Conversational Gospel (The Real Meaning of the Great Commission) Part 3

(Continued from Tuesday)

The problem is very simple.  We are not making disciples.

• We are asking people to come to church.
• We are sharing an outline.
• We are asking people to believe in Jesus.
• We are trying to grow churches.

WE ARE NOT MAKING DISCIPLES.  If we are not making disciples we cannot call ourselves a GREAT COMMISSION CHURCH no matter how many times we go out, no matter how many times we share, no matter how far away we go, no matter how many classes we teach, and no matter how many people attend.

This is a painful realization that is difficult with which to come to grips.  Personally it took me a long time to not only see this, but once realized it took an even greater amount of time for me to stop doing this.  I simply knew of no other way.  To be honest, I am still working out all the ramifications of this in practice.  Yet, I know that something in my life and relationship with the lost must change from where I once was to something that more accurately reflects what Jesus told me to do in the Great Commission.  

What I am certain of is that I cannot give you a great report with large numbers of people who have believed upon Christ.  But I can tell you stories of several men, and where they were a few years ago.  I can tell you about the times we met and talked and learned to live life in the context of Christ.  I can tell you now that they are following Jesus and asking others to do the same.  I can tell you where the men I discipled are now.

What I cannot tell you is where most of the people are that I shared an outline with or simply prayed with.  There were hundreds of them that actually prayed to receive Christ.    I know where very few of them are now and I have no assurance that the vast majority of them are following Christ today.  I asked them to believe.  I asked them to enroll in the church program.  I did not ask them to follow Jesus.  I did not show them what this meant.  


Full Manuscript - http://www.libertybaptistchurch.ws/images/Conversational_Gospel.pdf

to be continued