Why Should We Make Disciples?
Chris Adsit, Associate National Director of Discipleship, Military Ministry

The primary verb in Matthew 28:19,20 (known as the Great Commission) is "Matheteuo" or "make disciples". It was the final, urgent order of our Lord before His ascension. It should, therefore, be the focus of the Church today.

But what is a disciple? Here's a useful, Biblical definition:

A person-in-process who is eager to learn and apply the truths that Jesus Christ teaches him, resulting in ever-deepening commitments to Christ and to a Christ-like lifestyle.

So how are we doing? After almost 2000 years of working on it, is the Church bursting at the seams with disciples? Here are a few descriptions of the Church in America we've heard recently:

  • Like a "mighty river" -- a mile wide and an inch deep.
  • Filled with spiritually undeveloped individuals -- that is, people who have been born-again, grown for a time, stagnated, and then remained developmentally frozen.
  • The largest spiritual nursery in history.
  • Like a professional basketball game: ten men on the floor desperately in need of rest, and 18,000 fans in the stands desperately in need of exercise.

Certainly this description isn't true of every nook and cranny of the Church, but is seems to be accurate for the bulk of it. What are we lacking? In a word, maturity. We, as the body of Christ, need to take a more personal, active role in the task of helping each other grow up!

What is needed? In short, the leaders of the church need to focus on equipping the saints to once again take individual, personal responsibility for the work of the ministry, instead of leaving it all to a small number of overworked and overwhelmed "professional" Christians. Our sincere hope and prayer is that we might co-labor with youto kick this process into high gear during these last days. Time is short! We must help the children to grow up!

For more information on Disciplemakers International, email us at disciplemakers@ccci.org, write us at Disciplemakers International, P.O. Box 2212, Eugene, OR 97402-0044, USA, call us locally at (541) 345-3458 or toll-free at (866) MAKE-DISCIPLES (866-625-3347), or visit our website at www.disciplemakersinternational.org.