The Goal Of The Great Commission Is Disciples

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Making disciples is vital. That’s why I recently announced the founding of a new ministry called “Discipleship Journeys with Jesus” (DJJ). The Lord laid it on my heart to start this new ministry in order to meet the crucial need of making committed disciples around the world.

Baptism scene in India last month

In His Great Commission Jesus said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

Jesus’ parting command was to “make disciples.” But what is a disciple? The original Greek word is MATHETES. It means “someone catechized with proper instruction from the Bible with its necessary follow-through (life-applications).”

An easy description is a devoted follower. MATHETES was used for followers of John the Baptist in Matthew 9:14 and of others such as the Pharisees in Matthew 22:16.

We must not be confused by unbiblical, or even biblical substitutes for true biblical disciples:

01. Unbiblical substitutes for disciples:

There are several often-practiced unbiblical substitutes for real disciples:

a. Decisions

Becoming a follower of Jesus begins with a decision, this is true. But it is only the beginning. The Great Commission doesn’t say “Go therefore into all the world and make decisions.”

The problem in settling with “decisions” is that decisions don’t mean the full depth of being disciples. In fact, sometimes decisions don’t mean much at all!

Have you ever made a decision to do something and then did virtually nothing about it? Better question: who hasn’t? New Year’s Resolutions are a great example. The statistics say that a little over half of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, but only 8 percent succeed in meeting their goals.

Decisions for Jesus which are not followed by actions mean nothing. See Matthew 7:21-23.

b. Sympathizers

Sympathizers are better than enemies, but are still less than Christ’s command to make disciples.

In the USA and other “Christianized” countries, we have many sympathizers of Christ. They think Jesus was a great moral teacher, an exemplary person, a good example. But they are not disciples.

This is nothing new: Jesus faced the same issue. Pontius Pilate is a good example. He was the Roman governor of Judea who declared Jesus innocent of all charges, symbolically washed his hand of the blood of Christ and then turned Him over to be crucified! See Matthew 27:24-26.

Pilate’s “sympathy” resulted in Jesus’ execution! It’s nice that Pilate was sympathetic, but he was still an enemy of Jesus.

Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30 ESV)

2. Biblical substitutes for disciples:

Let’s go a little deeper. There are several often-practiced biblical substitutes for real disciples. These are substitutes that born again Christians become confused about:

a. Baptisms

There are two participles in the Great Commission. They are both vitally important, but not the end goal. The first is baptizing. Being baptized is one of the important first steps of obedience in being disciples of the Master.

Last month I was in India and got to witness the baptism of about 15 new believers from Hindu background. It was the highlight of my trip!

But while baptism is important, it is not the goal. The goal is disciples.

The leaders in India know that. That’s why they are interested in the materials that will be developed through our new DJJ ministry. Their goal is disciples not just baptisms!

b. Bible knowledge

The other participle in the Great Commission is “teaching.”

Some people love teaching and learning. Indeed, they are vitally important. But these are not the goal. The goal is devoted followers of Jesus who don’t just know biblical information but practice it.’

Nikita Khrushchev, former Premier of the Soviet Republic, was diligently taught the Bible as a child. He had memorized large portions of the Bible. It is possible he even memorized the entire four Gospels.

Yet he was an avowed atheist and gave “unyielding support to political bloodshed.” He met his arrest quotas and personally signed death sentences for many Russians, some of whom had been his personal friends. Under his leadership many churches were closed. He was a greater enemy of Christ than even Stalin.

Have you known people who know the Bible well, but act contrary to it? Have you been one of them?

We must teach the Bible, but more importantly we must live out the Bible and help other disciples to do the same!

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” (James 1:22 NLT)

03. Biblical disciples:

So what are real disciples? A great article by Hans Kvalbein outlines the Great Commission and then gives 13 theses on discipleship.

Here is his outline of the Great Commission:

a.  A declaration of power: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

b. The commission goal: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

c. The commission means: “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

d. A Promise: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Here are four of Kvalbein’s 13 theses as summarized by John Starke in an article titled “Give Up Your Weak Definition of ‘Disciple’”:

• The first word for Christians was not “Christians” but “disciples.” Newcomers to the faith saw themselves in relationship to the risen Lord Jesus in some way similar to the relationship of the first disciples to the earthly rabbi Jesus.

