 Shalom, praise the Lord and welcome to class. Thank you, Nina, John for joining class and also welcome to our in-person students and to our e-learning students who will be listening to this lecture later on. Today is our last class, the last class for this course in this semester. We have just two more lessons in this book, Kingdom Builders. Okay, so the last two lessons, what have we been discussing about? Before that, we'll pause with a word of prayer and ask Lirada to lead us in prayer. Thank you God for this time, for this day, and we come before you and we pray and we thank you for this semester. Thank you for Pastor Selena that she taught us this whole course and we submit all the students into your hand, God, and whatever we will discuss about this course, you just guide us, lead us, bless us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Lirada. So the last two lessons, what have we been discussing about? The last two lessons, last two chapters, what have we been discussing about? Chapter 7 about partnership, co-worker, being co-workers in the Kingdom of God. Okay, it is basically we've been discussing about how in Kingdom Building we need to partner with each other and we need to co-work with each other. Okay, so we saw how it is important for us to partner and also as ministers, as leaders, as pastors, and also how important it is for the local churches to come together in unity and oneness, the pastors and the leaders, the local churches to come together to partner with the other pastors and other leaders in the city for city transformation. Okay, on the same lines, we're going to talk about another area where how we can partner together in building the Kingdom of God, basically about how we can be mentors. Okay, how we can mentor each other, how we can be brothers and fathers, sisters and mothers for each other in the Kingdom of God. Okay, we began looking at this chapter last class. Okay, in the New Testament, who's the greatest example, we can we can see two examples. We have two great examples of how they were shepherding the flock or, you know, mentoring and who are those two people? Paul and Paul, okay, Paul, fathered Timothy, okay, mentor Timothy, and who else was a good shepherd? Another example? Jesus, yes, Jesus himself was, you know, set the model on how important it is to raise up, you know, disciples to raise up people who he mentored so that they could continue the work after he left. Who are the ones who continued the work after Jesus came and initiated the Kingdom here on earth? These disciples, right? And the disciples, what did they do? They passed it on to others. Okay, so so important for us to pass on the revelations of truths, the spiritual legacies that we have received through the next generation. And how do we do that? One way is through mentoring, okay, discipling, mentoring, okay, being fathers and brothers and being sisters and mothers in the house of God, okay. So when we look at people in the ministry, when they relate to other ministers, how is their relationship with each other? Ministers of God, pastors, when they relate to other pastors, other ministers in the city, how is their relationship with each other? How is their relationship with each other? Don't be cool workers, but how is their relation? Okay, how are they brothers? How are they in their relationship with each other? No, I'm talking about when you look at their relationship in our present day context, in our churches, okay, how is the relationship between ministers and pastors amongst themselves? Okay, they're competing with each other? Very businesslike, right? Very professional. And it's not more relationship like, not relational, okay. What do they do when they meet? They just greet very formal, okay, they just share information, they just share their ideas, okay. And do they come to a place where they're really bonding and close intimacy or friendship with each other where they're sharing their lives, sharing their weaknesses, sharing their struggles? Very rare, right? Why do you think it's so rare among ministers and among pastors? Why do you think it's so rare? They don't trust each other, okay? Why don't they trust each other? They feel insecure. Okay, please take the mic and speak, keep it in the center there so you can, yeah, they feel, a princess, they feel insecure so that they, you know, they will be judged, what else? Nina, please take the mic, Peeni, the online students also here. They don't have that much relationship and bonding. No relationship bonding, okay. They fear that their people will go to the other churches if they have that, yeah. Okay, they have insecurity, okay. Basically, they feel, they would feel that, you know, the pastors would think, oh, he's a man or a woman of God, how can they do this? And they can talk about them to others, gossip about them to others or mock them or make fun of them. So that can be one, I mean, these are the major concerns that why people don't share their personal weaknesses, their challenges, their difficulties that they go through, okay? But do ministers, pastors go through challenges and difficulties? And what do they do when they go through difficulties and challenges? They pray, they pray, okay. What do they do? They keep the Nina Santoshas, they keep to themselves, okay. They think somehow it'll just go away, right? Or they get so busy ministering, counseling, taking care of others that they overlook their own personal problems, their own personal challenges till it blows up like a volcano and you know, it is so evident to others. And they come to a place where, you know, there's a breakdown in their own physical health or mental health, okay? So why do you think leaders struggle alone? They don't share, they don't want anyone to know, okay? What else? They feel they'll be judged, okay? So much of pressure, what pressure? Like if they go and share with fellow congregation, like how they will see them. Okay. The responsibilities of other things they have to do. Okay, it's basically their responsibility, they're calling their position that really threatens them and stops them from really seeking help, okay? What do you think are some of the challenges that we can face when ministers, one minister and another minister want to get into, you know, be brothers to each other or sisters to each other? What do you think are the personal challenges they can face? What are some of the personal challenges that people face, ministers