Romans 15
20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”
We have to take note of this very important reminder of Paul when we are preaching the gospel and making disciples – GO where Christ is not yet preached. Discipleship starts with us engaging the lost and not training the found. We will get to the training part but the lost needs to hear the gospel first.
There is an engaging process that happens first as a Christian reaches out to someone who doesn’t know Christ. Discipleship is not just getting a Christian deeper in the gospel, it starts by engaging your community/ friend/ family with the gospel.
Same goes with the church. When we plant a church we need to have the lost in mind and not the Christians. A lot of churches designed their churches to reach the found. The building, music and program was designed for the churched and not the unchurched in mind.
Remember when Jesus commanded the disciples to go and make disciples – the world was not saved. He was telling them to disciple the lost and not the found. Do a check with the groups you are handling today – are you discipling the lost or the found? Is your church designed to reach the lost or the found?
Paul’s ambition was to preach Christ to the people who don’t know him yet. Let us go and do likewise.
I recommend for every leader to read Andy Stanley’s latest book on church growth and leadership Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend
