Isn't It About Making Disciples?

It's no secret to those who know me that the pursuit of discipleship and making disciples is a huge theme in my life.

I'm sorry, but I can't get around it! When I look at Jesus' life here among us, it's what I see plastered all over the pages. He modeled a supernatural lifestyle to portray how His followers were to live. His process was pretty straight-forward and uncomplicated: I do, now YOU do! It was like apprenticeship.

We learn by doing; by example. Now, true, we may know something by reading or studying but we don't really learn anything until we "do." After all, who ever earned their driver's license by just taking a class? Instead that class will always mandate a minimum number of hours spent with an instructor riding alongside you guiding you through the actual process of driving a vehicle.  Can you imagine what a disaster our roadways would be if just classroom time was really the entire process?!

But apparently, that process is just fine for the kingdom of God, if we are to judge by what most churches do! Ummm...look around folks. The wreckage of that kind of thinking is everywhere and has become a stench in our nation.

More often than not, churches teach classes or preach sermons thinking THAT'S what making disciples is. What gave them that idea? Why seminaries, of course!  Because that's what ministry students had seminaries model for them. Just ask any green pastor who walks out of seminary to go plant a church somewhere.  Does he feel equipped? No, but just ask him a good Bible question and he's ready for you! His education in ministry is only about to start!

So this weekend, I was at a men's conference and I have one of those occasions when the Holy Spirit begins speaking while the conference speaker was saying other things.  Here's the essence of what I got:

Men MUST engage in a spiritual life. They cannot leave it to "professionals." Why? Because a man will never really know how to be a father only until after he actually has children to rear. Because a man will never learn to be a devoted partner to his wife until after he's in a marriage covenant. Because warriors don't learn valor in bootcamp but on the battlefield. And disciples aren't made in church services but as they themselves are making disciples of others.

It was that last part that really got my attention. Interestingly, Jesus didn't invite his followers to go be good disciples, but to make some! Jesus commanded His disciples to themselves "go make disciples!" He knew that the they would all they needed to know was to teach someone else how to do it. He even told them there was so much they still needed to know, but not to let that deter them, He would send the Holy Spirit would help them carry on.

In my mind, the validity of any gathering of believers is how passionately they "do" ministry together. It developes a unity through comradery, brings scripture into stark focus, fulfills genuine needs, and more.

We each have much we can learn from each other and that's how the Body works together effectively--each doing what he or she does best and showing others how to do the same!

So what about it? How about we go ahead and start making disciples so that we ourselves would be the disciples Jesus envisions us to be?