When you’ve learned something you are excited about — you talk about it. When you discover a better way of doing things — you show others. And when you experience a life change — you can’t wait to share it with others in hopes they will experience a life change too.
So, how often are you sharing the life-saving, life-changing gospel of Christ with others?
Our primary biblical command in Matthew 28:19 is to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them. As a disciple of Christ, a follower, and a student of God, we are commanded to regularly lead others to faith in Christ and teach new believers God’s Word and His ways.
Do you realize the call on your life to disciple and be discipled? No matter what stage of spiritual growth we’re in, there will always be someone with less knowledge, and more knowledge, of God and His Word than us.
- If you’ve recently surrendered your life to Christ, you can disciple others by sharing the Gospel and your testimony of how you came to know Him.
- If you’ve just started reading your Bible, you can disciple others by sharing what you’re learning and encouraging them to learn along with you.
- If you’re more mature in your faith, you’ve got a lot to share; from your knowledge of God’s Word — to the mistakes you’ve made along the way.
When we freely share with others how we’ve “blown it” –– whether by neglecting to “do what God’s called us to do” or by “falling head first into sin,” we help others realize the Christian walk isn’t one of perfection. Quite the opposite — just like any other aspect of our lives, it’s full of peaks and valleys, accomplishments and failures, joy and pain. The Christian walk is one of continually striving to be more like Christ, and it doesn’t happen without taking a few falls and getting a few bumps and bruises along the way.
As I’ve grown in my walk with the Lord, I’ve seen firsthand how sharing my faith and life experiences encourages and inspires younger believers. I’ve had numerous occasions to share my regrets and failures in hopes others may choose more wisely when faced with similar choices.
When I surrendered my life to Christ at age nineteen, I thought the Christian life consisted of me and God. In other words, from that day forward God was all I needed. While it’s true God can meet our every need, He in no way ever intended for us to walk this journey alone. We will always need more mature Christians to pass on what they know to us, and we will always be responsible for passing what we know on to others.
Have you ever considered how much you have to offer to someone who is newer in their faith? Do you recognize your own personal need to be discipled by someone who is stronger or more mature in their faith than you are?
Exercise your courage muscles today and Pass It On!
How do you plan to enlist someone you can disciple, and recruit someone to disciple you?