• A disciple learns by hearing his Master and doing like his Master. This is explicitly commanded by Jesus in John 13: “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you.”Life as a disciple is “death and resurrection” with Christ, inaugurated in Christian baptism. Baptism is initiation into discipleship, giving admittance to the “school” of Jesus and starting a new life in obedience to him and his commands.

• To be a disciple is to be called to make new disciples. Throughout the New Testament, the term “disciple” is a dynamic concept. It implies multiplication. All nations have been invited to this mission. “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Questions (please leave your thoughts below): What shows that you are a true disciple of Jesus? How are you helping others become true disciples?

For more help with discipleship, mentoring, evangelism and church planting see these resources on my website:

• 3 P’s of Evangelism

• One of the Worst Christian Quotes Ever

• The Top 10 Reasons to Plant New Churches Now

• The Power of Mentoring

• 4 Great Questions to Ignite Passion for Evangelism in a Lost World

• Podcast: What’s the value of 1 to 1 discipleship?

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth

What Is The Virgin Birth?

"Christianity Questions and Answers" podcast CQA 057

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Some mock the virgin birth while other people who call themselves Christians question or deny it. Others misunderstand and are confused. So what is the virgin birth? In this podcast my great friend Dr. Jayakumar Ramachandran gives us the Biblical answer to this question. He also explains why the virgin birth is so important to the Christian faith.

Dr. Jayakumar Ramachandran

Recently Jay was in my home and we sat down to talk over these issues.

To listen to this podcast just hit the play button above.

Here are some Scripture passages that explain the virgin birth:

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 ESV)

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: …” (Matthew 1:18-25 ESV)

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV)

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:23 ESV)

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18 ESV)

“And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.’” (Luke 1:35 ESV)

“To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.” (Luke 1:27 ESV)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1ESV)

Who is Jay?

Dr. Jay was born and raised in Chennai (Madras) India to a staunch Hindu father and a traditional Christian mother.

Jay was more influenced by his father’s beliefs, values, and practices of Hinduism because his father was more religious than his mother. This deprived Jay of any Christian atmosphere and nurturing during his childhood and teenage years. Consequently, Jay formed a pluralistic religious belief.

However, in 1976, through God-orchestrated events, Jay came to know the true and living God by reading the books of John and Romans. In 1989, Jay founded Bible Believing Churches & Missions (BBCM) and continued to plant churches in Bangalore, India and challenge other church leaders to do the same.

Jay has diligently pursued advanced education.  His degrees include:

• Doctorate degree in Ministry D. Min. (Miss) from Columbia Intel University, USA

• Masters degree in Sacred Theology (STM) from Dallas Theological Seminary, USA

• Masters degree (M.Th) in Bible Exposition from Asian Christian Academy

• Masters degree (M.A) from the University of Madras

For more help in understanding what the Bible says about Jesus, Mary and the importance of faith in Christ see these resources on my website:

• Four Powerful Proofs Jesus Lives

• 3 Motives for Rejecting Jesus

• A Christmas Present Wrapped in Rags

• Don’t Spit Me Out!

• Podcast: Was the Virgin Mary the Ark of the New Covenant?

• Podcast: Is it right to worship or pray to Mary?

• Podcast: Does salvation come only through faith in Christ? (Exclusivism)

To learn more about this “Christianity Questions and Answers” podcast and how to submit your questions, click HERE.

To receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord click HERE.

To develop your relationship with God, get my free eBook “10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth” click HERE.

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth

Adjust Your Plans Based On God’s New Direction

Does God ever change his mind?

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Does God ever allow us to go in one direction and then give us a new direction? Recently I wrote on “How to Know God’s Will in Difficult Decisions.” As challenging as it might seem to find God’s will, sometimes it seems God leads us in one direction only to soon lead us in another.

A church I’m helping called a pastor to a ministry assignment about a year ago. We hoped for many years of ministry partnership, but recently he announced his soon departure. Did we misunderstand God’s calling? Did he misunderstand? Is he being led wrongly? Are we?

