From Devoted to Distracted

When I look at that definition of a disciple, it seems a bit overwhelming. “A person who is devoted to Jesus, developing the character and heart of Christ, working in personal ministry for Jesus, and is intentionally reaching the lost and investing in others….. How do we make people like that? In most churches today, we have lowered the bar to something more “manageable and realistic”. Instead of making disciples, we focus on making decisions.

When you focus on making decisions, we can develop a false sense of success. If the number of decisions is up, you can think you are truly winning people to Christ and even making disciples, even though the quality of the decision is suspect. When you focus on making disciples, you have a long-term perspective. Real success is counted when those who make decisions are walking in community, growing in their faith, and able to lead others to Christ.

When you focus on making decisions, your job is over after the decision is made. People are often dropped quickly or even forgotten. When you focus on making disciples, your job just begins when a person comes out of the waters of baptism. They are spiritual babes that need nurturing, care, and protection.

Our deepest desire as a Church family is that each child that grows up and graduates at Forest Park becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ, but we realize that the ultimate decision has been left in their hands and all of our hands personally. It’s the most important decision you will ever make, and this morning we will talk about to make that choice!

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