From the free e-book Grow: Reproducing Through Organic Discipleship.

Converts vs. Disciples

Some churches focus on evangelism at the expense of discipleship by seeking to win converts instead of making disciples. The goal of evangelism is disciple making. The Great Commission in Matthew chapter 28 is to make disciples who will follow Christ rather than simply win converts. When Jesus said, “make disciples” the disciples understood it to mean more than simply getting someone to believe in Jesus and they interpreted it to mean that they should make out of others what Jesus made out of them. Robert Coleman explains the Great Commission in the following way:

“The Great Commission is not merely to go the to the ends of the earth preaching the gospel (Mark 16:15), nor to baptize a lot of converts into the name of the triune God, nor to teach them the precepts of Christ, but to ‘make disciples’—to build people like themselves who were so constrained by the commission of Christ that they not only follow, but also led others to follow his way.”

Superficial Discipleship

The Great Commission compels Christians to focus on keeping people through discipleship as much as they focus on reaching people through evangelism. With the rise of the modern evangelical movement in North America in the 20th century came an over-emphasis on evangelism at the expense of discipleship. At the First International Consultation on Discipleship, John R.W. Stott called attention to the “strange and disturbing paradox” of the contemporary Christian situation. He warned, “We have experienced enormous statistical growth without corresponding growth in discipleship. God is not pleased with superficial discipleship.”

Bill Hull also addresses this issue by saying, “The church has tried to get world evangelization without disciple-making.” The church must once again make discipleship a priority for a new generation of believers. The consequences are evident. Statistics show that the average church in North America loses 74 percent of people between the ages 18‐24. According to one of the most recent statistical surveys of the top 25 churches, many of the denominations in North America are in decline rather than growing.

Not only are churches in North America not growing through evangelism, they are not keeping believers through discipleship. One example is The Southern Baptist Convention. In 2004, they reported more than sixteen million members. Only 6,024,289 or 37 percent of their membership are present for the average Sunday morning worship service. Where are the other ten million people? Lack of discipleship and not just evangelism is one of the growing contributing factors for church decline in North America.

The church needs to bring evangelism and discipleship together. Christians have viewed discipleship as something they do on one hand and evangelism on the other, which is a false dichotomy. The church needs to rediscover the integration of evangelism and discipleship in order to fulfill the Great Commission and make 21st century disciples of Christ.

Read Winfield Bevins’ free e-book Grow: Reproducing Through Organic Discipleship.

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Walk in the Light: Click | View Series

Isaiah 2:5—"O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord."

Oh that the literal "house of Jacob" would walk in the light of Jehovah by acknowledging Jesus, who is the Dayspring from on high! Alas, they refuse the light, for the veil is upon their hearts! Let us pray for the ingathering of the tribes of Israel. Surely "it shall come to pass in the latter days." (Verse 2)

An Invitation

"Come, let us walk in the light of Jehovah."

It is odd that the people of Jehovah should need such an invitation, for it seems natural that they should live in him, rejoice in him, and learn of him, seeing he is their own God.

It is a still more peculiar invitation in that it comes from the nations to the house of Jacob. The word of the Lord goes forth from Jerusalem, converts the nations, and then returns to the people from whom it first came. The parallel is found when the invitation comes to those of us who are believers:

1. From those to whom we have ministered. How it rewards and encourages us to hear such a call from those who once refused the invitations of the gospel! When there is a move among the dry bones, we hope for the best results.
2. From new converts, who in their burning zeal urge on older saints, and thus create joy, and hint a gentle rebuke.
3. From saints bent on mutual edification. "Come, let us." Here are willing brethren calling to others who are equally willing. Would God we had more of this!

Such invitations as these are healthy signs. We should encourage their production by mutual intercourse upon holy things.

Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes, which are in the public domain.

Vintage Jesus

A theological journey chasing Jesus through Scripture and pop culture. Timeless answers to timely questions about the most important man who has ever lived. Find out more.

Paul refers to himself numerous times as worth "imitating" when it comes to spiritual growth and maturity (1 Cor. 4:16, 11:1; Phil. 3:17, 4:19; 1 Thess. 1:6; and 2 Thess. 3:7, 9). What do we see when we look to Paul as an example?

He makes three significant statements about himself throughout his years in ministry that are helpful insights into his view of spiritual growth.

The least of the Apostles

Early in Paul's ministry, during his three missionary journeys, he wrote six major epistles: Galatians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Romans. In one of them, Paul makes a very humble statement about himself—"I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God" (1 Cor. 15:9).

