5. Disciple-making transforms the church dynamic.
Many churches suffer with a church full of immature followers of Christ. Because of this, the church is constantly dealing with petty arguments and unhappy congregants.
At the same time, those who visit the church are hesitant to join as they sense the tension and immaturity of the people who make up the church. A church that makes disciples is full of people who exhibit “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control,” the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). A church made up of people exhibiting these characteristics is a magnet for both believers and unbelievers.
6. Disciple-making transforms households.
Many families are made up of husbands and wives that are church attenders, but have never been discipled.
Because they have never grown to spiritual maturity these couples live a life of carnality often leading to divorce. For those who do stay together and raise children, their children are void of parents who nurture them spiritually so, when they reach adulthood, these children often leave the faith for the rest of their lives.
7. Disciple-making engages the entire church body in the meeting of one another’s emotional, spiritual and physical needs.
Many pastors are overwhelmed with an unending number of counseling sessions, mediating conversations between those who are at odds with one another, and easing the tensions of immature believers concerned that the church isn’t “meeting my needs.”
Over time, a disciple-making church is filled with people who need less counseling as those who have been discipled depend more and more on the power of God and the Holy Spirit, are mature in Christ so they are less conflictual and when conflict does arise they follow biblical directives to singularly clean up the mess that has been made if possible (Matthew 18:15-17), and who realize that it isn’t the church’s role to meet their needs, rather, it is their role to serve Christ through the church and, in so doing, they will be fulfilled.
These seven ‘why’s’ of disciple-making will make a church that makes the gospel known, is a magnet for those far from Christ and believers seeking to be part of a healthy congregation, and makes it possible for a pastor to give his time to study of God’s Word, prayer and leadership.