ONE MORE THING . . .
You might need to add just ONE MORE THING . . .
You might need to add just one more thing to your life. Sure, you say, “You don’t know how crazy my life is!” Well, you are correct, but I do know how crazy my life is! So to think that I might need to add one more thing to my life would be a definite concern.
What is that one thing, you ask?
You need to ask yourself, “Who am I discipling?”
I am not talking about who are you preaching to, or how many are in your Sunday School class or LifeGroup. I am asking how many people are you intentionally taking on a journey to disciple them and then after you have taught “all these things” you know about Jesus, you release them to multiply disciples. This question must be asked. If we are going to create culture in our churches, then it begins and ends with Disciple-making. Obviously there are other parts of the Christian life that include preaching, teaching, serving, missions and many other things. However, disciple-making is the mandate that Christ Jesus gave before he ascended to heaven and it is often the most ignored aspect of his ministry for the local church.
And we wonder why the American church is dying.
Disciple-Making is not a program. Disciple-Making is not a quick fix – it takes time (Look for an upcoming blog on the 5 Year Curve). Disciple-Making is being obedient to the final mandate of Christ. Disciple-Making is the way in which church culture will change. Disciple-Making is an opportunity for every believer to “Get into the game!” Disciple-Making is life changing for the disciple and the discipler. Maybe you need to be discipled because no one has ever invested and multiplied in you.
Intimacy with The Lord and a heart to invest and multiply are your starting points. You must live out John 15:5. It is written, “ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me." As a Disciple-Maker, our objective is to bear much fruit! The only way to bear much fruit is to stay connected with The Lord.
I have said it like this: “INTIMACY creates CAPACITY that leads to OPPORTUNITY.”
Oh yeah – One more thing (Ha!) – Why add Disciple-Making to your life? It is simply an obedience issue. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus says for us to, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
So . . . examine your life. Take an honest inventory. If you need to add this One More Thing to your life then go for it and begin the Disciple-Making journey.
(Feel free to contact me to find out more on how to begin a Disicple-Making Ministry!)