The following is adapted from a teachings series on “Spiritual Warfare” by Pastor John Duncan:

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:13 NKJV

Did you know that armor is an offensive weapon? That in the time that Paul said “put on the whole armor of God”, they had a breastplate. Everything they had was in front of them: they had no defense from behind. When the Romans put on their shoes, they had these shoes that were spiked so that as they were moving forward. They couldn’t be pushed back. The spikes were at such an angle that they could slide their feet forward, and when they would dig in it would hold them from backing up. Everything about armor is not to protect you so that you can go home and watch television. It’s to protect you because you are going in harm’s way.

The definition of offense is: “an aggressive advance on the enemy to take from him the objective.” To be on the offense is to be the attacker, not the defender. The aggressor in war has the advantage over the defender. When a army or a country is on defense, they have to constantly try to figure out when and where they are going to be attacked. They cannot concentrate their forces in any one place because if they do, the aggressor will come in a different place.

…you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18 NKJV

Jesus said, “The gates of hell shall not prevail.” Gates are a defensive mechanism. You don’t attack anybody with gates. What does that mean? What was Jesus saying? When Christians know what they’re about, Satan closes the gates and tries to hide. But he can’t hold us out. They cannot stop us. We infiltrate; we can walk right past the gates of hell. That is a promise from our Savior.

Jesus did not say, “Go home and relax and I’ll protect you.” Jesus did say, “Go ye into all the world” (Matthew 28:19). Take the gospel to every creature and I am with you always. To Joshua, God said, “I’m with you, I will not forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). But God said that to Joshua as when he was telling him to attack.

When God promises to be with you, it’s because he’s sending you on a mission.

The promise that Christians love to hold on to is, “I’ll never leave you or forsake you.” The command that comes with that promise is something people like to ignore. The command is, “go ye”. The promise is, “I’ll be with you.” When God promises to be with you, it’s because he’s sending you on a mission. He’s giving us the assurance that when we step out, he’s with us.

Too many Christians believe that knowledge is the most important part of discipleship. As in:

• If I know more about what the bible says, then I am a better disciple.
• If I know more about how to behave in church, then I am a better disciple.
• If I know the right answers in a bible study, then I am a better disciple.

While knowledge is necessary, it is not the most important part of discipleship, and, it is a terrible measure of success in it. A lot of Christians know a lot and do nothing. Can that really be called “discipleship”?

Let’s consider hunger for a moment.

Could THIS be a better way to measure discipleship? (*hunger, as opposed to knowledge) Why yes, yes it could!

At the start of Jesus’ ministry – around the time he was baptized – he asked some of the first disciples “What do you want?”

• He did not ask them “What do you know?”
• He did not ask them “What would you like me to teach you?”

That’s because the privilege of following Jesus goes only to those who desire to follow Him.

It is for those who want Him – not people who merely wish to try to learn some rules. It is for those who need Him – not people who simply enjoy studying a book.

Hunger (love, desire, want, need) is what moves people. A hungry person will always eat when given the opportunity. Their desires will lead them into action. That’s discipleship.

There are four possible combinations of knowledge and hunger:

• Knowledge          + Hunger
• Knowledge          + Hunger
• Knowledge          + Hunger
• Knowledge          + Hunger

Having both is the best scenario. But which do you start with if you have neither?

Consider a lesson from game theory:

• Some games are finite. They have a known timeline, fixed rules, and clear terms for victory.
• Other games are infinite. The timeline is unclear, the rules regularly change (*if agreed upon rules exist at all), and survival is main objective – not victory.

What should we learn from this? That we must know the type of game we are playing!

When we make discipleship mostly about knowledge,  we are playing the game wrong! (*or playing the wrong game) Knowledge about God is important. But reaching higher levels of knowledge is not “victory”.

Following Jesus is about loving and obeying Him until we die.

It’s a long game. It’s truly an “infinite game” in that we will be doing it forever. The rules won’t change. But our circumstances do. And God’s plan for us unfolds over time. So, we adapt and endure.

But it is not knowledge that keeps us going – it’s desire. A love of God. A hunger to be near Him.

Churches have been using buses to haul believers to events, conferences, and missions trips for decades. But not all church buses are the same. I recently sat with a group of Filipino pastors, one of whom had spent most of his life in a country where Christianity was outlawed, Bibles were banned, and public expressions of faith could cost you everything. What follows is a glimpse into his story and his time spent on a church bus.

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Imagine needing a text from your pastor before leaving for church—confirmation that no police or suspicious figures were watching the building. The church itself didn’t look like a church at all, but a house with false windows and padded walls. Foam and cardboard egg cartons lining the interior to muffle the sound of worship or the pastors voice when he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. The light bulbs on the exterior corners provided no light, but instead they were disguised security cameras, letting the pastor monitor the street. Worshipers arrived in twos and threes, never all at once, careful not to draw the eye of watchful neighbors or the attention of the religious police.

