What Now??

So, we get all pumped up and God has put a burden on your heart, and what is next? As I mentioned in my previous blog, we start with prayer. I don't just go "ok, where do we go now?) Even though that works for some. I tend to realize how God has enabled me with certain strengths and natural abilities and ask Him to blow those up more in my life. If I have a burden for discipling new converts, then a plan to make that happen needs to be implemented and thought over with much prayer. First of all, discipleship for new and old Christians is something that is non-existent in our church world, and the thought of "new converts" is really appealing, but when do we make them disciples? The word disciple means "taught," and every time Jesus paused in his travels of three years, He would teach deeper truths to those. who were His followers. For the "12" insider apostles, those teachings also included experiences with the power of Jesus as they saw Him heal, forgive sins, and cast out demons. When Jesus explained the deeper truths to them, He would many times speak in parables to bring them along slowly, but kept growing them more and more as they walked.

As the day of Jesus' death on the cross approached, He taught them specifically about their growth after He went to heaven. In John 16, Jesus illustrates the process of learning He had them on. John 16:1“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. ² For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. ³ This is because they have never known the Father or me. ⁴ Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer. With Jesus, there was always "what is next?" and in that thinking it makes sense for them to be followers of "The Way."

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and a disciple will immerse themselves in those three areas: way, truth, and life. The next step in our progression to make a difference in this lost world will be to see the burden morph into ministry with a vision for teaching. New converts will not stop at the baptismal waters, but will be personally mentored and taught to follow Jesus in a more focused way. They begin to see natural abilities and gifts that Jesus has given them, and they now use them to follow His way. No more hierarchy in the church, but servants serving The Way together in harmony. Leaders will equip the saints to learn from the Master and live the called life together. Paul taught these truths to the church in Ephesus and the explanation is clear and concise. Ephesians 4: ¹¹ Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. ¹³ This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Ok. What now? Mission #1 is to make disciples.....REAL DISCIPLES!!! Is that clear enough? There is work to do, but can the institutionalized church of today pause all the "programs" and make becoming a disciple a priority? I believe it can!! Time to get to work.

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren