What if I told you there is a secret ingredient to building a disciple-making culture?
To be fair, I don’t think you’ll be surprised. Yet I know from my own life how impossible it is to become this kind of person without the power of the Holy Spirit. Before we unveil the lost mysteries of disciple-making culture (insert laughter), I want to talk about the word culture.
Webster’s Dictionary defines culture as “the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular social group, place, or time.” Another way to say that might be who a certain group of people are and who they are becoming. I tend to prefer the Cambridge Dictionary’s definition: “the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time.”
So when we talk about a disciple-making culture, I’d like to suggest that we’re talking about a way of life centered on making disciples.
Are you ready for the unveiling?
The secret ingredient is love.
Okay, maybe that doesn’t seem earth-shattering, but hang with me.
1 Corinthians 13:4 says that “love does not envy or boast.” Have you ever been at a conference, a pastors’ gathering, or in a small group and noticed envy creeping into your heart? Maybe you’ve heard about how successful someone else’s life or ministry is and found yourself comparing. Or maybe you’ve been telling a story and suddenly realized there was a subtle motivation to impress those around you so they would think more highly of you.
I sure have.
Here’s a tough one. Love “does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.”
I’m just going to leave that one there. Unfortunately, there have been countless times in my life and ministry when I have been okay with something less than love.
Why does this matter when it comes to disciple-making?
As disciples, we are becoming like our Master. We are learning to live His way of life, empowered by the Holy Spirit. As we become more like Jesus, we ought to become more loving as He is loving. I don’t think He wants us to aim at anything less than love.
In the Upper Room, Jesus made it clear what He wanted His disciples to look like and how He wanted them to act; the culture He desired for them. He said, “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34–35
Becoming Jesus’ kind of love is at the center of the bullseye for the journey of becoming like Him and helping others do the same. It is just too easy to let other things become the bullseye. More, faster, better, deeper… Love is the secret ingredient because it is the foundation that Jesus built His disciple-making movement on.
Many wonderful books have been written on being formed into Jesus’ likeness, but for this context I’d like to offer a couple of simple practices I have been participating in.
- Be with Jesus — it’s difficult to become more like Him if we aren’t prioritizing time with Him.
- Ask Him where He is at work as you go throughout the day — I have often been surprised at who He will draw my attention to.
Will you join me in setting your aim at loving like Jesus?