How Jesus and Paul used the 4D’s

Jesus’ method of building leaders is summarised in Mark 3:

He appointed twelve – designating them apostles – that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

Mark 3:14-15

In this simple but profound statement, we have a distillation of how Jesus built leaders. In short, Jesus created a transformational context around His emerging leaders:

• A spiritual environment, involving relationship with God (with Himself, as well as with the Father through prayer).
• A relational web, involving both relationship with a mature leader (Himself), and relationships with others (the community of the disciples).
• An experiential context, involving obedience to His teaching, challenging assignments, pressure and a diversity of learning opportunities.

Then, in that transformational context:

• He instructed them; this was the content of development.

In a nutshell, that was how Jesus built leaders.

Thus, context (spiritual, relational and experiential dynamics) plus content (an instructional dynamic) provides a transformational process for leader development.

The Four Dynamics of Transformation in the Early church

First, please review the “Characteristics of the Four Dynamics.”

Characteristics of the Four Dynamics

Now, please read these New Testament passages and identify the Four Dynamics in each:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day-by-day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day-by-day those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare …

1 Timothy 1:18

… our Gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the Word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

1 Thessalonians 1:5-8