“Go make disciples…..”
So, where should we begin? “The typical churched believer will die without leading a single person to a life-saving relationship with Jesus Christ.” said Jim Putman from Real Life ministries. I believe it boils down to this daunting question that no one wants to raise. We have no idea where to even begin by making disciples.
Yes, true, there are many willing Christians who have absolutely no plan for disciple making, as it is work. But before we arrive there, I believe others who do want to make disciples and make this life count perhaps follow a curriculum, but have no idea how to make disciples, sadly to say, even pastors of a church have no idea what they are doing many times.
Disciple maker knows how to take discipleship from theory to practice, from the classroom to living room. At least, when we look to Jesus, he seemed like he got it down pretty well.
As Robert Colmen said in the Great Commission effort, “Men Were His Method” Church we must mark it well. Not for one moment did Jesus lose sight of his goal. No wasted energy, not an idle word. He was on business for God (Luke 2:49)
At the end of the day who are not motivated to be on board with this, are we truly disciples of Jesus Christ if we don’t go make disciples? Would a fishermen be a fishermen if he doesn’t smell like fish? Would a pastor be a pastor if he doesn’t smell like sheep? We must face the reality of this objective truth. Objective and relevance of this – these commandment are the crucial issue of our work. Is it worth doing? And does it get the job done? You bet, yes, it does. As Hudson Taylor from CIM (China Inland Mission) said it well, “Great Commission wasn’t an option to be considered, it was a command to be obeyed”
Evangelism & Discipleship Dillema from few weeks ago comes to a screeching end as we face this simple answer. It is people! Men were Christ’ method.
So who are we to select? God is looking for FAT people. Who are 1. Faithful 2. Available 3. Teachable people. When we look at the twelve disciples it is quite encouraging for me. Peter the point leader had a big problem with his mouth and was a bundle of contradictions. Andrew Peter’s brother was quiet and behind the scenes. James and John given the name “sons of thunder” were aggressive, hot-headed, ambitious, and intolerant. Philip was skeptical and negative. He had limited vision. “We can’t do that,” summed up his faith when confronted by the problem of feeding the five thousand. Nathaniel Bartholemew was prejudiced and opinionated. Matthew was the most hated person in Capernaum, working in a profession that abused innocent people. Thomas was melancholy, mildly depresseive, and pessimistic. James son of Alphaeus, and Judas, son of James were nobodies. The Bible says nothing about them. Simon the Zealot was a freedom fighter and terrorist in his day. Judas the treasurer was a thief and a loner. He pretended to be loyal to Jesus before finally betraying him.
So if God can use people such as them, I believe he can use a nobody such as you and I who are real nobodies to make disciples. “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and usanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”(1 Cor. 1:27) So where should we begin? Let’s start with where we are at. Find people who are faithful, available and teachable and select them.