Deeper Reflection
CAN YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, “I AM A DISCIPLEMAKER” and consciously know what you mean by that? A key component in disciplemaking is teaching: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). The writer of Hebrews says to his readers: “by this time you ought to be teachers” (v.12). He is not speaking to a group of gifted teachers who are not teaching, but addressing Christians in general who are not growing. The presupposition behind these words is: a Christian should be growing in such a way that by a certain “time” they “ought to be” teaching others. So, biblically, the basic ministry of a growing Christian is teaching. The least we can do is to teach one spiritually younger Christian. Being a few steps ahead in knowledge and experience, we can disciple someone less mature. God intends for every believer to be a disciple of Christ who disciples others. We are to mature towards disciplemaking. Are you maturing? If you are not, then “press on to maturity” (Heb 6:1). If you are, then disciple someone. As a 16-year old boy and just 5-months old in the faith, while being discipled by a Navigator, I was discipling others. One day, someone asked me, “David, how many guys are you helping?” I answered matter-offactly, “Thirteen.” And that person responded, “Wow! You’re greater than Jesus!” I just simply shared with “my disciples” what I learned from my discipler and from my personal intake of God’s Word.