Pew Partners or Travelers Together?

International Director's Letter - TEAMHorizons Volume 5 Issue 1
by Dr. Charles Davis

So, what exactly does it mean to be a disciple? Seemed important to Jesus, but I’m not sure I know what he means anymore. And, for that matter, what does it mean to make disciples? And why in the world would we want to sacrifice our time, energy and money to send someone somewhere else in the world to make disciples? And what does the church have to do with any of it?

I go to the worship services of our church on Sunday mornings and my mind wanders. Are we all disciples because we show up here and sit in these rows on Sunday mornings? Is this it? As long as we keep the programs running, meet the budget, listen respectfully to our pastor who preaches his heart out once a week, are we disciples?  Or does it take something else? Am I supposed to do something? Does being a disciple mean to volunteer for the worship team or the children’s program or usher duty? Is that what Jesus meant?

And if I bring someone else to the worship service and he sits there respectfully listening, am I making a disciple? Or does he need to pray a prayer and then sit there respectfully? Do I need to tell him that he is a sinner who is going to hell unless he believes in Jesus? Does that make him a disciple? Or does it work better if I bring him and the pastor tells him that he is a sinner and going to hell unless he believes in Jesus? Is that what it means to make disciples? Do I have to go to seminary or Bible college and become a professional “God person” in order to make disciples?

And when professional “God persons” are sent somewhere else in the world to make disciples, are they supposed to start programs where people come to sit and listen respectfully to someone preach on Sunday morning? If Jesus meant that, why did he talk to his disciples in just about every place and at every time except in a building on Sunday morning? What if other cultures don’t like sitting in rows on Sunday morning? What if they like sitting on the floor? What if their weekly day off is really on Friday? How do they become disciples? Or why would we send someone to make disciples someplace where they’ve already got their own church buildings and programs... places like France, Portugal, or Italy?