Mere Missions

154 • M ere M issions : M oving F orward to M ultiply

6. Give (Matt. 16.19-21; Matt. 10.8). 7. Go and disciple (Matt. 28.18-20).

Truly, there are more than seven commandments that were given by Jesus. Some have counted over 30. This is not a legalistic exercise but an honest look for us to be obedient to Christ’s command to make disciples by, “teaching them everything I have commanded you.” These are seven “basic commands” in which Jesus’s other commands fit, or closely fit into. We now can answer our question, “when is a disciple made?” If, we apply what Jesus commanded for us to do, that is, baptize and teach, using the seven basic commands of Christ, we can look at the person and determine if the discipling process is completed: they have confessed, repented and believed in the Gospel; they were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit; they are loving God, their neighbor and the Church Community; they celebrate the Lord’s Supper; they pray; they give; they go and disciple by following the same pattern. “There is a disciple of Jesus.” This is not a subjective process but an objective one. It’s not based on feelings but on clear observable demonstrations of obedience. Discipleship is a lifetime journey of obedience though (John 14.15). Disciples fall short of the glory of God, but God is faithful when the disciple isn’t faithful (2 Tim. 2.13) and He continues His purpose to conform the disciple into the image of Jesus (Rom. 8.29), each step of the way. “Discipleship, therefore, must necessarily be an uncomfortable process of reorientation and of abandonment of the self-centered values of human society in favor of the divine economy” (Ladd). As disciple makers, we can water (spiritualize – baptize) and we can plant (spiritualize – teach) but only God can cause the growth (1 Cor. 3.5-9). This is the “radical minimum” to equip a convert so that they can demonstrate they are a disciple of their Lord and Savior, Jesus.