In the New Testament, there are several progressions toward maturity in Christ. Though it is not stated specifically as such, the most basic would be:
1) Converts
2) Disciples
3) Servants
4) Friends
5) Sons
The Great Commission is to make disciples, not merely converts. With the evangelists’ emphasis on making converts, which is their job, many, and possibly most, converts have stayed at this level because of a lack of follow up. New Testament ministry is a team as seen in Ephesians 4. In the Book of Acts, when an evangelist like Philip ignited the revival in Samaria, apostles would be sent to lay a strong foundation in the new believers’ lives—making them disciples.
Most of the great evangelists that I know seek to have this kind of follow up to their campaigns, but for most, the body of Christ has been slow to respond. Even those who call themselves apostles have rarely followed up great moves of God to establish them, as we see the apostles of the New Testament doing. In truth, much of what is called apostolic today is more about building franchises than building the church. Even so, we can expect this to change when true apostolic ministry is raised up, and we can be sure from Scripture that it will.
To fulfill the Great Commission, we must make converts into disciples of the Lord, not our disciples, as some discipleship programs have done. This dumbed down version of discipleship will inherently lead to abuses and excesses. This is nothing less than men trying to be the Holy Spirit to other men, a yoke that no one can carry without becoming twisted. All converts will need the ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to be equipped and mature as we are told in Ephesians 4, but this ministry is so that they grow up in all things into Christ, not us.
A disciple lives to learn from their Master and be like their Master, doing the works that He did. When we wake up with this devotion on our hearts, seeking to know Him better and becoming more like Him each day, we will begin to live the life of a disciple. In truth, there is presently only a small percentage of converts who are yet disciples. To fulfill The Great Commission, the equipping ministries of the church must help all converts to get there.
When new converts are led to their calling as disciples, they begin their systematic maturity in Christ by the renewing of their minds, learning to know His voice, and following Him so as to be His body through which He does His works.
There is more we must understand about this that we will cover in more depth over the next few weeks.