face when, you know, when they want to be brothers together like this? Okay, this is a good model. Maybe some of you are thinking, hey, this is a good model. I have to be a brother to somebody and I have to find a mentor in somebody. So when I go through problems and difficulties, I will have somebody to fall back on. But what do you think are the challenges? They're ideologies. They're doctors, ideologies. Time consuming. Okay, it's time consuming. Yeah, so sometimes people are not ready to do that. Okay. And some, a lot of responsibility comes with when you're partnering with somebody, there is a lot of responsibilities also. Yes, there's a lot of responsibilities, right? Like Nina said, we need to spend a lot of time. Okay, now if two of us are going to be brothers or, you know, sisters or mothers or fathers, then there's a lot of time that needs to be spent. Like, you know, you need to know each other, their family, how he treats or she treats his, their spouse, their children, come to the church office, see how they, you know, the church is going, how they're, you know, working with their staff. Also, need to spend time in worshipping together, playing with each other, you know, celebrate each other's success and their moments of victory. And in times of difficulties, you have to be there to counsel, advise each other. Okay, receive from each other's gifting and anointing, also honor each other. And, you know, sometimes we need to make sacrifices, you know, when they are going through struggles, personal welfare and their family, we need to, you know, give, support them. Also, when people hate them and criticize them, you know, we need to stand in defense for them. So many challenges that are there and that is why this whole concept of being a brother to somebody, another brother or being assisted to somebody else, being a father, parenting, somebody being a mother, parenting, people don't fall into it because of the high level of commitment and responsibility that is needed. Okay. But you think, what do you think? Is this a good model to follow? Is this important to be brothers, fathers, mothers, sisters in the house? Yes. And if you get somebody who's really passionate for the Lord and the love is there, it's really a blessing. Otherwise, there are negative things. Yes, I think, you know, as iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens the countenance of the other. You know, I think it's important we learn from each other, just receiving from each other, just learning from each other's lives. You know, if you are mentored by somebody who is like a father or a mother, they can tell you what are the challenges and difficulties they went through, which can help you even when you have to yes, you know, and you can grow fast, you can learn from them, you can receive from their life, their ministry, their anointing. And it also helps you to also know how to mentor others, how to build others. Do you think passing on this revelations and this truth that we've received from one generation to another generation, do you think it's important? Why? Is it biblical? Yes. No. Why do you say yes? As in every generation, we are getting more of God's revelation compared to 100 years back now, we know this generation knows a lot of things about the world. It's much clearer. So when we give that to the next generation, they can be all the more growing the Lord. Yes. And what does God tell in the Old Testament? Teach it to your children's children, you know, all these laws and commandments. Teach it to your children's children. Don't let it depart from your mouth. Tell it to the next generation, the praiseworthy deeds of God. And when should you teach them? When they're young and at what time of the day you need to teach them? When they are when you're sliding down with them, when you're walking with them, when you're sitting with them, you know, at all times of the day, impart them, teach them. So passing on spiritual legacy so biblical, so important and God wants us to do that. So, you know, being a brother, sister, father, mother is such an important concept that we can all imbibe. Okay. What happens when a brother stumbles and falls? What do we do? We do. Do we really help them to get up? Think that you're a brother to him. We have to do that. Okay. What do we do? What do we do otherwise? Otherwise, what do we do? What are we quick to do? Okay, you see, you just sit and the students here are saying they just sit down and have fun and watch them. Okay. You criticize. Yes. What else? You condemn them. Okay. Look at what Matthew chapter seven was three and five says. Can somebody please read that? Matthew chapter seven versus three to five. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Oh, how? Oh, how can you say to your brother, let me remove the speck from your eye and look a plan is in your own eye. Hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye and then you will clearly see, clearly to see, to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Okay. So what do we do? We criticize and mock somebody else's speck, a small dirt weakness, but we can have a big plank in our own eye. Okay. What should be our attitude when we look at, you know, a man of God, a woman of God, a leader who's fallen in temptation or weakness, what should be our attitude? Please take the mic and speak. Yes. We should be compassionate, gracious. We should not, we should first see ourselves, how we went, how from that place, how God has showed us grace to raise up. Okay. Look at our own sinfulness and see how God has been gracious to us. Be compassionate and gentle and loving towards them. What else? When we look at them, what do we, what should be our attitude? We should be fear that this could mean happen to us also. So we have to be very careful and help the brother to get up. Yes. This could happen to us as well. Okay. So for us to learn, right, for us to learn when I see men and women, you know, fall into temptation, for me it is, you know, hey, watch yourself, be on your guard, you know, because this man or woman of God was so, you know, spiritual. And for them to fall in this area, my gosh, it can be shocking. It can be very saddening. It can break your heart and you can think how it would have broken God's heart when they would have done this. But for me, the whole thought is, hey, you know, watch your salvation, guard yourself. So you can also fall in this area. Okay. Because the, you