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discipleship

  • Discipleship

    Jesus commissioned his disciples, saying, “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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20)

    This commission by Jesus has come to be affectionately known as The Great Commission.  However, Dallas Willard, professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Philosophy, has asserted that The Great Commission has become The Great Omission.  We have neglected an essential component of The Great Commission.  While we have baptized disciples in the name of the Trinity, we have not made disciples, who obey everything Jesus commanded.  Subsequently, Willard contends:

    “Those who are Christians by profession- and seriously so we must add- today do not usually have, are not led, into the vision, intention, or means that would enable them to routinely progress to the point where what Jesus himself did and taught would be the natural outflow of who they really are “on the inside.” Rather, what they are inwardly is left substantially as it was, as it is in non-Christians… Whatever the details, authentic inward transformation into Christ-likeness is omitted.  It is not envisioned, intended, or achieved.” ( from Renovation of the Heart, pp. 85-86)

    Having identified the seriousness of The Great Omission, we now have the opportunity to re-envision disciple-making.  We now have the opportunity to intentionally teach and encourage one another to obey everything Jesus commanded.  When we do so in our discipleship opportunities, the result will be disciples, who by God’s grace and the Spirit’s power are transformed toward Christ-likeness, loving God and others.