Today you should read: 2 Peter 1:12-21
When you depart from your job, your campus, your town, your neighborhood, your ministry, or this life what do you hope to leave behind? Peter wanted to leave something behind:
And I will be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.—2 Peter 1:15
He wanted to leave behind some teachings that are foundational to the Christian faith, which were mentioned in the first 11 verses of the chapter. In verses 12-14, Peter said he would always be ready to remind them of these things, even though they already knew them and were established in these truths. He considered it right “to stir them up by way of reminder.”
Peter has no problem teaching things that these believers already knew. He is teaching seemingly foundational truths to people who were already established in the truth. Why? Because, as verse 15 tells us, he wanted the believers to be able to call these things to mind after he departed. He wanted to make sure they knew what they already knew because they would need to be able to remember these teachings for themselves and so that they could teach others in the future.
I was reminded of some great disciple-making principles as I read this little section of Scripture:
- Re-teach the foundational truths over and over. Why? Because we never “graduate” from these foundational truths. The foundational truths are deep, and without a firm grasp on these truths, our disciples will never be able to grow to their full potential.
- Never assume that I am boring my disciples by re-teaching and reminding them what they already know. Why? Just because they know the truth doesn’t mean they know how to teach the truth. Also, just because they know the truth doesn’t mean they won’t forget certain aspects of the truth.
I’m a firm believer that people need to have a firm grasp on the foundational truths of assurance of salvation, forgiveness, the Spirit-filled life, purity, the importance of the Word and prayer, fellowship, and how to share the gospel. I find these foundational truths to be “the good stuff” or “the deep stuff.”
When I depart from this life, or from this role that I serve, or from my neighborhood, I hope I leave behind a bunch of people who can easily call to mind some biblical foundational truths to apply to their own lives and be confidently able to teach these truths to other people.
Posted by: Rich Duffield
JumpstartCPC.com 
Great word Rich!