They carried on that way for years, sometimes cancelling service at the last minute to prevent potential arrests, sometimes changing buildings when the wrong person was allowed access. Every time they gathered, they knew the risks; they might be deported, arrested, or worse. But God called them to assemble and obedience wasn’t optional.

Despite the extreme caution eventually they were found out. One Sunday as the congregation worshiped together the distant sound of sirens grew louder and louder. The religious police had arrived and they had with them a list with the names of all the church leaders. They had a small van and intended to arrest those who would dare come and study the Bible and praise the Lord. But when they opened the door they were shocked, what they assumed was a small gathering of a few believers that would easily be rounded up, instead turned out to be far larger than expected. There were too many to arrest, too many to fit in the van, and not enough officers to control them all. So the police were forced to release all but the leaders, leaving the rest under the threat of repercussion, arrest, and violence if they gathered in fellowship again.

The church was shaken and suffering. The church was weakened, but to no surprise it was not defeated. Jesus said even the gates of Hell couldn’t prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18) so what were they to do?

For a time, they met in secret, just one or two families at a time in their homes, clinging to Scripture in whispers and near solitude. The church was fragmented. Their faith held firm, but they were convinced God had something more for them.

They had no buildings, no freedom, and no plan. But God is really good at making a way when we can’t see it. Time and again the Bible shows that our inability is no problem for Him. In fact, He tells us our weakness and desperation are actually assets (2 Corinthians 12:9–10). When we come to the end of ourselves, He can display His strength most clearly. He delights in using what is weak to display His strength. And just when the way forward seemed impossible, one man had an idea.

There was a church member employed as a bus driver. His route from one city to another, passed through rural villages. The bus was big enough to carry a crowd, a crowd that no one would ever suspect. So, the men of the church bought every single ticket. No women and no children because that would be suspicious. It was a risk that would draw to much attention. The pastor would stand in the aisle, someone would bring a guitar or drum and preaching and song could be heard over the sound of the loud diesel motor. The bus became their sanctuary.

From one city to the next, they held church on the move. By the time the bus pulled back into the terminal, they had worshiped, prayed, and studied the Bible together. The bus company was unaware and did not care. They were legitimate paying passengers. When the men returned home, they passed on what they had learned to their families. The church grew stronger.

They met like this, on wheels, for three years. And to my knowledge not once were they caught.

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There are plenty of reasons people give for not loving or committing to the church. It can let us down, disappoint us, and to commit to community at the level God instructs requires sacrifice. And here’s the thing—God still calls us to it. The church remains a beautiful and irreplaceable gift from God, not as an optional add on, but a necessity (Hebrews 10:25). If you took the time to read this story, written by a pastor for a church newsletter, you probably already get why the church matters. I hope you value it. But if you don’t, or if you ever find yourself thinking it’s not that important, and are tempted to take it or leave it, remember the church bus unlike any other, and remember that there are people all over the world who would give anything just to be part of what you are inclined to overlook.

After all God was willing to sacrifice His beloved Son for the church and Jesus redeemed it with His own blood (Ephesians 5:25 & Acts 20:28).

Have you ever found yourself longing for your own bed while away on a long trip? After a few nights at Aunt Ginny’s, returning home can feel nothing short of a life-reset. But our modern homes aren’t just where we sleep – they are personally-designed sanctuaries that give us solace from the wilds of the world. We fill them up with custom creature comforts to make us feel “just right”. Home sweet home.

 It’s notable that Jesus puts his finger on the topic of home when speaking of discipleship.

Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Luke 9:57-58 NKJV

No doubt this was a splash of cold water to this would-be disciple’s face. Essentially, the Master seems to be telling this man that if he’s going to follow, he can’t be a homebody¹.

How should we respond to this? Maybe the right path is to become a minimalist or a monk wandering the earth in sandals. I mean, Jesus didn’t even own a pillow, right? Perhaps if we had less things, we would find ourselves more spiritual. While there may be some truth in that statement, there’s more to it than that.

Jesus himself seemed perfectly OK with being home-less while on earth. He didn’t have his own cozy bed and he didn’t spend his time longing for one either. So why did he choose to live this way? Why not settle down? Well, Jesus knew when he left his home in heaven he was going on a long trip. For his entire life. That meant he slept in some strange places. That meant he went to some uncomfortable places. The bottom line is that Jesus was at home not in a place but rather in a purpose. That purpose was his Father’s will.

Homes are wonderful. But our love for them can keep us from God’s great purposes. It is entirely possible that the comfort + convenience + familiarity of our homes add up to become an immobilizing anchor on our lives. If we are truly interested in following Jesus, we must be willing to follow wherever he may go. We will need to keep on our feet. We can’t settle for being homebodies.

‌Reflection

1. ‌Does your desire to stay home ever prevent you from serving others?
2. When is the last time you went mobile for Jesus?

Footnote

1. /ˈhōmˌbädē/ a person who likes to stay at home, especially one who is perceived as unadventurous. ↩︎