Making disciples is in many ways like running a relay race. One of the keys to winning a relay race is to pass the baton successfully. If you drop the baton, it is very hard to make up the ground you lose while trying to regroup. The teams that win relays are not only fast, but they also make a smooth transfer of the baton from one runner to the next.
The disciple-making process, like a relay, requires a transfer. When Jesus made his disciples he wanted them to learn to live and lead like he lived and led. Jesus wanted to make disciples by reproducing himself. Over a three-year period of time, Jesus wanted his disciples to catch his character and his conduct. His goal was to reproduce or transfer his life to his followers. Jesus wanted his disciples to reproduce his life in their disciples’ lives. Jesus wanted to start a movement of disciples in every nation that followed his example.
In order for disciple-making in our context today to be reproducible I suggest a few important thoughts.
First, you must keep things simple! Reproducing something over multiple generations is very hard if the concepts being reproduced are complicated. When Jesus modeled his character and conduct to his disciples, it was not complicated. Being more like Jesus might not be easy, but it is not complicated. The power of the Holy Spirit is ultimately what makes becoming like Christ possible.
Second, you must keep it consistent! It’s almost impossible to reproduce concepts that are always changing. Actually, it is impossible. Math concepts can be transferred to multiple generations of students because the principles stay consistent. Math concepts have been the same since math was developed.
Third, you must keep things clear! It is hard to reproduce things when they are unclear. This is similar to the concept of simplicity, but this aspect has more to do with the communication part of transferring concepts. If you can’t clearly communicate concepts, even if they are simple and consistent, it will be hard to reproduce them.
In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul told Timothy, “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” Paul was simply transferring to his disciples what he had learned from Christ. The concepts Timothy was hearing from Paul were no doubt simple, consistent, and clear. This is how Paul knew the baton could be passed to multiple generations.
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