"make disciples"

I think Jesus goes on in the Great Commission to explain what he meant by going out and making disciples. He said to baptize them and to teach them to observe all things that He commanded them. To be baptized is to profess conversion in Christ, and to being renewed in heart, mind and spirit. Likewise, only those truly regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit can serve the Lord. Therefore 'making disciples' includes elements of both evangelism - getting them into the kingdom, and discipleship - equipping them for faithful service in the Lord's vineyard.

 

In some ways both definitions, I believe is what Jesus meant.

First and foremost we are to reach out and extend the "good news" or gospel of Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord.

That hopefully will lead to conversion.

But discipleship must follow conversion, if we define discipleship to be the "maturing" or "maturation" process of the new believer or newly converted.

There is a dire need in the Christian church for teaching or help with bringing new and even older converts into a growth cycle where they will become more and more "salt and light" to the world.

Often new converts lack the basic foundations of their new identiy or life in Christ. They know they're saved, but they lack power and motivation beyond that, which comes through a concrete understanding of their "position" or "identity" in respect to the both the world, and God Almighty Himself.

The more that the Christian understands that he/she is a new creation in Christ Jesus, and that they are truly seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, not in a future tense but in a present tense, as they have the Spirit of Christ indwelling their souls upon conversion, the more that they will stand strong and erect when the winds of testing come.

Christ wanted disciples/followers, but if we read the epistles, we see that there is much after conversion that develops/molds the believer into a stronger, resilient, specimen.

There is an excellent book written by a Dr. David Needham, called "Birthright, Christian, Do You Know Who You Are?". I believe it was printed through Multnomah Press in Portland, Ore.. Whether it's still in print I don't know, but Dr, Needham very carefully with much scriptural support reveals to the Christian reader how he or she is not just a "Christian", but that moniker entails so much more. He explains how anemic the church is nowadays as believers lack deep foundational biblical truths about their new God-given identity through Christi Jesus.

I highly recommend Dr. Needham's book.
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When we trully know who we are, identy-wise, our Christian life takes on dynamics that we-ourselves never knew possible. The Holy Spirit works via the knowledge that we input(Romans 12), and with that ammunition in our minds/souls we begin to appropriate that truth in our lives as a natural byproduct of who we trully are in Christ(Our New and very real identity).

Remember that when Paul wrote Galatians 2:20, he did not refer to himself in regards to that verse in the future tense, but in the present and past tense.

He claimed his life as co-crucified, co-buried, co-ressurrected, and co-ascended in Christ Jesus. His life was immersed in Christ's through a work of God, not Paul.

Pauls life received that crucified, and raised life at the time of Paul's coversion. It was no longer Paul or the old dead Paul that lived, but the new Paul in Christ's crucified, and victorious life that lived.
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Discipleship is so very important, as we are to be armoured with God's armour, and we have the sword of the Word as our one and only offensive weapon. The rest of that amour is defensive against this deluded foe, Lucifer, as he flings his incriminations, and lies and nasty earthy, carnal missles against us physically, mentally, and emotionally.
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So I vote for both........Jesus wants more children/sheep in His fold; we are His vessels to go out and be used by Him to call those lost sheep, and if we aren't prepared after become His sheep so we can be effective used by Him, we lack, and need discipling.

 

Agree. Why does it have to be one or the other?? Should be both.

 

Amen!

I think it is sad that what you described as "a very cool thing to watch" is the exception rather than the rule. I think it is because we think a disciple is something more than it really is.

Websters 1828
DISCIPLE, n. [L., to learn.]

1. A learner; a scholar; one who receives or professes to receive instruction from another; as the disciples of Plato.

2. A follower; an adherent to the doctrines of another. Hence the constant attendants of Christ were called his disciples; and hence all Christians are called his disciples, as they profess to learn and receive his doctrines and precepts.

We need to let the new believer enjoy the process of learning and allow God the joy of being followed (that is the height of being worshipped in my mind).