God is using ordinary people to multiply disciples of Jesus. This story took place in a small city in South India. It’s about a young man whose name is Vijay. He earns his living as a photographer.
One day, Vijay was hired to take photographs of a family wedding celebration. During the wedding, as he was taking pictures, he got to know Era, a follower of Jesus. After a short conversation, Era shared the Good News with him.
A few days later, Vijay called his new friend. He shared about his problems and financial difficulties. He was also in a legal conflict with some customers. They had filed a case against him in court, accusing him of foul play. He requested Era to pray for him.
Era Responds to the Request for Prayer
Era started to pray for him. He also organised a special time of prayer and fasting with his team to lift Vijay before the Father.
Two days later, Vijay called Sam to say that the judge had cancelled the case against him! God had answered prayers and he recognized it as a miracle. Era saw the open door of opportunity and right away invited him to receive Jesus and follow Him. Within a few days, Vijay did. He opened his heart and prayed to receive Christ!
Training Vijay
Era immediately began to disciple and train him how to share his testimony with others. Within no time, Vijay was actively sharing the gospel with those that worked with him in his photo studio. He began to pray for lost family members and friends. Next, Era trained him in how to do prayer walks. Vijay started to walk around his community, praying for God to move.
Soon, a few people there believed in Jesus. Some wanted to know more. Before the year ended, he had started a simple church with thirteen people. Some had become followers of Jesus. Some were seekers.
Vijay Becomes a Trainer of Trainers
Following Era’s example, he started to disciple the group and train them in simple disciple-making skills. As he did that, some of the members of the simple church started to become active disciples. They started reaching out to others in the community.
God blessed their efforts. Within one year, five new simple churches began. Different people Vijay had trained now started their own disciple-making groups. Each group had about seven or eight new believers and seekers. Everyone in these groups is from Hindu background.
God’s Blessing Flows
Era is thrilled with the way Vijay has grown in his relationship with God. Vijay’s photography business has grown too. He’s also now married to a lovely young woman.
Vijay put into practice what he learned from him about disciple-making. This brings great joy to Era. At the same time, Era wants to help him make further progress in multiplying more disciples and groups. The question Era plans to ask Vijay is this. How will the five second-generation groups also reproduce new groups of disciples who will make other disciples? That’s a great question. Pray with us as Era coaches and mentors Vijay forward.
Activity: List on your phone or notebook as many disciple-making lessons as possible from this true story . Share them in the comments section below.
Written by ADS.
Inspiring true story, that’s the way we have to learn and live for Christ and I am one like Vijay, I grew up in a family with poverty and learnt to live earning, praying, and grown this far…. and I taught my two daughters to pray to God, as HE is our unseen guest at every meal and brought us together this far. We are Heros with Christ., always every where HE leads us on… 🙏
A good Testimony
for this Brother Vijay
May God fortifie him
Vijay realized he had no excuse even as a photographer to be too busy but he accepted God’s word from a friend and cashed into the vision. Also I learnt that prayers is very necessary in discipleship making movement to see results, Vijay seeing the result helped him to immediately accept Christ and started obeying with multiple result. He was so intentional. He had his friend as his trainer and stayed close then started praying for souls, unsaved family and friends, prayer walking for God’s move, started a simple church with a few then they started their own groups which is a great lesson and testimony for me to imbibe too..
This is an encouraging story, Vijay had no option rather than yielding to the saving grace from Era. He was obedient to word of God from Era and through that obedience, God had to bless the work of his hands. We can see also prayer as the major priority with Dmm and encouragement from Era without giving out. Persistent also is needed.