The Method of Discipleship

 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19

Jesus Christ did not say, “Go and save souls” (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, Go… make disciples of all the nations…” Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, “Don’t rejoice in successful service – The great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me”(see Luke 10:17-20).

A disciple’ great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to perform or to keep making converts to our point of view.

This happened with me when I was still a young leader, I tried to equate my relationship with God with how many people I was able to share the Gospel with. Many of our leaders today have a mindset like that. Our relationship with God should be the source of everything that we’re doing. Our experience and realization of Christ’s love in us and for us is what drives us and compels to do the things we are doing.

I believe the challenge to every disciple, minister or christians do not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, the backsliders are difficult to redeem/reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference, the challenge comes from our own personal relationship with Jesus Christ – “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is – do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for us? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord- all authority has been given to Me… Go therfore…”(Matthew 28:18-19)

I won’t forget what Pastor Joey Bonifacio would always says in his preaching “Discipleship is Relationship”. Our relationship with Christ must be the source of why we want to build relationship with others and make more disciples. Why is this important? Because if this isn’t we could still be in the treadmill of “performing” (religion, or we’ve just changed terms) and doing things by works, when there’s no one to impress and nothing to prove anymore, Jesus Christ did everything for us already.

 

Where is the Mission Field?

world map

Nowadays , when we hear the word “mission field”, instinctively to our mind come thoughts of tropical jungles and barren deserts where unreached nomadic people wander aimlessly.

There’s quite a lot of people who either doesn’t know or confused about it.
However, the fact of the matter is, the mission field is Not somewhere
“overseas”, it is all about us. it doesn’t necessarily means going far away from home.
All of us Christian are living on the mission field.

As we all know, the Philippines was once called a “Christian nation” (in
Asia). But there’s still a lot of works to be done. God is shaking up
the nations of this world. He is bringing the peoples of the world to
us for us to minister to.

There are a vast areas of need within our own culture and nation that must also be ministered to. None of us can claim that our nation or culture is fully reached with the gospel.
Daily within our neighborhood people die without knowing Christ. Our
neighborhood is as much a mission field as someone in India or Cambodia.
The mission field is all about us. Some of us maybe called to go overseas and serve in another nation, others of us may be called to stay at home and serve in our own land. I believe both are noble callings and we should not consider ourselves some kind of “sub-missionary” if we are called to serve at home.

It’s not necessarily that location that makes a missionary, but a heart ready and willing to serve God in doing whatever He asks us to do, and being wherever He asks us to be. The calling must outweigh locations.

God will bless you abundantly in the land of your inheritance, your mission field where God has specifically called you to go! Go mighty Missionary of God!