Discipleship

Discipleship is so important, because it is the fundamental task of the church.

Fundamental-Base or the core.

We have read and understood the scripture text of the Great Commission to read as an evangelistic text when in fact it's about disciple making and not evangelizing.

• Disciple making and disciple forming is a life long endeavor in the lives of Christians. 
• We've built a whole movement on evangelizing the world and in the scripture it doesn't say that it says, 

Matthew 28:18-20 NLT "[18] Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. [19] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

• If we are to go into all the world and make disciples and that is our mandate then we need to get on with it, the problem is most of don't know how to do it. 
• We live our lives thinking and believing we'll just evangelize and that's good enough, well according to scripture, it's not nor ever will be.
• Evangelizing happens when disciples live their lives to their fullest potential in Christ, then through relationship.
• It's a process. 
• Evangelism takes place in the context of relationship not the other way around. 
• Evangelism is not sharing certain facts about Jesus as if we have a certain obligation before or afterwards. 
• But actually evangelism takes place in the context of a relationship which is called discipleship that can go a whole lifetime. 
• If our fundamental mission is to become more and more like Christ every year, every day, every hour, every moment then I believe this is the most valued thing we can possibly do, disciple. 
• Discipleship is by far the most strategic thing we could possibly do in the church. 
• If we fail at that then we fail at everything else. 

We have to have Values.

• Value God-Integrity First
• Value Others-Service before self
• Value the Mission-Excellence in all we do

Will you intentionally care? Will you intentionally connect? Will you intentionally teach, correct in truth, love without limits.  

1. Treat each other in a spiritual way. 

Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT "[1] Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. [2] Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."

1 Corinthians 3:1-6 NLT "[1] Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. [2] I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren't ready for anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, [3] for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world? [4] When one of you says, "I am a follower of Paul," and another says, "I follow Apollos," aren't you acting just like people of the world? [5] After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God's servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. [6] I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow."

• There is a right way to treat others, the bible teaches us those ways. 
• Imparting those ways to others is difficult, making those changes personally is hard, and many times painful. 

2. Invest my time and talent into making a difference in the life of others. 

1 Corinthians 9:19 NLT "[19] Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ."

Slavery-a condition of having to work very hard without proper remuneration or appreciation.

3. Be impeccable with my words. (Without sin)

Matthew 5:37 NLT "[37] Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Anything beyond this is from the evil one."

James 1:22,26 NLT "[22] But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 

[26] If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."

• You can make or break any relationship with your words. 
• Words of condemnation or words of affirmation.

James 3:1-12 NLT "[1] Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. [2] Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. [3] We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. [4] And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. [5] In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. [6] And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. [7] People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, [8] but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. [9] Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. [10] And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! [11] Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? [12] Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring."

• The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing. 
• Stay focused on truth. 
• Stay focused on Christ. His life, death, burial, resurrection and the modeling of that life for all of Christianity. 
• Allow relationship to happen, allow discipleship to happen, allow influence to occur. 
• Time is one of the greatest things you could ever give someone. 

Discipleship is a process, processes take time.