Paul does not put himself on par with the other apostles, as if he were equal to them. Rather, he calls himself "the least of the apostles." That's a decent dose of humility worth noticing.

The least of all the saints

Toward the middle of his ministry, during his first Roman imprisonment, Paul wrote Philippians, Colossian, Philemon, and Ephesians. In Ephesians 3:8, his humility deepens—"I am the very least of all the saints."

Paul goes from "least of the apostles" to "least of all the saints." What's happening here?

The foremost sinner

At the end of his ministry and during his second Roman imprisonment, Paul writes Titus and 1 and 2 Timothy. Early in his first letter to Timothy, Paul writes: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost" (1 Tim 1:15). Some translations say "chief of sinners."

Paul sounds like a spiritual failure, like he is regressing spiritually, not making spiritual progress.

Paul's Trajectory

Do you see the trajectory as Paul matures in faith? This is what happens when you boast in Christ alone. Your weakness becomes more evident. You can't help but make much of Christ and little of self. That is maturity according to Paul—boasting in nothing but Christ's grace and our weakness.

True Spiritual Growth

Paul isn't just using self-deprecating hyperbole as a teaching device. Each of the three statements about himself is surrounded by references to the cross (1 Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 3:7-8; and 1 Tim. 1:15) and grace or mercy (1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 3:2, 7; and 1 Tim. 1:13-14, 16). For him, spiritual growth is realizing how utterly dependent he is on Jesus' cross and mercy, not arriving at some point where he somehow needs the cross and mercy less.

Paul's view of himself diminishes and his dependence on Jesus' cross and grace increases. How do you talk about spiritual maturity? Imitating Paul's example, there should be more talk of the depth and scope of God's mercy, less talk of self-reliance, and an abiding fixation on Jesus' cross that secured God's grace for you.

Pastor Mark

Get the latest content from Mark Driscoll, the preaching pastor at Mars Hill Church. See More.

On March 23 and 24, 2007, Dr. Bruce Ware came to Mars Hill Church in Seattle to speak on issues related to the sovereignty of God. Here is all the media from that event:

Session 1: Uncertain Hands of God and Men: Providence in Process Thought and Open Theism – Bruce Ware

• Video
• Audio
• PDF Handout

Session 2: Independent Hands of God and Men: Providence in Classic Arminianism – Bruce Ware

• Video
• Audio
• PDF Handout

Session 3: Coordinated Hands of God and Men: Providence in the Reformed Tradition – Bruce Ware

• Video
• Audio
• PDF Handout

Dr. Ware is coming to Seattle again this weekend to teach an intensive course on Missional Christology at the Resurgence Training Center. Go to ReTrain.org for more info.

Total Church

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis present a vision for churches centered on gospel community. Find out more.

Grace vs. Sin Series [Part 5 of 5]: Click | View Series

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness (Romans 6:12-13).

The Anti-Gospel

In this series, we’ve explored the anti-gospel and it’s effects: sin that leads to death, religion that leads to bondage, mechanical salvation and zombie culture that result in utter hopelessness. The gospel is that the person and work of Jesus Christ makes us alive. We are dead to sin, united with Christ, living under grace.

The Life of the Living

A member of our church recently tattooed “alive” on her wrist to remind herself of the new life she has in Christ. She wanted a physical, visible reminder of who she is in Christ. Life is active. Our living is a proclamation of the grace given through Christ Jesus. We are obedient because of our freedom from sin and death and our enslavement and union to Christ (vv. 17-18).

Obedience from Promise

Our obedience is a result of the promise: For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14). Because of v. 14 we are able to obey vv.12-13. Resting on the work of grace, we are empowered to not let sin reign and to present ourselves to God as instruments for righteousness.

In conclusion, it’s either obedience to grace or sin, life or death, freedom or bondage, a promise or hopelessness. Praise be to God, who empowers obedience which stems from our identity as recipients of his grace. It’s not who we were or what we’ve done, but who he is and what he’s done that gives us life under grace. And that’s a promise from our gracious God.

Vintage Church

In this book, Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears discuss the essentials of what it means to be a biblical church. Find out more.

Grace vs. Sin Series [Part 4 of 5]: Click | View Series

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

“Go on, or die”

The American South has a dark history in regards to human slavery. However, there are some inspiring pre-abolition stories. Harriet Tubman, an escaped Maryland slave, had a major role in the secretive movement known as the Underground Railroad. Through this network, Tubman and others were able to liberate numerous captive slaves.