know, devil is like a lion just roaring around just what waiting to devour you. Okay. So just watch yourself, be very careful, even in small things. So for me, when I look at, you know, people when they fall, for me, it's like a wake up call. No, wake up. And, you know, I get all full on God and I like, you know, look at my own life, see where are the areas where I am, you know, have missed looking at and checking on. And then I say, God, you know, please help me. So it's a good, you know, time for us to look at ourselves and to check our own lives. Okay. So we need to answer what, what else should we do? We need to restore that person, pray for that person, right? Important for us to pray and restore, because it is so sad when what if for us as strong believers, we can look at it, we can think of it like this. But what about weak believers? You know, those who are babes in their faith, those who are you know, still growing in their faith, when they look at men and women of God who, fall or attempted and they give into their weaknesses, they can lose their own salvation, right? They can also fall into temptation, they can go away from God, that can be an excuse and Satan can use that as a nice excuse to take them away. Okay. And we need to also watch our lives that we don't stumble in those same areas. Okay. So, okay. And look at what it says, light and hate don't mix. Okay. Even in, when we have, you know, in the ministry or in the body of Christ, there's a lot of hatred, bitterness that we can hold against each other. Okay. Against leaders, against other ministers of God, saying, Hey, this minister came and he took away all my, you know, people from my church, you know, or, you know, came in the, in the same area and now many people are going to his church, okay, or her church. So, you know, what does the Bible talk about when, how we live in the light and about hate? Okay. Look at 1 John chapter 2, verses 9 to 11. Can somebody read 1 John chapter 2, verses 9 to 11? He who says he's in light and hates his brother in, he is in darkness until now. Who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him, but he who hates his brother is in darkness and walk in darkness and does not know where he's going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. So sometimes there's people who are in Bible college, who are, you know, in ministry as pastors, what happens, you know, we are ministering to others, we are praying, we are preaching, teaching, we are going for Bible studies and leading Bible studies and prayer fellowships and, you know, fasting prayer and, you know, having or doing all this so-called spiritual disciplines or rituals, you know, we can still have hatred towards others. We can still have hatred, enmity, bitterness, ill feelings, people in our own, you know, life group or Bible study group or in our own church or in our own Christian organization or against other ministers of God. And what does the Bible say? If we claim to walk in the light, okay, but hate our brother, we are actually in darkness, right, but actually blinded, okay. So it simply means that carrying hate in our heart is not an option, okay. If we have any hurt, bitterness, envy, jealousy, unforgiveness, we need to ensure that we remove that because that can be a hindrance from God working in our lives, okay. And from our ministry, from progressing and from us being fruitful in the ministry that God has entrusted to us, okay. Even if you have any hurt or bitter feelings, what should we do? If you have hurt or bitter feelings, forgive, okay, reconcile with that person, okay, put the past behind, look at what, how we can go ahead, okay. We look at one example of Paul and John Mark, right, when they went for the missionary journey, the first missionary journey, how John Mark suddenly told Barnabas and Paul that he doesn't want to continue. And what happens, Paul was very, very upset. He thought maybe he's a lazy guy. He's a slat. He doesn't want to work hard for the kingdom of God. And the second missionary journey when Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along with him, there was a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas and they separated ways. But later on, Paul realized that, hey, John Mark is somebody very passionate for God, for preaching the gospel, for doing work, and then he recognizes him, okay. So it's important for us to leave the past behind, reconcile, you know, and work together so that we can, you know, further in God's kingdom and there is unity and oneness, okay. Even if the pastor or the fellow believer is not willing to reconcile, what do you do? What should you do? Just pray for them. Yes, because you can't change their attitude. It's God alone who can do it and God alone can change them, okay. So we see that, you know, even as we are learning and there's a younger generation that's coming up, it's so important for us to teach our younger generation, okay. For us to impart into their lives, speak over their lives to be brothers, fathers, mothers, sisters, you know, so that we can, when we establish God's kingdom and they're building God's kingdom, you know, there is a continuity of the work. There is no stopping, okay. What happened to the Israelites? You know, we read, I think, in Joshua's Judges, what happens to the last chapter? There was no one to, they did not teach their generations, the following generation, the ways and the laws of the Lord and they came up a generation that did not know the laws and the ways of God and they went away from God, okay. It was so sad because the, the, the previous generation failed to teach the younger generation, okay. So we need to just go beyond looking at being great preachers, you know, great ministers of God and become true kingdom builders. What, who is a true kingdom builder? Who is a true kingdom builder? Huh? No, how can we be true kingdom builders? Sorry, how can we be, how can we be true kingdom builders? Have a kingdom mindset. What is a kingdom mindset? What is a kingdom mindset? Take the mic, please. What is kingdom mindset? How we just talked about seeing others as your brothers and sisters and then also like in the body of Christ, having this kingdom mandate of God's will being done here on earth. Okay. What is the main kingdom culture mindset that we need to have? What should be the main kingdom mentality or the mindset that we should have? In person, online students, any answers? What is the main