Pursuing passionate disciplemaking that is life on life, step by step, inside & out. RBC Vision 2015
It was my privilege, at our annual meeting mid-March, to share the elders’ vision for our church for the coming year. However, because I believe it is so important that we are “one in spirit and purpose” (Phil 2:2) I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to reiterate this vision for those who were present at our annual meeting and share it for the first time with those who were not. In this blog, I begin with a focused look at the first aspect of this vision: Pursuing passionate disciplemaking that is life on life!
You will notice that at the heart of this vision is “pursuing passionate disciplemaking.” This is not too unusual since making disciples is central to the task of any church. We all take our cue from the Great Commission, where Jesus calls us to “go and make disciples” (Matt 28:18-20). But simply because churches might agree that this is central to our purpose does not mean that every church is equally engaged in passionate disciplemaking. In truth, it is not very difficult to be busy about church work without being passionately engaged in disciplemaking. But Jesus has set an amazing example for us this past year in the Gospel of Luke by making disciples with zeal, determination, passion.
So, how do we model ourselves more after the example Jesus provides for us in the Gospels? Our 2015 vision offers three ways to more passionately pursue disciplemaking, the first of which is that it is…
LIFE ON LIFE
Certainly, Jesus ministered to the crowds. But He ministered, most powerfully, to the twelve, life on life, as revealed through considerable 1 to 1 time together. Now, we may not be able to go on a three year journey with a group of twelve people. However, it is noteworthy that Jesus was with the twelve 24/7. And if we would model ourselves after Jesus, we too must be willing to invest ourselves, one to one, in the lives of others.
What does that look like? Well, certainly, times of fellowship, where we can engage with each other personally, are a great starting point. Men’s breakfast, ladies tea, fifth Sunday fellowship, silver eagles are all great ways to connect. Beyond these ministries, anyone can extend an invite for a meal together.
Small groups are another great way to experience one to one fellowship. Whether it is a discipleship group that includes accountability or a small group that meets in a home or a Bible study at the church, take advantage of these great opportunities for increasing life on life discipleship.
However, the most meaningful application of one to one time together is getting together with a fellow believer, on a regular basis, to do Bible study, share in
accountability and spur each other on in faith.
In addition to prioritizing 1 to 1 time together, life on life discipleship is about being more relationally focused in all our ministry activity. Whether you work in children’s ministries or on the worship team, it is possible to do ministry focused on just getting the task done. Our desire for 2015 is that our ministry will become more people-focused, more focused on each of us building relationships one to one in which we can encourage each other, strengthen each other, care for each other, and speak God’s truth into each other’s lives.
How about you? Would you prayerfully consider ways in which you can pursue more passionate disciplemaking that is life on life? Would you pray for our body that we would grow in passionate disciplemaking in 2015? What a privilege that Jesus invites us to follow in His steps in passionate disciplemaking. May each of us be faithful in fulfilling this call!
Pastor Dan