Who do we disciple?

"Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop . . . a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Matt. 13:8)

1. Jesus told us to look for the good soil (parable of the soil, sower and seed) - He didn't say not to love hard, rocky or thorny ground, but He did put an emphasis on attending to those who are responsive to the good news as a priority over those who are not ready to obey Him. We shouldn't choose between the "good soil" folks and others, but give the greatest attention to those who obey Jesus in contrast to those who don't. Keep loving the others, but invest most of our time in those who are prepared to obey.

2. It is not an issue of numbers, but of obedience - Jesus emphasized over and over again the necessity of obedience as a prerequisite for being one of His disciples. Far too much of our time is spent catering to religious folks who are disobedient instead of investing in the non-religious who are desperate and responsive. Jesus loved the multitudes, challenged seekers and followers, but discipled the ones who would obey Him.

3. In Numbers 2 and 3, God told Moses to number those who were over 20 and were ready to go to war. That is how we should count numbers in the church today, and that is how they were counted by Jesus. Tens of thousands were loved by Him, thousands followed Him, only a handful of disciple-apostles were prepared to obey Him and go to war for Him. Those are the ones on which we can build movements.

4. These hungry, ready-to-obey, non-religious people are the "people of peace" Jesus told His disciples to look for in Luke 10. These are the good soil people we are to focus on. If pastors spent 80% of their time teaching and equipping the few who will obey Jesus, then our churches would be more reflective of the teachings and life of Jesus. We will get the great numbers, but they will be the result of in-depth discipleship not head-counting.

5. Who is best qualified to love the broken and needy of our world? The ones who are good soil people from the same culture, the same world of hurt and pain who come to Jesus desperate to change and grow. It is these insiders that are far better equipped to reach their own people. They are weak and broken, but they are hungry for God. If we invest wisely in a few, they in turn will reach their own friends and family. It is a matter of discerning who we invest in, and then equipping them to reach others.

By Floyd McClung (used by permission)
All Nations

For more resources relating to discipleship and church planting visit Floyd's homepage: www.floydandsally.org/