Many ingredients are involved in encouraging and equipping others, but there is no substitute for investing time with the other person.  This was our Lord’s pattern.  As Jesus was selecting His disciples, we read that He went to a mountain to pray, and He spent the entire night in earnest prayer to God.  Mark 3:14 says, "And He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out the demons."  Notice the size of the group, only twelve men.  This is a basic principle of training, the smaller the size of the group then the greater the opportunity for impact.  Jesus appointed the twelve so they might be with Him; it’s been said that relationship is spelled T-I-M-E.  Jesus practiced the principle of association.

Although Jesus continued His public ministry, we see an emphasis on training His disciples.  It is interesting to note that the Gospels actually cover just a small portion of Jesus’ three-and-one-half year ministry.  What was He doing those other days?  The implication from Scripture is that He was training His disciples.  Jesus knew that although you can impress people at a distance, you impact them up close.  He needed men who could withstand the pressures of ministry and stand firm against the opposition.  He needed men who could not only continue the work, but establish Churches where Christ was not known.  He was focusing on quality not merely quantity.  And He’s still looking for men and women to be with Him so they can go out and minister in His name.  Are you investing time with Jesus?

Have you considered that God may want you to encourage and equip others?  Paul said, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ."  To imitate someone else you must know them.  Jesus knew that more is caught than taught.  Being with Jesus, watching Him, listening to Him, ministering with Him was an incredible seminary education for His disciples.

You have a great opportunity to influence the people around you.  It starts by simply making the time to be with others.  Don’t worry about your lack of qualifications, get started and gain some experience.  The time you invest with others will result in quality disciples for the kingdom of God.  Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, emphasized the importance of biblical disciple-making as he said, "God can do more through one man who is 100% dedicated to Him than through 100 men who are only 90% dedicated."

There are people in your world who need to know what it means to follow Christ.  Are you going to take time to be with them?  Jesus is our example who said to His disciples, "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you."  We need to invest our lives in that which will last for eternity:  God, His word, and the souls of men!  Don’t be distracted by various activities that will distract you from what is really important.  Invest time with Jesus so you can invest time with others.