I’m going to jump right into this one. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ came into the world and then ascended to heaven. Yet, before He left, He gave His disciples a Great Commission. He told them in Matthew 28:18-20, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
This passage of Scripture is so loaded with instruction! It’s so loaded with a clear calling. It’s so loaded with action! It’s so loaded with encouragement, reassuring them and us today (as those new disciples) that we are not alone in the process of life or in making disciples. However, in our modern-day world, what does it really look like for us to go and make disciples? With that being said, I’d like to offer a few suggestions.
Going and making disciples can look like…
One-on-One Evangelism
When I think about this, I think of Philip, the Evangelist in the Bible (read more about him in Acts 8:26-40). Under the power and leading of the Holy Spirit, Philip was instructed, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” He listened and obeyed. As he walked alongside the carriage, there was an Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah 53, but he didn’t understand what he was reading. And Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.” (Acts 8:29-31)
First thing that you and I need to do is go, as the Spirit leads us. The Holy Spirit knows who is searching for answers in life and through Scripture. And He wants to direct us and give us what we need to disciple others, just as He did with Philip. Not only did Philip explain the passage of Scripture, he told him about Jesus. He shared the Gospel with him. But he took an extra step and baptized him.
Acts 8:36-39 says, “As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.”
One on one evangelism is a way of going and making disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them! This is the Great Commission. In our modern-day culture, you and I can do this, sis! We can help people understand the Word of God. We can share the Good News with those who either never heard of the name Jesus Christ (which you would be surprised there are still people who haven’t heard His name) or who want to accept Him as their Lord and Savior.We have to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s direction. Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to the Ethiopian eunuch. And after that, he was led somewhere else. That’s how it works.
Preaching at a Church or a Conference
People who don’t know Christ, but who feel lost, broken, sick, mentally ill, or hungry for something different than their everyday lives, will walk through the church doors or a conference where they can come, sit down, and listen to the Word of God. They are what many call today, “seekers.” That’s why many times after the word is preached in either setting, there is a call to salvation. There is a sharing of the Good News, so that people who come and hear the truth can have an opportunity to be set free forever!
Bible Study or Small Group
Making disciples can definitely take place in a Bible Study that’s held at church, home, or in a communal location (i.e. coffee shop, community center, office space after work hours, etc.). Disciples are followers, learners, or students. It’s those who are wanting to learn more and go deeper in the Word to understand what it means, who God is, how to live the life of Christianity, and how to share it with others.
In a nutshell, discipleship is all about the Gospel and walking with Jesus daily. It’s about growing in our relationship with the Lord and being led by the Holy Spirit to continue learning, maturing, and sharing the Good News with others (in whatever situation given to us) until Jesus returns.
Going and making disciples is an act of obedience. It’s an act of true love for mankind. It’s an act of faith and boldness to take part in what I believe is the greatest call on all of our lives as believers. Jesus has called us to help fulfill this Great Commission.
And whether that’s sharing your testimony, the Gospel, helping someone understand Scripture, teaching a Bible Study, a conference message, or through writing, podcasting, radio, social media posts, Sunday school, or even baptizing or encouraging someone to do so, that is how we go and make disciples, sis. So, let’s do this…in our day and time!
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
Photo credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/kevron2001
