By Emily Franklin, MBC Tysons Operations Manager for Discipleship
One of the highlights of my role at MBC Tysons is helping people get connected to small groups. Then, once they are connected, it is a joy hearing updates on how their group is going, and what the Lord is teaching them. I recently received emails from sisters Brittany and Caitlin, telling me about their experience with Multiply in their new small group, as well as an encouraging call from Tim.
Caitlin shared that “for the first time in my life, I am really beginning to understand what being a disciple really means and the value/responsibility God places on being one. I truly look forward to the opportunities I know I will have to share my faith with others and follow God’s command to go out and make disciples of fellow believers in Christ. Multiply is making me realize that I want to be a disciple, and I truly want to follow Christ’s command to go out and make disciples of others as well.”
Brittany also wrote, “I really feel that for the first time…I am really beginning to understand what it means to be a disciple. I can thank God & Multiply for that!”
Then there’s the story of Tim, a former football player suffering from chronic pain due to five herniated discs. He called me a few weeks ago to talk about getting involved with Multiply. I was so encouraged by his story, and hopefully you will be as well!
One day in September, Tim was in line at a local DMV, when a group of men from the church came up and started sharing the Gospel. When the men were finished, they walked along the line engaging people in conversation. When they got to Tim, he shared that he had been a Christian for many years, but due to the constant pain he experiences, he had stopped going to church.
In that time he became isolated and alone, and began to lose hope. As he listened to the men share the Gospel he felt the Lord telling him that He still had more for him to do, and more ways for him to give. He said there was “a little fire rekindling again in my spirit”, and for the first time in a long time he had a renewed desire to connect with God and get involved in church again. Living with chronic pain is a constant challenge and it has been hard for Tim to find a schedule that fits his needs, but he is thankful for the men who came and shared the Gospel with boldness that day at the DMV, and for the way the Lord is working in his life through MBC.
These are just a glimpse of how God is working in the hearts of so many at McLean Bible Church. Praise God that He who began a good work in us will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6)!
