destiny by getting in touch with his feelings about the past or and previous experiences are all indicators of their match for
rechannel his energy in the present to create a new and brighter ministry. Believers are most effective when they minister in the
future. He needed transformation.” giftedness they have received from God.
Discipling Empowering
Matthew espouses yet another dimension of the Great Com- Although it is not in one of the four Gospels, Acts 1:8 records
mission—discipleship—in quoting Jesus: Jesus’ parting words as another expression of the Great Commis-
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go sion: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you It is necessary for new believers to receive the baptism in the
always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV). Holy Spirit in order to be empowered for service. Jesus instructed
Many Christians do not understand the biblical concept of His followers to tarry in Jerusalem until they were “endued with
discipleship. Some think of disciple- power” (Luke 24:49). As John
ship as a course of Bible study or a remembers it, Jesus “breathed on
special event. It is neither. True dis- them” and expressed His desire
cipleship is the development of a and expectation that they would
relationship between a follower and be Spirit-filled (John 20:22). On
the One he or she follows. We must the threshold of the Pentecost
remember that converts are not our experience, in Acts 1:8 Jesus
disciples; they are His. Our function repeats His counsel for His follow-
is to help them establish a relation- ers to wait for the promise of the
ship with Jesus. Father and makes it clear that the
Discipleship is the cumulative primary reason for the Spirit’s
effort of many people over an coming was the empowerment for
extended period of time. We must service.
be willing to nurture friendships, When we attempt to minister
demonstrate caring, and be con- within the confines of our own
frontational when it is necessary. ability, we are severely limited.
New converts bring old ways of However, when we minister in the
thinking and acting into their new power of the Spirit, we follow the
life; we must be available to chal- example of Jesus himself and the
lenge their old patterns and coach people of the early church. They
them toward new ones. The Great “turned the world upside down,”
Commission is not being acted out in the words of some of their crit-
until discipleship has a significant ics (Acts 17:6), because they were
place on the local church agenda. endued or clothed with the Spirit.
The primary purpose of Spirit
Equipping
empowerment is that we might
John includes in his Gospel the necessity of equipping peo- reach our world for Christ. Jesus said this outreach will look like con-
ple for the Great Commission: centric circles, beginning in Jerusalem, expanding to Judea, extend-
He [Jesus] showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples ing to Samaria, and finally reaching the farthest places on earth.
were glad when they saw the Lord. Then Jesus said to them again, The Church of God is committed to doing its part to fulfill
“Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John the Great Commission. Therefore, the International Executive
20:20-21, NKJV). Committee has planned two Symposiums on the Great Commis-
To equip means to prepare people for ministry. Paul wrote, sion, convening at the Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta,
“He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some Georgia, September 14-15, and at the Riverside, California, Con-
evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of vention Center, September 17-18. I hope you will plan to partici-
the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body pate in one of these significant gatherings. I am also asking each
of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12, NKJV). Every new convert needs to state/regional overseer to sponsor a symposium during the 2009-
be assisted in identifying a place to serve within the church. A 2010 church year.
believer’s spiritual giftedness, the burden that inspires their heart, Our task is enormous; our challenges significant; but our God
their natural or acquired abilities, their particular personality, is sufficient!
EVANGEL • SEP 2009 7
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