our church family), geographical (people who live where we live), vocational (people who work where we work), and recreational (people who play where we play).11 We need to discover our networks, make a list of likely contacts, and begin to pray for them. Investing in Relationships Finally, as we pray, we must invest our time, talent, and treasure in relationships.12 We can: Become personally involved in the lives of others. Plan to spend significant time with those you would like to reach, and then make sure your plan is represented on your calendar. Invite your friends out for lunch or dinner, or to your home for coffee. Do things together. Attend plays, sporting events, or art exhibits. Go fishing. Use special days to share your interests—birthdays, graduations, holidays, weddings, or births. Visit, call, or write a note. Join a service club such as Rotary, Kiwanis, or Lions. Join an interest club: gardening, hunting, cooking, or woodworking. Volunteer to coach a boys’ or girls’ athletic team, to be a teacher’s aide, or to give your time to a hospital or one of the many charitable organizations. Open your home to the neighborhood. Be the most hospitable home on the block to children and adults.

Resources for Further Growth Books Confronting Christianity (Rebecca McLaughlin) Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (J. I. Packer) The Gospel Comes with a House Key (Rosaria Butterfield) Gospel Fluency (Jeff Vanderstelt) The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (Mark Dever) Honest Evangelism (Rico Tice) The Master Plan of Evangelism (Robert E. Coleman) One-to-One Bible Reading (David Helm) The Reason for God (Timothy Keller)

Open yourself to others and you will become susceptible to an index of sorrows scarcely imaginable to a shriveled heart. Enlarge and ennoble your ideals, and your vulnerability will increase proportionately.

Enlarge your heart, cultivate your heart, discipline yourself for ministry, and you will enlarge your experience of pain. This is an irrefragable spiritual axiom. No one has ever cultivated a ministering heart and lived to tell of a life of ease.

Resources for Further Growth Books Dangerous Calling (Paul David Tripp) Gospel-Centered Ministry (D. A. Carson and Timothy Keller) Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands (Paul David Tripp) Jesus Driven Ministry (Ajith Fernando) Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome (Kent and Barbara Hughes) Zeal without Burnout (Christopher Ash)

Just as ancient athletes discarded everything and competed gumnos (“naked”), so must the disciplined Christian man divest himself of every association, habit, and tendency that impedes godliness. Then, with this lean spiritual nakedness accomplished, he must invest all his energy and sweat in the pursuit of godliness.

Resources for Further Growth Books Christian Disciplines (Oswald Chambers) The Discipline of Grace (Jerry Bridges) Your Future Self Will Thank You (Drew Dyck)