One Soul at a Time
Infomercials run rampant plaguing your television set with offers “valued at over $400.00 for three easy payments of $19.99 (plus S/H, of course).” And “if you call in the next ten minutes we will double your order and include this bonus item worth $50.00!” As annoying as infomercials are, they work because they offer desired results with little or no effort. People jump at a chance to get a diet in a bottle, a makeover while you sleep, or a workout in a box.
Even in ministry, we are tempted to fall for these quick-fix marketing strategies. There seems to be an endless supply of books that promise results from implementing certain “secrets” that only the writer knows. You too can have revival while you sleep, develop an effective ministry, or grow a strong church by following a proven, seven-step plan. Jesus taught his disciples to look for “fruit that remains” (Jn 15:16). Many programs and methodologies appear to produce fruit, but our goal is to see fruit produced that truly remains!
How can we really be effective church planters? The answer lies in what Jesus taught the apostles – the pioneers in Christ’s church: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them …. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). This is commonly used when we talk about foreign missions but often overlooked when we think of the vast mission field on our own doorstep. The command is simple – “Make disciples.” Yet these two short verses provide us with a clear goal, a practical method, an appropriate motive, and a guarantee of success.
The main command is to make disciples, not to “go” as the English translation seems to indicate. The word “go” implies that we are going or have already gone, so the passage more literally reads, “going, make disciples.” We are told to make disciples of all “ethnos” or ethnic groups. Many times this is preached as the motive to go to every country, but it actually gives no reference to geographical areas. Christ simply tells us to make disciples in every ethnic group – to reach all people no matter where they are found.
So what does a disciple look like? When we understand what a disciple is, then we will have a clear goal of what we want our ministry to produce. The Bible gives us a glimpse of what a mature disciple is:
1) A mature disciple demonstrates the Holy Spirit’s fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 – “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.”
2) A mature disciple is consistent in participating in fellowship and worship. Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.”
3) A mature disciple is able to teach others the Word. 2 Timothy 2:2 – “The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses … commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
4) A mature disciple has healthy interpersonal relationships. I Corinthians 3:3 – “Whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
5) A mature disciple discerns between good and evil. Hebrews 5:14 – “But strong meat belongeth to. … those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
6) A mature disciple is not easily fooled by false doctrine. Ephesians 4:14 – “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.”
7) A mature disciple understands the truths of the Scripture. Hebrews 5:12 – “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles.”
What we need to be effective church planters is found in Christ’s simple command given in the gospels, the examples found in the book of Acts and the expanded instruction developed in the Epistles. Only when we reject “ministry in a box” concepts and adopt Christ’s command as our ministry philosophy and strategy will we be doing God’s work in God’s way. Only then can we expect fruit that will remain.
(Adapted from an article by David Whitcher on www.reachinghispanics.org)