Wanted: Disciplemakers
Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. —Acts 9:27
Sometimes new Christians have a difficult time finding their way in their newfound faith. They need someone who will stand with them and love them.
A guy named Mark did this for me. After I came to Christ on my high school campus, no one came up to me afterward and said, “Now Greg, you are a brand-new Christian. We have this Bible here for you. You also need to start going to church.” Instead, the school bell rang, and I went back to class.
I went on with my plans for that weekend, which was to go off into the mountains and smoke dope. But as I was sitting out on a rock and getting ready to do this, I felt God was speaking to my heart and telling me I didn’t need to do that. Although I didn’t know how to pray, I asked God to make himself real to me and to help me. And God answered that prayer.
When I returned to school on Monday, some guy named Mark, whom I had never seen before, walked up to me and introduced himself. He told me that he had seen me give my life to Christ at the Bible study on Friday. Then he invited me to church, and, in a very direct but loving way, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I went to church with Mark. I started hearing the Word of God, and my life started to change.
I didn’t need a Bible scholar. I didn’t need an evangelist. But I did need a friend. And that is what Mark was for me.
So here is my question for you: Can you be a friend to someone? Because our commission is not only to preach the gospel, but to make disciples.
Summary sentence: Are you a disciple and friend to a new believer right now? If not, would you pray to be one?
Tags: New believer, encouragement, discipleship
Copyright © 2016 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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The perfect gift for the upcoming Christmas season, The Greatest Stories Ever Told is Pastor Greg’s newest book, focusing on the Gospel accounts of Christ. Experience the life of Jesus from the cradle to the cross to the ascension in this beautiful hardbound volume.
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