Most Christians aren’t making disciples
If you are one of the 90% of Christians who aren’t making disciples, then let’s think about why – and see what can be done about it, so that you can make some life adjustments and live obediently to Jesus.
4 reasons why people don’t make disciples
However, what are some reasons for not doing what has been asked? I think it can be reduced to 4 reasons why people don’t make disciples.
Why make disciples
They don’t know why they should do it; or they don’t know who to do it with; and maybe they don’t know what to do. And they don’t know when they would have time to do it.
Let’s answer the why, the who, the what and the when - so that we can be living obediently to Jesus and be making disciples.
Why – because it is our identity. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 says that we are new creations and that we are to be ambassadors of the message of the gospel. This instruction is for all believers. It is your identity as a Christian to live a transformed life and be because you are an ambassador, you are to take the message of the gospel to all people who have not heard it.
Make disciples of who?
So who needs to hear it? Who can you share it with? There are just 2 groups – people you know, and people you don’t know. Those you know are those you do life with. Those you don’t know is everyone else.
So, here is very practical thing that should help you answer the question of who can you go to.
Write a name list and that becomes a prayer list. Then go through your phone and note who are the most important people in your life - and where are that at spiritually? (think about if your heard there was a threatening bushfire - who would be your top priority to care about)
What do you say? Now you see that it is your identity and you have a few people you can share with. Then what will you tell them? Tell them your story and then Jesus’ story.
When to make disciples
But when will you go and do this? I suggest you set aside 2 hours each week to intentionally use to make disciples. There are 168 hours in each week, so using about 1% of it to intentionally care for a friend spiritually shouldn’t be a big ask. I think your friends deserve it and will appreciate it if you do it.
Jesus’ closing summary to his disciples was for us too. Therefore, He wants his followers to go and make disciples because it is their identity as transformed ambassadors. They are to reach everyone everywhere – people they know and people they don’t know. They should tell these people their story and Jesus’ story. And they should set aside time weekly to intentionally make disciples – because from life experience we know that if we don’t make plans, it won’t happen.
Point 7 – Jesus will be with you
And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Jesus Christ (the bible in Matthew 18:20)
The 7th and final point that we can extract from this passage is to remember/understand that Jesus will be with his disciples to help them. Help them do what he has commanded them to do. He didn’t give us a task that he didn’t think we could do. Jesus thinks we can do it. And He expects us to do it. And if we think we can’t, then we need to remember that he is always around to help us do it so we can be successful.
Here is an example to think about. Why don’t you want to do something? Why don’t I want to cook? I don’t know what to do very well. But that’s because I don’t feel I have the ability to do it. Why is my wife Vanessa good at cooking and I am not? When she first started she wasn’t as good as she is now. Her ability has improved with practice.
I didn’t always know how to make disciples. But with giving it a go my ability has improved. A pastor didn’t just one day from the next become great at what he does. It took time and practice. Same too with you being able to make disciples. It will take time and practice. Above all, know this. Jesus wants you to do it and he promises to be with you.
Will you make disciples?
So what will you do? I pray that you will live more obediently to Jesus from today forward and that out of your love for God, you will love people – and that love for people will inspire you to live obediently to the command to go and make disciples, baptising them and teaching them how to follow Jesus.