BASIC TRAINING

"...train yourself for Godliness."

1 Timothy 4:7 ESV

From the time a young man is born until he launches into the adult world, we have, at best, 17 years to teach him all he will need to know to successfully navigate life in the “real world.” 

And, these days, it seems as if the “real world” is getting more and more complicated and confusing with each passing day. As parents, teachers and friends we find ourselves easily able to identify with Jesus’ words when it comes to “launching” our kids…

“Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.”  Matthew 10:16 (CSB)

Yet, in His time on earth, Jesus had only three years to recruit and train a committed group of young men (the disciples) who would eventually have the responsibility of being the first leaders in the most significant mission in the history of the world. 

Knowing the dangers that lay ahead for these men, how did Jesus train them? How did He get them ready?

Perspective

He helped them see/understand the reality in which they lived. It’s been said that no one wins a battle for which he is not prepared, and no one prepares for a battle he does not know exists. 

Jesus had to open their eyes to the Real Situation. We live in a two-kingdom world. Christ is the rightful king of both worlds, but an enemy currently reigns on earth. He has come in and is holding many hostage in his camp. Christ is setting captives free, and his method is to train and empower those he has set free to help set others free as well.

Choice

He offered them a Real Choice. They had to choose to accept His invitation to join His team. Christ was looking for men who would not only accept His invitation to the team, but would also choose to leave the enemy camp behind and commit to prepare for the battle ahead by training to become elite soldiers (such as Marines or Rangers) in Christ’s service.

Preparation

Christ did not pull punches. He prepared His followers for the Real Cost of training and combat. He knew that in the middle of the battle, when there is no time to think but only react, the tactical responses practiced in training become automatic responses. 

Similarly, we as Christ’s troops cannot wait until temptation is upon us to decide how to react. Instead, we must train ahead of time to learn where we are vulnerable, think through the thoughts we are likely to face in daily life, and rehearse the costly right response ahead of time.

Teamwork

Jesus did not train men individually—he trained a Real Cohort. After His ascension, His disciples continued to work together as a team for a while. Then, the Holy Spirit deployed each of them, using their various strengths and weaknesses, to lead other teams into the battlefields that He assigned them.

Jesus is still recruiting soldiers for His team today. The boys in your classroom today are the Kingdom soldiers of tomorrow!

For these future soldiers to carry the mission of Christ to the next generation, they need to be trained now in Discipline, Effort, Persistence, Trust (in God) and Honor. (DEPTH) In doing so, they will become men with the depth of character needed to successfully navigate life in the “real world.”  

That’s what Basic Training is all about!

Boys are motivated to want to be soldiers of Jesus Christ, under His command, teaming with others, training to be men of D.E.P.T.H. for battle against the enemy.

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