The Whole Disciple-Making Enchilada

Over the last several months, I have posted several articles related to one theme:  Calling the church back to her mission. Once Jesus completed His earthly mission, He assigned us ours. It is nothing less than a planet wide rescue operation! And it is DOABLE if we will follow His mission strategy.

Since these articles have been scattered over the previous several months, I thought it would be helpful to create a post where you can get the whole enchilada. Think of the previous posts as mosaic tiles. This post is the pattern that brings those tiles together into a unified picture. If you are fairly new to L-W, this summary (and the associated links) will quickly get you up to speed. The material noted below is the critical foundation upon which to understand the DNA of disciple-makers. That's what we will be considering at L-W later this month.

So here's the executive summary.

1. There is a sense, even among premier churches in America that something is wrong.
2. It is my contention that we are growing oaks without acorns, namely, church members (and churches) who are not makers of disciple-makers. If we could muster just 100 people who would follow Jesus' model and duplicate themselves in 11 others every three years, there would be over a billion makers of disciple-makers in just 21 years!  (By the way, I had to do some correcting of my equations - this chart replaces the previous one.)
3. Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, looked back with satisfaction on the completion of His mission to train the twelve (minus one). To this point, He had been the "giver" while they were the "receivers." But at their graduation (Matt. 28:18-20), Jesus commanded them to become "givers." The church will never become what she was intended until "receivers" become "givers."
4. The DNA of an acorn includes both product and process information and the acorn is the "package" by which this information is delivered from a parent tree to the next generation. We need to understand the DNA of disciple-making - this is the code that is first received and then given to another in the process of disciple-making.
5. The Gospels show us Jesus, the master disciple-maker, in action and are a primary resource for understanding the DNA of disciple-making. But the remainder of the New Testament is of equal importance to understanding this DNA. Makers of disciple-makers will impart to others the DNA that is found in "beginnings" and in "more things," the two parts of the Master's manual for disciple-making.

With this information as our foundation, let's see if we can unpack the product and process information found in the DNA of disciple-making.

Comments

[RLF]

Jesus' words were so uncomplicated and straight forward. We do so much analysis in the church, that sometimes we miss the forest for the trees. Seems to me that we try ever so hard to become a part of pyramid schemes, and in the process we forget that sooner or later someone still has to talk to the "peeps" and sell the product (no disrespect intended at all)! We as Father's children have been given such an amazing inheritance in Jesus. Why in the world is it so hard for church people to joyfully share the most liberating and joyous news available? Thanks for this series. It has been remarkably clear, simple, and inspiring.

[John]

This disciple-making is so direct and straightforward. I am amazed that the church (universal) does not seem to have a clue in this matter. Jesus was clearly talking to a group of individuals whom he had spent nearly three years teaching and training. They were his disciples, and clearly he was telling them to go and do likewise. In my mind, the average Christian does not understand this, and believes the responsibility of making-disciples to be the clergy's job.

Thanks for such clear and user-friendly topics. I love Light-Work.