SHOULD WE LEAVE CHRISTIANITY TO THE EXPERTS?

“Observe people who are good at their work—skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don’t take a backseat to anyone.” – Proverbs 22:29 (MSG).

If you asked the average Christian about making disciples, they would view that task as being professionalized to the point that it should be passed off to the “experts.” The experts are seen as pastors, elders, etc., and making disciples is what we pay them for.

All the rest of us “don’t know where to begin or what to do, don’t know the Bible well enough, or are afraid someone will answer a question that we can’t answer,” so we leave it to the experts. The truth is we all play a role in discipling others. We have a responsibility to grow in grace, knowledge, and understanding. And the more we know, the more we should want to learn. The bottom line is that our spiritual growth has both inward and outward dimensions. We grow in the faith for our own sake and for the sake of others.

Before Jesus ascended, he explained the mission that awaited His followers after He returned to His heavenly Father. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you…” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus says, “Go and make disciples.” Although this may seem to involve two separate actions—going and making disciples—it suggests the idea of “making disciples as you go along.” The assumption is that Jesus’ followers will often be “on the go,” in other words, actively doing something. That actively doing something means being engaged in some form of discipleship.

Every one of us is influenced by someone, and every one of us has a significant influence over someone else. Making disciples does not mean just bringing others to a one-time “moment of decision.” It involves continued learning together, growing together, and increasingly understanding our knowledge of God and how best to serve Him.

The bottom line is this: Every follower of Jesus Christ should be a disciple. Discipleship is about going to the next level. It’s about really living the Christian life to its fullest, as Jesus meant for us to live it. It’s being a disciple and, in turn, going out and making disciples of others.

“When the church becomes an end in itself, it ends. When Sunday school, as great as it is, becomes an end in itself, it ends. When small groups ministry becomes an end in itself, it ends. When the worship service becomes an end in itself, it ends. What we need is for discipleship to become the goal, and then the process never ends. The process is fluid. It is moving. It is active. It is a living thing. It must continue to go on. Every disciple must make disciples.”― Robby Gallaty, Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples,

Discussion Questions:

What does discipleship mean to you? How do you define discipleship?
How can you disciple others? What are some ways you can disciple others, whether formally or informally?