disciple

Disciple-less Christianity

Dr. Mike 2025 , , , ,

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”   Matthew 28:18-20

What is the difference between being a Christian and a disciple of Jesus?

Why are there Christians who accept the teachings of Jesus, but lack the power of the Spirit in their lives?

Why is the Church declining in the developed countries of the world today? Whereas in the third-world domains, Christianity is growing.

Somewhere the western Church has lost their way.

To clarify definitions, the Church are the people, not the buildings. Discipleship is the process of being spiritually train for Kingdom impact. This process is Spirit led from the inside-out. The goal is to be shaped into the character of Jesus.

The faith institutions provide the leadership for their respective members. Why are they not held accountable for the condition of the Church today? The majority of established Church communities have lost membership these last thirty years. Many of these churches are at the end of their life expectancy.

When did the Church stop growing?

Could it be when leadership began to water down the cost of discipleship? Instead of providing a path of being a disciple of Jesus, they lowered the bar. They switched goals. They made it easier for people to become members of their faith community.

One now can become a member of the Christian community without being a disciple. In a sense, one could practice Jesus’ teachings without committing to HIM. People now confuse living within a Christian culture is all that is needed to be a disciple. Instead of majoring in the most important mission of the Church, they get lost in activities.

The Church began to focus on social programs to signal their virtue. These programs took energy and resources away from a pathway to discipleship. Discipleship programs became the minor activities of the Church. Though they have remained on the docket, the content contains introductory material. Instead of training and maturing disciples, the courses repeat grade school material. If one wants graduate work, one is on their own.

Thus today, one can be labelled a Christian. They could be a member of a faith community. But they may not even have a relationship with Father-Son-Spirit. Membership allows one to maintained the outer form of service, yet ignore the inner practice of becoming more Christlike in their everyday routine. Members may have a form of religion, but lack the power of God in their lives.

So, if you want more from life than play church, commit to being a disciple of HIS. Ask Jesus to make you a full-time disciple of HIS. Ask HIM to show you how to be a follower of HIS within your home, marketplace, and community. Ask HIM to lead you to people who are likewise hungry for more of HIM. Allow HIS Spirit to enter your heart and mind. Seek HIS Kingdom to govern yourself and others. Become a theologian yourself. Study HIS Word. Learn to dance with HIM in your everyday routine. Let HIM be your #1 partner at work, at home, and play. Focus on building a walking relationship with HIM. Otherwise, who are you going to become? A Disciple-less Christian? Or a Disciple of HIS?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

Learn, Integrate, and Grow with Books By Dr. Mike:

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Why Are You a Christ-Follower?

Dr. Mike 2023 , , , ,

John 18:37

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.

How many of us are still recouping from the lies which we trusted to be true but found out later they were not? And now paying the consequences of our error in judgement?

The sad fact is we have all been lied too. At times the lies are minor and we walk away with only a small dent in our life. Yet many times the untruths are major accidents.  Years later, we still struggle to restore normalcy to our lives.

Truth matters.

In business, without hard facts, management decisions may quickly lead to financial ruin.

In relationships, lies between parties subsequently destroys trust.

And yes, even in baking your favorite cake using the wrong mixture produces a lower quality treat.

Lies produce fantasies – a make believe world. Truth though allows you to build on reality – how God created the world to actually function.

So what does this have to do with who you follow in life?

Everything.

Each one of us follows someone. Early in life, we follow our parents. Then maybe teachers or coaches. Later, we search out other mentors to help navigate our way to the promise land. Over time, we either crown ourself as god, or realize our need to worship someone greater than self.

Enter Jesus Christ.

If following the truth is of prime importance, than you have a dilemma with Jesus. When you are introduced to HIM, you have a decision to make. Is HE who HE claims to BE, or is HE not?

Like many people before us who have faced the same question, so will you. As C.S. Lewis often stated, after you do your homework, you will have a decision to make. Either HE is who HE claims to BE, or HE was a liar or a lunatic. He couldn’t be a good, moral teacher because liars are not good people.

Yes, I follow Jesus Christ because HE is the Truth. The historical evidence is strong. The personal experience is reassuring. The shared examples with others are real. The proof is testing HIS hypothesis, and evaluating the outcome in your life and the lives of others.

Yes, Truth matters. This is the prime reason I follow my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Everything else sooner or later comes back to HIM. HE is the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last, and HE is the reason why you and I are alive, have hope, and value. HE gives meaning to the universe, to life, and to purpose. HE is the central core of everything good. Everything begins with HIM and ends with HIM.

This is the reason I follow HIM – Because Truth matters.     

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

Learn & Grow with these eBooks:

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Undesirables of Jesus

Dr. Mike Jesus Christ , , , , , , , ,

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Luke 7:34 (ESV)

 Undesirable people 1

 

How many of us would condemn a person who spent their time partying with the low-life of humanity? (There is no low-life in God’s eyes; but from mankind’s perspective, there is).

You would of course need to define low-life. In Jesus’ time, if you were not living the high-life, then you must have been considered the other.  The high-life would be the people who had all the material aspects that life makes available. They would be seen high on the social ladder. They would be formally educated and successful in what they did. They would be recognized throughout the community. They may even be highly respected in the neighborhood. On the other hand, the low-life would be the undesirables of their day. In Jesus’ time, that would include women, children, and the elderly. It would include slaves, the physically challenged, and the religiously inept. One doesn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a low-life; life happens. The result generally is a life without great purpose, meaning, or self-sustenance.  One has to rely on stealing, prostituting oneself, or obtaining help from others just for the basic necessities of life.

Yet Jesus not only conversed with the undesirables of his time, He loved them. He enjoyed spending time with them and was accused of being a “glutton and drunkard.” His circle of friends and acquaintances included tax collectors, prostitutes, adulteress’, criminals, and the working class. His greatest supporters were women who provided for Him from their means. In Jesus’ day, most women had no rights, couldn’t own property, and were treated as collateral on the household books. Yet Jesus loved spending time with them.

He didn’t spend time with them for a few moments as a political campaign video. He ate with them, drank with them, and conversed with them as a friend and teacher.  He healed them. He fed them. He cared for them. He shared stories, laughter, and tears for them. He demonstrated the love of God, the service of God, and the heart of God with everyone He met. He treated others with respect and dignity. Wherever and whenever He could, he changed their world for the better.

How about you and me? Who are the undesirables in your world? What can you do today to impact the life of another that you wouldn’t normally associated with in your daily walk?  What if the next time you drove to work or went out for lunch, you took a closer look at the people you came into contact with. Maybe you can ask God right then and there how you can participate with Him in the life of another. Just be ready for another adventure.

We are always rooting for you!

 

Yours in Christ,

Dr. Mike

Executive Chair, Consultant, Encourager
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Learn. Integrate. Grow.