A number of years ago our family was vacationing in West Virginia. On a Sunday evening we, and the people we were visiting, entered a small country church for evening services. As services began the music leader said that he remembered the day that he was saved (pronounced save-ed), some thirty years prior, like it was only yesterday. I later mentioned the speaker’s zeal to the people we were visiting and got a response similar to this, “It is too bad that he hasn’t moved forward and grown since that day.”
This reminds me of something another friend once said to me. He said that there are only three things that a Christian is to do. The first is to make disciples and the second is to help the new disciple to grow in faith and knowledge. The third and final thing a Christian is to do is send the prepared, mature disciple out to make more disciples.
Far too many churches concentrate on the first step, making disciples, and fail to mentor new Christians. New disciples need patient guidance and instruction if they are to grow in their faith.
Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20 read as this, “19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Jesus himself instructed Christians to teach new Christians to obey his instructions. If we fail to teach new Christians then we are failing to fulfill His great commission. We, as disciples of Christ, are to help others to experience God, grow in faith and to serve others.