My husband, Marshall, has a saying and I believe it to be true: “What we win people with, we win people to.”
All too often, we hear news of the sad story of some mega church pastor who had a major moral failing and how their church completely fell apart, leaving most people grappling with whether they even still believe in God or not.
How can a church with thousands of people fall apart and end in people truly leaving their faith when one man or woman makes a terrible mistake? Could it be because they were following a man or woman and not Jesus? Could it be because they were disciples of pastor X or Y rather than Jesus?
If the exciting pastor, fancy building, delicious food, hot coffee, amazingly friendly people, etc., are what fill a church, it's only a matter of time before the whole thing falls apart.
When the mission of the church or believers is to first convert people to Sabbath keeping, vegetarianism or preparation for the end of time, we only win people to those ideas.
Each of those beliefs is important and good, but remember: What we win people with, we win people to. Just keeping the seventh-day Sabbath is not enough in itself to save you. Eating a healthy vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is not going to save you. If they were, a large portion of the world today would be saved just because of their diet.
If storing enough food or worrying enough about what will take place right before Jesus' return were capable of saving people, it would mean we could, in essence, save ourselves rather than relying on Jesus to save us.
Jesus’ own words should be our guide when working to be disciple makers. Matt. 28:18–20 says, “And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'”
What can we learn from these verses in relation to disciple-making? I think there are a couple of vitally important lessons in these verses, especially when it comes to discipling people.
First, these verses tell us that all authority has been given to Jesus. He is God; He is the one we are to lead people to, not ourselves. We only have some authority because Jesus gives us His Spirit; it is not something we have in ourselves. We are told to make disciples because Jesus is with us and because we are discipling people to Him, not ourselves. This isn't about us; it is about Jesus.
Second, we are to teach people what Jesus has commanded us. So, what do we teach people first? Rules, do's and don’ts, fears and stress? No! We start with Jesus!
When someone has had a personal encounter with Jesus, when they have had their life transformed because of His dwelling in them, they are truly changed. Their life is never the same. They have been made new and this change will last.
If they only change because we told them they have to, come hardship or disaster within the church, they will quickly fall away.
The only way to weather the storms of this life is to have a belief in Jesus that is rooted in a personal relationship with Him. Our job as followers of Jesus is to instill the necessity of a personal relationship with Him.
We are to point people to Jesus, that their focus may be fixed upon Him. Then, no matter the failings of people inside or outside the church, their trust in God will not be shaken because they are first focused on Jesus.
If you believe in Jesus and have accepted Him into your life, you are called by Him to make disciples — fellow followers of Jesus.
What disciples do you desire to make? Are you leading others to follow you or the all-loving God of the universe?
Will you help lead people to Jesus and then step back a bit and let their gaze and attention rest more on Him than on yourself? I challenge you as you interact and study with people to remember that it's Jesus we are to draw people toward. All our earthly effort is to be God’s hands and feet in drawing people toward Him, not ourselves.
We are to work for God to help shepherd people toward Him!
May people see Jesus through us and be ever drawn to Him as we strive to disciple people toward Him.
