One of the goals of ReachGlobal Crisis Response is to make
disciples who make disciples. So what is
a disciple? He is a learner, a
follower. Senior Pastor George Davis of
Hershey Free Church explains this involves knowing, being, and doing. It is not mere head knowledge. It changes our whole life style. Dave Hyatt, Pastor for Local and Global
Outreach at Hershey Free Church explains the common trait is a devotion to
Christ that will look different in different people. He adds, “There is a desire for fellowship,
God’s Word, and a desire to reproduce their lives in others.” Their church website breaks discipleship into
three areas. Live with Jesus, love like
Jesus, and lead others to do the same.
So, how do people become disciples? It takes a disciple to make a disciple. You do not have to be perfect. In fact, it is important others see you are
not perfect, but rather growing in obedience to Christ. The article Disciples Who Make Disciples by Alex Absalom and Greg Nettle points
out, “…discipleship is primarily caught, since the Biblical model is one of
imitation and apprenticeship. For this
to happen, people need to be close enough to our lives that they can see what
this looks like on an ongoing basis, rather than simply on special occasions
when we are on our best behavior!” Wawa,
President of S.T.E.P. seminary in Haiti, lived with the Muchmore family as a
young Christian. He not only heard them
talk about what the Bible teaches, but he also watched as they lived out their
convictions. He saw how they reacted to
different situations and could hear their reasons for their choices.
Michael Kelley, Director of Discipleship at Lifeway, tells
us to look at the example of Jesus to see how to disciple. He says, “In the gospels, we see those
followers listening and learning from the teaching of Jesus. We see them spending time in real life
situations with Jesus. We see them being
sent out by Jesus with purpose and meaning….we see that discipleship is a
lifestyle.” This is not an overnight
process. It takes time and
patience. It is not just taking a course
and checking off learning basic principles.
It means committing to another Christian and spending time with them. It is doing life together.
In Called to Reach: Equipping Cross-Cultural Disciplers
by William R. Yount and Mike Barnett, they say, “The goal is to disciple and
equip after the example of Jesus. He
focused his teaching on the needs of his learners. He perfectly melded thinking (parables,
illustrations, interpretations), feeling (love, care, support, choosing ‘twelve
to be with him’), and doing (demonstrations, modeling the role, practical guidance)
elements as they were needed to transform the lives of his disciples.” Pastor Davis stresses the importance of
people being “in biblical community, in a group environment where other people
are speaking into their lives, and where they have the opportunity to do that
for others. I think we would encourage
them as well to understand what does it look like to live out your faith on a
day to day basis….Also, you want to help them experience God in service in particular
ways. That’s where short-term
opportunities become a part of the disciple making strategy.” A disciple will have a changed life as they
make choices based on their relationship with Jesus. This is revealed in the way they live their
lives with others.
Pastor Hyatt added the importance of learning people’s wiring
and discover their gifts so they can serve in their area of giftedness. “That doesn’t just mean taking
assessments. That means trying different
things so they can figure out how they fit in the body, how they can serve with
what God has created them to do.” He
told the story of a person who was exhausted before going on a very difficult
short-term trip. Although they worked
hard on the trip, they were completely invigorated from it. They exclaimed, “I feel so much better than
when I left!” Dave stated, “They had
discovered some things about themselves in terms of how God uses them.” We are all different, and God has a different
plan for how He will use each of our lives. Discipleship involves doing, not just learning.
Is there someone in your sphere of influence who you could
disciple? Be willing to invest in the
lives of others. A true disciple
disciples others.
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