於2014-12-22發佈

大使命49

從信徒到門徒

新約聖經中,在基督裡成熟有幾個步驟,雖然聖經沒有明確提到這些,但基本步驟如下:

1) 信主
2) 門徒
3) 僕人
4) 朋友
5) 兒子

大使命不單是帶人信主,而是要帶出門徒。傳福音者強調帶人信主,那是他們的工作,多數帶信主的人因為沒有跟進而停留在第一階段。新約事奉是我們在以弗所書四章所看到的團隊事奉。在使徒行傳中,當傳福音的腓利在撒瑪利亞點燃復興的火,使徒們便被差派到那裡,好在新信徒生命中立下堅固根基─帶領他們成為門徒。

大多數我所認識的傳福音者都尋求擁有如此的跟進,但基督肢體多半都回應太慢。甚至連那些稱自己為使徒的人,都跟不上神的腳步來建造他們,遠不及我們在新約聖經中看見使徒所做的。說實在話,今日大多數稱為使徒的人比較像在建造加盟店,而不是在建造教會。即便如此,當真實使徒職分被興起時,我們可以期待此將要改變,從聖經上我們也可以確定這點。

要完成大使命,我們必須讓信徒成為主的門徒,而不是像一些門訓課程所做的,成為我們自己的門徒。此愚笨的門訓版本無疑將引致濫用與越權,這和一個人想要成為其他人的聖靈沒什麼兩樣,這是一個沒有人可以背負的重軛,最終必帶來扭曲。所有的初信者需要以弗所書四章告訴我們的使徒、先知、傳福音的、牧師和教師的服事,才能被裝備與長大成熟,但此服事是為要凡事長進連於基督,而不是連於我們自己。

一個門徒活著就是要向他們的夫子學習,變得和夫子一樣,並做祂曾做過的事。當我們的心醒悟過來,為此擺上,每天尋求更多認識祂,更多變得向祂一樣,我們將會開始活出一個門徒的生命。坦白說,目前只有很小群的信徒稱得上是門徒。要完成大使命,教會的裝備課程必須幫助所有的信徒成為門徒。

當初信者被帶領進入他們成為門徒的呼召,他們開始有步驟的在基督裡長大成熟,藉由心意更新而變化,學習認得祂的聲音,跟隨祂並做祂曾做過的事,以便成為祂的身體。

在這方面我們還有更多需要瞭解的事,我們將在未來幾週更深入談到。

 (摘自喬納 word for the week, Week49, 2014)

 

From Converts to Disciples - The Great Commission, Part 49
Week 49, 2014
Rick Joyner

In the New Testament, there are several progressions toward maturity in Christ. Though it is not stated specifically as such, the most basic would be:

1) Converts
2) Disciples
3) Servants
4) Friends
5) Sons

The Great Commission is to make disciples, not merely converts. With the evangelists’ emphasis on making converts, which is their job, many, and possibly most, converts have stayed at this level because of a lack of follow up. New Testament ministry is a team as seen in Ephesians 4. In the Book of Acts, when an evangelist like Philip ignited the revival in Samaria, apostles would be sent to lay a strong foundation in the new believers’ lives—making them disciples.

Most of the great evangelists that I know seek to have this kind of follow up to their campaigns, but for most, the body of Christ has been slow to respond. Even those who call themselves apostles have rarely followed up great moves of God to establish them, as we see the apostles of the New Testament doing. In truth, much of what is called apostolic today is more about building franchises than building the church. Even so, we can expect this to change when true apostolic ministry is raised up, and we can be sure from Scripture that it will.

To fulfill the Great Commission, we must make converts into disciples of the Lord, not our disciples, as some discipleship programs have done. This dumbed down version of discipleship will inherently lead to abuses and excesses. This is nothing less than men trying to be the Holy Spirit to other men, a yoke that no one can carry without becoming twisted. All converts will need the ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to be equipped and mature as we are told in Ephesians 4, but this ministry is so that they grow up in all things into Christ, not us.

A disciple lives to learn from their Master and be like their Master, doing the works that He did. When we wake up with this devotion on our hearts, seeking to know Him better and becoming more like Him each day, we will begin to live the life of a disciple. In truth, there is presently only a small percentage of converts who are yet disciples. To fulfill The Great Commission, the equipping ministries of the church must help all converts to get there.

When new converts are led to their calling as disciples, they begin their systematic maturity in Christ by the renewing of their minds, learning to know His voice, and following Him so as to be His body through which He does His works.

There is more we must understand about this that we will cover in more depth over the next few weeks.