Day 15: What is a Disciple? Well, friends, we are half way through the 30 day challenge! I feel as if this online training has really changed the way I look at my relationships within the church. I love to encourage people, to teach people, and to have deep conversations, but this has really made me think about that multiplication part of disciple making.
Today was a rarity in that I spent the whole day at home. It was such a nice day with my family. I went on a walk with a friend and her boys and my husband’s parents came over for dinner. Then tonight I was able to have a conversation with my husband about what a disciple is and what making disciples really looks like. My husband works for our church as a youth ministry assistant so I really wanted to have a conversation with him after watching the video that was posted on today’s challenge. That video made me really stop and think about how when you really strip Christianity down, it really is simple: love God, love people, make disciples. However, I think this all gets very mucky sometimes when you mix in our American culture and what that looks like. I feel that in some ways people are drawn to the church because of events or programs and that those things are a good way to get them in the doors and making relationships with other Christians to start that discipleship process. But many times we get bogged down by all of the things we “have” to do that we forget about our primary purpose as Christians. I do believe that the devil can use busyness as a distraction from what is really important and that we can become so intrinsic in the way that we do “church” that we forget what we are called to do. It is a good reminder that our primary job is to GO and be a light to the world.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16
If we can figure out the answers you express in the paragraphs above, Nicole, we will have figured out how we can build “simple churches” (these discovery Bible studies) as a “church within a church.” THAT is going to be one of our greatest challenges in implementing these principles in existing churches in the USA… and beyond.