It is reported that on one occasion, as a freed group was heading north to secure their freedom, a man began to lose heart and wanted to return to the plantation in re-submission to his captors. Tubman responded by pointing her rifle at the man and stating, “you go on, or die.” She did so both to prevent the man from losing his one shot at freedom and to protect the integrity of the continued mission of liberation. Choosing to return to bondage would essentially be his death and would cause the death of others. Tubman’s identity as a free woman motivated her mission to bring others to this freedom at any cost.

Freedom Is the New Slavery

Paul addresses spiritual slavery and freedom in Romans 6. He makes clear that all are enslaved either to sin or Christ—there is no middle option. Freedom from Christ is enslavement to sin. Freedom from sin is enslavement to Christ. Slaves obey the one they serve, and in turn become more like their master. The ironic twist for Christians is that our freedom is a different form of slavery: union with the Christ who has set us free.

Obedience in Identity

Our obedience stems from our identity. As slaves to sin, we obey sin, which results in impurity and lawlessness (v. 19), unrighteousness (v. 20), shame (v. 21), and death (v. 23). However, our new identity as slaves to God (v. 22) and slaves to righteousness (v. 18) results in obedience, sanctification (v. 19), and eternal life (vv. 22-23).

This is life in the gospel: not that we obey and thus become slaves to Christ, but that we are slaves to Christ and thus we obey. The command to “present yourselves” is obedience empowered by the liberating grace which binds us to Christ.

To be continued.

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Grace vs. Sin Series [Part 2 of 5]: Click | View Series

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

Zombie Culture

Elementary school would have been drastically different for me had it not been for Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Not only was it the most groundbreaking music videos of its time, it was also what introduced me to the concept of zombies. Although numerous books and movies have incorporated zombie culture, my first understanding was that zombies were to dance. In essence, they’re the walking (or dancing) dead. Of course, this is fictitious, for the nature of being dead is that there is absolutely no life at all.

Functional Death

Paul uses the language of “functional” death in Rom. 6:1-2: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” The nature of death is its finality and hopelessness of life again. Those who are living under grace are not to return to the dead state of hopelessness. Playing on this “functional death” imagery, Paul asserts the idea of the living acting like the dead as well as the dead acting like the living.

Dead to sin vs. Dead in sin

Elsewhere, Paul addresses being dead in sin: “You were dead in the trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). But in Rom. 6:1-2 he addresses being dead to sin. Formerly, apart from Christ, we were dead in our sin. But the gospel is that the dead are made alive by grace through the person and work of Christ. It is common to think that the gospel gives license to sin. The Pharisees in Paul’s day actually thought the gospel led people to sin. Paul speaks differently: not that believers are “functionally dead”—dead acting like the living—but we are truly alive in Christ (v. 8). This means we are no longer dead in sin, but dead to sin (v. 11).

Paul teaches in Romans that life in Christ is deadness to sin. Just as the dead cannot act like the living, the living should not act like the dead. As Christians, we live amongst the walking dead. May we not reinforce the hopelessness of death by affirming zombie-like deadness but rather proclaim the gospel through our lives.

To be continued.

Advance 09 Media

Video, audio, and images from the Advance 09 conference in Raleigh-Durham, NC, June 2009. Find out more.

Grace vs. Sin Series [Part 1 of 5]: Click | View Series

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14).

Grace vs. Sin

Grace is one of the most defining words of the Christian faith. It is at the core of the gospel. Grace is “God’s generous initiative and sustaining faithfulness culminating in the powerful, restorative activity of God on behalf of humanity” (New Dictionary of Biblical Theology). Grace, therefore is a character trait of God that is independent of human influence, yet sufficient and effective in transforming those to whom it is displayed. Scripture uses words such as “lovingkindness” and “favor” to describe grace, and the result is the recipient’s ongoing delight in God.

Conversely, sin is characterized by ongoing delight in godlessness or other-godness: delighting in self or various other idolatries. While the Old Testament concept of sin implies “missing God’s standard,” “iniquity,” “guilt,” “wickedness,” “distortion,” “rebellion,” and “emptiness,” the New Testament furthers the idea by using “debt,” “trespass,” “transgression,” and “injustice” (New Dictionary of Biblical Theology). The core of sin is the ongoing state of corruption, brokenness, bondage, and emptiness.

Hopelessness State vs. Empowering Promise

Sin is in essence an ongoing state of corruption and lack of conformity to God’s standard. Sin manifests itself in various ways, both in wicked acts, idolatry, heart attitudes, and ill-motivated “good” deeds, all of which affects the sinner and others, but most of all defying a holy, gracious God. Sin is enslaving. Sin empties sinners of true humanness and their created purpose.

