Missions Monday: Counterfeit Ways to Know You're a Disciple
The church changes the world not by making converts but by making disciples. - John Wesley
The mission of BBC is to make disciples, and a disciple is a learner, a follower, someone who imitates a master teacher. A disciple is someone who is learning, imitating, loving, serving, and being in communion with Christ, not someone who has prayed a prayer or attends church.
As we are learning how to evangelize and disciple, we need to know what it really means to be a follower of Christ because we need to be sure we are disciples, and we need to be giving the correct information about what it means to be a disciple. As evangelists, we do not want to be guilty of communicating a false assurance.
There are four common ways to deceive ourselves that we are disciples:
1. Self-identification. When each person is his own reference point, self-identification is reality. When people claim to be Christians, we generally believe them, even if their beliefs and lives claim something different. Jesus makes it clear that not everyone who calls him “Lord” and claims to do works in His name will enter the Kingdom.
2. Theological assent. Being a disciple is more than, although not less than, believing truths about who Jesus is and what His death and resurrection accomplished. We can’t say we believe in Jesus but not know who He is, but at the same time, assenting to a statement of faith doesn’t make us a disciple. We can come to church each week, recite the creeds, listen to the sermons, but still not be be seeking first the Kingdom of God.
3. Emotional assent. Having strong, positive feelings about God and expressing those feelings is good, but it can easily deceive us into thinking we are followers of Jesus even if we are not. Feelings are good, but they are not a substitute for following Jesus with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
4. Private assent. This one is probably the most tempting for the modern church. The world has allowed us to have whatever faith we please, as long as we keep it to ourselves. We’re not allowed to speak truth in the public square or even claim that our faith is truth. If our faith speaks only to our personal lives and not to everyone and everything in the world, then we are not following the real Jesus, but a personal, subjective form of Jesus that we’ve allowed the world to create for us.
In summary, before we can make disciples, we need to be disciples, disciples who are not ashamed and not afraid. We are following the Savior of the world, who is the truth for the world, and He has given us all power and all authority to fulfill the mission. Don’t settle for a counterfeit following of Jesus. Be a 100%, all-in, follower of Jesus.