Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples - New Book from Francis Chan

This is an excerpt from the new book out by Francis Chan.  A very timely book on a subject near and dear to my heart!

By Francis Chan & Mark Beuving

Two thousand years ago, Jesus walked up to a handful of men and said, "Follow me."
Imagine being one of those original disciples. They were ordinary people like you and me. They had jobs, families, hobbies, and social lives. As they went about their business on the day Jesus called them, none of them would have expected their lives to change so quickly and completely. The disciples could not have fully understood what they were getting into when they responded to Jesus's call. Whatever expectations or doubts, whatever curiosity, excitement, or uncertainty they felt, nothing could have prepared them for what lay ahead. Everything about Jesus-His teaching, compassion, and wisdom; His life, death, and resurrection; His power, authority, and calling-would shape every aspect of the rest of their lives.

In only a few years, these simple men stood before some of the most powerful rulers on earth and being accused of "turn[ing] the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). What began as simple obedience to the call of Jesus ended up changing their lives, and ultimately, the world.

What Is a Disciple?

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? The answer is fairly simple, but it changes your life completely.

The word disciple refers to a student or apprentice. Disciples in Jesus' day would follow their rabbi (which means teacher) wherever he went, learning from the rabbi's teaching and training to do as the rabbi did. Basically, a disciple is a follower, but only if we take the term follower literally. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is as simple as obeying His call to follow.

When Jesus called His first disciples, they may not have understood where Jesus would take them or the impact it would have on their lives, but they knew what it meant to follow. They took Jesus's call literally and began going everywhere He went and doing everything He did.

Its impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40). That's the whole point of being a disciple of Jesus: we imitate Him, carry on His ministry, and become like Him in the process.

Yet somehow many have come to believe that a person can be a "Christian" without being like Christ. A "follower" who doesn't follow. How does that make any sense?

Many people in the church have decided to take on the name of Christ and nothing else. This would be like Jesus walking up to those first disciples and saying, "Hey, would you guys mind identifying yourselves with me in some way? Don't worry, I don't actually care if you do anything I do or change your lifestyle at all. Im just looking for people who are willing to say they believe in me and call themselves Christians."

Seriously?

No one can really believe that this is all it means to be a Christian. But then why do so many people live this way? It appears that we've lost sight of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The concept of being a disciple isn't difficult to understand, but once you understand what it means, it changes everything.

Love God, Love Others and Make Disciples!

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was (by a “religious” person—someone knowing a lot about God), His response was to love God and love one-another:

Matthew 22:36-40—"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. `This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.  `All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Then, before He ascends into heaven, He leaves the disciples His purpose for The Church (those of us who claim Jesus Christ as both our Savior AND our Lord)—to go make disciples:

Matthew 28:18-20—Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Followers of Christ are to love God (with every fiber of their being) and love others (as Jesus loves them) by building relationships with Him first and then with those around us.  This is mentoring Jesus style!  Then, we are to make disciples...how?  By continuing to love God and others and helping them take one step at a time closer to the God Who loves us deeply!  Discipleship is not simply knowing more about God, it is about knowing the God we love and read about!  The key to everything is relationship!

Do you want to transform your congregation, community and world?  If so, you must develop a biblical worldview mindset (by placing Him in the center of everything) and then simply do what He says...love Him, love others and make disciples!  As His True followers, none of these are optional!