Go and make disciples… Matt 28 verse 19 What it means to make disciples?

Go and make disciples…Go and make disciples…Matt 28 verse 19Matt 28 verse 19

What it means to make What it means to make disciples?disciples?

Jesus has commanded us to Jesus has commanded us to make disciplesmake disciples

Following Jesus Following Jesus Christ requires us Christ requires us to make disciples to make disciples of all nationsof all nations

Making disciples Making disciples involves training involves training disciples until they disciples until they become disciple-become disciple-makersmakers

Jesus the patternJesus the pattern ““For you have been For you have been

called for this called for this purpose, since purpose, since Christ also suffered Christ also suffered for you, leaving for you, leaving you an example for you an example for you to follow in His you to follow in His footsteps”. footsteps”.

1 Peter 2 v 21 1 Peter 2 v 21

Jesus cared for, taught, Jesus cared for, taught, trained and empowered His trained and empowered His

disciplesdisciplesHe selected a He selected a diverse small diverse small groupgroupHe called them to He called them to total commitment total commitment to His causeto His causeHe saw the He saw the potential in all His potential in all His disciples regardless disciples regardless of their backgroundof their background

Peter James

John

Jesus

Jesus’ training methodsJesus’ training methods

He He taughttaught them them about the kingdom of about the kingdom of GodGodHis teaching radically His teaching radically changedchanged their values their values and beliefsand beliefsHe He showedshowed them them how to minister in the how to minister in the power of the Spiritpower of the SpiritHe He demonstrateddemonstrated powerpower encounter encounter with Satan’s kingdomwith Satan’s kingdom

He He empoweredempowered them to go out and them to go out and do the same ministry do the same ministry as He was doingas He was doingHe He evaluated evaluated and and corrected what they corrected what they were doing without were doing without discouraging themdiscouraging themHe He reinforcedreinforced their their learning in His own learning in His own ministry and in what ministry and in what He asked them to doHe asked them to do

Jesus lived with them..Jesus lived with them..

This pattern of This pattern of discipleship was discipleship was achieved because achieved because Jesus lived with His Jesus lived with His disciples for three disciples for three years.years.The disciples The disciples continually continually observed Jesus life observed Jesus life and His relationship and His relationship with His Fatherwith His Father

Jesus and His disciples?Jesus and His disciples?

None of the disciples were None of the disciples were Christians when Jesus Christians when Jesus started making disciples started making disciples out of them…in fact they out of them…in fact they did not become Christians did not become Christians until they were breathed until they were breathed upon by Jesus in John 20 v upon by Jesus in John 20 v 21.21.

Can we start out making Can we start out making disciples with Atheists, disciples with Atheists, Marxists, Hindus, Muslims Marxists, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists?and Buddhists?

Biblical patterns of disciple-Biblical patterns of disciple-makingmaking

Jesus Christ made disciples of 12 Galileans. Jesus Christ made disciples of 12 Galileans. Mark 3 verses 13 – 19. Mark 3 verses 13 – 19.

11 were successful in their ministry as 11 were successful in their ministry as disciples of Christ. 1 failed.disciples of Christ. 1 failed.

The Apostle Paul made disciples of Timothy, The Apostle Paul made disciples of Timothy, John Mark, Silas, Lois, Eunice, Philemon, John Mark, Silas, Lois, Eunice, Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, Artemas, Tychicus, Carpus, Apphia, Archippus, Artemas, Tychicus, Carpus, Crescens, Titus, Zenas and many others.Crescens, Titus, Zenas and many others.

Several of Paul’s disciples failed as well, they Several of Paul’s disciples failed as well, they were Hymenaeus, Philetus, Demas etc.were Hymenaeus, Philetus, Demas etc.

Jesus sent the Holy SpiritJesus sent the Holy Spirit

To empower us to To empower us to keep His keep His commands to commands to make disciplesmake disciples

To birth the Church To birth the Church as a joy-filled as a joy-filled community of community of people living in people living in close relationship close relationship with each otherwith each other

Read Acts 2 verses Read Acts 2 verses 38 -4738 -47They started with They started with repentance for the repentance for the selfish way they selfish way they livedlivedThey then meet They then meet together daily and together daily and shared all aspects shared all aspects of their livesof their lives

The Church is a disciple-The Church is a disciple-making Communitymaking Community

The foundations of the The foundations of the Church are;Church are;

Jesus Christ is the Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone – chief cornerstone – Eph. 2v20Eph. 2v20

The other foundations The other foundations stones are;stones are;

Faith – Col. 2v5Faith – Col. 2v5

Hope – 1 Thess. 1v 2,3Hope – 1 Thess. 1v 2,3

Love – I Cor. 13v13Love – I Cor. 13v13

The ministry of The ministry of establishing the establishing the Church as a joy-filled Church as a joy-filled community is done community is done through the grace of through the grace of God – Eph 2v8;God – Eph 2v8;

God’s grace is not only God’s grace is not only His unmerited favour His unmerited favour

But also His enabling But also His enabling powerpower

And His extravagant And His extravagant forgiving love.forgiving love.

