Most Christians can easily communicate the importance of making disciples, but few can articulate how they are personally engaging in the process. For all our numerous ministry activities, we must reorient to the task of personal discipleship.
Matthew 13:1-23 – As Jesus often spoke in parables, it divided those who understood the truth and those who rejected it. When people’s hearts become dull, they cannot receive the blessings of God’s truth.
If I consider all the homes that have created a spiritually-flourishing environment, there are common characteristics. With the challenges of our society, I believe a partnered effort between the home and the church is essential for success.
We often compartmentalize our lives. We have a section for faith. We have another area reserved for our family. We sort our hobbies over here and our entertainment over there. But what if our lives are not meant to be made up of isolated components?
If we are going to follow Jesus truly through the 2nd mile and beyond, we must ensure that we don’t wander off onto other paths. Making our pursuit of Jesus to be our singular ambition clarifies all other decisions during our lives.
The Great Commission was never “Plan B” according to God’s agenda. From the very beginning, God desired to create a community of people helping one another to follow Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 – While we haven’t arrived at God’s destination for our lives, we should watch for signs to determine if we are getting there. God hasn’t given up on us, and He will continue to work on us until He finishes what He started.
When we often see dangerous trends within our churches, we plan a sermon series to address them hoping that a six-week emphasis will do the trick. But what if people actually need more than that?
Discipleship and disciple-making are a vital part of the believer’s sanctification. Once an individual has repented of their sin and trusted Christ for salvation, the process of growing and becoming more like Jesus is paramount.
We often wait for a perfect scenario within a church to make disciples. Programs don’t make disciples – people do.