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DISCIPLESHIP…
THE GREAT COMMISSION’S GOAL
Our misplaced priority and its consequences
By Bob Moffitt
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TWO ERRORS
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Evangelism - working priority over discipleship
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Teaching Truth yields biblical disciples
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PARADIGM PRISONERS
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The Twins
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Richard Dawkins
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Our Paradigm’s terms:
 Evangelism;
Discipleship
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.
7 Reasons
Why A Working Return to the
Priority of Discipleship is Imperative
And the Consequence of Ignoring a Return
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1) JESUS’ PRIORITY? MAKING FOLLOWERS
Jesus passion for repentance, salvation, followers
 Jesus most often connected the Gospel to
Kingdom not Salvation
 Kingdom = God’s will done > flourishing
 Jesus model:
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Conversation with Nicodemus in John 3
Woman at the well in John 4
Healing a dying boy from Cana in John 4
Casting out of a demon in Mark 1; Luke 4
Man cured of leprosy in Mt. 8; Mark 1; Luke 5
Blind man given sight in Mt. 8
Raising to life of the widow’s son in Luke 7
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OUR WORKING PRIORITY - MAKING CONVERTS
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Great Awakenings: 1730-1740; 1790-1840 –
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19th and 20th Century revivals - AMEN!, but…
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Consequence: evangelism w/o discipleship
 Beach
evangelism
 Babies don’t change culture
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2) 1974 LAUSANNE COVENANT – OVER CORRECTION
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“…..In the church’s mission of sacrificial service
evangelism is primary.”
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Proclamation – if not priority, what is it?
 Assumed – “As you go…” ; Component of
witness; Ally/partner in demonstration of the
Kingdom
 Biblically – a seamless action early in process
of discipling leading to obedience
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3) CONVERSION W/O DISCIPLESHIP > HYPOCRISY
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Hypocrisy: saying one thing living differently
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UN Christian – David Kinnaman, 2007
 Mosaics
- 1984 and 2002 (12 to 30 yr.-olds in 2014)
 Buster - 1965 and 1983 (31 to 49 yr.-olds in 2014)
 30% to 35%: 5% difference – between Xn & non-Xn
 95
million Mosaics and Busters
 60 million profess earlier commitment to follow Jesus
 3 million have “Biblical worldview” Pg 73

Isaiah 58
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4) TRUE ‘WORSHIP’ ATTRACTS
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Deuteronomy 4:5-8 “Priests”
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Matthew 5:13-16 “Salt and Light”
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I Peter 2:12 “Good Neighbors”
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Corporate “worship” is primarily for followers,
not observers
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5) GOD’S GLORY IS THE GOAL
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“Irreducible Minimum” of discipleship
– teaching obedience; fruit = obedience vs fruit of Spirit
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When we ignore the Irreducible Minimum:
 Diminished
time/energy for discipling
 Focus
on personal spiritual disciplines
 Sales;
Inoculation against conversion; Numbers
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Argentina, Romania, India
 2/3
of us believe we are sincere; 1/3 outsiders believe
we are sincere
 Can
evangelism lead to sin?
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6) Sin Hides God’s Intentions
.
Man
Sin
God’s Intentions
Present
Future
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Wall of Sin
Disobedience:
Conversion w/o Discipleship
Personal Lives
Families
Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Neighbors
Government, Employers, Employees
Enemies
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THE CHURCH AS A WINDOW
Man
Church
God’s Intentions
Present
Future
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THE CONSEQUENCE
The Church of this generation is losing
(or, has it lost?)
the battle for the soul of our cultures
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7) DISCIPLESHIP: EQUIPPING TO BE LIKE JESUS
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Eph 4:11-13 - Equip the saints to serve
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Phil 2:6-8 - Service
 Voluntarily/willingly
 Humbly
 Sacrificially
 Joyfully
 Taking
on another’s burden
 Helping the served to grow toward God’s intention
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A STRATEGY OF DISCIPLESHIP
Model abiding in Christ
 Model servanthood – one-on-one
 Model abiding and servanthood - in community
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Instead of doing discipleship by:
First teaching how to evangelize
 First teaching Bible knowledge
 First teaching personal spiritual disciplines
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8) MEASURING DISCIPLESHIP
“If Jesus Were Mayor”
Healing brokenness
 Sovereignty over the cosmos
 Concern for the desecration of sacred places
 Signs of supernatural intervention
 Suffering
 Giving beyond our ability –until it hurts
 Loving care for one-another
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A RETURN TO ANCIENT MISSIOLOGY
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THERE IS REAL H O P E !
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Motivated for obedience
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Powerful history of mobilization
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Growing awareness of reversed priorities
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Need: Change of Paradigm + Knowing how
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HIS KINGDOM COME
May His Kingdom come, now, in our lives,
to our families, in our churches,
in the nations, and on the whole earth,
as it is in Heaven!!!!
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