- Making Disciples and Developing Leaders
Jesus said when a “disciple is fully trained; he will be like his Master” (Luke 6:40). Sometimes I ask a question in the classes that I teach at Liberty Theological Seminary, “How many of you want to be like Jesus?” Everyone who is paying attention raises his or her hand.
Then I ask, “Was Jesus a leader?” The answer of course, is yes. Jesus was a leader, but His leadership led to reaching people with the gospel and then helping them grow to the point where they also participated in the Great Commission (making disciples). When a disciple is fully trained, he or she will be involved somehow and somewhere in the process of making disciples who develop into leaders who make disciples. In a group setting this is difficult, but if you keep the focus on the harvest fields and on intimacy with God and on developing disciples who produce leaders, it will become a reality.
A basic definition of leadership is simply stated as “influence.” Great Commission leaders must be influencing those “allotted to your charge” to become multiplying leaders (patting your head) who will at the same time develop a multiplying strategy to reach the world for Christ (rubbing your stomach). The ultimate goal of all this effort on a personal level is to stand before Christ and hear from Him, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21) We also want the people that the Lord has entrusted to our care to hear the same thing.
Action Points and Questions to Consider:
- Are you praying daily for a harvest of new believers and new leaders through your own life and in your group? Make it the first thing you pray about every day for the next twenty-one days to develop a new habit.
- In your next small group meeting, read John 4:35 and lead your group in a time of prayer.
- Ask each member to specifically ask God to reveal those who are dying to know Him because they are all around you.
