Discipleship

What Is Discipleship?

First, I want to start with a few questions. One, What is a disciple? Two, Who is a disciple? Three, HOW do we disciple?

To answer what is a disciple, a disciple is one who devotes themselves to learning the teachings of Jesus and following His example in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. For us to be effective as a church, we must remember as a Christian WE are the disciples. We are to to make other disciples through teaching and evangelism. How we disciple can be a point of complete and utter confusion.

Do we change to contemporary worship, to we stay traditional? Do we continue with three services a week? Do we have small groups or Sunday School? Do we have a worship team, or do we have traditional choir. How many people do we have on staff, on how do we make a determination of who is paid vs/ who is volunteer? Do we add ministry opportunities, or do we consolidate and focus on a few ministries?

All of these things can cause us to become overwhelmed when we try to decide HOW we are to make disciples. In many cases, we think we have to do more “things” to “attract” new members. Or we have to add other “things” when we grow in numbers. We resort to being busy with “things” and in many cases we lose focus of our primary calling to make disciples.

Research conducted by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger point to confusion and loss of focus as the true hampering of discipleship. So today, I want to lay out a game plan for the upcoming year: We are going to regroup, refocus, and re-prioritize our efforts on creating, growing, and sustaining disciples.

We are going to refocus on how we create disciples, how we grow disciples, and then how we sustain disciples. This is not something I can do on my own, this will take buy-in from each and every person in this church. The first step is for each person to make a personal commitment to becoming a true disciple. This means being COMMITTED to learning, being taught, teaching, investing, and most importantly dedicating yourself to God.

Let’s be quite blunt - if we only showed up for work 25% of the time, came in late, sat at our desk and did no work, never studied or kept up with CEU’s… how long would we be employed? So, why do we (collectively) accept this as a church? We must do better. Our own church covenant we sign lacks true commitment. One way this will be changing is for us to identify why this culture is seen as acceptable. Why is SS attendance low? Why is church attendance sporadic? Why is Sunday and Wednesday night attendance seen as optional? We are starting with the department heads and will meet monthly, develop forward looking calendars, and do a better job of scheduling opportunities for learning and involvement. But as I said before, I cannot do this alone. It will take each and every member to make this successful.

What we are facing is nothing new. God chose to restore the relationship with mankind through a covenant. The covenant established agreed-upon standards which would guide the relationship between God and His leaders and would lay out the consequences for breaking the agreement. It is clear covenants did not fix sin.

Adam and Noah failed to provide spiritual leadership, Abram did not fully trust God, Jacob and Esau lived in conflict with one another, Isaac is tricked into blessing his younger son, and Joseph was despised by his brothers and sold into slavery. Yet in each generation, God supplied a covenant. He re-established the requirements and expectations. So, we will be working on a membership covenant this year as a congregation in a way to realign ourselves with where God wants Mt. Carmel to be as a church and how we as members will re-establish our relationship within the church and becoming a commited disciple of Christ. So let’s take a few minutes today to review what God says about becoming, being, and making disciples.

Create

Luke 10:2 ESV

2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

How do we create new disciples, because Christ tells us that the harvest is plentiful. There are many who do not know Jesus as their personal Savior and need to hear! So how do we create new disciples?

Let’s start off in a different direction - is society the same as it was 50 years ago? Are our stores the same as 50 years ago? Is school the same as 50 years ago? Is ANYTHING the same as it was 50 years ago? (NO???) Then why do we try to keep our churches the same as they were 50 years ago?

It is partly because we (as congregants) are resistant to change, it is comfort, complacency, and at times self-preservation of tradition. Might I quote a mystery writers tidbit of knowledge? “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”.

If what we have always done isn’t working, then WHY are we still doing it? Part of this comes with all churches. (Remember the church leaders reaction when Christ came proclaiming change?) It continues today! D.T. Olsen wrote “The American Church Crisis” in 2008 and stated “As a church grows older (40 + years), it becomes less flexible, operations slow down, and it becomes resistant to change.” He furthermore went on to state “approximately 2.5% of the total congregation solidly opposes ANY changes, strongly resists change, becomes hostile when change is recommended, and actively fight to prevent implementation of change”.

WHAT if early Christians shrugged their shoulders, said “Oh well”, and went back to what they were familiar with? Instead, they were challenged with change and with action.

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

So, whose responsibility is it now to create new disciples? CURRENT disciples.

John 20:21 (ESV)

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

We have to understand “disciples” were not a small set apart set of men who were hand picked by Jesus, the term disciple DESCRIBED WHO THEY WERE in their desire to learn and serve their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! So, WHO are the disciples today? CHRISTIAN CHURCH MEMBERS WHO DESIRE TO LEARN AND SERVE JESUS! This is where we must focus on the last part of Luke 10:2 … Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Today I challenge everyone hearing the message God has laid on my heart to pray for laborers! Pray for laborers to not only reach new disciples but to help GROW new disciples.

