RADICAL Ch.5: The Multiplying Community, How all of us join together to fulfill God’s purpose

Reaching the nations with the gospel of Christ, for His glory, is simple.
We do it by EACH OF US making disciples.

Q. Why are Christians so often apathetic toward the tasks of witnessing and disciple making?

Read this familiar passage below and list out what we must do.
Matthew 28: 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We must GO to them
We must MAKE DISCIPLES of them
We must BAPTISE them
We must TEACH them

Q. How might we short-circuit God’s process? STAY, DON’T MAKE DISCIPLES, DON’T BAPTISE them, DON’T TEACH them
Let’s face it, it’s entirely possible that most of us will just listen to Curtis’ sermon, to this Bible study, to God’s word and do nothing about it, again. That’s my own fear, that I will leave here today unchanged, unmoved, unmotivated. Also, if we haven’t been making disciples, it’s possible the rut we’re in will only deepen after today, because we will have heard it all one more time, and hardened our hearts against it, or just as worse, have been apathetic. How can we help each other take this seriously so that we can move forward together? Let’s be thinking about that.
I’m interested in thinking through why we are not making disciples, and why we are not going (if indeed we are not). Most of us are not making disciples because we don’t know about the Great Commission.

GOING (the word here indicates “as you are going…)

Q. Who should GO?

Q. What are some roadblocks to us not GOING? (to my neighbors, across my country, to those in spiritual need across the world) fear? No time? No desire? No training? No plan? No $$? Too tired?

Q. Which of these excuses do you think God will be ok with?

Q. What are some possible creative ways people can GO, without physically GOING? (Not to circumvent or undermine God’s main plan for us to physically go, but augment) Internet, email, phone calls, radio


MAKE DISCIPLES
Q. What is a disciple? How is one made? If we are to make them, we need to know what they are and how they are made, right? [A learner, a student and follower of Christ]

TEACHING
What should I teach them? How about take them through the gospels as a start? Teaching is not only imparting knowledge, but bringing others into your spiritual life and teach by DOING, and engaging in opportunities together (sharing Christ together, teaching together, baptizing together, praying together = having real community together. And teaching them to do everything you have done with them is key, since it is by multiplication we will reach the nations.
Think about it, if only professional/paid clergy led people to Christ, and only gifted teachers taught, the strategy of reaching people would only be by addition, not multiplication, and the world could never be reached that way. But Jesus taught the concept of multiplication. We need to be making disciples who make other disciples.

Q. Identify some simple ways we can teach:

BAPTIZING
Symbolic of dying to the old man of sin, and being raised with Christ in the new, righteous life. We therefore identify with Christ in baptism and with each other in regard to the community of faith.
We are commanded to also baptize others as we go making disciples. Are you ready to baptize someone? Have you yourself been baptized? Why or why not?
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MY PLAN to MAKE DISCIPLES
I need an ongoing strategy of continual and consistent prayer

Q. Who do I go to? Ask the Lord to direct you and pray for the people you need to meet, lead to Christ, etc. But start by making a list right here of people in your family, friends, co-workers, people you often see in public places, etc. that God might use you to reach for Christ.

How will I GO to them on a consistent and regular basis?
[And what adjustments in my life and schedule will I have to make to do this?]

How will I make followers, student, learner’s of Christ as I go?

How will I teach them? What will I teach them?

Am I willing to be baptized and baptize others?

Who will be my accountability partner and encourager in this endeavor?

Still not sure what to do? Need some additional coaching to get a plan? Contact Dennis, Pastor Curtis, or Michael Moore