Discipleship or Evangelism
I have been with many ministers, (including myself) who complain about the lack of discipleship in the church. This is based on the fact that we strongly believe in the “the great commission”, which many of us, believe is the great omission by the church.
Some of us also refer to it as “the cultural mandate” to overcome the cultural moral ill-being in the nations. Jesus says, “Therefore, go and MAKE disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt.28:19,20).
Jesus said we are called to MAKE disciples. Jesus didn’t say simply ‘be’ a disciple.
Why did Jesus say “make disciples”? In the act of making disciples - we become progressively stronger disciples of Christ!
What is a ‘disciple’? To be a disciple means we choose to follow Christ’s principles and instructions. We put His will above our self-will. His will empowers us to do the work Christ does in us; to evangelize, and help others become His disciples!
The first and ever-continuing act of being a disciple is to act as an evangelist as the Apostle Paul tells his disciple Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5.
You cannot do the work of an evangelist unless you are a disciple. And all true disciples will spread the Good News: evangelize!
It’s not being a disciple or an evangelist; they are symbiotic like the chicken and the egg. You can’t have one without the other!
And underneath it all is LOVE! Love is what drives us to be a disciple/evangelist!
2 Corinthians 5:14,15 - “For Christ’s love compels is, because we are convinced that those who live no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
As disciples, evangelism is the first works in fulfilling the great commission (Matthew 28:19,20). This is essential for the church to be an influence and force in the cultural transformation of the nations!
To see more on how Important Discipleship and Evangelism is - watch This - Awake not 'woke' interview with David Engelhardt, a lawyer and pastor I have known since he was a boy. David is the son of one of my spiritual sons, Robert Engelhardt.
John P. Kelly 2020