kingdom mindset or the culture that we should have as kingdom builders? Okay. What is the main thing? It's not about I, me, myself. It's not about my vision, my function, my ministry, my church, but it is how I can use what God has entrusted to me. The vision is given to me, the calling is given me to build the enhance and build and further the kingdom of God by partnering with others. Okay. That is the main mentality or the mindset that we need to have. Not I, me, myself. Anthony says, sonship mentality. Yes. Also that we are sons and daughters that we're building one kingdom. You're not just building my kingdom. It's not raising up my business, but it is building the kingdom of God. Okay. And the other culture that we need to have is a culture of oneness and unity. Okay. Jack in says also we have to stand in the gap and pray for our leaders and those who minister to others. Yes. We need to do that. Right. Okay. So that was chapter nine. Any questions? Any questions for we move on to the last chapter? No. Okay. We move on to the last chapter then raising the next generation for kingdom service. Okay. Now God has given us the ability to reproduce both in the natural and in the physical. Sorry. This is a physical and natural and in the spiritual. Okay. In the garden of Eden, what how, what did God bless Adam and Eve? He blessed them to, he blessed them and be fruitful and multiply. Yes. Procreate. Okay. Bring off springs of the same kind. Okay. So not only in the natural, but also in the spiritual, we are to reproduce or we are we are to procreate the next generation in to move in the ways and in the in the commandments and in the laws of God. Okay. So when we talk about reproduce, are we talking about reproducing exactly the same Xerox copies? The same, same kind? No. We are, we are all different. Right. We're all have different functions that we're called to different gifts, different ministry offices that we are called to. But you know, our success in ministry is incomplete. If we don't raise up successors. Okay. What did Jesus do when he was ministering? He ministered. Yes. He had 12 disciples and what did he do with them? He taught them when you know, the parables, they said, hey, we didn't understand the parables. What is the meaning? So he gives them the meaning. He teaches them, he tells them that he's going to go away. Where is he going to go? What is he going to do? You know, the Holy Spirit is going to come and when the Holy Spirit comes, what is he going to do? What is his work? You know, what they need to do when just before he ascended that they need to wait in Jerusalem. So he teaches them everything step by step. Okay. In time, he teaches them, he mentors them so that they carry on the work. Okay. We look at even Paul, right? Paul, did he work all by himself? He had many co-workers, co-labors, brothers in Christ. He used to call them co-workers, co-labors. My beloved in Christ, my fellow prisoners. That means he wasn't present, but those were also with him doing the ministry at that time. You know, so he refers to them in so many different ways. You know, his beloved in Christ Jesus, my beloved, you know, and every letter he mentions about people and it talks about how he is actually even teaching and mentoring people to carry on the work. Okay. And he raised up many young people like people he raised up, Timothy, Titus, Onesimus, you know, the runaway slave of Philemon. Okay. So it's important that we raise up people who continue the work. Okay. Very, very important. And like I said, it's so biblical as well. Look at what it says in Isaiah 59 verse 21. Can somebody read that, please? Isaiah 59, 21. Isaiah 59 verse 21. As for me, says the Lord, this is my covenant with them. My spirit, who is upon you and my words, which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants, descendants, says the Lord from the, from this type and forevermore. Yes. So what does God desire? What does God desire? What is God's desire here? For his word not to be departed from his people's mouth. Okay. For the word not to be departed from his people's mouth. What else? For the word not to be departed or the covenant not to be departed. Okay. From people's mouth. And also the generations to come. Right. Okay. From descendants to descendants. So he's saying from one generation to another generation. Okay. So God desires that the anointing and the revelation be passed on from one generation to another generation. And then when it's passed on, he will add on the fresh anointing, the fresh revelation that will empower the next generation to do what he has called them to do in his own time. Okay. So we look at, you know, what, why is it important for us to pass on the spiritual legacy? Okay. Why is it important for us to pass on the spiritual legacy that we have received, the revelations that we have received? Why is it important for us to pass it on? What happens if it's not passed on? The next generation will not know. Okay. Tell her to start all over again. Okay. And what we have started where we have reached will lie in ruins. It will be of no use. Okay. What else? Why is it important for us to raise optimities? There will be the next leaders of the next generation, there will be the pause of tomorrow, right? Extension of his kingdom. Yeah, they will extend the kingdom of God to the next higher level. Okay. What else? If you're not going to speak in the mic, all the valuable things you're saying is of no use because the online students can't hear. Okay. So that they can continue the work that God has for them for that present generation. Yes. So the next generation can continue the work. Okay. Does this happen? Is there a continuity that we see in churches of one generation passing it on to the next generation? Can you give them my please? They're all having a good time laughing at each other's comments. Yeah. It's actually happening like pastors, pastor sins, pastor grandson is happening like they're but no descendants. Okay. It's only happening from the pastor to his son to his grandchildren. Okay. And grandchildren's children. