Eight Keys to Making a Difference in 2017

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, Matthew 28:19

Got any resolutions left? I gave up making resolutions years ago. I still look at the New Year as a chance to refresh things. I updated my law practice website to reflect a new “mobile” aspect to my practice. Check it out. Would love comments and critical eyes to review. When you do something like that yourself, you really miss having an editor.

Being more “mobile” with my work is just one aspect of “getting out there.” It’s also part of the plan for being a more effective disciple maker. That’s really the only way to make a difference. I have been watching some videos on this from Verge Network. 

Here are the keys from the first video.

Making disciples is God’s plan. I wrote about it last time.  It’s really a pyramid “scheme” the original one. 

It’s more than just making Christians.  We often think our job is to get folks to say a prayer asking Jesus into their hearts. Evangelism is just the first step in disciple making. It’s an awesome and necessary first step, but just a first step. Even if we are “signing up” followers, we drop them, failing to guide them on the lifetime journey of following. 

It’s about relationship.  We want folks to have a relationship with Jesus without having a relationship with the folks. Leading someone to say a prayer is a one-time job. Disciple making is a lifetime program. It’s hard. It takes time and commitment. It’s worth it. 

Look at what Jesus did. Jesus poured his life into the twelve. He taught the masses, but he had special relationship, a disciple making relationship with much fewer. He would often separate himself from the crowds and gather the twelve to Him. 

Jesus commands us to do what He did. “All authority has been given to me. I just rose from the dead to prove it. Now go get to work. ” Okay so it’s not a direct quote, but you get the point.

It’s really the only the thing he commanded us to do.  Much of what we do as “the church” are good things, but they aren’t what he commanded us to do, “make disciples.” Some of the good things we do help in that mission, but others are not even remotely related to disciple making. 

If we aren’t making disciples, we aren’t really a church. Some “churches” are more like social clubs, or healing places, or teaching centers. All good things but not disciple making places. 

Glory of God is to cover the earth.  That takes a grand pyramid plan, making disciples who make disciples. 

Here’s the video. Check it out. 

We will look at the second video. Hopefully tomorrow.