CHURCH MATTERS: Discipleship Matters (Matt 28:18-20) 2025

isn’t growth great

nursery booming

more kids running around

more people

golf cart ministry

running out of communion

lots of people with lots going on

BUT a busy church is not always a healthy church

numerical growth is good

American churches like to count

nickels and noses (giving and attendance)

but this falls short of the NT description of growth

spiritual growth is best

we want to be growing in attendance and giving

BUT we want to be growing, maturing, and deepening in our commitment to Jesus

we want tangible growth and intangible growth

tangible growth (things that can be measured or counted)

attendance

baptisms

giving

membership

intangible growth (things that are more spiritual and cannot be measured)

Garry Samford

members called to ministry

more prayer about evangelism (missions) and discipleship

members sharing gospel with outsiders

more conversations over Bible reading plan

more love breaking down generational boundaries

more sacrificial marriages

more families centering life around Jesus

a lot of this growth is hard to put on FB

but this type of growth results in a healthy church

Jesus set out a plan for us to be a growing, healthy church

provided the Holy Spirit infuses our efforts

CHURCH MATTERS: Discipleship Matters

discipleship is not an optional component of the church

it is at the core of our mission

Great Commission

Matthew 28:18-20 pew Bible # 993

make disciples

going

from Nacogdoches to Ghana

baptizing

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded

making disciples is the normal agenda and priority of every church and every Christian

therefore if we fail to make disciples, WE FAIL

we can fail at a lot of things

but not in the department of making disciples

the reason many churches fail at making disciples is because it is not a priority

good activities can crowd out the Great Commission

good (what is not commanded in Scripture)

great (what is commanded in Scripture)

in the 1970s

“Spiritually qualified workers—disciples who labor hard to make other disciples—are rare.” LeRoy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making

let this not be said of FCC

we want a culture of discipleship at FCC

where all members are growing disciples

where all members are discipling other members

where stagnation or regression is an anomaly

why focused on membership so much?

not only focused on FCC but God’s kingdom

yet these are the people we meet with every week

and the people we are most committed to

discipleship is a group effort

we need one other & are responsible for one another

the local church is God’s plan to make disciples — 59 “one another” passages

requires commitment in a non-committal society

maybe not committed to your internet service provider

but committed to Jesus and the church He died for — essential to following Jesus

more commitment, not less

Are you growing in your commitment to Jesus?

what does it mean to grow?

not okay to remain baby Christian

invisible field that changed you from physical age to spiritual age

growth means you look more like Jesus

not based on your claims, but Jesus according to His Word

1. Are you committed to Jesus?

are you saved?

do you know Jesus?

have you responded to the GOSPEL? repent and believe

Do you have a death to life testimony?

if not, God may be calling you into a relationship through Christ this morning

this is our main way to care for you

to ask every, single week for people to respond to the gospel

if you do not, you have no hope

hope is only found in Jesus

please don’t play the church game

you cannot spend eternity with the Father if you do not have a relationship with His Son

very clear this message is for Christians

Jesus doesn’t have 2 classes of disciple

those who abandon their lives and those who don’t

the call is the same for all

Have you been baptized after your salvation?

how your faith goes public (believe then baptized)

NT - meet me down at the Jordan River

baptism doesn’t save,

but it unites one (new believer) with many (church)

cannot be faithful follower of Jesus

and not obey the command to be baptized

Are you a member of a local church?

committing to a local church body is vital for your growth as a Christian

your spiritual gift(s) are to benefit the body

we make disciples better together

we want to care for you

2. Are you committed to personal holiness?

easy to do the right thing and miss the purpose

you may be in attendance but not growing in holiness

outward acts do not necessarily mean an inward growth is happening

Are you growing in Christlikeness?

is your attitude of hearth, thought, speech, and action growing to look more like Jesus?

