DISCIPLE OR LEADER

Disciple making is the buzz in most churches that I have consulted.  Recently I heard Larry Osborne shed some simple light on the whole matter of what a disciple is.  Since I wholeheartedly agree with him I want to pass what he shared along to you.  

The simple and Biblical definition of a disciple is to be a follower of Christ.  Unfortunately the church has confused a follower with a leader.  We have defined a disciple to be someone who is totally sold out to Christ who will be actively leading others and/or multiplying themselves.  However there are many followers of Christ who wouldn't measure up to these qualifications.  There are some followers who may be at the head of the line and there may be some who are at the end of the line.  Nevertheless they are followers.  Certainly some followers will excel at leading but we must not expect all followers to be leadership material. We shouldn't make people into second class citizens in the kingdom just because they aren't in full time ministry, leading a Bible study, or measuring up to other behavioral qualifications we put on mature Christianity.

The Great Commission commands the  church to make disciples and teach followers to obey all that He has commanded them to do.  So every disciple, as a follower, should be on a journey to learn and obey.
That simply is what qualifies a disciple nothing more and nothing less.  Every journey looks different with its own highs and lows.

As long as the church is teaching those in their care to obey, perhaps we are doing a better job of making disciples then we think we are?