The Ultimate Test of Spiritual Leadership
Spiritual Leadership: guiding and nurturing others in a way that leads them to a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus.
Throughout this blog series, we’ve established that parents especially have a unique obligation to lead their children spiritually. That’s why it’s important for moms and dads to ensure their priorities of their household are aligned properly, seek God in times of trouble, and pass the faith on to their children.
But spiritual leadership isn’t just a calling for believers who have children. It’s a role all disciples of Christ are called to do.
Marching Orders
The ultimate test of spiritual leadership is the moment when the follower becomes the leader. We find this moment for Jesus’ original twelve disciples in Matthew 28:18-20:
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This passage is called The Great Commission. After Jesus had fulfilled what He’d come to earth to do–die on the cross for our sins and rise again–He gives a final address to His disciples before ascending back to heaven: a simple command for how He wanted them to respond to their time with Him.
We’re a part of the ongoing story of God’s work in the world, so like His original call to “Follow Him” in Matthew 4:18-20 wasn’t only for the original twelve, these words are our marching orders too.
We’re a part of the ongoing story of God’s work in the world.
First, He establishes His authority. He is Lord over heaven and of earth. And as His followers, He’s Lord over us. The word “therefore” in verse 19 signals that what follows is the response to His Lordship over our lives.
Then, He tells us what to do and how to do it: make disciples. In the original Greek, the only verb in the entire Great Commission is the word for “make.” Everything else describes this command.
When and where? “Go” or as some translations put it, “as you go,” + “of all nations” implies we are to make disciples of everyone we meet. Discipleship is meant to be done through personal relationships in our daily lives.
How? By “baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” As we spend more time with Him through His Word, as we learn more about His character and truth, we are to share about Him with others.
And finally, He promised he would be “with them always.” His authority–from which came the power to do miracles like turning water to wine and raising people from the dead–is with us as we make disciples.
Discipleship is meant to be done through personal relationships in our daily lives.
Not only that, but Jesus wasn’t asking them (and by extension, us) to do anything He hadn’t already done Himself. While the gospel accounts record times where He taught to crowds, most of His teaching was to the twelve men He called to personal relationship with Him. As He did life with them, He taught them how life in the kingdom of God should look through His actions and teachings.
How Will They Know if We Don’t Tell Them?
As we continue reading the New Testament, we see these twelve men each go out and, just like Jesus had discipled them, they discipled others. Within a few years Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, new churches sharing His story and teachings were popping up throughout the Roman Empire. Entire communities were transformed because of these men’s discipleship.
The world outside our church and homes is spiritually lost and dying. The problems our society is facing today is because disciples aren’t doing what they’ve been charged by Jesus to do: make disciples. How can we expect our communities to honor God if we’ve not done our duty to teach them what that means and why it’s important?
Here’s another question for you: who are you discipling? With whom are you sharing what you’re learning as you grow in your faith? If you don’t have an answer to these questions, you’re not living out the call Jesus has given you.
As you live your life:
- See yourself as a disciple-maker
- Look for opportunities to disciple those around you
- Always be thinking about multiplication
- Pray for the spread of the gospel through discipleship
This post is inspired by the final message of our “God’s Design: The Family Code” sermon series entitled, “Marching Orders” by Pastor Jody Ray. You can dive deeper into spiritual leadership by using the study guide we’ve produced for this series. Submit your email here to receive a free eBook version to your inbox.