Only Disciples Make Disciples

​​by Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal

I am astonished by the extensive collection of books, blogs, seminars, and sermons on the topic of discipleship. Simply googling the word alone produces over 20,000,000 results in various forms and formats. Although there are countless resources regarding Jesus’ call for every believer to “go and make disciples”, there is a staggering misconception that discipleship is “someone else’s ministry”. The common perception is that the honor/duty belongs to the pastors and bible scholars, or to the church and the Christian school. After all, they possess the time, research-based curriculum, quality programs (and besides being their mission, it’s their job).

The best churches, schools, and programs don’t make disciples, nor do classes with perfectly crafted, age-appropriate curriculum.  Only disciples make disciples.  By design, Jesus created discipleship to be a relational, life-long process, passed down from generation to generation.  Yet in many families, as was in my own family history, there have been generational gaps where individual-centered success models replaced Christ-centered discipleship.  I can attest to the devastation that gap produces.

Praise be that we know the one true God who restores what has been lost or stolen!  The Bible promises this: that he “has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3.  It has been suggested that we all need a proverbial “Paul”, “Barnabus”, and “Timothy” in our discipleship journey.  Someone who is building into our life (and at times, holding us accountable), someone who is encouraging us in the faith, and someone we are sharing the wisdom, knowledge, and joy we have experienced as a result of our own discipleship.  

God is at work in and through our Crosshill community, where generations of disciples are speaking life and equipping the next generation to love, serve, and represent Jesus in this fallen world.  We are so much more than a group of families sharing life together: we are disciples making disciples.

“From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.” Ephesians 4:16 (CSB)
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– Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal