We Need a Biblical Approach

Suppose you wanted to start a company to make computers. You put together a business plan to manufacture 100,000 computers over the next five years. You raise $100 million from an investor. Five years later your investor returns and asks for a report. You say, “We’re doing great! We did it! We produced 100,000 units! We made 15,000 refrigerators, 10,000 toasters, 21,000 microwave ovens, 50,000 lava lamps, and we’re up to 4,000 computers!” Your investor replies, “Wow, 4,000 computers. But that’s only 4 percent of what you projected.” “Oh yes,” you say, “but look at all the other useful things we’ve produced!” “That’s wonderful,” he says, “but I was planning to use those computers to change the world. Now it cannot happen. You’ve made the world more comfortable. I wanted to make it different.”

For 2,000 years we (the church) have only had one business plan: “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:18–20). The final marching orders from Jesus are “Go and make disciples.” Those orders still stand. They have not been amended, altered, or rescinded. More millions of people and more billions of dollars have been mobilized by this brief message than any other speech in recorded history. Our “investor,” Jesus, could have directed us to make anything he wanted. He could have said, “Go and make worshipers.” But he didn’t. He said, “Go and make disciples.” He could have said, “Go and make workers.” But he didn’t. He said, “Go and make disciples.” He could have said, “Go and make tithers.” But he didn’t. He said, “Go and make disciples.”

Does that mean Jesus isn’t interested in worshipers, workers, and tithers? Of course He is. But Jesus knew we don’t get worshipers by trying to make worshipers. We get worshipers by making disciples. Jesus knew we don’t get workers by trying to make workers. We get workers by making disciples. And so on. Everything falls into place when we make disciples. True disciples can’t wait to work (and worship, tithe, serve, perform social justice, evangelize, love one another, and so on). The central mission of the church—the overarching goal—is to “make disciples.”

Discipleship is the “portal” priority through which all the other desired outcomes of the ecclesia are achieved.  The key to success at every point is, “Go and make disciples.” Every believers chief role is to make disciples. There is one, and only one, way in which a man can win the battle for his soul. It is simple and concrete. His single greatest need is to become a disciple of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ then make disciples that make disciples.