Yesterday, I finished reading the Book of Acts following the NTin30 campaign. And I cannot get enough of it. Let me share some thoughts.
In Acts 2, 3000 people were converted to faith in Christ and numbered with the believers.
Acts 2:42 begins the description of the strategy for discipling this throng of new Christians: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Did you catch it? They devoted themselves. Who devoted themselves? The new believers! Nobody devoted them to the teaching. They had to do it for themselves. The apostles taught with authority, clarity, and consistency. But the burden of discipleship rested primarily on the new believers, not the leaders of the church.
As church leaders, it is our job to create and sustain processes and systems that responsibly enable people to grow in their faith and move to the next level after receiving Christ. But if a new Christian is not willing to devote himself to teaching, community, and service, and growing in big faith, it doesn’t mean we failed in discipling him. It might mean he’s not yet a truly regenerated born again believer after all. He may still be journey towards it.
A new nature produces an insatiable appetite for the things of God. And that’s an appetite only God can create.
Fast growing churches catch a lot of flack for failure to disciple new converts.
But Biblical discipleship isn’t about spoon feeding.
According to Acts 2:42, it’s an all you can eat self-service buffet.
Get your own plate. Refill your own drinks.
Devote yourself!
