Our Need to Make Disciples
Our Need to Make Disciples
Our Need to Make Disciples
Our Need to Make Disciples
To make disciples is seen as far too optional by far too many of us. The God who meets all of our needs calls us to make disciples the same way Jesus made disciples while He was on earth.
“People say to me, ‘Hey man, I'm not growing, man. I'm having these struggles and all this kind of stuff.’ I don't say, ‘Are you having your quiet time? Are you faithful at church? Are you in a community group? Do you have an accountability group?’ I don't ask them that; I ask them ‘Do you have a disciple?’”
“Making a disciple solves all these other issues because your disciple will only go as far as you go. They'll only grow as deep as you grow. They'll only be as courageous as you are.”
“The greatest accountability you can have for your sanctification is having someone trailing you, who's becoming like you… so you better be becoming like Christ.” - Roy “Soup” Campbell
Soup Campbell is one of the most effective, truth-telling witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ that I have ever met. His influence on my life and work is significant. I would not be where I am today personally, professionally, and most importantly, spiritually without Soup and his other disciples in my life.
Soup Campbell is a disciple maker who makes disciples who make disciples — multiplying witnesses for Jesus around the world.
To make disciples is seen as far too optional by far too many of us. The God who meets all of our needs calls us to make disciples the same way Jesus made disciples while He was on earth.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” - [.no-reftag]Philippians 4:19[.no-reftag]
There are three extraordinary truths that apply to making disciples from just this one verse.
God Meets All of Our Needs
Disciple makers know that all of their needs are met by God. The Lord is our Shepherd and we lack nothing (Psalm 23:1). Disciple makers fully understand that they are operating in all areas of their life from an overflow of what Jesus has done for them.
Those who know they are loved and forgiven love much (Luke 7:47). Disciple makers operate from an abundance in times of plenty and in want (Philippians 4:12). Disciple makers know the secret of contentment — His name is Jesus — and they spill truth and grace on all those around them.
Disciples are made from an overflow of abundance, from what we know and how much we are loved. We get the joy of living and working from an overflow — serving others — spilling what God has lavished on us onto others.
God Needs Nothing
“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” - [.no-reftag]Psalm 115:3[.no-reftag]
God needs nothing from us. God does not need the service of human hands (Acts 17:24-25). God made us, gives us life, and invites us to work alongside Him so that more may know the love of Jesus.
Jesus came to serve, not to be served, and to give His life in exchange for our life (Mark 10:45). Our God is always giving. One of the most precious things He gives us is the opportunity to share in the very same work He is doing.
Jesus invites us to do His work as our work. Loving as Jesus loved — making disciples — is an enormous privilege from God.
We Need Jesus
We need Jesus to make disciples. Jesus has all authority, and Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples.
“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.” - [.no-reftag]Matthew 28:19-20[.no-reftag]
Jesus could reconcile all people to Himself by His own power, but instead He has made “Plan A” for us to be His witnesses, as His chosen method to reach the world. He requires that we be on mission in every part of our life and work. It is sin for us not to follow this command. But, the most important reason to follow this command is all of the upside Jesus gives us through obedience.
Following this command gives us incredible dignity and purpose. But that is not the best part — the most incredible thing about following this command is that we cannot do it without Jesus. We need Jesus to make disciples like Jesus, and He promises to be with us!
We need to remain in Jesus to bear fruit (John 15:5). We need the peace, purpose, and power of Jesus to do the very same work Jesus did (John 20:21-22). Jesus never requires anything of His followers that He does not equip them to do. He provides all that is needed in order to fulfill every command.
By following the command of Jesus to make disciples, we get to know the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) much more deeply. As we struggle with this difficult assignment, as we are ridiculed for our faith, as we are rejected by people, and especially as we see fruit — we are able to gaze more closely at Jesus.
