I was cruising the internet the other day when I found a
link to a video that talked about the seven habits of effective disciple
makers. Some of what they said I agreed with…some of it I didn’t. But the fact
of the matter is that we are all called to be disciple makers. The call comes
to each of us as we read the command of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, where He
says the following:
“I have been given complete authority in heaven and on
earth (i.e., there is nothing that is beyond my authority). Therefore (i.e.,
because of this), go and (i.e., as you are going throughout the world) make
disciples of all the nation (i.e., anyone and everyone you meet), baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (i.e., immerse
them in who God is). Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have
given you (i.e., once they come to Christ, teach them what you know). And be
sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (i.e., He’s
going to be with us with all of the authority of heaven and earth at our
disposal).”
–Matthew 28:18-20
with obvious emphases added by the author.
So, as we look at what Jesus is saying here, what are
some things that disciples must do? According to the video I watched, there are
seven things. They include making Jesus central in everything, sharing faith in
culturally relevant ways, making discipleship a natural part of their lives,
using simple patterns and practices, being hospitable, and being empowered by
the Holy Spirit. These six ideas I agreed with wholeheartedly. However, the
seventh one (which was actually the second one) I had issue with. They said
that there was a “strategy” that God uses to identify disciples. Now, I’m all
for not wasting time with people who are just not interested in going deeper in
their faith, and I think that’s what these guys were meaning when they used the
word “disciple”. However, if discipleship is a process (and it is), then there
is a process by which one becomes a disciple. If that’s true, then there is a
sense in which all people are being discipled, and every relationship we have (with
both believers and the unsaved) is a discipling relationship.
Let me put it another way. If I want to make a table, I
don’t start with a table, and then make the table more of a table. No. I take
the pieces that go into a table, fashion and design those pieces and then put
the table together. The same is true with disciples. We don’t find disciples
and then make them disciples. If they’re disciples when we find them, they are
disciples. We were called to “make disciples!” So we find the pieces
(individuals who are newly saved, or even unsaved) and from those pieces through
the power of the Holy Spirit, craft a disciple.
So, are you making disciples? Or are you just hoping
that someone else will do it? If we are going to be disciple makers, we need to
learn the process…and that’s what we will be talking over the next several days.
Think about that today! And God bless you!
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