
![]() |
THE MAKING OF A DISCIPLE
by Mark Winz
One Campus Crusade staff member passes on the leadership
legacy to another in Manila.Willy Hernandez waits in an empty, second-floor classroom on the University of Philippines-Diliman campus. He looks out the window at the palm tree leaves brushing against the frame of the wide-open window. The trees block any breeze that might stir the hot, musty air in the room. At least todays unseasonal rain cooled the campus and the city of Manila.
At 4:10 p.m. two students join Willy in the classroom. At the wooden doorframe they greet him and pass into the dark, blackboard-lined room. One asks, "Wheres Leo?"
Willy explains that Leo Armas will arrive in a few minutes. Shortly, Leo comes through the door before the other two students in his Bible study arrive.
At 4:25 Leo and the students open their "Agape Discover Group" books to the fourth lesson. Willy observes Leos group leadership skills as Leo guides a discussion on how these young Christians can be consistent in their faith by following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Although all six young men in the room look like college students, Willy has an edge over the others in years and experience.
After studying at the Diliman campus, Willy joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ, attracted by the commitment of the organizations staff members. Now 30, Willy has been introducing students to Christ and building them in their faith for 11 years. But more than that, he is teaching another man, Leo, how to do the same thing so that more people will hear the gospel message.
Willy spends much of his time as the director of the ministry to students at the Diliman campus, but he is here today as a trainer in the Great Commission Training Center in Manila.
The Great Commission Training Center (GCTC) prepares men and women to become Campus Crusade staff members in the Philippines, as well as other countries. Under Willys direction, Leo is one of 31 men and women to successfully complete the nine-month-long training session.
Along with the Filipinos, 10 men and women from Thailand and Burma in Asia, and Trinidad and Tobago in South America are at the session. In other years, people trained at the Manila GCTC were from India, Indonesia and Bangladesh, and each of those new staff members returned to his or her country to help bring others to Christ.
Boonma Panthasri is another GCTC graduate. He finished training in 1980 and returned to his home in Thailand. Since then he and those hes trained and discipled have helped start more than 11,000 home Bible studies totaling more than 99,000 members. Most members are from Buddhist families.
The high goals of the training center and Boonmas successful completion of the training are what prepared him for his ministry in his home country. With this sessions graduation only four weeks away, Willy wants to make sure Leo is equally prepared.
Willy focuses on forming a relationship of trust and acceptance with Leo. "I hate for him to relate to me in my role [of trainer]," Willy says. "I am Willy, and I want to be his friend."
During the early months of the session, Willy and Leo reviewed material together and fulfilled training center requirements. The schedule is now less formal. The men often meet for jogging, eating meals out and shopping.
"His commitment is to see a lifestyle that would reflect what Christ wants me to be," Leo says of Willys input. "He does not hesitate; he runs after me. He gives his all; he doesnt hold anything back.
"What has helped me most in GCTC is learning how to be an effective discipler. Ive always seen Willy give priority to discipleship."
As Willy tries to describe his relationship with Leo, the straight line of his mouth and the look of laughter dawning in his eyes contradict each other. "Strange and wonderful," he says, suddenly allowing the straight line to turn up into a broad grin under his thick, black mustache.
He chuckles. Hes serious about his ministry but never humorless. His face turns thoughtful as he thinks about the relationship. "In my perception Leo is my top-most disciple. Im multiplying myself through him."
The training standards are high. Willy helps Leo learn the ministry basics by completing the training centers evangelism and discipleship requirements. Leo must tell at least seven people about Christ each week and go with othersusually Willy or one of his own disciplesas they explain the gospel five other times weekly. At the end of the training Leo should leave two disciples behind who are taking the initiative to witness and follow up new believers regularly.As the training ends, Leo has told 129 people about Christ in one-to-one meetings, with 70 saying they received Christ. He also spoke to 211 in four group meetings, 33 of them responding positively to the gospel. He has four disciplesthree freshmen and a junior.
But Willy also hopes Leo learns more than ministry skills. "Aside from what is expected at the training center, I want my trainee to come out with a deepened sense of conviction, within himself, not from outside, of why hes doing what hes doing. They need convictions from the Word," Willy says.
Meanwhile, the dream of building the resource of full-time Christian workers has become Leos goal too. He plans to be back at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, building students into Christian leaders.Leo stands before a room packed with well wishers here to see him and the 30 other trainees graduate from the Great Commission Training Center. Leo speaks on behalf of the graduates. His talk, practiced and ready with Willys help, includes thanks to parents, to other trainees and staff members, and to God.
But his thanks on behalf of all the trainees to their trainers sums up his relationship with Willy. "Thank you for how you have poured your love, patience and exceptional concern into each of us. We appreciate your willingness to see beyond personality differences and character deficiencies with eyes of faith, always believing the best in us. What you have done is not in vain, because we intend to do the same for those whom God will entrust to us."
Editors note: Willy Hernandez and his wife, Juliet, have since moved to Trinidad (more than 10,000 miles away) for two years to help start a Great Commission Training Center there.
[ WWC Home Page ] [ CCC Ministries ] [ Back Issues ] [ Christian Growth Articles ]
| © 1995-2000 Campus Crusade for Christ International Questions and Comments are always welcome! http://www.ccci.org/wwc/doubletake/hernandez.html wchallenge@ccci.org last updated: 9/01/00 |