3. Show Them The Work To Do
“… and show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do” (Exo 18:20). The Apostle Luke began the Book of Acts with these words: “The former treatise have I made… of all that Jesus began both to do and teach” (Acts 1:1).
a. Get Them Involved.
It is not enough to teach the trainee. The trainer must immediately involve the student in DOING the TEACHING!
If you teach the student “soul-winning” — then immediately send them out to win souls. If you teach them how to heal the sick and cast out devils, immediately send them out to do this. That is what Jesus did.
“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying… And as ye go, preach, saying,
“The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:1-8).
“Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere” (Luke 9:1,2,6).
“After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. “Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. “And into whatsoever city ye enter… heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them. The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
“And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit. and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight” (excerpts from Luke 10:1-21).
b. Short-Term Training Is Best.
It is important to note that the training period for both the twelve apostles and the seventy disciples appointed by Jesus was brief. He showed them how to carry out their tasks and then sent them out to replicate the actions He performed.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father ” (John 14:12).
The effectiveness of graduates diminishes as the length of the training program increases. Training should ideally be limited to a maximum of six months, after which trainees should transition to full-time work. If additional skills are needed, they can return for supplementary training a year or two down the line.
c. Keep It Practical.
Short-term training should consist of equal parts TEACHING and DOING. What is learned must be quickly applied in practice.
Focus on training the hands rather than just the mind, emphasizing practical skills. The author has spent three decades traveling across more than one hundred countries, observing training programs that yield positive outcomes versus those that do not produce any results, or worse, negative outcomes.
Notably, the Church in Korea, Brazil, and Chile is experiencing remarkable growth by applying these principles. In these nations, churches are thriving, and leaders are effectively bringing thousands to Christ. The training is centered on the Bible, is concise, and is rooted in practical application, with less emphasis on academics.
Key factors of successful training in these countries include dedication and commitment to Christ, integrity of character, and a focus on immediate application of teachings. The approach is biblically grounded and results in biblical outcomes.
