“Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit, for you can be nothing without me. My Father’s glory is shown by your bearing much fruit, and in this way you become my disciples.”
Although Jesus preached to the crowds, hespent much of his time with a small group of followers. Most of his efforts went into preparing this small band to carry out his mission. His emphasis was certinly not on numbers
It is out of these primary and supportive renewal experiences that Jesus truly “finds His disciples” and eventually “calls” them to growth, witness, and ministry.
At the retreat weekend a desire to listen is all that is needed; you don’t have to get up and speak in front of people. Listening, however, is crucial as a disposition of communal growth. If I can’t listen to another, it is inconceivable that I can listen to the Lord – to the promptings of the Spirit. If we can’t listen to each other, we certinly won’t be able together as a team to listen to the Lord – to discern the Spirit’s intentions and directions. Perhaps the reason most of us would rather speak than listen is that we are far more interested in ourselves than others. A caring community is a listening community.
John 14:5-6
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.