Making Disciples

For more than a decade I have been a corporate trainer. Companies hire me to help change behaviors, change results, increase productivity, to understand new concepts and to change culture. Training has that ability because it addresses the behaviors that change results. Studies have shown that untrained employees take six times longer to understand and perform a task than ones who receive training. During that time, an employee can get frustrated and leave. Also, if a company doesn’t train en employee, the employees don’t feel valued. If the co any isn’t willing to invest in their future and their success, why should they stay? Training is a very important part in helping people reach their potential.

I tell you all of that because I read the Great Commission with new eyes. Look carefully at what it says. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (AMP). He didn’t say, “Go therefore and make Christians.” He didn’t even say, “Go therefore and make Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Charismatics or whichever denomination you belong to.” He said, “Go therefore and make disciples.” A disciple is a student that needs to be trained. Jesus asked us to make disciples instead of Christians because you and I have the ability to teach and to train, but we do not have the ability to save. Only He does.

He asked us to help them to learn of Him. In order to do this, you must know about Jesus and read the Bible yourself. A teacher or trainer has to know and understand the material before they teach the pupil. Jesus next told us to teach people how to believe in Him. Your testimony is vital in this part of making a disciple. If you’ve accepted Jesus, your life has been changed. Share with others how it has changed so they can believe. Finally, He said train them on how to obey His words. Application is key to any training. Disciples need to understand how to apply God’s Word. Showing someone how to apply a principle changes behaviors that in turn change results. We’re called to change this world through making disciples who can then repeat this process. Who are you discipling right now? We’re all part of the Great Commission and have a responsibility to make disciples.

Photo by Sarah Noltner on Unsplash