Editor’s note: This is the fifth installment of David Evans’ Evangelistic Inches series.
By David Evans
Evangelism Team Leader, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board
Jesus’ mandate to make disciples is clear in Matthew 28. The ongoing teaching and learning of the disciple is necessary.
The fourth evangelistic inch is “the disciple.” The messenger is never worthy or deserving of such grace and honor but is mandated to be the ambassador.
First, the disciple must strive for personal holiness. The Bible does not call us to be perfect but has expectations of us to be holy (Leviticus 19). Despite our best efforts and imperfections, we are called to be ambassadors of a great king.
In contrast to the servant, God is the message and the focus of the messenger. A Christian that is not hungering and thirsting for righteousness will most often not be striving daily in Christian disciplines (prayer, Bible intake, fellowship, etc.); therefore, not becoming a tool to be used by the King.
The Christian that is not regularly walking with the Lord is one that cannot be used to their greatest potential. Personal holiness not only sharpens the Christian but also sets their mind accurately.
Personal holiness reminds the believer that life is not about them. We set ourselves apart from common worldly duties to perform the Lord’s calling to a fallen and broken world.
Second, the disciple must live a life of repentance. Christians that maintain a posture of repentance do not easily forget their need for a Savior, and are reminded of others’ need for a Savior. When we forget or ignore the sin that wrestles with us, then it is easy to ignore the sin that wrestles with other people.
When we forget our own need for a Savior, our hearts are hardened, and we no longer can relate to others that have the same need. We must never forget where we came from and where others currently exist. 1 John 1:9 states that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (NAS).
Thirdly, the disciple must live as an equipped and equipping disciple maker. As in the previous blog, the proper training, education and tool will assist the disciple maker in disciple creation and improving. The expectation and acquisition of someone to disciple is necessary when passing along the truths of living like Christ.
If the Christian is not intentionally pouring into someone else, then the ongoing cycle of disciple making will not occur.
In the book, Understanding Christian Theology, the editors stated, “the Lord used this cyclical pattern when He trained His disciples so that they could make new disciples, and these new disciples could make still other disciples (Matt. 28:19–20; see 2 Tim. 2:2).”
The following are “Evangelistic Inches” to help someone move from zero activity to gospel presentation and beyond:
- The Desire
- The Tool
- The Opportunity
- The Disciple
— Evans is the evangelism team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Feel free to contact him via e-mail devans@tnbaptist.org. In the meantime, check out “The Reaching App” by searching in your app store or visiting www.TheReachingApp.com.
