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Disciples That Make Make Disciples, Part 4: Disciples BUILD the Local Church

Series Text

Mark 3:13-15 NIV

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.

Series Definition

Disciple: Someone who, by faith, is devoted to knowing, learning of, and obeying Jesus Christ, and imitating Him in word and deed. In the New Testament Church, a disciple (a) enters into a saving relationship with Jesus by faith, (b) knows Jesus by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-18, 25-27), (c) learns of Jesus through the study of Scripture (John 5:39-40), and (d) obeys Jesus by the power of the same Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-24). This entire process is facilitated under the authority of, and with the guidance of leaders and peers within, a local church (Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Timothy 3:14-15; Hebrews 13:7, 17).

The first section (“DISCIPLES ARE”) deals with what disciples are, what God has made them to be. The second section (“DISCIPLES POSSESS”) deals with what disciples acquire in life as they know learn and obey Jesus’ commands. Disciples do not possess these things automatically, but obtain them in the course of time through obedience and discipline. The final section (“DISCIPLES DO”) deals with the work of disciples in co-laboring with Jesus and spreading His kingdom.

Disciples DO…

Build the Local Church… serving in tangible ways, and seeing themselves as members of Christ’s Body (Romans 12:3-8).

  1. Universal Church: All true disciples worldwide united by a common faith and sharing in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:1-5). The “holy Catholic Church” transcends institutions, cultures, denominations or any other label, and cannot be measured by any form of a census, for “the Lord knows who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19; Revelation 7:9-11).
  2. Local Church: Gatherings of disciples in a localized context and governed independently, ideally under a group of elders (Acts 14:26). Local congregations share the faith of the universal church, but are unique in culture, language, and praxis, even having differences of doctrine with regard to peripheral issues. A local church can vary widely in character from one to the next as seen all over the New Testament (Revelation ch’s 2-3).

Disciples build the church by embracing biblical leadership, i.e. elders and deacons serving in the fivefold ministry (1 Timothy 3:1-10; Ephesians 4:11-16).

ANOINTED

Apostle

Prophet

Evangelist

Pastor

Teacher

APPOINTED

Elder: Greek, episkopē (1 Timothy 3:1, overseer) or presbyteros (Acts 14:23, elder) who “manage God’s household” (Titus 1:7) “direct the affairs of the church” (1 Timothy 5:17) “rules over the church (1 Timothy 3:5).

Deacon: Greek, diakonos, a servant or attendant to the elders on behalf of the church.

Operate in the Gifts of the Spirit… living with and expectation of the supernatural power of God (1 Corinthians 12:1-9)

  1. Prophecy (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10)
  2. Serving (Romans 12:7)
  3. Teaching (Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:29; Ephesians 4:12)
  4. Encouragement (Romans 12:8)
  5. Giving (Romans 12:8)
  6. Leadership (Romans 12:8)
  7. Mercy (Romans 12:8)
  8. Message of wisdom (1 Corinthians 12:8)
  9. Message of knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8)
  10. Faith (1 Corinthians 12:9)
  11. Healing (1 Corinthians 12:9, 30)
  12. Miraculous powers (1 Corinthians 12:10, 29)
  13. Distinguishing between spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10)
  14. Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10, 29)
  15. Interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10)

Defend the Faith… against all false teachings and religions (1 Peter 3:15)

Make Disciples…that make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).

I am who God says I am,
I want all that God has for me,
and I can do what God said I can do!