He says, "Disciple making is not about a program or an event but about a relationship. As we share the gospel, we impart life, and this is the essence of making disciples. Sharing the life of Christ."
However, how often do we truly take the time to share the gospel of Christ with one another? Whether that's here at church, at the Harbor in our small groups or Sunday School. Are we really making the effort to share the gospel with one another? This is a hard question to ask and one I've got to ask myself at times?
Platt says on pg. 99 that "In our relationships with one another in the body of Christ, we are to be continually teaching one another the Word of Christ."
Jesus last words to his disciples are found in Matthew 28: 17b-20 and go like this. "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
The magnitude of these words speak volumes to how we are to live as Christians. We are to live to be disciple makers...but do we even know what a disciple is let alone how to make one?
These are questions every Christian should ask themselves and today I'm asking you? Do you know what a disciple is? Are you making "disciples of all nations" as Jesus commissions us to do?
Jesus never said it would be easy, but he does say the reward will be great!
Platt reinforces this idea of how we are all disciples when he says this on pg. 100 of Radical. "If teaching is limited to a select few in the church who are equipped for that, then we will immediately tell this new Christian she needs to sit in a classroom and learn from a teacher. Thus we get the common approach to "discipleship" today--a far cry from the disciple making of Jesus."
He goes on to say this, "Think about it. What would be the most effective way for this new follower of Christ to learn to pray? To sign her up for a one-hour-a-week class on prayer? Or to invite her personally into your quiet time with God to teach her how to pray?
..."Similarly, what would be the most effective way for this new follower of Christ to learn to study the Bible? To register her in the next available course on Bible study? Or to sit down with her and walk her through the steps of how you have learned to study the Bible?"
"This raises the bar of our own Christianity" Platt says and I couldn't agree more. I read the other day that there are over 8.4 million United Methodist in the United States of America and only 44,800 of them are ordained clergy. (The UMC statistics are on a class website I'm taking and couldn't not be linked.) I hope and pray that we aren't expecting only 44,800 clergy people to disciple the nearly 1/3 of all young people leaving the church today. (http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/09/study-one-third-of-adults-under-30-have-no-religious-affiliation/#)
Platt says on pg. 105 of Radical that "When someone asks, 'Where is your church?' we point them to a building or give them an address, and everything centers around what happens at that location."
However, discipling should look a little different then this.
Platt says that "discipling Christians involves propelling Christians into the world to risk their lives for the sake of others." (pg. 105)
"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, 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 28:19-20 NIV
