This is what the LORD says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.”                     Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV1984)

Inviting you to become who God created you to be…

so that you

• Desire to see God glorified all over the world
• Are being discipled and making disciples
• Are generous with your time and money
• Live a life of prayer and worship
• Reflect on Scripture
• Nurture healthy relationships
• Live in community

Imagine sitting down for a cup of coffee with a friend, your small group leader, or one of our staff.  They ask how you are doing.  After 5-10 minutes of small talk and filler, they ask you again.  You confess you don’t have the passion for Christ you once had.  You feel like you have stalled.

Your friend reminds you that we are called to be maturing in our faith.  You know this, but what does it mean?  You think about your Grandma, or that old friend who you sit near in worship.  What is it about them?  Why do they seem to get it?

Your friend shows you a list (or talks you through it).  It has 7 characteristics of a maturing christ-follower.  They then ask a simple question: Where are you weakest?

In that uncomfortable, holy moment you answer.  Through conversation your friend offers 3-5 paths (resources) to get to were you know you should be.  You choose one.  Your friend will be following up with you in 1-2 weeks.

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

Discipleship is key.

Keith Phillips in The Making of a Disciple (1981) helps us visualize the difference between leading people to become Christians and making disciples.  The chart below shows the difference between one person a day becoming a Christian and one person a year being discipled:

Year                 Evangelist          Discipler
1                             365                      2
2                             730                     4
3                           1095                     8
4                           1460                   16
5                           1825                   32
6                           2190                   64
7                           2555                 128
8                          2920                 256
9                          3285                  512
10                        3650               1024
11                         4015               2048
12                        4380               4096
13                        4745                8192
14                        5110              16384
15                        5475             32768
16                       5840             65536

Some can, and will, dispute this chart.  Is it scientific?  Nope.  Based on research?  Nope.  It is merely here to get us thinking.  If I asked if we wanted to lead one person to Christ everyday or disciple people to maturity over 1-2 years, how would you answer?  Most of us would get caught up in the excitement of our church doubling in size in 12 months.  That gets me fired up.

Until I think about the nursery.  Can you imagine our church nursery with 100+ babies in it?  I shudder to think about it.  You see, when someone becomes a Christian, they are a baby in their faith.  They have no idea about Scripture, no sense of giving- they just know they are saved from sin!  And that is exciting.  For a while.  What happens when the newness and the excitement fade?

Read through Ephesians 4.  See the way it is supposed to work.  Leaders/Disciplers are supposed to lead people to maturity.  Why?

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.  Ephesians 4:14 (NIV 1984)

We want people to be able to stand firm in the storms of life.  How will they get there?  They need to be discipled… and then disciple at least one other person.

Can you imagine a church full of maturing Christ-followers?  I can.