Jenn's Jots -Believer, Follower, Disciple Maker

A turning point came for me one morning over coffee with my mentor. I had been growing in my relationship with Jesus, but honestly, very little fruit was showing in my life.  She looked at me and said something that stopped me in my tracks!  “There’s a difference between being a believer and being a follower.”

Her words convicted me deeply. In that moment, I knew God was calling me to a new level of surrender.

As a “believer,” I saw Jesus as my Savior.  I embraced my new life in Christ, and I loved verses like 2nd Corinthians 5:17….” If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone; the new has come.”  But my mentor reminded me that becoming a follower means more than simply believing. It means living under Jesus’ Lordship.

The Holy Spirit pierced my heart when I thought about how I was really spending my time.  I had to ask myself….

* Do I simply acknowledge Jesus as my Savior, or is my whole life aligned with Him?

* Have I accepted Him intellectually but avoided real sacrifice and obedience?

* Does my faith shape my daily choices or does my church attendance and giving feel like a shallow commitment?

Scripture is clear: James 2:19 says, “Even the demons believe and shudder.” Belief is not enough. In John 10:27 Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Becoming a disciple maker has shifted everything for me.  When I read Matthew 28:18-20, I see not just a command, but a calling for every Christian! One morning as I prayed through those verses, I personalized them…hearing Jesus say:

“My Father has given me all authority in heaven and on earth.  Now, go and make disciples wherever you are.  Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

That changed how I view my purpose.

So let me leave you with this…Where are you right now? A believer? A follower? Or a disciple maker? And how might seeing yourself as a disciple maker change the way you love and invest in your family and friends?