Before ascending to heaven, Jesus left his disciples with a remarkable mandate: that of filling the earth with sons and daughters of God. Discipleship is the calling of each of God’s children, who are redeemed through Jesus’ blood, no matter if the disciples are teenagers in the church we attend, our own children, or friends and colleagues who don’t have a relationship with Jesus.
Each one of us, after salvation, received the special calling to be part of God’s mission. Therefore, because we are in his mission, we wish to do only what he wants us to do. When we look at Jesus, we see how obeying God was a lifestyle for him. He spent time in solitude, hearing from God, followed by walking in obedience. He invites us, the redeemed, to have the same focus.
Between April 19-22, 130 women and young girls from all over the country and from Moldova met in Brasov for the 4th BIG Impact National Conference for Discipleship Training for Young Women. The time was split into seminars for discipleship training, and seminars for “cultivating intimacy with Christ.”
We believe that the fulfillment of the new mandate comes from walking close to the Redeemer, knowing that each one of us are his disciples.
The main speaker for the motivational part was Beth Ann Deal. She is a math teacher in a college in Illinois. She is married and has two teenage children. Her walk with the Lord, for many years, and her active involvement in discipleship made her the right person for sharing insights and for being a source of inspiration for our daily walk with him. She was accompanied by her long time friend, Jan Lyden, a prayer warrior, a “behind the scenes” disciplemaker. Jan spent time talking with the girls, praying with them, offering love and pointing their eyes towards God.
The discipleship seminaries were coordinated entirely by nationals, young women who have been discipling for more than 10 years and whose lives have produced fruit. Diana Bocsa, one of the speakers, is already a spiritual grand-grandmother, as she produced disciples who discipled other young women, who discipled others…and the story continues!
The worship moments were led by Manu Gruia, the main vocalist in Argument band. During this time, God has spoken and we went home more familiar with the voice of the Shepherd, with a greater picture of who he is, with a greater love for him and with a will submitted to him.
Here are a few insights the participants have shared with us:
God has met me in a fresh way and, as Beth Ann, one of the speakers, said – “it is wonderful to know God in a personal way!” He has renewed my desire for devotional time with him and for fellowship with other believers and has made me aware of how urgent people’s need for Jesus really is. God did not promise us an easy life, but a victorious one!” I hardly wait to get to know this fascinating and victorious God in a better way! (Dalia)
My favorite part of the conference was the morning when, after speaking a little bit about how the Gospel motivates us to serve, we departed for three separate locations, to serve. One team went to the Cancer Hospital, another one went to a gypsy community and another one on the streets and in the Railway Station, to meet homeless people. I went to the hospital. I was very nervous as I did not know who the Lord might point me to. In the first room I met an elderly man, 84, from Prahova county. We talked for 30 minutes about life, the war (he was a major in the army), about our families and why a girl from Arad gave up time to visit a stranger in a hospital in Brasov. Before I left, he thanked me with tears in his eyes for the visit and he tried to explain his connections with the Orthodox Church. I still pray for that man’s salvation, for God’s people in Campina to be able to share and embody the Gospel for this man. (Diana)
