I was asked to blog about a session at the NACC so that others can get a feel for what’s going on here. Wednesday morning's main session was highlighted by Brian Jones, who brought the kind of discussion to the table that needs to take place in every church staff across the Country. Brian is the pastor of Christ Church of the Valley in the suburbs of Philly.
Brian began with the Great Commission passage in Matthew 28:19-20 and then went to Colossians 1:28-29...where he was able to real drill down on the idea of MAKING DISCIPLES by “presenting everyone fully mature in Christ.”
Here were some great questions to chew on:
*We go, we baptize...but are we really teaching people to OBEY EVERYTHING Jesus said?
*Why do we have so many people in our churches who are NOT fully mature? (this is big picture stuff and could take a while to answer.)
*Over the past six months...how many conversations have you had with brand new converts, teaching them to actually follow Jesus in their daily life? (this is personal, and really needs to be answered!)
Great questions, but more importantly, here were some solutions worth discussing:
*Soccer clubs develop nationally ranked players by putting their “best coaches with the youngest players.” They also spend the first ten years on foot drills!
*In the church, we tend to put our best leaders in an office and fill their schedule with meetings. We have to change this!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a church filled with “polite” members. I want maturing Christ-followers that are ready to GO and make more disciples! GO and change their community and their world! GO and be the kind of people (like Jesus) that those that don’t know Jesus would love to hang around.
Here’s my question...it’s not for the church corporately, it’s for you personally:
What are some things you can do to really come alongside someone who is new to the faith and help them become “fully mature in Christ”??? Please don't tell me what's wrong with the "church"...tell me what YOU can do!
(Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. Be real...be practical)
1 comment so far
the things we can do to come alongside someone new to the faith & help become fully mature in christ is to mentor the new christian in 1 on 1 bible study plus make sure they get pluged into in home church study on the being a mentor that is what i do in the city &state were i live as a mentor i mentor state prison inmate before they get realeased back into socitey most of them have be come christians in prison but the ones i have mentored encourge them to read there bible & go to church with who ever picks them up for church they have to have approved going to church with the person who picks them up i have been a mentor since 2004 i did not get this idea at church but with the chuck collsion prision ministrey the name i.f.i for short interchange freedom initive that is how we will mature new christians in the faith pray for kark bowlin i mentor him