This is part of a 12-week series designed around some basic Christian disciplines that will propel you to spiritual growth!
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Here is the podcast above in a nutshell…
Welcome to Beginnings! We have been on a journey challenging ourselves with some of the basics of Christian discipline. This week we continue under the heading of Share your Life: making disciples.
The purpose of a believer staying here in this world, and not being immediately swept up into the heavens is that we are called to multiply, to reproduce. This means we should make disciples, and not just converts.
There is a substantial difference between someone who believes they’re a Christian and someone who has been trained to live the Christian life.
Jesus expressed this in the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
We see several elements here: going out, making disciples, baptizing, teaching, etc. The essence of this process is moving from information to transformation.
Here are some of the basic elements of Christian disciple-making, or how disciples make disciples:
- Pray for others – Colossians 1:9 – 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
- Live life with others – Acts 2:42-47 – 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
- Challenge others – Hebrews 10:24 (ESV) – 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.
- Serve with others – Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
So what are some practical steps to becoming a reproducing disciple?
- Be intentional. Decide right now your spiritual life will multiply, make a disciple.
- Dedicate yourself to prayer, asking God to help you identify someone specific to share the gospel with and to train in the Christian life.
- Move from consumer to producer by bringing someone along in the day-to-day of your life. Let them pray, serve and live life with you as you open your life to theirs.
Make sure to check out the podcast for more on this topic and then start becoming a disciple that makes disciples!
Seeking more of Him and less of me,
Andy Addis
Pastor, CrossPoint Church
John 3:30