By Lim Chien Chong

Having followed Jesus for three years, the disciples were expected to take up the mantle to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

This was why Jesus called and appointed them in the first place; that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach (Mark 3:14). The three years of training that followed was not a classroom course; it was a period of being with and learning from him.

Besides listening to Jesus’ teaching, they experienced, among other things, how he calmed the storm, walked on water, fed the multitude, healed the sick and even raised the dead. Often, they learnt lessons of faith from first-hand experiences rather than by listening to a message or completing a written assignment.

In addition, Jesus sent them out “two by two” to proclaim “that people should repent” (Mark 6: 7,12). After one of these missions, he conducted an After-Action Review (AAR) to remind them of their motivation and reason for true joy (Luke 10:20).

Learning from first-hand experiences was Jesus’ key mode of teaching with his disciples. Rather than just gaining knowledge cognitively, their time with and learning from him was more like an apprenticeship journey (or what is now more commonly known as an internship).

In developing young people in the work of the gospel, Project Serve is modelled after Jesus’ mode of teaching. Besides imparting to them the essence and significance of the gospel and equipping them with different evangelistic tools, we involve them in the actual work, giving them opportunities to share the gospel and minister to other youth. We pray that, like Jesus’ disciples, young people do not just hear and forget but will see and remember, do and truly learn to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).