MINISTER’S LETTER
Discipleship 101
Dear brothers and sisters,
Jesus says: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” – Matthew 7:13-14.
Here is the reality of being a disciple of Jesus Christ: firstly, the gate in is narrow (verse 13). So narrow, in fact, as to be entirely exclusive because there is only one way to be a disciple of Jesus – belief in his Gospel message and repentance from sin. That’s it. That’s the narrow gate – clearly and explicitly communicated by Jesus, this time in Mark 1:15: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Secondly, the way is hard (verse 14). Following the person and word of Jesus Christ is enormously demanding. It is life-changing, yes; it is done in the power of the Spirit, yes; we are new creations, yes; but to follow him is costly and hard. It means we’re going to deny self; we’re going to sacrifice much; we’re going to have to choose Christ over all again and again, repeatedly, on a daily basis. And yet, this path is the path to life. It is where treasure is found. It is where the Lord Jesus is. This hard path is worth the blood, sweat and tears because Jesus is there, and we understand that in him is life and adoption and forgiveness and salvation and glory. We get to come to the Father in the Son’s name! Glory!
It is worth considering what this hard but infinitely worthwhile path of discipleship looks like for many; it is a helpful thing for churches to do, to evaluate whether or not they are discipling people well, and it’s helpful for each of us to do it as a spiritual health-check. Let us make sure, church, that we are still walking on the narrow path to life and not the easy path to destruction!
What does this hard path look like? There are 2 parts worthy of note.
Firstly, there is the narrow gate. How do most people come to faith in Jesus? That is a good question for churches to ask. There are often (at least) 3 steps in the process – Contact, Connection and Conversion. These often can overlap but they are worthy of note. How do we as Christians make contact with unbelievers? When was that last time you or I consciously made the effort to get to know someone who isn’t a Christian? And how are we connecting with them in meaningful, genuine ways? We should avoid “bait and switch” initiatives that are disingenuous, rather spending time with people, being friends with them, living life with them builds connection. And where are the opportunities for people to hear the gospel and be converted? Most people come to church because they know someone there, or they’ve had contact with someone there, and so it is still very much the case that Sundays are a great place for people to meet Christ and hear his Gospel proclaimed. Every Sunday is a missional opportunity – be encouraged! Don’t be shy to invite people to church!
Secondly there is the hard way itself. What should we be doing for those who have repented and believed? We need to ensure anyone who has come to faith in Christ is discipled well. They should be encouraged to become established in their faith through older Christians walking with them through the early days and months, spending time in the Word. They should become established in the church through membership and participation in community groups and regularly gathering with the church for public worship. And as we belong to a local church concerned with discipling its members, each of us should be encouraged to become mature in the Word of God, to know God through his Word which leads us to the Son, who takes us to the Father, in the power of the Spirit. And as we are walking this path of discipleship we will find great joy in serving each other with our gifts, as commanded by Jesus himself. In fact, in the preceding verse, Jesus tells the church precisely that:
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:12.
We are established in the faith and in the church; we grow in our understanding of the Word and closeness with our God; we serve the Lord and his people with gladness, and for some this will mean taking on leadership positions in the church. This is what the hard path of discipleship can often look like.
The question we must ask, then, is this: is Gilcomston Church functioning healthily as a discipling church? What can we be better at? How can we ensure that everyone who belongs to our church is being discipled well as they enter the narrow gate and walk the hard path? This is, after all, our mission. It’s the same thing Jesus says at the end of Matthew’s Gospel when he commissions his church:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19-20.
Enter through the narrow gate and be baptised. Walk the hard but worthy path and be taught the full counsel of the Word of God. This is our mission. Ask each other – “how are you doing, friend, in your walk with the Lord? Can I help?”.
N.O.