What is Christian discipleship, and what are its implications? “The Missed Mission: When the Church Forgets Its True Calling” is a thoughtful and impassioned critique of modern church practices. Comfort Ekundayo urges believers to move beyond surface-level evangelism and focus on authentic discipleship, inviting readers to rediscover the church’s fundamental purpose: guiding souls toward deep, transformative faith. This Christian revival book is a stirring call to reclaim what truly matters in spiritual community.
Discover the Heart of Holiness
A central task of the Great Commission is Christ’s command to disciple believers of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Discipleship is helping others follow Christ by biblical instruction. It means being God’s instrument, seeking to see Christ’s life reproduced—by the Spirit’s power—in another believer.
Let’s look at the truths this passage teaches us about discipleship.
Nurturing Souls: The Power of Discipleship in Ekundayo’s Vision
God has designed Christians to grow through His Word, both preached and modeled. The love, care, and intimacy that parents extend to their children should reflect how we approach those we disciple.
God has designed the growth of other Christians to occur through His Word, both preached and modeled.
If you are a pastor, you are called to equip workers to share ministry. We must care for all believers entrusted to us, regardless of temperament. Non-pastors also have a broader responsibility, investing love, care, and instruction in those God gives us, as we ourselves learned from other faithful disciples (Hebrews 3:12-13).
Rooted in Community: Discipleship and the Local Church in “The Missed Mission”
Our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ is personal, but it is neither private nor individual. My relationship with Christ is both personal and bodily. The idea of a personal relationship with Jesus, divorced from my relationship with His body, does not exist in the New Testament (1 John 4:20). The local church is the place where the genuine fruits of that faith are manifested (or not) (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
Stewardship that Transforms Lives: Lessons from Comfort
“Mine” is the second word. The sheep belong to the Lord, not us. Avoid possessive attitudes in discipleship. We seek not others’ admiration, but their admiration of Christ.
Just as our children copy both our virtues and our flaws when we are raised, the same can happen when we disciple others. Hence, the importance of our discipleship taking place within the context of the body of Christ, and that we not be the only ones imparting instruction. Therein lies the balance in discipleship.
Let us avoid using discipleship for our own benefit. Instead, we seek what is best for our disciples in light of the Word, not what is easiest for ourselves. Show the same devotion, love, and concern as a parent has for their child.
Pastors must watch over those God has entrusted to us: teaching the full counsel of God, modeling Christian life, and offering private counsel when needed.
Reflect on these application questions:
Do you see your responsibility to the entire body? Are you closely discipling others so that one day they can lighten your load? Are you praying and working toward having more pastors in your church to help you with the enormous task God has entrusted to you?
The work of caring for souls is for all members of the body, who must also do their part in discipling others.
Christian, do you see your duty to be discipled and disciple others in the church? Who are you discipling? Are you learning from those ahead of you in faith?
Discipleship can be as simple as meeting with church members to discuss a book that emphasizes biblical truths for growth.
No Shortcuts: The Labour of Love in Discipleship
Discipleship is not passive or automatic. God is the one who produces growth and change in the human heart, but He does so through the means He Himself has ordained.
It is an image that conveys the pain and effort of a mother (Galatians 4:19). The phrase “birth pains” translates a single Greek word meaning “to suffer terribly.” But all this effort has a precious goal, and this brings us to the final point.
Christ at the Centre: The Ultimate Goal
The goal of discipleship is that Christ be formed in others. Simply put: discipleship aims for deep internal transformation, not just external behavior or knowledge.
The ultimate goal of every Christian is that the life of Christ be reproduced in their own life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The goal of discipleship is not simply for believers to have more knowledge, serve in certain positions, possess certain skills, or study at a seminary. This is not to say that all these things are unimportant, but rather that they do not constitute the ultimate goal. All these things can be important in reaching the goal. But we must always keep in mind that the ultimate goal of discipleship is that the person of the crucified and risen Christ be formed in us as revealed in the Scriptures. In short, the knowledge and skills acquired serve the larger purpose of becoming Christlike.
The goal of spiritual nurturing is to lead believers toward Christian maturity as defined by the Bible. All the particular responsibility that the Lord gives us for other lives is to lead them to maturity through the means He has appointed. The public and private ministry of the Word of God is for this purpose. Private and public prayer is for this purpose.
Comfort concludes with some application questions:
- Are you concerned about the spiritual well-being of others in your local church?
- Are you passionate about discipling others?
- Are you committed to asking the Lord and pursuing spiritual children?
- Do you feel the weight of the responsibility of caring for the sheep?
- Are you striving, in God’s grace, to make disciples, starting in your own home?
- Are you discipling in connection with and under the guidance of your church?
All of this is worthwhile because it honors God. The key takeaway: making and becoming disciples glorifies God and is the highest calling for every believer. May the Lord give us His passion to be and make disciples! May the Lord help us to be instruments in His hands so that Christ may be formed in others! There is no greater goal!
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