Jesus trained new believers when the crowds grew beyond control
The third step in Jesus’ disciple-making process was to train new believers to be and build disciples. At this point in Jesus’ ministry, the crowds were swelling to uncontrollable numbers. (Mark 3.7-8 ESV) says that a “great multitude” followed Jesus from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, and even from beyond the borders of Israel, like Tyre and Sidon. People desperate for healing were reaching out just to touch Jesus, and demons were shrieking out of those possessed at Jesus’ command. Jesus knew that it was time to call His leadership team to a new level. He spent all night praying (Luke 6.12 ESV), and in the morning called 12 men to Himself, appointing them as apostles. Mark clearly states why Jesus called these men. “He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach…,” (Mark 3.14 ESV). The key words are “that they might be with him”. This was Jesus’ leadership training program. I like to think of it as Jesus Boot Camp!
Jesus made being with Him the foundation of leadership training
From this point forward, Jesus spent four times as much time with these twelve as He did with anyone else. They were clearly His top priority. Throughout the next six to nine months, Jesus poured into His disciples what it meant to be a part of the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ first invitation was “come and see”. His second invitation was “Follow Me”. But, His third invitation was “Come be with Me”. It was an invitation to be trained to walk like Jesus.
The Kingdom of God became the curriculum for making disciples
The more I’ve studied this period of time in Jesus’ ministry, the more I am convinced that the Kingdom of God was Jesus’ main theme. It’s as if teaching on the Kingdom (the rule and reign of God in the lives of his people) was Jesus’ curriculum for making disciples. Immediately after choosing his twelve leaders, Jesus sat them down and began to teach them about the Kingdom, in what we know as the Sermon on the mount. Jesus taught about the character of those in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5.1-12 ESV), the influence of those in the Kingdom (Matthew 5.13-16 ESV), the morality of those in the Kingdom (Matthew 5.17-48 ESV) and the spiritual practices of those in the Kingdom (Matthew 6.1-24 ESV). He taught them how trust, forgiveness and judgment function in the Kingdom (Matthew 6.25-7.27 ESV).
Jesus demonstrated how people enter and live in the Kingdom
Following the sermon, Jesus demonstrated how a person enters the Kingdom of God. Those who exercise faith and trust in Him, no matter their background, find acceptance in the Kingdom. While those who reject Jesus, despite their religious pedigree, fall short of the Kingdom. Jesus marveled at the great faith of a Roman Centurion (Luke 7.1-10 ESV), and the humility of a sinful woman (Luke 7.36-50 ESV). Jesus was also grieved by the lack of faith in the jewish communities of Chorazin and Bethsaida (Matthew 11.20-30 ESV), and the hard-hearted religious leaders who were always looking for a sign (Mark 3.20-30; Matthew 12.38-45 ESV).
Jesus redefined family and illustrated the Kingdom through stories
All the while, Jesus taught that those in the Kingdom have a new family, the family of God (Luke 8.19-21 ESV). Jesus also taught about the Kingdom of God using parables. Through stories about soils and seeds (Luke 8.518 ESV), wheat and tares (Matthew 13.24-30 ESV), leaven and bread (Matthew 13.33-35 ESV), treasures and pearls (Matthew 13.44-46 ESV), fish and mustard seeds (Matthew 13.47-50; Mark 4.30-32 ESV), Jesus illustrated what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.
Jesus demonstrated the power of the Kingdom over every earthly force
Jesus also demonstrated the power of the Kingdom over earthly powers. He demonstrated His power over the natural elements by calming the storm (Luke 8.22-25 ESV). He demonstrated His power over demons by healing the demoniac from the Gerasenes (Luke 8.26-39 ESV). He demonstrated His power over illness by healing a sick woman (Luke 8.43-48 ESV), and His power over death by raising a dead daughter (Luke 8.40-43, 49-56 ESV). Through it all, Jesus was preparing His disciples to do what He was doing. After approximately six to nine months, His disciples were ready to fly solo. He sent them out in pairs into the villages to preach repentance, and He gave them power over evil spirits (Matthew 11.1; Luke 9.6 ESV). When they came back, they reported all that had happened (Luke 9.10; Mark 6.30 ESV). He was intentionally training these men to reproduce.
Training is essential for anyone who wants to make disciples
For you to be a disciple maker, you must be trained for the job. Think about it this way – when a soldier enlists in the marines, he is immediately indoctrinated into a new culture. The Marine Corps cuts the new recruits’ hair, changes his clothes and redefines his new family. But imagine what would happen if after his indoctrination, that new recruit was simply released to the front lines without training him how to shoot a weapon or survive a firefight? That guy wouldn’t last long. Unfortunately, that’s what many churches do with new believers.
Many churches celebrate decisions but fail to train believers
We celebrate their new faith in Jesus. We accept them into the church. We give them a Bible and teach them a few worship songs, yet we never train them to walk with God on their own. We don’t train them in the practical basics of prayer – Bible study, sharing their faith, forgiveness, love and walking in the Spirit. We don’t train them how to rely on Jesus in a storm or how to fight doubt and discouragement with truth. Is it any wonder that the attrition rate is so high in the church? Jesus intentionally trained his men, and we must do the same. As you walk a new believer through the three-part “Grow Series”, you are going to be training him or her how to walk with God, reach his or her world and invest in a few. You will be developing in them both the character of Jesus and the competencies of Jesus. The result will be a disciple who is no longer dependent on someone else to feed them; they can feed themselves. He or she is no longer an infant, but instead, is a mature adult in the faith – a mature, strong, tested, steady and able to train others to do the same.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our books, Invest In A Few.
