7 Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Discipleship

Pitfalls to Keep away from

As you get getting in discipleship and doing religious good to others, contemplate a few pitfalls it is best to keep away from. The next listing isn’t exhaustive, however hopefully it can assist you to strategy the discipling job with knowledge.

1. Don’t Be Possessive

Effectively-meaning folks may be tempted to strategy discipling with an unhealthy possessiveness. I’ve been in ministry circles the place folks name these they put money into “my disciples.” They turn into unusually jealous when others give recommendation to “their disciples.” Let’s not get issues twisted: they don’t seem to be your disciples. They’re Jesus’s disciples. He purchased them along with his blood. He calls you to assist them observe him—and to ask others to do the identical.

Discipling is designed as partnership with God and different believers. Paul reminded the Corinthians, “I planted, Apollos watered, however God gave the expansion. So neither he who vegetation nor he who waters is something, however solely God who provides the expansion” (1 Cor. 3:6–7). Nobody particular person is ample to fully disciple one other particular person. We greatest serve others by pointing them to different trustworthy Christians who can assist them as properly. Don’t make disciples codependent on you and don’t be codependent on them. All discipling ought to foster dependence on Jesus.

2. Don’t Circumvent the Native Church

As a younger believer, I took half in a number of parachurch ministries. I used to be blessed by them, however they usually undervalued the native church. Their emphasis on the common church shortcircuited God’s plan to form and mature believers in native church buildings. Worship conferences, service alternatives, and group fellowship was sometimes segregated from the church.

The normative New Testomony sample for religious development is within the dedicated membership of a neighborhood church below the oversight of godly elders. In that context, disciples are constructed up by folks from all walks and phases of life. Parachurch ministries, although useful, lack the biblical authority and design to assist believers develop greatest. In your zeal to disciple others, just be sure you level them towards the native church, not away from it.

3. Don’t Worry Folks

Proverbs 29:25 warns us,

The worry of man lays a snare,
     however whoever trusts within the Lord is secure.

Worry of man is harmful in each area of life, together with discipling. If you happen to worry folks, you’ll not love them properly. Worry can hinder you from sharing your struggles or weaknesses since you need to impress them. Worry may maintain you from asking penetrating questions or calling out sin. Don’t let worry of others (or worry of dropping what they will do for you) lead you down a path that would hinder somebody’s everlasting future.

Discipling is designed as partnership with God and different believers.

4. Don’t Be Inflexible

Life is messy, so discipling requires flexibility. In case your discipling plan can’t adapt to what’s happening in an individual’s life, chances are you’ll unintentionally undermine the gospel truths you proclaim. I discovered this precept the exhausting method. Early in my stroll with the Lord, I used to be zealous about discipling. I usually met with youthful brothers to review books of the Bible. I used to be so dedicated to my plans that, at instances, I overlooked the folks in entrance of me.

I gained’t neglect the time a younger man sat at my kitchen desk and shared his doubts concerning the Lord and struggles with sin that had been consuming his life. I prayed for him after which as a substitute of detouring from my discipling plan to stroll with him by means of his trial, we pressed on by means of the lesson I had deliberate. My rigidity hindered love and confused him much more about God. It’s good to be targeted, however you need to even be versatile.

5. Don’t Maintain Your self Accountable for the Sins of Others

We’re accountable for how we minister to others, however not how they reply. Folks will sin, even once you warn them to not. Some will fall away regardless of your pleading. Some may betray you, regardless of of your love for them. Jesus had his Judas, Paul his Demas, and you’ll have them too. Don’t enable others’ sins to shackle you with guilt. Their sin isn’t your fault. Ultimately, we’re every accountable for how we reply to God. He alone can bear their sins. You might weep over their sins, however do “not develop weary in doing good” (Gal. 6:9).

6. Don’t Be a Hypocrite

Jesus assured us, “A disciple isn’t above his trainer, however everybody when he’s totally skilled can be like his trainer” (Luke 6:40). He goes on to warn that this form of hypocrisy can be lethal for these skilled by it (Luke 6:41–49). Watch out for being more durable on others than you might be on your self. If you happen to instruct others, ensure you instruct your self in order that God’s title is not going to be blasphemed (Rom. 2:21–24). The most effective methods to fight hypocrisy is by making certain that you simply too are being discipled. We by no means graduate from the should be invested in by different trustworthy believers. The entire pastors I serve with are in some form of mutually edifying relationship with different believers who assist them pursue humility, holiness, and happiness in Christ. Irrespective of your maturity, stay teachable and accountable.

7. Don’t Ignore Your Limitations

John the Baptist was clear along with his followers: “I’m not the Christ” (John 1:20). He knew his limitations. So should we. Our discipling capacity and availability will change all through our lives. In some seasons we’ll be capable to make investments extra effort and time in discipling. Different seasons could be much less lively. We are able to’t be in all places for everybody. As a substitute, we should try to be trustworthy within the work God units earlier than us.

You may’t repair all the things for everybody, and also you shouldn’t strive. Some issues will merely be out of your management. You shouldn’t really feel like it’s important to have all of the solutions. In spite of everything, the perfect discipling includes serving to folks lean on God, who is aware of what we don’t know.¹ So benefit from the liberty that comes with recognizing that God cares for folks in all of the methods we can’t. Recognizing his all-sufficiency gained’t create apathy, it’ll create deep humility as you level others to him.

This text is tailored from How Do I Disciple Others? J. Garrett Kell.

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