Disciple Making Lessons From Cars 3
My family loves all things Disney. We are often piled up watching a Disney movie together. As a father, I'm always trying to point out themes, characters, and moments in movies that can teach my kids kingdom principles. Recently we were watching "Cars 3" and I found myself absolutely compelled by it's lessons in discipleship. I'm about to spoil the movie, so if you haven't seen it you may want to check it out. (It's only been out for 3 years now so It shouldn't be too much of a spoiler.) The "Cars" trilogy takes place in a world with anthropomorphic talking cars. The main character, Lightning McQueen, is a race car who bursts on the scene in the first movie as a hot shot rookie with a lot of talent and ego. McQueen learns humility and real friendship as he gets lost in a small town. While there, he unknowingly gets tough love training from a former legendary racer named Doc Hudson. As his career progresses with a new mindset, Lightning becomes one of the greatest and most accomplished racers in the world. But by the third movie, time catches up to him. A wave of new generation racers prove to be too fast and innovative for the older veteran. To avoid being completely pushed out of the sport as irrelevant, McQueen restarts his impact on the racing world by becoming a mentor. A younger racing technician named Cruz Ramirez was hired to train McQueen to help him get his mojo back. But while training together, it becomes clear that Cruz has talent and ability to compete in ways that McQueen simply can't any longer. He sees an opportunity to step out of the way and pass the torch to her. McQueen understands that his long term success is actually found in preparing her to carry on his legacy, just as Doc Hudson had done for him. Not gonna lie, I might have cried at the end of the third movie as I watched the veteran discover his purpose and the rookie get her opportunity to use her gifts. This is the vision of true discipleship. It's what Paul was getting at when he told Timothy, " "and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2 ) Like Doc Hudson, Paul trained the younger Timothy telling him like Lighting McQueen, you will find purpose in your ministry when you teach the things I have taught you to faithful people who will run further than you can ever go and teach others also. Discipleship ensures that the gospel has influence to the ends of the earth by empowering more and more people to not just run the race themselves, but actually get others on the track with them. Here are a few principles on discipleship that this movie teaches us as we invest in others.
Have Vision for them - One of the quotes that helps Lightning McQueen regain his focus to finish his career with a bang was this. "Hud saw something in you that you don't even see in yourself." His mentor Doc Hudson had a vision for him. He had the ability to see beyond where McQueen was, to what he would be. When you are discipling people you have to see into the future of what they will become if they continue on a path of faithfulness. You must see them using their gifts in ministry, fighting for holiness, and investing in others someday. You must see this even when they lack confidence, or skill set to do that now. You will spend much of your time speaking this vision into them until they actually believe that God can use them and it becomes reality.
Moving from player to coach - McQueen decides to give Cruz her shot by switching places with her during his final race. If he did not win this race, he would be forced to retire. So when he tells Cruz to take his spot and finish the race for him, she says in so many words you can't do that because it's your last chance. McQueen's response is gold. "It's my last chance to give you your first chance." Disciple makers have to know the art of moving from player to coach. We must fight feeling that we need to do everything ourselves and give others opportunities to minister. This means letting others teach, evangelize, pray, counsel, and share even when you might do it better. Giving them chances to do things prepares them. Actual opportunities to do ministry is the only way to learn how to be a minster. There are things you simply can't learn from a once a week meeting at Starbucks. With those opportunities you will also have to learn how to give them helpful feedback and ideas for doing it better, resisting the urge to jump in and do it for them.
Redefine success - Fearing that his career was all but finished McQueen laments that he doesn't want to end up like his mentor Doc Hudson. He states that once Doc was finished racing he was never the same. McQueen is then shown the garage of his mentor Doc Hudson. To his surprise it is filled with news clippings, letters, and articles all about his star protégé, Lightning. There is a really emotional exchange where McQueen learns just how much joy Doc Hudson took in coaching him. Doc cared more about Lightning's career than his own. Success for himself wasn't the best part of Doc's career, the success of his disciple was. The replication comes full circle after McQueen gives Cruz her shot. Cruz actually wins the race that she races in place of McQueen, and because she was representing him, they are both announced as winners. As disciple makers, we have to believe that success isn't measured by how many come and gather, but how many go and reproduce. Fruitful discipleship is replicating ministers of the gospel. We should be aiming to empower, equip, and send people who will do far more than we could do on our own, for in that, we all win.
You must see them using their gifts in ministry, fighting for holiness, and investing in others someday. You must see this even when they lack confidence, or skill set to do that now.
As disciple makers, we have to believe that success isn't measured by how many come and gather, but how many go and reproduce.
Grace & Peace, Scott