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Does that happen? Do we pass on the revelation's truth and the legacy to our next generation? Have you seen it? I have to do that, but it's not happening. We have to do it, but it's not happening. Right. If you look at some of our Sunday schools, it's basically it's something very sad because they just basically thought only stories. Okay, but there's no truths. There's no they're not given the meat. I think nowadays children are quite, you know, the education system is so way too high for them and they're learning so much. We can give them the truth and the revelation from a very young age. And I think that is what we are doing at our own children's church. So our children's church, our children are learning all the courses that you all are learning in Bible college. Okay. And the content is pretty high. We're teaching them so that when they come out of children's church, they're not just giving milk and they're waiting for meat, but they're also in a place where they receive meat and they're, you know, willing to take on more revelations, more truths and move forward in the kingdom of God. Okay. And the next generation should receive everything that we have received. Okay. And the high point of one generation should become the starting point of the next generation. Okay. That's why if you look at some of our youth today, some of our children today, it's very sad because they don't know the ways of the Lord. They do not know the commands. They do not know his promises because nobody's teaching them. What are they taught in children's church? There's some action songs. David and Goliath, Zaccheus. Okay. And the birth of Jesus and Noah. Okay. And Jonah, all these are famous stories, Adam and Eve and some of those, even those details they won't know. It's important to narrate stories, but it's important to give them the fruits, the deeper fruits. Don't just narrate the story and say, where was Jonah? How many days he was there like a quiz? But give them important revelations. Zaccheus, why did Jesus go to Zaccheus' house? Why did he not go to a good man's house? Why did he go to Zaccheus' house? And Zaccheus of all people who did not change for so many years, even after people were making fun of him and mocking him and did not want to have a relationship with him, what happened in just those matter of seconds when Jesus did not even give him a lecture or teach him about righteousness or truth or heaven or hell and where he's going to land up with? What was that change? So the very truth, the very presence of Jesus in your life can change you, such a profound truth. So child can know that it's not about how much you read the Bible or just pray, but it's Jesus living in your heart is what is going to change you or receiving Jesus into your heart is what is going to change you. So these can be very simple truths, but these are profound truths that we need to teach children, not just narrate the stories to them or tell the next generation. Need to teach the next generation all of these truths and sadly our youth don't know much of the theology or the truth in God's word because we are not taking that initiative to teach them. So let's look at the life of Paul and see how he raised up Timothy. We learn some precious lessons from how we can be mentors, how we can raise a Timothy's. The first one is we need to recognize a divine connection. Look at what it says in Acts chapter 16 verses 1 to 3. Can somebody read that please? It was 16 verse 1 to 3. Then he came to Derbei and Lystra and behold a certain disciple was their name Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed that his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him and he took him or circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region for they all knew that his father was Greek. Okay, so here Paul goes to Derbei and Lystra and there he meets whom? Timothy. Did Timothy want to go with Paul? Did Timothy force and say, hey Paul, you're a great man, a great apostle, I want to learn from you. Can I be your follower? No, what does it say? Paul wanted him to go on with him. So do you think Timothy was the only young person or a young believer there in Derbei and Lystra? No. There were many others, but Paul took interest only in Timothy. Why do you think he took interest on Timothy? Because other people have spoken very well of him. Spoken well of him. Do you think others also would have been spoken well of? I think there was a divine connection, right? He must have just sensed in a spirit that God is telling him, take this man on, take hold of him, mentor him. He's going to, I'm going to use him mightily and we know that whatever Paul did, he did it by the leading of the Holy Spirit. He writes that in his letters. So we need to be sensitive to divine connections. Remember, we said God will send people into your ministry or vision. We need to be sensitive what God wants us to do with them. Whether he wants to mentor them, build them up like Timothy's, we being Paul. So we need to build up that future and so we see Paul taking the initiative to build up Timothy's future and he also took Timothy alongside with him everywhere that he went. So if you look at the list of references that are given here in Acts chapter 17, it was 14 to 15, Acts 18, 5, Acts 21 to 4. We see that Paul, Timothy goes along with Paul, but even if Paul goes to a new place and he needs Timothy's help or Silas' help, he sends word and they immediately go and help Paul. So we need to select up Paul's where Timothy is very, very carefully and we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And look at what Paul tells about Timothy in, talks about Timothy to the church at Philippi in Philippians chapter 2, verse 22. Can somebody read that? Can somebody read that please? Philippians 2 22. But you know this, but you know his proven character that as a son with his father, he served with me in the gospel. Yes. And so we see that even Paul made a right choice in choosing Timothy. Okay. And also we see that, you know, it's important that we choose people who are faithful. Okay. Not just spoken well of in terms of ability, but also faithful. Look at what Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 2. Can somebody read that? 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 2. Things that you have here from me among many witnesses, from these two faithful men who will be able to teach others also. So yeah, we need to, you know, choose people who are faithful and look at the condition of a person's heart more than their gifts or their abilities or talents. Okay. The second thing that Paul did with Timothy was he developed a nurturing relationship. Okay. How does Paul refer to as Timothy his son? Okay. Beloved son. Look at what it says. 1 Timothy 1 2 he says, true son in the faith. