I was also just thinking: in the past few months I’ve invited a number of folks to church (that’s ‘easy evangelism’ – especially when you’re at a church like us where the Gospel is so clear, and central) – I’ve been very encouraged that one couple (the husband is an Atheist) are really beginning to ‘commit’ – even He likes church, and is being challenged there.

It’s always such an encouragement to see God use me, even in such a small way as being part of inviting someone to church.

He can do big things with little steps of faith!

As I thought about the question, I actually broadened it from how I measure up in winning souls to how to I measure up as a disciple of Jesus. When Jesus gave the command to make disciples, he was talking to those that were already disciples…people that lived with Jesus on a daily basis, witnessed how he lived, knew his teachings, and sought to follow his commands and live as he lived. Often when I have heard sermons based on the great commission, they have focused either on sending missionaries or saving the lost. Essentially, they have focused either on the “Go” or the “baptize.” What is interesting is that the original Greek can be translated as either “as you go” or “as you are going,” and the focus of the text is actually on the “make disciples.” The remainder of the text gives more detail on how to make disciples – baptize and teach them to obey Jesus’ commands. Again, I think the context of who Jesus was talking to is important; he was talking to those who were already disciples.

What does this mean specifically to me and more broadly to the church? Fred touched on part of it in the original post; we are to be like Christ and we are to follow his commands. One thing that is interesting to me about the way the Jesus spread his message is that he did not always do it the same way. There were times that he did seek out specific individuals, but much of the time people were simply drawn to him. I believe that our lives should be similar. There are times when we should be direct in our evangelism, but, more importantly, we should be living lives worthy of Jesus that draw people to Him. Our lives should contrast the lives of non-Christians in such a way that people want to know what it is that we have. I do not mean some religious routine, apparel, etc., that identifies us as Christians, instead I am referring to lives that reflect the fruits of the spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

So, how do I measure up as a disciple? Looking back to the great commission, as a disciple I am commanded to obey everything that Jesus commanded. The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength or to paraphrase, love God with all that you are and all that you do. I recall the following from Mere Christianity:

“As Dr Johnson said, ‘People need to be reminded more often than they need to he instructed.’ The real job of every moral teacher is to keep on bringing us back, time after time, to the old simple principles which we are all so anxious not to see; like bringing a horse back and back to the fence it has refused to jump or bringing a child back and back to the bit in its lesson that it wants to shirk.”

Even with the first and greatest command, I feel like the horse that refuses to jump or the child that wants to shirk his lesson. Intellectually, I know the command. In my heart, I desire to follow the command. Yet in my flesh, I often fail. Thankfully, at this point in my life it is usually not with some “major” sin; instead it is some part of my mind or my heart that I try to keep for myself…a little kingdom of my own that ends up as a priority in front of God’s kingdom. Gradually as I give up these areas of my life, I find that my mind (and my life) is transformed.

As I, and the other members of the church, live lives that reflect Jesus to the world, I believe that bringing souls to Jesus will come as naturally as breathing. People will see Jesus through us, and they will be drawn to Him. Now if I can just continue to remind myself…

I’m always sharing Jesus. I have no idea how many people have come to faith because I have been part of the chain.

With that said it’d be nice to be a finisher and have the gift of being the one to close the deal sometime.

I think of the apostle who traveled around planting churches. Sure there were folks who came to Christ directly as a result of their teachings, relationships and “altar calls” (ha), but isn’t it also possible to accept the fact that as these groups of churches grew and that the “leaders” worked more and more in discipling these believers that the members of each individual faith community began to “pull the load” so to speak?

I can definitely envision Paul engaging large crowds (or maybe talking with a group of non-believers) for a small bit of his ministry and pouring his life and energy into his leaders (like Timothy and Titus) for most of his ministry time.

Not that as leaders we should ever not be engaging people that are non-believers. We should always be doing that. But as one of the commenters posted earlier when we spend a 40-50 hour work week around believer leaders, its only reasonable and efficient to direct our energies into equipping those who spend 40-50 hour work weeks surrounded by non-believers to go for it!

I think we’ve had a unbalanced church system for far too long. People expect the “ministers” to do all the visitation, all the evangelism, all the teaching, all the “work” of the ministry, when in fact, the ministers should be ministering to God and to those who would go out building relationships and discipling people in the world. It’s not the “preacher’s” job to do all the spiritual work in the church, it’s his role to train and equip…

Ok, I’m rambling, but I wanted to bring a different perspective to the table. Instead of feeling guilty for being in a coach/equipper role and not being “out on the field” I feel confident in my role to bring believers to maturity in Christ so that they can’t help but impact their circle of influence. In doing so, we’re all TOGETHER reaching people for Christ, and it takes less emphasis off of the “me” aspect of coming up short for not winning souls individually, because we are a family and each member supplies a crucial element.

-Russ

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=271762&netp_id=432441&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW

We need to stop waiting for Jesus to do all the work and deliver the lost to us…we have to step out and ‘Just Walk Across the Room.’ As we trust God to show us His lost souls, we can trust the Spirit to give us the strength and courage to take those few steps and give us the words that the lost need to hear so that Jesus will be lifted up. His holy word tells us that all we must do is to raise Him up and He will draw His children to Him.

The early Methodist leader John Wesley wrote in his Rules of the Methodist Church, “You have nothing to do but save souls. Therefore, spend and be spent in this work.” Wow.

At least he wasn’t vague about it.

Now… to the two commenters above who I happen to spend a lot of time with… let’s keep that purpose at the front of our minds. Fred and Shannon, we HAVE TO seek and save to lost. We have to.

Thanks for the reminder Fred.

As far as leading someone to Christ, though I’ve often been told that I was instrumental in someone choosing to give their life to Jesus, I’ve NEVER been there when it actually happened – I think it’s partially because the sorts of folks I’m drawn to minister to are FAR too ‘hard’ and not quick to change their minds.

Of those who told me that I ‘led them to Christ’, after the fact, my two favorites were a radical feminist, vegan, environmentalist who walked everywhere with her pet iguana – we had numerous coffee-shop conversations about Jesus, but she eventually accepted Christ while walking across campus listening to my song “Psalm of Sorrow” on her headphones, which is essentially Psalm 13 & 5 set to music.

My other favorite was a dogmatic Atheist who was brought to me by their cousin (who was a believer): we met in a coffee-house in Athens, Georgia (ole’ Blue Sky!) – I was asked, “So, why – as an Atheist – do you now believe in God?” I told her about my life, and Jesus for the next 8 hours, and by the time I was done must’ve had 15 – 20 people pulled up about us, watching and listening to the discussion. It was really crazy: and they were belligerent, and I left the coffee-shop knowing that many people had heard the Gospel, but seeing no immediate response. Several months later I ran into the cousin on the street who told me that less than a week after that conversation the Atheist had become a Christian, so in spite of what it seemed, God was at work through that whole thing.

Truly, it’s an honor to know that God used me in some way to make yet another Worshiper!

Thanks for the blog…blessings, bro!

Fred