I was recently convicted by the Holy Spirit that my ministry was focusing too much on evangelism, and lacked in the ministry of discipleship. I was also challenged by a close brother and a dear friend my mine, and both have led me to change my mind, and change my main direction in ministry. My aim is still to become more Christ-like and to follow His example and lead others to do the same.
I can still recall the words that I heard sometime within this last year on the radio from Pastor Chuck Smith "Christ has called us as His followers not to go and make converts but to go and make disciples...to make disciples requires teaching, mentoring, and modeling the lifestyle of Jesus". If we are going to walk like Jesus walked, we must learn from Him, and we must lay down our pride and love like He does.
Matthew 28:19, says:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." I want to reflect on this scripture for just a moment because it's this passage that the Holy Spirit showed me (and brought to remembrance Pastor Chuck Smith's statement), and then take a look at what the Bible has to say about discipleship, which is now my primary direction in ministry.
Christ has called us all to join in making disciples, people to be followers of Jesus Christ. This is a call upon each and every Christian's life. This is not a program but a lifestyle of love, truth and abandonment to God. We are to make disciples not converts. Yes, we need to go and share the Gospel and allow God to save people, but we can not stop there. We must disciple them, teach them the Bible, model for them the way God calls us to live, and help them to grow (which also this means that you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself).
This can be done through a one to one discipleship, and when one disciples another, then both of them can continue and disciple others, this is how disciples are multiplied. I'm still learning and growing in how to put into practice Biblical discipleship, building authentic relationships and helping others follow Jesus one discussion, one conversation, one heart-to-heart talk at a time. The Hebrew and Greek words for disciple primarily mean being a learner, and not just a follower. In the context and the use of the word disciple, a man would attach himself to a teacher, listen to him, and walk with him.
Oswald Chambers in 'My Utmost for His Highest' says,
"Our work is not to save souls, but to disciple them. Salvation and sanctification are the work of God’s sovereign grace, and our work as His disciples is to disciple others’ lives until they are totally yielded to God. One life totally devoted to God is of more value to Him than one hundred lives which have been simply awakened by His Spirit.
As workers for God, we must reproduce our own kind spiritually, and those lives will be God’s testimony to us as His workers. God brings us up to a standard of life through His grace, and we are responsible for reproducing that same standard in others."
A Christin disciple is a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, but discipleship means a personal, passionate devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the best example of how to disciple, because He met people where they were at, and in love directed them into a deeper relationship with Himself. We must keep looking to Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, and to the Bible for His examples. Discipleship is the coming alongside of another brother or sister in the faith and helping them grow stronger.
This means that there needs to be lot of time invested in each relationship and dedication, and this is foundational for discipleship. This is exactly what Jesus Christ modeled with His own disciples. In my heart I feel a strong calling in this direction and will need help, but with the example of Christ in the Gospels, and by His grace I hope to grow. As disciples of Jesus we must grow in the Lord Jesus Christ and be equipped by the Holy Spirit, who helps us become more and more like Christ.
However this requires us to examine our thoughts, words, and deeds by comparing them with the Bible. As a disciple of Jesus we must be in the Bible daily, and daily studying it, daily praying over it, and daily obeying it. As a disciple we must be equipped and have ongoing spiritual growth and transformation through learning God's Word, and be equipped to live like Christ. Let's now take a look at discipleship according to the Bible.
Mark 8:34-35, says:
"Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it."
This means that we must have Jesus first in all things, and our focus should be on our Lord and pleasing Him in every area of our live. Jesus is laying out the terms for discipleship here and they are not easy. It is important we all count the cost of discipleship. Our life must be centered in God and cannot be centered in our self. We must submit to God, and deny our self and take up our cross daily (and our pride will try to stop us).
John 8:31-32, says:
"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
This means that we must be obedient children and doers of the Word. Remember that obedience is better than sacrifice. Jesus wants us to believe on Him, and to continue in His Word, and if we do the truth of His Word it will set us free and then we are really His disciples.
John 15:5-8, says:
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
This means that our job is to abide in Christ, and allow the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit in our lives through our obedience. Training as a disciple of Jesus requires disciple on our part, and also for new disciples. I have tried to do so many things on my own and failed, and I have realized that apart from Jesus I can do nothing, however through Christ who strengthens me I can do all things.
John 13:34-35, says:
"Love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
This means that we are told to love other believers by not merely our thoughts towards them but by our actions. By this people will know we are a disciple of Jesus Christ. The love of Jesus for us was a self-sacrificing love because He loves us, and that's the kind of love we're to have.
Matthew 28:19, says:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
This means that we are to share our faith and tell nonbelievers about Jesus Christ, and as His representatives participate in making disciples. Jesus said to us that He will be with us as we go to proclaim God's love to a needy world. Let's go.
Now that we have looked at what the Bible has to say about discipleship, this will be the primary direction of my ministry, which will still include evangelism but in a proper balance. Remember that our Lord has commanded us to make disciples, not converts. God calls us into discipleship, but evangelism and discipleship working hand in hand, there is a balance between them.
I feel that I must be focused and committed to both reaching the lost and leading them to obey Christ. I believe that this 'balance' is the key if we are to be more like Christ, and I will not be focused on evangelism at the expense of discipleship. May we become more like Christ through allowing Him to equip us through His Word, and allow our focus to be on the multiplication of disciples rather than the addition of followers.
