God created every living thing with the capacity to reproduce. His first command to Adam and Eve was to be fruitful and multiply. When Noah came off the ark, God repeated that command. Unfortunately, man chose to rebel. Instead of multiplying and filling the earth for God’s glory, the people built a tower for their own glory. (See Genesis 11)
That rebellion has become a metaphor for the North American church. Jesus commanded us to multiply disciples – to make disciples who make disciples so that He can redeem people from every tribe and tongue on earth. Instead, we often build worship centers for our own glory. We focus on gathering through addition rather than sending for multiplication. This is disobedience. This is sin. This must change.
For this change to occur, pastors and churches must decentralize the ministry. According to Ephesians 4, the pastor’s job is to equip people to do more than serve in a ministry or program of the church. They must train them to become disciples who make disciples who make more disciples. This is the very definition of Generational Disciple-Making.
Generational disciple-making will not happen by accident. It won’t be the result of some magic formula. It must be intentional. When I married my wife, it was no accident. I pursued her. I put myself in places where I hoped we would cross paths. I noticed her, and I wanted her to notice me. When we “bumped into each other,” she would comment that it was a nice coincidence. But I was thinking, “It’s not a coincidence. I am stalking you!” Like I said, I didn’t get married by accident! I was intentional!
I didn’t get saved by accident, either! According to Ephesians 1, God was “stalking” me from the foundation of the world. Jesus didn’t accidentally wind up on a Roman cross. He was intentional; He walked toward the cross because He wanted to save us from our sins. To make disciples who make disciples, we must be intentional.
Being intentional starts with establishing a path or process that leads people from spiritual death to spiritual parenthood. For several years, I taught Missional Living at Corban University. Every single class period, I emphasized the importance of intentionality. When it came to making disciples, I showed them a simple path developed by Jim Putnam. According to this path, people move from being spiritually dead to spiritual infancy (born again), to spiritual childhood, spiritual young adulthood, and spiritual parenthood.
As I taught this path, two things occurred in every class.
(1) Every student could identify their current location on the path.
(2) Students caught a vision for becoming a spiritual parent, for making a disciple who could make a disciple.
This is the foundation for fruitfulness and multiplication. Once a person identifies their location on the path, it clarifies the next steps needed to move toward spiritual reproduction. The discipler knows what steps are needed to facilitate this progress.
QUESTION: Are you intentional about making disciples? Or are you hoping it’s a by-product of the words you preach and the programs you run?
Making disciples is the core of the Great Commission. Jesus commanded his disciples to do this. He also told them to teach these disciples to obey everything he taught them. That includes making disciples! It’s not an option! And it won’t happen by accident. We must be intentional!