Grow

How do we grow as disciples? I submit to you it is through personal and corporate study of the Word of God. Look at 2 Timothy 2:15

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV 1900

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Let me poll the congregation again: How many of you went through school and NEVER studied the subjects you were taking? On the job, how many of us NEVER looked at the rules, regulations, codes, or other things necessary for us to work? How many never looked at the manual before we took the test to be able to drive? How many of us could make a NY style cheese cake without looking at a recipe? We have all sorts of instructional books to make every day life easier. So why would we not study the one manual that was written specifically for how we are to live our lives?

How many of you are familiar with the BIBLE acronym?

B - asic

I - nstruction

B - efore

L - eaving

E - arth

Church, we have been given the GUIDE for our life. Need hope? Need encouragement? Need strength? Need guidance? Need direction? If you have a question about your life, I can guarantee you the answer is in the Bible! So, how do we know what we are supposed to do if we never study our life guide?

I truly believe the reason many come to church, make a profession of faith, and leave shortly afterwards is because we have done a really poor job of mentoring - discipling - new converts and engaging them in meaningful study of the Word of God. So how do we make the necessary changes to disciple new believers?

Well, preacher, we really don’t have a lot of new converts - bologna, we have had 8 baptised in the past 2 years, we’ve just not kept them engaged. So, let’s refocus the question - why don’t we plan on discipleship training NOW, because when we wait to try to do something AFTERWARDS, it’s too late. Anticipate what is needed, and it will be in place when it is needed. Sunday School teachers, I have heard your frustration in not having full classrooms. So, what change are YOU initiating to make it more appealing? Do we need new curriculum? Do we need small focus groups? How are you preparing to engage new members or prospective members? Remember, people do not care WHAT you know until they KNOW that you care.

WHAT is the need, and let’s plan for it BEFORE growth occurs and we are caught off guard. Why is this important? Because we are to study. Study means we are to set time aside to immerse ourselves in the exegesis - the explanation or interpretation of scripture.

Let me ask you a question, what if we conducted monthly exams on the material covered in Sunday School, Sunday service, and Sunday evening and Wednesday evening bible study - do you think you have been instructed AND studied enough that you could make a passing grade? Now, don’t get too worried - I know if we started giving tests the church would be empty. But, we SHOULD be studying just like an exam is coming because our eternity depends on it! Listen to these words, we are to study to show ourselves APPROVED BY GOD. It’s not that we are studying to show everyone else how much we know - it’s good to know history, and miniscule detail, but not very useful overall if we are not studying to know know how to explain and interpret scripture based on context so that we can receive the approval of God.

So, to NOT study, to not want to understand leaves us DISapproved and UNacceptable in the eyes of God. Notice it also says we are a workman - the idea here is that we are to labor over our study of the Word, and to fulfill the next mission of sustaining disciples.

Sustain

Matthew 28:16–19 ESV

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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,

The idea with creating and growing disciples is to see spiritual maturity in our church members. But that cannot be the end. There is more - we must sustain our growth, we must continue to learn, but then we should make other disciples.

Who? DISCIPLES WENT

where DIRECTED (by Jesus)

most WORSHIPED

some DOUBTED (yes, there will always be doubters and skeptics but we must move forward)

Notice the action words given in the last directions given to us before Jesus’ ascension:

Go

Make

Baptize

Teach

The disciples were given the charge the make NEW disciples throughout all nations. Notice Christian discipleship does not end with baptism, but also includes instruction - teaching - discipling…

Now, here is where it gets tricky - I can watch it on Facebook, I can study in my home, I don’t have to be in church to worship… I’ve heard most of the excuses, so let’s look at this verse closely. Jesus told His disciples to meet at a specific place - on the mountain outside of Galilee. This could have been a familiar place, and while we don’t know the exact location, could it be the place He took the disciples and taught them the Beatitudes at the beginning of their ministry? It would be fitting to start and to end in the same place.

I feel that is the same for us as believers who unite together in membership with a church. Unless there is something biblically unsound, stay in your church. It is where you will be instructed, taught, grow, and mature. Be a part of the ministry of your church, be in Sunday School, come to bible study, for heavens sake show up because your life literally depends on it (remember being approved of by God?)! He expects us to be a faithful and active part of our church.

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Create, Grow, Sustain. It is what God asks of us.

Closing

The New Testament church’s mission can be summed up as the Great Commission.

Unfortunately, the Great Commission has become the Great Omission in many churches today. But let me remind you of this: God is not dead and He has not returned, so there is still plenty of work for us to do.

Are you willing to make the commitment to be an active, faithful member? Are you willing to be accountable to God for your studies? Are you willing to disciple others and see them grow in their knowledge and understanding of God’s Word? Today I challenge you to join us today, as we look towards the future direction God has in store for Mount Carmel. It is time to regroup, refocus, and re-prioritize as disciples.