Discipleship, Disciple-making and a Disciple Problem

How do you interpret Jesus words, "Go and make disciples of all nations...."?

For some Christians, it means "make those people who are already disciples better disciples by educating them." Not a bad idea, but not what Jesus had in mind. If this is your understanding, I'd encourage you to rethink Jesus' context.

For others, they see Jesus calling us into the harvest field. When I read these words, "Go and make disciples," I hear Jesus encouraging his disciples to make disciples of those who were not yet disciples. There weren't a lot of disciples for Jesus to be telling us to "make them better disciples"! Simply said, "Discipleship starts with non-Christians, not Christians."

Dave DeVries states it this way, "When Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples,' He didn't mean to find followers and make them better followers of Jesus. He sends us out to make disciples of non-disciples."

The church is a collection of disciples. And if the church has a discipleship problem it has a disciple problem. What one thing will you do today to be a disciple who makes disciples?

The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.

Grace. Peace. Power.