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- Oct 26, 2007
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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20
Christians are called to make disciples, to baptize them, and then teach them to obey everything Christ commanded His disciples. While the American evangelical church places a high priority on making converts, discipleship is less of a priority.
In a study of 2,930 American Protestant churchgoers conducted by Lifeway, only 42% said they intentionally spend time with other believers in order to help them grow in their faith. The other 58% have a truncated view of the Great Commission, and ultimately, the Gospel. At the 2015 Turning America conference in Springfield, Missouri, David Barton, the president of WallBuilders, made the following observation, as reported by The Pathway newspaper.
“We’ve changed the way we looked at the Great Commission,” Barton said. “Rather than teaching everything He taught us, which would change the culture, we’re just going after “fire insurance.”
If you aren’t already discipling somebody, you probably know someone at work, school, or church who are baby Christians. Invite one of them out for coffee or tea this week and ask to hear their story. Find out what they are struggling with and offer to disciple them, either formally or informally, by walking them through the scriptures.
Christians are called to make disciples, to baptize them, and then teach them to obey everything Christ commanded His disciples. While the American evangelical church places a high priority on making converts, discipleship is less of a priority.
In a study of 2,930 American Protestant churchgoers conducted by Lifeway, only 42% said they intentionally spend time with other believers in order to help them grow in their faith. The other 58% have a truncated view of the Great Commission, and ultimately, the Gospel. At the 2015 Turning America conference in Springfield, Missouri, David Barton, the president of WallBuilders, made the following observation, as reported by The Pathway newspaper.
“We’ve changed the way we looked at the Great Commission,” Barton said. “Rather than teaching everything He taught us, which would change the culture, we’re just going after “fire insurance.”
If you aren’t already discipling somebody, you probably know someone at work, school, or church who are baby Christians. Invite one of them out for coffee or tea this week and ask to hear their story. Find out what they are struggling with and offer to disciple them, either formally or informally, by walking them through the scriptures.
