theamenministry

We know that a disciple is a learner and a follower of someone.  A Christian, of course, is to be a disciple of Jesus.  Jesus commands that making disciples of His be one of our main priorities in life.  Are we making church members, or are we making disciples of Jesus?  Also, I want us to think of a disciple in this way, “A 100% (not 70%,80%, or even 99%) sold-out follower of Jesus Christ.  A person, who as they walk through this life, looks more and more like Jesus. In other words, they are being transformed more and more into His image.”  With this in mind, every church and every Christian needs to ask and honestly evaluate and answer the question, “Are we making disciples?”  Are we reproducing people who look more and more like Jesus?

Churches are great at planning activities and offering programs.  In fact, I believe that too many churches have substituted activities and programs for the work of making disciples.  I am not trying to sound negative or judgmental, or holier than thou–I simply believe it is the truth, especially in American churches.  Let’s face it, planning activities and offering programs are much easier than the study,prayer, blood, sweat, and tears that are involved in the work of making disciples. Making disciples takes time, energy and work.  It means that the masks that we sometimes wear have to come off when we regularly meet with another believer or a group of two to five others and we study God’s Word, pray together, and honestly share where we are in our life and in our walk with God.  Yes, making disciples will cost us something, but this is what Jesus commanded us to do!

I do not want to be too narrow-minded in my thoughts of what it means to make disciples.  The work of making disciples can happen in a variety of ways.  As always, the best place to start is with the Word of God.  Go back again, and look at how Jesus discipled His apostles.  Reread Titus 2:1-8 and 2 Timothy 2:2. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you and give you ideas of how you can be a part of the disciple-making command of Jesus.

From personal experience, I know that some of the greatest times of  joy and fulfillment in my pastoral ministry and some of the greatest times of growth in one church in particular, were  when Lisa and I and two or three others in our church were meeting weekly with two to five people each for times of in-depth discipleship.  As busy as I was as the pastor of a growing church, this was one of the most important and effective things I ever did.  Pastors and ministerial staff can be busy and kept busy with all kinds of time-consuming things, but I pray that more and more pastors and staff ministers will begin to personally disciple members of their churches.  Oh, but before you think this is something just for ordained ministers to be doing, you need to realize this is also something for EVERY mature believer in Christ to be part of.

How will you let the Holy Spirit use you?  How will you be a part of the command to make disciples?

Until next time—In Christ’s love,

Allen