As a Southern Baptist, it is appropriate that I begin my venture with a look at Matthew 28:16-20. I am convinced that the emphasis of these verses is not so much the evangelism, which is implicit in the passage, but the making of disciples. As Southern Baptists, we are wonderful at evangelism and Baptism, but it seems we have fallen short on discipleship. I recently attended a Vacation Bible School (VBS) training for pastors. The speaker shared Statistics expounding the great effectiveness of VBS in reaching the lost. The statistics are overwhelming. After over twenty years in ministry, however, I wonder if we are not just seeking Baptisms and not disciples. I cannot count the number of times I have spoken with an adult who shared, "I accepted Jesus as my savior when I was a child at children's camp, or VBS, and I was baptized, but I've never really done anything with it since. I haven't been a part of the church since I was bout ... years old." You can put almost any age in, but it seems that we see children come to the Lord without ever leading them beyond the Sunday School stories to actually changing their lives by becoming "disciples of Jesus."
If Jesus final words to His church were to "make disciples," why aren't we looking at the practice of Jesus. Yes, Jesus spoke to large crowds, Jesus went to the public square to evangelize, and Jesus "taught" large groups, but I believe when you characterize Jesus ministry, it undeniably is focused on twelve men and a few women. In His three years of ministry, Jesus prepared men who would change the world. I wonder what would happen if each mature believer sought out 12 new believers, mentored them for three years preparing them to do the same? Life Exponential!