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 2, he says, a beloved son. And 1 Corinthians 4 verse 17, he's saying, I'm sending you Timothy who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord. So even as Paul considered Timothy as a spiritual son, you know, we see that Timothy was also open to Paul being his spiritual father. And why did Timothy progress in his spiritual or become spiritual mature? Because he was willing to accept Paul as his father to be mentored. He imbibed his ways. He saw his life very closely, his teaching, his doctrines, and that is how he was willing to learn. So even as we choose our Timothy's, we need to choose people who are teachable. What else? Faithful as Paul's God. Humility is very, very important, right? Okay. And we also have to nurture a good relationship with them. Okay. And we also see that, you know, Paul, when he was mentoring people, what really stood out was his life, his testimony and his ministry. Okay. And his children and the faith, his spiritual sons, you know, were able to see his life and ministry in a very close way because he was very close. He was very close with them and very transparent in everything that he did, his culture, his lifestyle, the way he lived, the way he did his ministry. Okay. Look at what he writes to Timothy in his last days just before his death in prison when he's writing from Rome. Look at what he says in 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 10 and 11. Can somebody read that please? But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me in Antioch at Iconium, at Lystra. What persecutions I endured, endured, what and out of them all, the Lord delivered me. Yes. So he's, what is he writing to Timothy? He's saying, I know Timothy, I've left you in a very difficult position in the churches in Ephesus, you know, Ephesus was a big city, lot of churches and churches around Ephesus city, which Paul as a young person had to look after, mentor those leaders, choose leaders, you know, build up the church. And Paul knew he left him in a very difficult place, but he knew he was a right person for that place and that time. And he's encouraging Timothy and says, Hey, Timothy, you've seen my life. Okay. Everything the way that I've lived, my manner of life, my doctrine, my purpose, my suffering, my patience, my love, the persecutions, afflictions. And what is he telling him? He's saying, Hey, you'll go through all of these things, but you know, be strong, endure, persevere, just like I have persevered. Okay. So another example, another thing that we can learn from Paul is Paul just does not just leave mentor people and put them into responsibilities, but also writes to them, encourages them. And also they have learned by looking at Paul's ways of life and the way that he has lived. Okay. The next one is communicate specific instructions. We see that, you know, Paul instructs Timothy, what he should be doing, what he should not be doing when he writes his letter in first Timothy and second Timothy, a lot of instructions he gives him. Okay. You know, how he needs to live, how he needs to be a leader, set an example of leadership as a young person, how he needs to choose deacons and bishops and how he needs to take care of the church, how he needs to teach the right doctrines, various things he writes very elaborately and very in a very elaborate way. And he's teaching Timothy. Okay. He's guiding him. He's encouraging him. The fifth one is we need to guide, encourage, exhort and correct. Okay. So he tells Timothy in first Timothy chapter six was 12. Can somebody read that piece? First Timothy chapter six was 12. By the good fight of faith, lay hold on the enjoyment in life, which you are also called and have confessed a good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Yes. So, you know, the toughest thing in ministry is what? Correcting people, right? Very, very difficult to bring in correction to teach them. But should we bring correction or overlook it? Because it's going to, why should we do it? Why should we do it? Yes. The very thing that we neglect and overlook and not correct can become a stumbling block for them. Okay. So, you know, the very thing that we can neglect can become like cancer that can destroy their own lives. Okay. So when we correct them, it's mentioned here, that's like a spiritual surgery. When you go through surgery, there is cars, right? There is pain that you go through. But after those pain and everything, what happens to your body? Your body heals and is restored. Okay. And you come to good health. Okay. There is a positive outcome that happens. So also when you correct people, you know, go ahead and correct them so that there is a positive outcome so that, you know, they grow and they matured and their lives are not destroyed. Okay. We just have two minutes before the break. I was just thinking if you want me to finish this chapter and then, you know, we just end the class and go, or do you want to go for a break and then come back? Okay. The in-person students are saying they want to finish class because just few more pages. What about the online students? Are you okay? Can I have some response? Can we just finish these few more pages in this chapter and then? Okay. Thank you, Chira. What about the others? Okay. Thank you, Jack in. Thank you, Samuel. Thank you, Nina. Yes. Okay. The next one in sixth one is clarify the cost. So we see that, you know, when Paul is writing to Timothy, he's saying, Hey, there will be afflictions, there will be persecutions, there will be difficulties, but what should you do? There will be sufferings. Okay. You need to endure. So he's telling Timothy, Hey, Timothy, I know you're suffering in Ephesus. It's nothing new. Look at me because as an up-person, I've also been suffering. I've endured, you know, I've persevered. God has given me the strength. He will give you also the strength. That's why he says fight the good fight, you know, be like a soldier, you know, be there on your job doing what God has called you and the God of peace will give you the grace and the strength to go through everything that you are going through. Okay. So when we raise up Timothy's, you know, we need to encourage them, exalt them, correct them. We need to nurture a good relationship, give them instructions, important to guide them, also tell them what is the cost of serving God or following God. Okay. The seventh one is