We seek to empower others to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, embody His teachings in their daily lives, and share His message of hope and redemption with others. By fostering authentic relationships, a culture of multiplication, and exemplifying the servant leadership of Jesus Christ, we endeavor to empower every believer to fulfill the Great Commission and make disciples of all nations.
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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.”
Dictionary.com definition
Jesus created disciples through relationship building. He often taught large crowds, but He called those that followed him specifically and he chose to invest considerable amounts of time living alongside those he discipled. He spent time with His disciples teaching them, showing them how to live, showing them who they were born to be, and pointing them towards the Father. He lead by example, and challenged their notions of themselves and God regularly. He thoroughly equipped them to carry out the great commission He gave them after His resurrection. Go and make disciples of all nations.
The first example in the New Testament of Jesus calling His disciples spoke to this great commission. When he came across Peter and Andrew at the Sea of Galilee He showed us what His plan was.
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. – Matthew 4:19
He then took them throughout all of Galilee proclaiming the good news.From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a main to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me, and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Farther with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:34-38
39 He also told them a parable; “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. – Luke 6:39-42
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what kind, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all the he has cannot be my disciple. – Luke 14:26-33
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. – John 8:31-36
3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoining. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. – Luke 15:3-7
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater that the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. – John 13:12-17
We use Jesus teachings and examples as the foundation for how we approach discipleship. We strive to remove our own planks regularly through accountability and confession with others, to build relationships with an investment of time doing life with those we disciple, to teach based on the Word of God with resources from other Christian thought leaders, to share with others how we have built a personal relationship with Jesus, and to offer lifelong support of those God has raised up to walk with us on this disciple making journey.
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