Foretaste of a Future Reality

In Romans, the Apostle Paul addresses the sinful state of mankind and God’s redemption of them by his grace (Rom. 3:24). His grace restores the empty and hopeless sinner in both action and essence. Understanding that Christ’s mission was to deal with sin once for all, Paul gives believers an empowering promise to live under grace: For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace (Rom. 6:14). This is a proclamation of the person and work of Christ and a declaration for those identified in him. The result is participation in the mission of a new life that displays the promise of grace: a present outworking as a foretaste of a future reality.

The person and work of Jesus Christ informs our identity as Christians, the mission of the church, and the future hope of the kingdom. This series will further explore Romans 6 and the concept that living under grace is not a command, but a promise.

To be continued.

Porn Again Christian

Pastor Mark Driscoll's frank discussion on pornography and masturbation is now available from Amazon. Find out more.

Missional Pneumatology Series: Click | View Series

The Holy Spirit Introduces Himself

Acts records an exciting period in the life of the church. It is obvious that Luke saw the Spirit as living and active, as the missional emphasis of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is seen distinctly in Acts. The book is organized by the four major outpourings of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2, 8, 10-11, and 19), in which the Spirit came to people in a spectacular manner. Each of these instances represents the introduction of the Holy Spirit to a different group of people.

In Acts 2, one hundred twenty Jewish believers are filled with the Holy Spirit. In Acts 8, Samaritans—considered by Jews to be racial half-breeds—are filled with the Spirit after they believed the gospel preached by Philip. In Acts 10 and 11, Peter preached to Gentiles, and they believe and are filled with the Spirit. In Acts 19, Paul meets some followers of John the Baptist who didn’t even know what Jesus did and taught. They believe and are filled.

World Wide Mercy

What we see in Acts is the ever-expanding scope of the gospel. There is a wideness to God’s mercy. The Spirit’s ministry is expansive, just as Jesus’ was—including those who previously were excluded. The missional focus of Acts can be pictured by expanding concentric circles—the Holy Spirit brings Jesus’ good news to a small group of disciples, to one hundred twenty Jews, to the Samaritans, to Gentiles, and to the entire world.

He illuminated and inspired the church. What we see in Acts is that Luke is not offering a paradigm for personal or individual experience. Rather, Luke is occupied with accounting for the gospel's missional movement geographically, racially, and theologically.

To Be Continued.

Mars Hill Global

Serving the church and spreading the gospel. Help support this effort by giving to the Global Fund. More info at MarsHillGlobal.com.

Can you imagine preaching week-by-week to several members of the first family? Well, with several immediate family members of newly elected President of South Africa Jacob Zuma attending Godfirst Church in Johannesburg, I now enjoy that deep privilege week by week. But let's back up a bit: some members of Godfirst think Mr. Zuma is "God's man for the job," and others are appalled by his election. Who's right? Well, here's what I said to our church in the wake of his appointment.

Sort It Out, God!

In Acts 1 the disciples asked Jesus if he was finally going to sort out the political scene. You know, throw out the Romans and install a decent Jewish government. He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority." Jesus responded by giving them a comfort and a couple of challenges:

• A comfort: God's got it covered. He reassured them that all political dates and seasons submit to our sovereign God. God is sovereign over the ballot box (Rom. 13:1, Ps. 75:7, Is. 40:23). That should settle your heart whether or not Mr. Zuma or Mr. Obama was your choice.
• Challenge 1: Be content to be clay. Jesus tells them straight up that humans are not privy to the divine program or political seasons. God's job is to know, and yours is to trust. Do you feel a bit snubbed by that? If so, I will let Arthur W. Pink sort you out. He says, "It would be foolish for us to expect that this doctrine will meet with general approval, for the trend of modern theology—if theology it can be called—is ever toward the deification of the creature rather than the glorification of the Creator." (The Sovereignty of God)
• Challenge 2: Keep your eye on the gospel ball. Then Jesus tells them to receive the Holy Spirit and crack on with the primary reason they are on earth—being his witnesses from the neighborhoods to the nations (Acts 1:8). I am good with believers being excellent and salty moms, dads, businesspeople, doctors, and working for godly and effective political change; yes, I am all for that, so long as it all comes a distant second to the gospel mandate. Let's keep our eye on the ball—the gospel ball.

A Book You'll Actually Read

Clear, biblical answers to some of the most common questions. Mark Driscoll boils down the big ideas into little books.