place, honor, build up and treat with respect. Okay. We see that even though Timothy was a spiritual son to Paul, how was his relationship with, how was Paul's relationship with Timothy as a father and a son? What, how is the relationship with the father and a son with respect? Okay. Honor. How does the father treat a son with love? Okay. How does he build up a son? Does he say, Hey, I don't want to teach my son. If I teach my son, it becomes smarter than me. I don't want to, I don't want to teach my son because tomorrow he can turn around and take away all my property because he knows how to read and write and sign and so I won't send him to school. No. What if the father says I won't teach him how to read and write and speak so tomorrow he won't speak back to me or talk back to me. Or what if I don't teach him what it means to have authority and move in authority? What if I keep him as a servant? What do you think? Does any father do that? No. The father always wants the son to outgrow him. Okay. To be proud of him. They don't treat them as servants. They don't put them down. They don't, you know, the son. So we see that here also when Paul is mentoring Timothy, he doesn't say, hey, if Timothy, you know, he's becoming very smart, tomorrow people can look at Timothy as a leader and not me. It can happen with us when he mentor people, you know, or God is using Timothy more than he's using me. What if they look at Timothy more as an apostle than me? So let me subdue Timothy. Let me not send him. Let me not give me any, let me not give him any responsibilities. Let me not talk good about him. Let me put him down. Paul never does that. Okay. So amazing thing is that even after he brings into a place where he's seen Timothy grow spiritually mature, what happens? He no longer refers to Timothy as his son. He doesn't say, my son in the faith, my son in the Lord, you know, my, my beloved son, what is he, how does he refer to Timothy? Yes, he talks about him as his fellow worker, as a brother, as a man of God. Imagine, he could have continued talking about Timothy as his son and saying, hey, Timothy, this is your place. Don't get into my shoes. Don't outsmart me. But he says, hey, he's a man of God, a fellow worker, a fellow laborer. Okay. And he recognizes Timothy's true worth, gifting and anointing. And he talks well about him. He read in Philippians, right? Philippians 2, chapter 22. Paul says his proven character. Look at what he says in 1 Timothy 6, 11, but you are man of God. He talks about him as a man of God. Okay. Look at what he says about Timothy in 2 Corinthians 1, 1. Timothy are brother. Yes. Apostle of Jesus, Paul an apostle, but he says Timothy are brother. Okay. So he talks about him as his brother. So, you know, it's important that we raise up sons and not servants. Very, very important. Okay. Some of us can raise people up as servants, saying that they're mentoring them and keep them under us because we want them to do what we want them to do and not outsmart us, outgrow us. Okay. What will happen if you raise up sons and not and servants or servants? If you raise up sons, they will be there always. They will take on your spiritual legacy. A son will never leave the father or the home. Even if he leaves his father and his home, what happens? Yes. He will always know where he belongs. Okay. A servant will always look for a better place. He will always look for a reward, but a son will always work for the father and a son receives an inheritance. Okay. And servants commitment can change. They can leave you and go another man's house, but a son remains firm and committed to the family. He knows where he belongs. Okay. Even if he leaves the family and goes somewhere where God is called him, he will always remember his father. Okay. So we must learn to be not lords and bosses, but we need to be fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters who are mentoring sons and daughters or mentoring brothers and sisters and not being lords and bosses who are mentoring servants. Okay. Just three more things. Okay. We need to delegate and empower responsibility. We saw this, right? You know, Paul, when he knows that Timothy is spiritually mature, he gives him responsibilities. Okay. He trusts him enough to give him responsibilities. And that is why he leaves him in a very, very important strategic place like Ephesus to take care of not only the church at Ephesus, the house churches, but so many other cities, the seven cities around Ephesus that is mentioned in Revelation. Those cities also, you know, Paul Timothy had to look after. So when you raise up Timothy's, you know, see their capabilities and give things, give them responsibilities, empower them and leave them to handle things and of course guide them and mentor them and continue to encourage them. Okay. And two more things. Recommend them positively. Talk about them well. Yes. Maybe if they have been your son or daughter in the faith, a brother or sister, you have mentored them, but don't talk about their weaknesses. Okay. A father and a mother will never talk about their weaknesses of their children publicly to others. Okay. Yes. If there is a need for counseling or need help, they will talk, but they will always, everything what happens in the home is always hush hush. What happens in the home, the parents can say, I'll report to pastor. I will tell pastor or I will tell you as an school teacher, you know, but there were lots. Okay. They don't want to put their children down. Okay. So when you talk about your Timothy's or your brothers and sisters, talk about them in a positive way. Okay. And we see Paul recommended Timothy as a co-worker and his co-equal in the ministry. Imagine the humility of Paul to refer to Timothy as a co-equal. You know, that is what we need to do when it requires humility to do that. Okay. And 10th one is release them into God's calling. Okay. So we see that, you know, when he thought that Timothy was mature enough, responsible enough, he releases him into his calling, honors him. And we see that, you know, I think Paul would have felt proud about himself, of how he ministered to, you know, or how he raised up Timothy's and Titus, because he must have been proud, you know, saying, Hey, I'm anywhere, Paul would have thought in prison. I'm anywhere going to die now. Because that was impending on him. He's writing these letters to Titus and the filaments, you know, about Onesimus, he's writing to Timothy. And