MAKING DISCIPLES

Goal: You implement the Great Commission of Jesus and make others mature disciples of Jesus.

📖 Acts 9:10

Question:

How is Ananias named and described here?

📖 Acts 9:1-23

Questions:

What is Ananias' role in this passage and what did he do?
What was Ananias' competence?
What if Ananias had not been a trained disciple or if he had not been able to lead Paul to repentance, heal and baptize him?

📖 Matthew 28:16-20

Questions:

Why is this text so important?
What exactly is Jesus saying here?

The commision includes four verbs:

poreuthéntes: to go away,
mathetéuzate: to make disciples,
baptízontes: to baptize,
didáskontes: to teach.

Interestingly, the verb "to make disciples" is in the imperative mood. The other three verbs are participles, which describe the verb in the imperative mood more precisely.

In other words, Jesus is telling the disciples to make disciples by going, by baptizing and by teaching them what Jesus has done and said. This is the mission that we still have today! Nothing else is as crucial as making others his followers!

The word "didáskontes" is often translated as "to teach". Unfortunately, "teach" implies something wrong; that someone simply receives information. But the meaning of the word is to teach or train so that the "student" can do something. So it is not about knowing, but about actively doing.

Every follower is trained to do the same as Jesus did, by going again, baptizing and teaching others what he has learned and put into practice. For this reason, it is crucial to study Jesus' life and commands carefully and teach them to others. "A disciple of Jesus produces new disciples of Jesus. It's that simple to understand." (Schindler 2010:35).

Questions:

How are your disciples doing, where are they and where do you want to take them?
What do you need to teach your disciples next?
How do you approach new people to make disciples of Jesus?