Thoughts on life, love, and politics

Making Disciples

Charity asked an excellent question about my post on the Great Commission. She asked how someone her age could go about making disciples. In order to answer that I think we better think first about what that word means... That's what I did at least when I read Charity's question... yes Charity... your question made me think :)
dictionary.com defined the word like this

1. One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.
2. An active adherent, as of a movement or philosophy.
3. often Disciple One of the original followers of Jesus.
4. Disciple A member of the Disciples of Christ.

I am pretty confident that Jesus didn't mean that we should all become members of the Disciples of Christ, or that we become one of the original followers of Jesus (that would be a little impossible because we weren't:)

So that leaves me with the possibility of #1 or 2 from dictionary.com

I went and looked up the Greek word for disciple and to make a disciple in that passage means to teach someone to follow another's precepts. So when we are making disciples, we are teaching them to follow the precepts Christ taught us.

I would agree with Charity that there are differnet roles that each of us have in doing this. In Titus 2 we see Paul instructing Titus that older members of the church should be exhorting the younger how to live properly (follow the commands of Christ). Pastors and elders also have this role.

However, I do believe each of us as Christians has a role to play. Timothy is told "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." If Timothy is setting an example for believers, I would suggest he is discipling them because he is showing them the way we are called to live. So I would say the first way youth can disciple others is by setting an example. In order to that we better know how we are called to live and live that way! We should continually be challenging ourselves in the way we are living by asking if we are being that example. Also if you do not spend time with other believers it would be difficult to set this example. Therfore we do need to be involved in other christians lives. As I have thought about it I believe this aspect is one of the best ways for the youth to help in the disciple making process.

I guess as I end I think the great commission has much to do with the quality of life for both the adult and young people. I know from my life, some of my greatest witnessing opportunities have occured because I consistently lived differently and co-workers asked questions. I don't think we can fulfill the Great commission without relationships. Christ prepared his disciples to disciple others through three years of building a relationship with them. It is not a quick process. It is not an easy process. But it is a process that has been commanded by Christ. Each of us has a role... And part of that role for the youth is to set an example, but also to seek to be discipled by older Christians as Titus 2 discusses.

To anyone who is still reading this post I would ask you to pray for me as I am looking for a job. I have applied to two schools. I would LOVE to work at either of them. I am also in the process of deciding where else to apply and what to do this summer (since as a teacher my job won't start till August). I need God's wisdom and peace on my future... May 6 is quickly approaching and I have no idea what I will be doing after that date...

posted by rayhe @ 4:47 pm