he knows he's going to die, but he must have been proud and saying, Hey, there are people who are going to continue my work, have seen my life, my doctrine, you know, and they have come to that place where the work is going to be continued. And I think that would have been a great, you know, a great enthusiasm and a joy for Paul, even as he was lonely in the prison. And that's why he says, what is my reward? You know, what is my joy, my crown? He says, aren't you people? Okay, so his reward is joyous crown is the people that he raised up, the people that he spoke into their lives. Okay, so is it always important only when we are young that we mentor people or even when we grow old and have gray hair, you know, we retire for ministry and stay back and not do anything? Yeah, we have more experience so we can mentor people. So some of you who have gray hair, don't think it's time for you to retire, God has no use if you know, you can still mentor the younger people, you know, be brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers, share your wisdom, you know, and also keep your anointing fresh. I don't know if anyone in our class is in that old age, but we will all reach their one day. But remember, keep your anointing fresh, you know, keep that fire going, just like Paul was, but keep pairing food and depart with grace. Okay, it's very important for us to do this. So some of the things that we can keep in mind, even as we mentor people. Okay, any questions? The last chapter? I meant, yeah, you can give him the mic. Okay, the question here is, am I mentoring anyone? Yes, I have, I have some children's children, you know, I keep parents keep calling me and asking me to talk to them, speak to them and part into their lives. Also mentoring those who are in, I get calls from people who are wanting to launch out into children's ministry or also doing children's ministry, and they want help. So I run with them for a certain distance, just help them out and then, yeah. My mentor, I don't have any, I don't have any mentor. Yes, I have the Holy Spirit who has been my mentor from the time I've stepped out into ministry. But I think I just closely just observe Pastor Ashish's life and just, just learn from him, just learn from him. Yeah. So he doesn't mentor me, but then I just observe his way of life. And there's another man of God who I, sermons I listen to, and I can't see him, but just him preaching, teaching his love for God, I can, I just receive and, you know, I learn from their lives, these two lives, and of course the Holy Spirit and Jesus. So anytime I, this one I go back to who Jesus was, what he would have done, and I learn from that. Yes. Good question. Yeah. Any questions anyone else has? Okay. If not, we'll end class. Yeah. Thank you so much, everyone for joining this course, and I hope this has been a blessing and hope we've learned precious lessons. I've learned so many things, I've re-learned so many things, even as I've prepared so many things that has been reiterated in my own life and ministry, and I enjoy learning again because we all need reminders, but good to please take hold of these two books and please read these two books. So it's very important because we need to have this kingdom mindset to be kingdom builders, okay, and to build the kingdom of God. Okay. Yes, Nina. Oh, we can't hear Nina. Sorry, we can't hear you, Nina. Can you say something? Yes, you can speak. Yes, please go ahead and speak. Nina. She's muted her mic. Okay. Okay. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, Jack in. Thank you all for joining this course, and I hope it is a blessing. You know, it's important that we learn to, okay, how do we balance the sun and servant? How do we balance sun and servant? We don't raise up servants, so, you know, we need to raise up sons. So, when we raise up sons, we basically raise them up to be, you know, to move on to a greater level than we are in, and we also are transparent with our lives, our doctrine, our teaching, our mannerisms, and, you know, speak into their lives, impart into their lives, and release them for the call. Oh, we are also servants. Okay. No, we are not servants. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. We are good, we are stewards in God's kingdom. We are not servants or servants of God. Oh, that was a term that people just use as servants of God, but what we basically refer to as is we are sons and daughters of God. I don't think we should say that we are servants of God because of the word servant that has a very improper connotation, like Paul was an apostle of God, a servant of Christ Jesus. Yes, which means Paul is basically saying that when he says a born servant, Paul refers to himself as a boy servant of Jesus Christ, which means he's talking about being a born slave and a slave is free to go from his master after seven years. But if he truly loves his master, his master's treated him well, he wants to stay back with his master, then he willingly makes a choice and says, you know, I want to stay back here with my master and serve him for the rest of my life. And for such servants, they, I think, born servants, they, because they're here and they put the sun and so they, they are like born servants. So what Paul is basically saying is like a boy, I'm a born slave. That means I willingly have chosen to submit to surrender fully like a born slave or a born servant submits to their master and not is not willing to go away once they are free. So Paul is saying, hey, I've received freedom in Christ. The truth has set me free. But you know, I'm choosing to be somebody who comes under the Lordship, under the, you know, in total submission, total surrender to, to the Lord Jesus Christ. So that is what he means by saying born servant or born slave. Did that help, Nina? Okay. Okay, that's a good question. Any other questions? Okay, it's not, we left last year. Thank you all and have a good Christmas. Enjoy yourself, all our in-person students will be going back home. So happy holidays. And for all of you, have a good Christmas season. And God bless you all. And I think I won't be teaching you next semester. Second year is I don't teach you in the next semester. Yes, I'll teach you in the, in the final year, I'll take Romans for you. Yes. So I'll see you in the final, in the, in the, in the, your final year for a semester. Okay. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Nina. Okay, bye everyone. Thank you.