by Ken Adams
It’s been reported that a newspaper posted the question, “What’s wrong with the world?” Theologian G.K. Chesterton responded with the following: “Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours, G.K. Chesterton.”
I believe Chesterton hit the nail on the head, and I also believe that is exactly why Jesus told us to, “make disciples of all nations.” Nothing transforms a person like discipleship and when you change a person, you change the world.
Making disciples of Jesus is the single most effective way to help a person experience transformation. When a person is transformed into the image of Jesus, it changes their character and their conduct. If a planet full of people are becoming more like Christ in who they are and in what they do, it will change the world!
If the problem with the world is “me” (which it is), then I need to become a new “me.” I need to become a new creation in Christ Jesus. Actually, the truth is that I need to die to me and have Christ living through me. Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
A better version of me is not the answer to the world’s problems. The answer to the world’s problems is to get rid of me and allow Christ to live His life through me. I need Christ’s character and His conduct, not a better version of my best self.
The key to changing the world is in dying to yourself. When we are “crucified with Christ” and allow Him to live through us, we become new people and Christ can live His life through us. Being crucified with Christ means dying to yourself. It means putting Christ’s agenda before your own priorities. It means seeking His will rather than your own will. It means wanting what He wants more than wanting what you want.
Imagine a planet full of people who are dead to themselves and alive to Christ. That would be heaven on earth. That would be a wonderful place to live and very different from our current world.
Over two thousand years ago, Jesus took twelve people and called them to be His disciples. In a period of three years, He transformed them into fully trained disciples that looked and acted like Him. Then He sent them out to repeat that same process with others. His goal was to make disciples that had His character and His conduct in every nation. Jesus knew what the problem with the world was and He had a plan to fix it.
Today, the plan for changing the world remains the same as it was two thousand years ago. The answer to the world’s problem is to change it one person at a time. Making disciples that make disciples is the plan to fix the world. The plan will work. The question is, will we work the plan?
Impact Discipleship Ministries is committed to helping people and churches be and build disciples of Jesus Christ. Let us know how we can help you in that process. We offer training, resources, and coaching to help you fulfill Christ’s mission.
The post What’s Wrong with the World? appeared first on Impact Discipleship Ministries.