By Karen Y. Stevens

 

I like the food channel.  

They run a 30-second spot called “You’re eating it wrong.”  They show you how to eat something in a different way so it will taste better, like a bowl of cereal.  You should pour the milk in one spot, that way you get crunchy on top and soft on the bottom which makes the texture great, therefore making the bowl of cereal more enjoyable.  

The reason I mention this is because I was reading where Paul states in vs. 6 to the church of Colossians, that “All over the world the gospel is bearing fruit and growing since the day you heard it…”  

When I read that, the thought, “hasn’t everyone in the US heard the gospel?”  

Seventy-five percent of Americans claim to be a Christian today.  In 1990, 85% claimed to be Christians, but the number has declined.  I thought about the people who have heard the gospel but have never had the opportunity to ask Jesus to be their Savior.  Which based on the above figures, might be 15%. But what are the odds this 15%, have not heard of Jesus?

Anyway, my thought process in all this is maybe we are doing it wrong.  Maybe we need to focus more on discipleship since the numbers of Christianity are down 15%, and still declining.  

Do you focus on discipleship?  I started the Orange County Christian Writers Guild, and write this article with that reason in mind.  Do you teach a Bible study? Do you sit and listen to a friend and offer them Godly advise? Do you think of ways you can help someone mature in Christ?  Or, are you of the mindset to go to Bible studies to better yourself, and only for yourself, so you will be a better person?

Which being a better person is a great thing, but it can’t be just about us becoming better.  It needs to be that we will be better disciples, so we can disciple others.

When we get a new job, we sit and listen to someone, or figure out what it takes to accomplish that job.  We learn we train, and we execute. We should look at discipleship in the same way.

We need to learn the Bible thru our Pastors teaching, reading God’s word, etc.  Then we need to get a mentor, if possible. Ask them questions on how they disciple or go spend a day with them, while they are doing discipleship work.  Then we need to step up to the plate on our own.

You can’t just leave your discipleship in the fate of the day; hoping you’ll run into someone that needs you.  Jesus told His disciples that this is a proactive job. We see this in 1 Corinthians 9 24-25. Paraphrasing: “Go into strict training.  Run the race. Run to win the prize.”

Athletes plan how they will train, what they will eat, etc.  

Do the same for your discipleship, and know that your “eating it”, or doing it right.  

Karen Y. Stevens is the founder of Orange County Christian Writers Guild