THE GREAT OMISSION

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28: 18-20)

The following thoughts require the need for a “paradigm funeral” of old school thinking and a renewed mind of defining success the Jesus way. These thoughts are intended to get some conversations going in your part of the world:

1. Jesus defines “success” as the bottom line of whether or not we are making disciples.

2. Discipleship is almost entirely relational in a combination of small group and one on one culture, outside of church meetings, and especially through the influence of healthy conversations from healthy families around the table.

3. Discipleship assumes we are “going into all of our world” (most of what we do outside of church meetings) to make #1 and #2 above happen. That makes “sending capacity” a better benchmark of success than “seating capacity”.

4. The end game of discipleship is for nations to be discipled (Rev. 21:24-27) so the “burning bush vision” for the church is to equip members to make disciples in the places that shape a nations; at work in the major spheres of vocations that shape the culture.

5. We have made discipleship more of a “teaching commission” at the expense of a “training omission” (v.20). Action steps that integrate and align our daily behaviors with kingdom values and Jesus commands is more hitting the mark than “fill-in-the-blank” lectures or sermon series. (Note: It only takes 45 minutes to read the teaching content of Jesus words given us in scripture.)

Recently Bill Hybels of Willow Creek authentically announced that his “seeker-friendly”congregation did not produce transformational change in the lives of its members; meaning they were not discipled. George Barna’s extensive research in the discipleship deficit in the American church brought him to the unfortunate position of an anti “organized church” position. I believe that Lifeforming can offer a way forward in this debate.

I am giving my life to the core value that Transformational Coaching is a key to making more and better disciples in our nations. Here is why:

1. It consistently targets the core factor of making a disciple; hearing God’s voice. Every religion makes disciples but a disciple of Jesus is led by Him personally (not just His principles) and has the “unfair advantage” of knowing that voice (John 10:3) in the unique design that we are created to respond to that voice (Psalm 139: 13-16).

2. It consistently maximizes the core delivery to make a disciple; a non-judgmental relationship with someone who seeks to 100% believe in you as the Father does, 100% work with you in what the Spirit is prioritizing, and 100% enable you to take ownership for your own development and progress.

3. It consistently models the authentic spiritual authority of stewarding transformation to another by first having been transformed ourselves in the same manner (2 Timothy 2:2). UNTIL SPIRITUAL FATHERS AND MOTHERS ARE DISCIPLED THEMSELVES TRANSFORMATIONALY THEY ARE DEPENDENT ON PROGRAMS AND METHODS THAT ARE INFORMATION TRANSACTIONS MORE THAN LIFE TRANSFER.

4. It consistently produces the kind of community that is compelling and engaging of the spiritual hunger in our cultures that are seeking life-giving spiritual relationships when they turn to Christ. Lifeforming’s Transformational coaches know how to catalyze authentic relationships in organizations that shift those cultures to environments that accelerate personal development in the context of the organization’s mission.

Lifeforming Leadership Coaching has a key role to play in restoring the Great Commission in Matthew 28. We are about the Father’s business of making disciples the Jesus way. This is not an option; it is a mandate.

Dr. Joseph Umidi
President, Lifeforming Leadership Coaching
www.lifeformingcoach.com