Fwd: Exclusive: Lauren Daigle and DeAngelo Williams Events

The DNA of a Disciple Making Movement

Imagine a day when disciple making is the norm for the local church! Everyday Christians engage in relationships with people (inside and outside the church) so that they can show the love of Jesus and help people to trust and follow him. Churches are known as disciple making places, where Jesus-like people are created. And pastors are evaluated by the people they raise up and the disciple makers they have made in the Spirit's power. Jesus' message AND Jesus' methods dominate. What would it take? I would like to suggest the DNA of a movement.

1. The Gospel is our message – this Good news is focused on Jesus and his death, burial, and resurrection. All who respond to salvation are also called to discipleship, no exceptions, no excuses (1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Mark 8:34-38). The gospel we preach and believe dictates the kind of disciples we are and the kind of disciples we make. If we attempt to make a Christ-like disciple from a non-discipleship gospel we will fail [A non-discipleship gospel is one that does not include discipleship as a natural part of the message and expectation]. Historically, many have called this Biblical response to the Gospel the "Gospel Imperative."

2. We are Compelled to be and make disciples of Jesus. We believe Jesus Christ is supreme and worthy of all devotion, worship, and emulation – and disciple making is a natural and necessary life responses to Jesus. With laser focus, it was Jesus himself who made disciples who could make disciples… and then Jesus commanded us to do the same (Matthew 28:16-20, John 20:21).

3. Jesus is the model (for life and ministry).  Jesus showed us how to live life and how to make disciples.  We seek to emulate his method and model. As the sinless second Adam, He was man as God intended man to be.  He then told us, "do what I have done" (John 14:12) and "walk as I have walked" (I John 2:6).   Paul understood this when he said, "imitate me as I imitate Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1). Discipleship demands us to "follow" the resurrected Christ, and "imitate" the priorities and patterns of the incarnate Christ.  We prefer to use the expression "Disciple Making" over "discipleship" because the former is closer to the words of the Great Commission and the latter is often mischaracterized (Matthew 28:18-20). We like the expression "Jesus model of disciple making," as a summary of what we do.

4. Love is the driving motive.  The Great Commandment precedes the Great Commission. 

And there's more. Tell me if you'd like to hear more. 

Begin forwarded message:

From: Thrivent Member Network- South <admin@members.thrivent.com>
Date: August 24, 2021 at 8:00:15 PM CDT
To: pastorchrisdegreen@gmail.com
Subject: Exclusive: Lauren Daigle and DeAngelo Williams Events
Reply-To: SouthTMN@thrivent.com

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