How can we build a disciple-How can we build a disciple-making community?making community?

By developing an By developing an activity that activity that enables us to meet enables us to meet together each day together each day with the poor.with the poor.

The activity The activity reflects God’s reflects God’s presence – it is presence – it is viable, joyous, and viable, joyous, and creativecreative

The activity is The activity is income generating.income generating.

It generates It generates enough income in enough income in three to five days a three to five days a week to allow the week to allow the community enough community enough time to reach out time to reach out to others through to others through visitation.visitation.

The joy-filled communityThe joy-filled community

Develops creative Develops creative work skillswork skills

Develops kingdom Develops kingdom valuesvalues

Builds healthy Builds healthy relationshipsrelationships

Disciples the Disciples the members of the members of the communitycommunity

Supports the disciple-Supports the disciple-makermaker

Developing an holistic Developing an holistic worldviewworldview

Where work is seen Where work is seen as worship to Godas worship to GodPraying, Praying, worshipping, eating worshipping, eating and caring for one and caring for one another are daily another are daily activities activities The participants are The participants are evangelising and evangelising and discipling their discipling their family, and extended family, and extended family membersfamily members

What are the attitudes of What are the attitudes of the disciple-maker?the disciple-maker?

Read 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 11- 14.Read 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 11- 14. “ “ Therefore Therefore encourage encourage one another, one another,

build upbuild up one another, just as you are one another, just as you are also doing. also doing. AppreciateAppreciate those who those who diligently labordiligently labor among you, and have among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and charge over you in the Lord and givegive you you instructioninstruction, and that you , and that you esteem esteem them highlythem highly inin love love because of their because of their work. work. Live in peaceLive in peace with one another. with one another. We urge you brethren, We urge you brethren, admonish theadmonish the unrulyunruly, encourage the fainthearted, , encourage the fainthearted, help help the weakthe weak, , be patientbe patient with all men”. with all men”.

Action words in disciple-making in yellowAction words in disciple-making in yellow

How can we measure How can we measure progress in disciple-progress in disciple-

making?making?Disciple making produces outcomes in the lives Disciple making produces outcomes in the lives ofof the disciplesthe disciples. These are measured by the . These are measured by the Apostle Paul as character qualities that will lead Apostle Paul as character qualities that will lead to the disciples becoming leaders, deacons and to the disciples becoming leaders, deacons and elders in the Church. See I Tim 3:1-13 .elders in the Church. See I Tim 3:1-13 .These qualities areThese qualities are; marriage fidelity, integrity, ; marriage fidelity, integrity, hard work, temperance, prudence, respect, hard work, temperance, prudence, respect, hospitality, teachable, not a drunkard or a hospitality, teachable, not a drunkard or a fighter, gentle, free from materialism, fighter, gentle, free from materialism, managing the household well, dignified, not managing the household well, dignified, not conceited or proud, a good reputation, truthful conceited or proud, a good reputation, truthful in speech, a clear conscience, faithful servants in speech, a clear conscience, faithful servants of Christ, generous, caring for people.of Christ, generous, caring for people.

Developing entrepreneurial Developing entrepreneurial skillsskills

For most of us the difficulty in taking this For most of us the difficulty in taking this approach of developing a “income approach of developing a “income generating community” is that we lack the generating community” is that we lack the business and entrepreneurial skills to business and entrepreneurial skills to pioneer and manage a small business pioneer and manage a small business community.community.

That leads us to ask for help from our That leads us to ask for help from our business gifted friends to help develop a business gifted friends to help develop a business plan, and find capital to start the business plan, and find capital to start the community among the poor.community among the poor.

Questions for discussion?Questions for discussion?

Why would Why would participation in an participation in an “income generating “income generating community” be good community” be good news for the poor?news for the poor?

Why does the Why does the “income generating “income generating community” concept community” concept provide opportunities provide opportunities for disciple-making?for disciple-making?

Is it fair to expect the Is it fair to expect the organiser, leader of organiser, leader of the “income the “income generating generating community” to be community” to be funded or supported funded or supported by the community?by the community?

How can an “income How can an “income generating generating community” multiply community” multiply itself?itself?