Convert or make disciples?
On this side, we work as missionaries and tell people the gospel. The reason we do that and that everyone should do that, (wherever you are) is in the following (well known) part of the bible:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
Do you notice something? Take a closer look at the first part:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations
Can you see it yet? Disciples! A disciple is something different than “only” converting….. And yes, to become a disciple, people must first put their faith in Christ, but the mission we have (and every Christian has) goes further than that. Way further. Have you ever thought about that?
If you look at the definition of what being a “disciple” is, then you end up with something like this:
A Christian disciple is one who follows Jesus Christ and accepts and helps spread the good news of salvation through Him. Christian discipleship is the process by which disciples grow in the Lord Jesus Christ and are equipped by the indwelling Holy Ghost to overcome the pressures and trials of this present life and become more and more like Christ.
And then you’re not there with “only” converting… on the contrary. Then there is another huge task after that conversion:
Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you
And we see that on this side of the globe as well. It may sound strange, but seeing someone come to Christ is not that special. We see that very often. But what comes next… bringing someone closer and closer to God, helping them through tough times, teaching him/her everything God tells them to do. And since the Bible is God’s word, that also means arranging Bible studies for those people. Either you do that yourself, or make sure there is a reliable church where they can get that, or both. What does God say about “call a subject”? You can then go through all facets of life from a Biblical perspective. Find a church where that person feels at home and is also fed spiritually with solid and trustworthy food, etc etc etc. So it’s all part of it. One reason why?
Studies show that a new Christian must make seven to twelve new friends in the first six months or they won’t stay in the local church. It is important as a local church that we love and make friends with new Christians. Because it’s one thing to be kind, but it’s another thing to be a friend.
And how great it is if we have been able to give someone “discipleship training” for a while, have been able to guide them so that they also get to work with Matthew 28:19-20. Then 1+1 is no longer 2, but a multiple of 2….
So no, our task on this side is not “just” “to convert”, but it goes much, way further.
Who are you giving “discipleship training” this week?
