Church-going or Disciple-making?

"If you were to ask me the question in all sincerity, 'Lord, what would you rather me do, 'attend church services' or 'make disciples'? How do you think I would respond?" - Jesus, addressing me with this provoking question in my heart yesterday when I was praying

 

At first glance, I'm tempted to answer the above question with a dismissive wave of my hand and a glimmer of 'brilliant cleverness' in my eyes by saying, "Both!"

 

I would say it way too loud, too, and with much self-assured authority, not admitting that I would be feeling like I had something to defend.But dog-gone it, it was Jesus asking. Such show-boating and fear and word-play never works with him.

 

If it was a mere mortal asking me the question, I would want to argue that the question is like, "What does God want you to be, a good husband or a good daddy?"

 

But it is not. To be a good daddy, you need to love your children's mother. To be a good husband, you need to love your wife's children. To say it another way, if you defined everything that it takes to be a good husband, being a good dad would be on the list. And if you defined everything that it takes to be good father, loving their mom would be on that list.

 

But if you defined everything that it takes to go to church, you do not have to make disciples Jesus. And to make disciples of Jesus, you do not have to go to church.

 

Okay, okay...it's not the same question. It's a good question.

 

Honestly, though, I don't agree with the fear-mongering reader of this email that I'm implying that Jesus is trying to convince people that they don't need to "go to church". On the contrary, I merely think that he Jesus is trying to convince all church-goers and non-church goers that if you want to be a Christian, then actually engage with people in becoming more like Christ (which is what discipleship is, by the way).

 

And there is one more group that I think Jesus is addressing by asking this question...a group that I find myself in (which is sometimes painful)...church leaders.

 

Why?

• Because preachers can be preachers for a church and not be helping people become more like Christ.
• Because elders can be elders for a church never engage with people in the work of transformation into Christ's image.
• Because pastors and ministers can pastor people and minister to people in a zillion different areas or through a million different programs that have nothing to do with inviting people to imitate Jesus in heart, character, mission and priorities.
• Because teachers can teach and teach, they can even teach "the Bible", and fill a student's mind with tons of incredible, non-life changing material.

I'm spending a whole lot of time "attending church" right now, even preaching and teaching within it, in order to become and make disciples of Jesus. It's not the only way I make disciples. And it may not even be the most effective and productive way that I make disciples. But I only feel in line with Christ when, whether I'm attending church or not, I'm engaging with people in order to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

 

Time demands keep me from being a part of every opportunity that comes my way for making disciples of Jesus. So what I do prayerfully choose to be a part of, I want it to be faithful to Christ's call on my life to dish out the best possible life available to human beings...followership and imitation of Jesus.

 

If you see anything in my work and ministry that isn't consistent with that, you would be doing me a huge service in lovingly pointing it out.

 

May God bless us.