My Personal Challenge for You

I have a personal challenge for you: Ask God for one person to personally disciple this year. My challenge is inspired from the scripture in Matthew 28:19 in which Jesus instructed us as believers to go and make disciples.

Jesus discipled 12 men: Paul followed Jesus’ example when he discipled Timothy, Titus and Silas. The concept of making disciples has been all but lost in much of the Body of Christ and has largely been replaced with a focus on meetings and programs. Now is the time for each of us to pick up the responsibility of spiritual parenting, and make disciples and continue the revolution started by Jesus.

Jesus spent most of His time with His 12 disciples: His spiritual sons—Peter, James and John—were a part of Jesus’ inner circle. Through this concept of disciple-making, Jesus reproduced Himself in His followers to start a revolution that changed the world. Call it what you want—mentoring, discipling, coaching or spiritual fathering or mothering—it all basically boils down to the same thing: caring about the spiritual growth of another person.

Paul grasped this truth of disciple-making when he told Timothy: “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:1-2). Paul exhorted Timothy, who was his spiritual son, to find other disciples who would disciple others.

I challenge you to ask God for just one reproducing disciple (a person willing to disciple someone else down the road), according to the pattern of Jesus and Paul. Just one! It might be a coworker, a family member, someone from church or a friend. Ask the potential spiritual daughter or son to meet with you every few weeks or each month (maybe for coffee or tea) and talk about your walk with Jesus. Pray daily for your disciple. And encourage your spiritual daughter or son to disciple someone else next year.

As you find another person to disciple each year, in 10 years you will have discipled directly or indirectly more than 1,000 people! After 20 years it escalates to one million disciples! No wonder the enemy has been hiding this truth from God’s people and keeping us busy in activity—even religious activity.

I have been blessed to be making disciples for more than 40 years. It is not always easy but so worthwhile. This is my one-person challenge for you: Ask God to help you find your Timothy. Model your life after Jesus and Paul. God has called you. What are you waiting for?

(Much of this was taken from my newly released book, “The Cry for Spiritual Mothers and Fathers—The Next Generation Needs You to be a Spiritual Mentor.” Now available for an introductory price of 50% off! More details here)