F-A-I-L?

In many ways, it was a sobering week.  I spent it among pastors and church leaders who were asking some hard questions, about a key passage from the Bible.  It's Jesus' parting words to His followers.  It remains His charge to those who follow Him today:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

It's not that these words are new to us.  Any pastor or church leader worth his or her salt knows that this is to be the overall mission of the Church, our overarching purpose to those who gather together to represent Jesus on this earth.  We are to GO to those with an ear to hear.  We are to MAKE DISCIPLES.  Most churches weave their words into a formal mission statement, or even post them above a door.

Here's the challenge:  If this is to be the mission of the church... are we doing it?

For a long time, and in many places, I've seen the functional definition of a disciple being someone who knows alot about God.  They can spout off Bible verses.  They can find every book of the Bible without checking a table of contents.  They seem to read their Bible regularly.  They pray.  And they attend church religiously.  And I mean religiously.  (They may be cranky, anxious, lustful, divisive, greedy, and judgmental, but justify it with:  "hey, no one is perfect!")

But here's the problem:  That's not how Jesus' defined a "disciple."

When He invited people into a life of discipleship, he invited them with these words:

Come, follow me...

That's not a "read this book and fill your head" kind of invitation.  That's not a "know every book of the Bible" kind of thing.  That's an invitation to "believe with your feet"... meaning, if you really follow that invitation, you'll be going places, doing things, being active in whatever way Jesus asks you to be.

When Jesus invited Peter into a life of discipleship, He finished the sentence:

Come, follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men.

Jesus was using Peter-the-fisherman's language.  Jesus was telling Peter that He had a job to do.

In Jesus' last words, he again defines being a disciple in an active way.  A disciple is one who is  baptized (the word actually means immersed) in the triune God, listens to His teaching, and then does what He says.

So here's the question:  How many churches really teach people to listen to what God is saying, and then to do what He says?  And do we collectively understand that if we don't know how to do this... then we really don't understand what it is to follow Jesus?

Do you know what Jesus says about how we are to love? Experience joy and peace?  Extend mercy and forgiveness?  Stand up for things that are right?  Handle money and stuff?  Handle our time?  Rest?  Reach out to others?  Care for the poor?  Jesus offers us "abundant LIFE"... do you know how to live it?

And if you know these things, when was the last time you paused long enough to hear the gentle whisper of God's Spirit inviting you to change in this area?   Re-align yourself more closely to Jesus? Or do something new or different?

Of course, being a disciple goes beyond that, doesn't it?  Because if we listen to Jesus, and do what He says, then we will also GO and MAKE DISCIPLES (again, His last words to us).

No, this post isn't about guilting you.  But it IS about asking this question:  Are churches doing what we're supposed to?  Are we teaching people to BE disciples.... and to MAKE disciples?  Are we giving them the tools to listen to God's teaching for themselves, and then are we helping them understand that God empowers them to do what He is saying?  And then are we training them to help others listen to God and be empowered for His change?

And if not... how do we change?

This is the journey I am on...