By Missionary to Argentina Patrick Henry

Discipleship is a vital part of the Christian life and should be a very important ministry in every church. It has been said that every Christan should be discipled and every Christian should disciple someone else. The topic of discipleship can get confusing. There are many different discipleship curriculums, many different ways that churches run there discipleship programs, and a host of books written on “how to disciple” or “how to build your church’s discipleship program. The best place to start when considering discipleship is “What did Jesus do with His ministry on Earth?” After all, Jesus is the best example we have in any topic, including discipleship.

The answer to this question should determine how we attempt to reach the world. Jesus poured His life into 12 men (and one of them would be a betrayer). To put it in the words of Robert Coleman, “Men were to be his (Jesus) method of winning the world to God.” That’s it! He loved on, taught, walked with, ate with, stayed with 12 men who He constantly challenged, corrected, and guided for 3 or so years. This wasn’t a class or institute. It wasn’t a “let’s meet next Tuesday by the Sea of Galilee and discuss your homework” sort of thing. It was “life on life” discipleship. The disciples saw Jesus act and react. They saw Him perform impossible miracles; they saw Him baffle the wise; they saw Him comfort the poor broken ones. They saw Him live what He taught. They were instructed by the Master! Jesus would give them tasks and then hold them accountable (like sending them out in Matthew 10). After Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus commissioned the 11 (along with others that had followed Him). This “commissioning” can be found in a few different places, but Matthew 28:18-20 is the one that I think of first. What is this commissioning? Essentially, it is Jesus saying, “Guys, what I have taught you, you go out, reach people, and do the same thing to them!” That’s it! Go reach people and pour your life into them.

Simply put, it is discipleship. Jesus’ style of discipleship was reaching and training! He desired to train men to reach the world with the Gospel. This should be the pattern we follow. It is not making a name for ourselves, but building others up! The world will not be reached by one missionary, by one pastor, or by one specific local church, but by men who pour themselves into others who will go out and do the same. It is this, never-ending cycle that we will one day see every single soul engaged with the Gospel of Jesus!

There is a temptation to find a “new and better way,” especially with all the new and innovative ways to grow churches. There are a lot of things that mankind takes and makes better. The first plane flew for only 12 seconds. That plane has been improved upon and made better as years have gone by. I remember watching a commercial that advertised showers in a specific airline’s plane. The Wright Brothers would be very surprised at how far the human race has advanced their first flight. The same story can be told in almost any area of technology as well as the advancement in form and function in many areas from beds, to bottles, even to books (digital books and audiobooks are often preferred)! While in many areas we take an original plan and improve upon it, I don’t believe Jesus’ plan for world evangelism can be improved upon. I think we should strive to hold to the plan that Jesus used.