By Deolu Akinyemi

Discipling others is a natural manifestation of being a disciple. Jesus made it clear from beginning in Matthew 4:19 – If you follow Jesus, there is one sure end, you will fish for others, and all the way to His last charge in Matthew 28:18-20 which say now that all authority in heaven and the earth is in Jesus’ hands, the responsibility of His disciples is to go out and disciple nations.

If we are not discipling others, it’s because we are not really disciples. If we are not disciples, then we can’t truly be Christians. According to Acts 11:26, it’s the disciples that were called Christians.

Making disciples is the supernatural overflow of being a disciple. Proclaiming His praise is a direct consequence of experiencing His salvation and sharing in the life of Christ. Witnessing Jesus is a proof of having the life of Jesus inside of you. If indeed we died with Christ, if indeed He is risen and living in us, then our lives will be poised to manifest His life, the DNA of which is discipleship. Many in “Church” are not doing this.

Why?

1. We have not been discipled, how can we disciple others?
2. We recited an unbiblical sinners prayer, after an altar call – this does not save. Jesus is not seeking for your acceptance into your heart. He is Lord and King and demands your repentance and surrender. Many think they are saved, who need to repent and be saved.
3. We have asked people to accept Jesus, and everything in this life would be alright. Jesus is not a means to an earthly end; He is the only way out of our sure damnation. The world is dead in sin and hell bound; Jesus is the only way out.
4. We don’t understand what God in Christ Jesus saved us from, how can we grieve for those who are not saved? We don’t know that those who have never heard the gospel are not innocent and are bound for an eternity in hell in the presence of the lamb. How can we have any urgency to share the gospel?
5. We have sold a false gospel. Made people feel there can be different doctrines and messages, and taken off the shine of Jesus as the central piece in the puzzle of eternal life and Christ as the total picture. We have asked people to believe in a non-Biblical loving Father without a balanced picture of a fiery judge, jealous God and consuming fire.

Don’t get me wrong; this is not about evangelism. Modern evangelism is based on false premises, it’s mixing the gospel and toning it down into something less potent and less offensive so many more can drink it and not be saved. The good news from human philosophies can motivate the soul, inspire the mind and even touch the flesh, but they have no power to save the soul. Only the true gospel can save the soul, nothing else. The gospel is not about prosperity, not about sound health, not about success, holiness, faith, excellence or all humanistic abstractions. The gospel is about Jesus Christ and what he did, He’s doing and will do – what He does Those adding to this gospel will soon come to an abrupt and memorable end.

We have no part in Christ, if what is most important to Him, is not important to us. If you didn’t feel the urgency in the message you heard in Church yesterday, you need to take out time to seek God’s face. Our Worship centers are fast becoming just-in-time storage facilities for hell. God will however not leave His people in the hands of taskmasters and Egyptian oppression. He will not leave them in the hands of false prophets and teachers. He will reach out for His people and set over them discipler teachers, and grow them from lambs to shepherds after the order of Jesus Christ.

Does this call ring to you? Share it, take action, do something, don’t just “waka pass” (move on with your life).