Since becoming a believer, I have observed the difficulty in maintaining a balance between building up believers and reaching those outside the faith. Embracing the two Great Commandments of loving God with all our heart, mind and soul & loving our neighbor as ourselves empowers us to make disciples (Matt. 22:34-40; 28:18-20). Churches often try short-cuts by designing programs to get believers together instead of doing life together or scheduling short-term outreaches into the community apart from the hard work of developing authentic relationships motivated by the Holy Spirit through the New Covenant.
Walk in Path of New Covenant Ministry
The events of Christ’s death and resurrection make walking in the New Covenant possible. You have the opportunity to share in His sufferings and death prior to walking in Christ’s glory and resurrection (Matt. 27:28-51; 28:6-7).
Reading about the crucifixion and resurrection is both troubling and awe-inspiring. However, the key question is, “How will you respond to these truths rooted in actual events that occurred 2,000 years ago?”
Those who have placed their trust in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection are privileged to walk in the footsteps of the original disciples in making new disciples (Matt. 28:18-20).
Process of Making Disciples
The process of making disciples begins with teaching, baptism and instruction. People need to hear the Gospel, be baptized and become identified and incorporated into the life of the church community and learn everything that Jesus commanded leading to active participation in the Kingdom of God. Matthew illustrates equipping prospective disciples.
Discipleship Training in Context of Matthew:
1. The Sermon on the Mount: Matt. 5-7
Attitudes in responding to God’s rule in the Kingdom of God
2. Sending of the twelve apostles: Matt. 10
How to have maximum impact in the Kingdom of God through our service and outreach in the world
3. Parables of the Kingdom: Matt. 13
Individual spiritual growth and corporate expansion of the Kingdom in the world
4. Discipline with church body: Matt. 18
Protecting the integrity of the kingdom from impurity
5. Olivet Discourse: Matt. 24-25
Attitude and action required to maximize our stewardship of time, talent and treasure in ministering to the least of these in our midst
Study and meditate on the above passages. How will maintain the balance between edification of believers and reaching out to not-yet believers in building the kingdom of God? What next steps is God calling you to make as an individual and as a church?