[.text-color-blue]…according to the riches of his glory…[.text-color-blue]
The better we understand who Jesus is and all He has done for us, the more we will increasingly become like Him — “being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” - [.no-reftag]2 Corinthians 3:18[.no-reftag]
“People say to me, ‘Hey man, I'm not growing, man. I'm having these struggles and all this kind of stuff.’ I don't say, ‘Are you having your quiet time? Are you faithful at church? Are you in a community group? Do you have an accountability group?’ I don't ask them that; I ask them ‘Do you have a disciple?’”
“Making a disciple solves all these other issues because your disciple will only go as far as you go. They'll only grow as deep as you grow. They'll only be as courageous as you are.”
“The greatest accountability you can have for your sanctification is having someone trailing you, who's becoming like you… so you better be becoming like Christ.” - Roy “Soup” Campbell
Soup Campbell is one of the most effective, truth-telling witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ that I have ever met. His influence on my life and work is significant. I would not be where I am today personally, professionally, and most importantly, spiritually without Soup and his other disciples in my life.
Soup Campbell is a disciple maker who makes disciples who make disciples — multiplying witnesses for Jesus around the world.
To make disciples is seen as far too optional by far too many of us. The God who meets all of our needs calls us to make disciples the same way Jesus made disciples while He was on earth.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” - [.no-reftag]Philippians 4:19[.no-reftag]
There are three extraordinary truths that apply to making disciples from just this one verse.
God Meets All of Our Needs
Disciple makers know that all of their needs are met by God. The Lord is our Shepherd and we lack nothing (Psalm 23:1). Disciple makers fully understand that they are operating in all areas of their life from an overflow of what Jesus has done for them.
Those who know they are loved and forgiven love much (Luke 7:47). Disciple makers operate from an abundance in times of plenty and in want (Philippians 4:12). Disciple makers know the secret of contentment — His name is Jesus — and they spill truth and grace on all those around them.
Disciples are made from an overflow of abundance, from what we know and how much we are loved. We get the joy of living and working from an overflow — serving others — spilling what God has lavished on us onto others.
God Needs Nothing
“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” - [.no-reftag]Psalm 115:3[.no-reftag]
God needs nothing from us. God does not need the service of human hands (Acts 17:24-25). God made us, gives us life, and invites us to work alongside Him so that more may know the love of Jesus.
Jesus came to serve, not to be served, and to give His life in exchange for our life (Mark 10:45). Our God is always giving. One of the most precious things He gives us is the opportunity to share in the very same work He is doing.
Jesus invites us to do His work as our work. Loving as Jesus loved — making disciples — is an enormous privilege from God.
We Need Jesus
We need Jesus to make disciples. Jesus has all authority, and Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples.
“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.” - [.no-reftag]Matthew 28:19-20[.no-reftag]
Jesus could reconcile all people to Himself by His own power, but instead He has made “Plan A” for us to be His witnesses, as His chosen method to reach the world. He requires that we be on mission in every part of our life and work. It is sin for us not to follow this command. But, the most important reason to follow this command is all of the upside Jesus gives us through obedience.
Following this command gives us incredible dignity and purpose. But that is not the best part — the most incredible thing about following this command is that we cannot do it without Jesus. We need Jesus to make disciples like Jesus, and He promises to be with us!
We need to remain in Jesus to bear fruit (John 15:5). We need the peace, purpose, and power of Jesus to do the very same work Jesus did (John 20:21-22). Jesus never requires anything of His followers that He does not equip them to do. He provides all that is needed in order to fulfill every command.
By following the command of Jesus to make disciples, we get to know the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) much more deeply. As we struggle with this difficult assignment, as we are ridiculed for our faith, as we are rejected by people, and especially as we see fruit — we are able to gaze more closely at Jesus.
[.text-color-blue]…according to the riches of his glory…[.text-color-blue]
The better we understand who Jesus is and all He has done for us, the more we will increasingly become like Him — “being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” - [.no-reftag]2 Corinthians 3:18[.no-reftag]