Disciple-maker?  Me?  You’re CRAZY!
It is such a simple idea… and it seems to have taken hold of our church community. The 90 Day Challenge to read one chapter of a gospel every day and answer two questions: What do I learn about Jesus and What do I learn about disciple-making? This morning I will ask once again how many of you are still participating in this all-church challenge… and I’ll bet I’m going to see the majority of hands raised. Good for you! This is such a simple way to become more familiar with Jesus and what he expects of us.
But some of you are nervous about that second question: “What do I learn about disciple-making?” I’ve heard that some have said, “I’m a brand new believer! I’m not ready to make a disciple! I feel like a baby in the Lord myself!”
Well, think of it this way: it’s often true that babies who have toddler siblings learn to walk and talk and feed themselves a lot earlier than babies without toddler siblings. Now, sometimes those toddlers are teaching the babies these things intentionally, but more often than not the babies are just learning by watching their older brother or sister.
In the same way, you may see yourself a bit like a toddler in the faith, but that doesn’t prevent you from helping make disciples of those around you! Just by being a disciple in community with others, people will see the transformation that is taking place in your life and begin to imitate and ask questions and want to know what has caused you to change.
And that doesn’t even take into account that as a “youngster” in the faith, you are best placed to make disciples of those who aren’t even disciples yet. You probably have more friends outside the church than other followers of Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit living inside of you, transforming you from the inside out, people will notice a change in your life. More than that, you have the opportunity to invite them into this journey that you are experiencing: you can invite them to join you in the 90 day challenge, or to come to church, or to come to Women’s Life or Christianity Explored.
So don’t sell yourself short! I’ll bet you have more to show others about your growing faith than you might give yourself credit for. It is the same Holy Spirit at work through all of us!
Keep reading those gospels! I’ll see you Sunday… and I have a hilarious Seahawks moment to share with you!
Pastor Mark