observation

some Christians are not growing in holiness

wild take on 7 Dwarves

grumpy, angry, greedy, moody, bossy, nosy, nitpicky

growing in crankiness and not Christlikeness

instead of aging like a fine wine

more like souring of out-of-date milk

knowledge has increased

but character has not

it’s not okay to stay a baby Christian with major character flaws

spiritual maturity is more about character than knowledge

knowledge is meant to change character (not just puff up)

stagnation and regression are spiritually dangerous places to be

comes a point when not enough evidence that you are truly saved

unhealthy to persist in bad character & have little to no accountability

some don’t welcome accountability but even reject it

healthy Christians want real accountability

work out on own vs. work out with partner/trainer

do what you want to do vs. do what is healthy for you

ask closest people to you (spouse, children, friend, etc.)

and get ready for an honest answer (only if you have created a culture of honesty)

what areas do I not show Christlikeness? would you help me?

Does your character look more like Jesus now?

10 years? 5 years? 1 year? 6 months?

if not, why not?

3. Are you committed to the ordinary means of growth?

God has set out some normal/ordinary ways for His children to grow

boring if you turn into a ritual

come and sit in a building

life-giving if you seek the main purpose

know God and draw near to Him

read and study the Bible

pray according to the Bible

attend Sunday worship

fellowship with other believers

participate in the ordinances

sing songs of truth together

give generously

engage in the preaching of the Word

get involved in a Bible study

serve your local church

look to the return of Jesus

what’s your plan to use the ordinary means of growth?

do you have a plan to read the Bible? (without plan, plan to fail)

are Sunday mornings optional in your household?

how participatory are you when you are here? leaning forward—singing, giving, engaging; or sitting back

are you doing as little as possible and calling it following Jesus?

Sunday worship is minimal

Bible study is crucial - Sunday or Wednesday

notice how central the local church is to your spiritual growth

4. Are you committed to God’s glory?

purpose of growth and commitment

not about bringing attention to you or becoming a better person to puff you up

BUT to display the mercy and glory of God in saving your soul

and transformational power in the gospel

your life is not a life of drudgery

but of gratitude and worship

Are you growing in your commitment to make disciples?

following Jesus is not just about you

a big part of your discipleship is making disciples of others

1. Are you committed to make disciples in your family?

husbands and wives

do you spiritually care for your spouse?

do y’all regularly talk about spiritual matters?

do y’all pray together?

are you growing closer to Christ together?

what step of commitment does the Lord want from you?

parents

do your children know Jesus?

are you helping them to know the gospel?

is your household decidedly pursuing Jesus?

what step of commitment does the Lord want from you?

2. Are you committed to make disciples in your church?

some of you are stunted in your growth as a disciple

because spiritual growth is all about you

your next step of spiritual growth is to invest in others

part of your obedience is to lead others to obedience

why being part of a Bible study or small group is so important

sermon - monologue

Bible study - dialogue

3. Will you commit to join us in fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples?

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you

our discipleship falls short if not meant to observe

new opportunity offering to church members starting Fall 2025

Disciple Makers

not the only way we make disciples

but likely the most intensive way at FCC

makeup

4-5 same gender, closed group

purposeful for multiplication, explosive and intentional growth, and accountability

meet weekly to cover 30 training objectives

high accountability

when was the last time you were asked about sexual temptation, mindless phone activity, addictive behavior, ongoing anger, Bible reading???

if you are a true follower of Jesus

don’t ever run away from accountability that is good for your soul

let the gospel light shine into your very soul exposing everything (need for Jesus)

if it makes me more like Jesus

then bring it on

if you think this could be your next step in growing as a follower of Jesus

you will hear more

sign ups will open in June and end August 1

start after Labor Day and end by Memorial Day

CHURCH MATTERS: Discipleship Matters

what is God asking of you this morning?

salvation - respond to Jesus

if you are a disciple of Jesus, what is your next step?

some of you need to grow (been stagnate or regressing)

baptism

church membership

personal holiness

committed to Sundays

join Bible study (Sundays or Wednesday)

pray about DM

lunch invite

sit at table with someone new

how long in Nacogdoches?

how long at FCC?