Press on in Love & Go Serve Your King,
Tim Molter
I can still recall the words that I heard sometime within this last year on the radio from Pastor Chuck Smith "Christ has called us as His followers not to go and make converts but to go and make disciples...to make disciples requires teaching, mentoring, and modeling the lifestyle of Jesus". If we are going to walk like Jesus walked, we must learn from Him, and we must lay down our pride and love like He does.
Matthew 28:19, says:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." I want to reflect on this scripture for just a moment because it's this passage that the Holy Spirit showed me (and brought to remembrance Pastor Chuck Smith's statement), and then take a look at what the Bible has to say about discipleship, which is now my primary direction in ministry.
Christ has called us all to join in making disciples, people to be followers of Jesus Christ. This is a call upon each and every Christian's life. This is not a program but a lifestyle of love, truth and abandonment to God. We are to make disciples not converts. Yes, we need to go and share the Gospel and allow God to save people, but we can not stop there. We must disciple them, teach them the Bible, model for them the way God calls us to live, and help them to grow (which also this means that you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself).
This can be done through a one to one discipleship, and when one disciples another, then both of them can continue and disciple others, this is how disciples are multiplied. I'm still learning and growing in how to put into practice Biblical discipleship, building authentic relationships and helping others follow Jesus one discussion, one conversation, one heart-to-heart talk at a time. The Hebrew and Greek words for disciple primarily mean being a learner, and not just a follower. In the context and the use of the word disciple, a man would attach himself to a teacher, listen to him, and walk with him.
Oswald Chambers in 'My Utmost for His Highest' says,
"Our work is not to save souls, but to disciple them. Salvation and sanctification are the work of God’s sovereign grace, and our work as His disciples is to disciple others’ lives until they are totally yielded to God. One life totally devoted to God is of more value to Him than one hundred lives which have been simply awakened by His Spirit.
As workers for God, we must reproduce our own kind spiritually, and those lives will be God’s testimony to us as His workers. God brings us up to a standard of life through His grace, and we are responsible for reproducing that same standard in others."
A Christin disciple is a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, but discipleship means a personal, passionate devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the best example of how to disciple, because He met people where they were at, and in love directed them into a deeper relationship with Himself. We must keep looking to Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, and to the Bible for His examples. Discipleship is the coming alongside of another brother or sister in the faith and helping them grow stronger.
This means that there needs to be lot of time invested in each relationship and dedication, and this is foundational for discipleship. This is exactly what Jesus Christ modeled with His own disciples. In my heart I feel a strong calling in this direction and will need help, but with the example of Christ in the Gospels, and by His grace I hope to grow. As disciples of Jesus we must grow in the Lord Jesus Christ and be equipped by the Holy Spirit, who helps us become more and more like Christ.
However this requires us to examine our thoughts, words, and deeds by comparing them with the Bible. As a disciple of Jesus we must be in the Bible daily, and daily studying it, daily praying over it, and daily obeying it. As a disciple we must be equipped and have ongoing spiritual growth and transformation through learning God's Word, and be equipped to live like Christ. Let's now take a look at discipleship according to the Bible.
Mark 8:34-35, says:
"Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it."
This means that we must have Jesus first in all things, and our focus should be on our Lord and pleasing Him in every area of our live. Jesus is laying out the terms for discipleship here and they are not easy. It is important we all count the cost of discipleship. Our life must be centered in God and cannot be centered in our self. We must submit to God, and deny our self and take up our cross daily (and our pride will try to stop us).
John 8:31-32, says:
"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
This means that we must be obedient children and doers of the Word. Remember that obedience is better than sacrifice. Jesus wants us to believe on Him, and to continue in His Word, and if we do the truth of His Word it will set us free and then we are really His disciples.
John 15:5-8, says:
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
This means that our job is to abide in Christ, and allow the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit in our lives through our obedience. Training as a disciple of Jesus requires disciple on our part, and also for new disciples. I have tried to do so many things on my own and failed, and I have realized that apart from Jesus I can do nothing, however through Christ who strengthens me I can do all things.
John 13:34-35, says:
"Love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
This means that we are told to love other believers by not merely our thoughts towards them but by our actions. By this people will know we are a disciple of Jesus Christ. The love of Jesus for us was a self-sacrificing love because He loves us, and that's the kind of love we're to have.
Matthew 28:19, says:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
This means that we are to share our faith and tell nonbelievers about Jesus Christ, and as His representatives participate in making disciples. Jesus said to us that He will be with us as we go to proclaim God's love to a needy world. Let's go.
Now that we have looked at what the Bible has to say about discipleship, this will be the primary direction of my ministry, which will still include evangelism but in a proper balance. Remember that our Lord has commanded us to make disciples, not converts. God calls us into discipleship, but evangelism and discipleship working hand in hand, there is a balance between them.
I feel that I must be focused and committed to both reaching the lost and leading them to obey Christ. I believe that this 'balance' is the key if we are to be more like Christ, and I will not be focused on evangelism at the expense of discipleship. May we become more like Christ through allowing Him to equip us through His Word, and allow our focus to be on the multiplication of disciples rather than the addition of followers.
Press on in Love & Go Serve Your King,
Tim Molter