Sometimes it’s confusing.

So here are 3 things to consider about being led in a new direction:

01. Sometimes God’s leading is for a short season.

Consider the church planting ministry of the Apostle Paul. As he traveled, shared the Gospel and planted churches, his length of stay varied greatly:

DAYS: Sometimes he was almost immediately mocked, beaten and run out of town. See Acts 13:50-51 where at Antioch of Pisidia the apostles were quickly driven out and “shook the dust off their feet against them” as they left.WEEKS: Other times Paul stayed a few weeks, and then was led to move on. This happened in Thessalonica where Paul and Silas ministered for about 3 weeks before being led in a new direction, see Acts 17:2–4.YEARS: But there were places he was led to stay as long as 3 years. This happened in Ephesus, see Acts 20:31.

Generally speaking, people don’t like change. Change is unsettling, unknown and scary. Thus, we hope God’s leading is for us to stay put for years. But that’s not always God’s way.

In my own ministry, God has led in different ways:

• He led Carolyn and me to stay 13 years in the first church we were privileged to plant.

• But in the second church plant, we were only led to stay for 3 years.

• In my current assignment, I’ve been led to stay for over 18 years.

Each time God said to move on, whether it was 13 years or 3 years, Carolyn and I have tried to simply be obedient to His calling. Whether longer or shorter, that’s His choice.

(Note: This doesn’t apply to commitments such as marriage where there is a lifelong commitment.)

02. Sometimes God’s new direction is because we’re not ready for our more permanent assignment.

Consider the children of Israel as they left Egypt. The trip across the wilderness should have taken just a few months. But because of their rebelliousness, ingratitude and sin, it took 40 years!

Each time they messed up God said, “OK, another lap around the wilderness.”

Don’t you hate it when that happens!

But rather than despising the waiting for our longer term assignment, we need to utilize the waiting to learn and grow. Scripture is clear that we must “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

The questions to ask as we struggle with God’s new direction and plan are:

• What does God have for me to learn where I am right now?

• How can experiences in my current situation prepare me for the situation I hope to be in some day?

• Why might God have me “take another lap around the wilderness?”

03. Sometimes God does change His mind.

God says “I am the Lord, I change not.” (Malachi 3:6 KJV) That means God’s character does not change.

But that doesn’t mean He cannot change His mind:

• Fatalism is the dangerous idea that everything that will happen is all predetermined and therefore inevitable. (See a great article about the Bible vs. fatalism HERE.)

• Faith is the belief that God moves as we pray, and that He makes “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). This includes God’s work in situations that we create through our own rebelliousness, sinfulness and stupidity! It says “ALL” things.

One example of this is when Abraham asked God to spare Sodom in Genesis 18. You might recall that as Abraham bargained with God, at first he asked for the Almighty to spare the cities if 50 righteous people could be found in it. When God said OK, he asked for 45, then 40, then 30, then 20, then 10. Each time God relented.

Yes, God is sovereign and in control.Yes, God is unchanging in His character.Yes, God is all-powerful (omnipotent).Yes, God is all knowing and knows the future.Yes, God is holy and never lies or breaks a promise.

But these facts don’t mean that He cannot change His mind and give us a new direction.

Note: Some Bible students believe that God doesn’t change His mind. For one example click HERE. My argument is that God can change His mind without changing His character. See Exodus 32:14and Jeremiah 26:19.

So what does this mean in practical terms? It means:

• We must constantly stay in tune with God’s leadings. (Again, please see my article on discerning God’s will HERE.)

• We must learn all we can from both the good and bad experiences in our current situation, to prepare us for our new direction.

• We must happily change our plans based on God’s new direction.

For more help on this website with decision making and guidance, check out these resources:

• Vision Retreat?

• 4 Steps to Identify Core Values and Make the Best Decisions

• How to Renew Your Mind and Think More Positively

• Having Just One Person to Please Brings Peace

• How to be Smarter About Failure in Life

• What Does God Owe Me?

• How to Hear From God

• Podcast: Why Aren’t My Prayers Answered?

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth