The Matthean account of the Great Commission commands us to make disciples, baptize, and teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded. While you have read on this blog that church planting, as modeled in the Scriptures, is evangelism that results in new churches, I want to begin this six-part series addressing this other aspect of the Great Commission.
I am surprised at the dearth of practical materials available to assist missionaries in the early days of teaching the new believers in post-Christianized contexts (I wonder if this is because many of us plant churches primarily with long-time Kingdom Citizens, rather than with new Kingdom Citizens, just in from the harvest field.). Knowing of this lack, some of you need to develop practical resources for church planters working with new believers in western nations. And once developed, you need to spread the word about their availability.
Portions of the following six-part series are taken from my book Discovering Church Planting. I have adapted this information here to assist you with some practical guidelines in teaching new believers all that our Lord commanded. Consider how these six apply to your context.
Set the Example in Right Belief AND Right Action
Unfortunately, in much of North American Christianity, discipleship is mostly defined in terms of providing new believers with only Bible knowledge. The Scriptures, however, reveal a different picture of the elements involved in discipleship training. Clearly, right doctrine must be communicated, but there is more to the Great Commission than orthodoxy (right belief). Orthopraxy (right practice) is a must.
On numerous occasions, the apostle Paul called the new churches to obedience in Christ. He also pointed to his life (belief and practice) as a model for the new churches to follow. Though the apostle was quick to note he had not obtained his heavenly reward (Philippians 3:12-16) and was still with sin (Romans 7:14-25), he had no problem teaching new believers that they should imitate his ways in both orthodoxy AND orthopraxy:
- “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” (Philippians 3:17, ESV)
- “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1, ESV)
- “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.” (2 Thessalonians 3:6-9, ESV)
Paul also exhorted other church planters who worked with him to establish a healthy example for the new churches in Ephesus and on Crete. He wrote:
- “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12, ESV)
- “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” (Titus 2:7-8, ESV)
Contemporary church planters must make certain they are leading lifestyles that can be reproduced by new believers. Today’s missionaries would do well to remember the example set by the apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, and impart both the gospel AND their very lives to others (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
Questions to consider:
- Are you teaching both right doctrine and right practice? Are you teaching Bible truths and teaching others to obey?
- How much of your “teaching them” is based on imitation?
- Are you able to tell the new believers to imitate you as your imitate Christ? Why or why not?
- Is your “teaching them” primarily a lecture model, imparting knowledge with the expectation that they will follow through and apply it? If so, does this work well in your context? If not, why not?
- In your context, what is the best way to set an example before the new believers?
