Matthew 28:18 – 20 ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

2 Timothy 2:1-8 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² 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. ³ Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs– he wants to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. ⁷ Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. ⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel…

1. The Ultimate Goal of the Church
   1. NOT: to grow numerically, make converts, meet the budget, build a great looking building, become a holy huddle or social club
   2. Rather: Make disciples (that is the main verb in Matthew 28:19), grow in our faith, see transformation as we follow Jesus

1. What is a disciple?
   1. Verb form means ‘to learn’
   2. Word is used of an apprentice learning a trade
   3. In Jesus’ time, Rabbis had disciples with them
      1. Disciples left home and moved in with the rabbi
      2. Treated the teacher as the absolute authority
      3. Goal: to learn about the rabbi and become like him in character and piety
   4. Acts 11:36—equates disciples with all Christians

1. Authentic Disciple versus Cultural Christian
   1. An authentic disciple seeks to know God on a continual basis; a cultural Christian to just goes to church
   2. An authentic disciple seeks to conform her life to Jesus’ teachings; a cultural Christian thinks God is there to help him live for himself
   3. An authentic disciple pours over his bible as he seeks to know God; a cultural Christian has a really nice (but never used) bible that sits on her bookshelf
   4. An authentic disciple prays in a heartfelt way because she understands God’s love for her; a cultural Christian believes prayer is the pastor’s job

1. Are you a disciple (of Christ)?
   1. Do you desire to follow Christ with your heart and life?
   2. Your relationship with God is organic, not static
   3. Are you taking the steps to grow: learning the scripture, fellowship, prayer?

1. Are we a disciple-making church?
   1. What is our general attitude? (We hope people come so we can fill our pews and meet the budget or we desire others to come to faith in Christ and grow in their newfound faith to become more like him?)
   2. Do we have a system to help people grow deeper in their faith (i..e. small groups)?
   3. Do we spend our time, energy, and resources on programs/events that help people to grow deeper?
   4. Jesus started small—focused on 12; he patiently developed them over time