Last week, I was fortunate enough to get a few days in Dallas, both for an Acts 29 conference and a coaching cohort I'm a part of with some pretty astounding men; both were incredibly refreshing and encouraging. For my wiring, when I'm able to step out of my context for a brief moment and collaborate, not only are my mind wheels turning, but my thinking is much more clear.

This season, in a word, has been intense. In a later post, I'll be sharing all that's been going on and why everything took off at 200mph. But until then, I simply wish to share an on-going conviction. Apart from preaching and teaching the word of God, my passions are to make disciples, develop leaders, and plant churches--all things that help to expand the Kingdom of God; not my own. What I'm most convicted and convinced by is that the primary way for the kingdom to be expanded is by making disciples that make disciples; multiplication.

When we look at the great commission, Jesus said to "Go, therefore, and make disciples..." and at some point, the church cultivated a culture of the great commission being a building that says, "we've built this, therefore they will come..." Those are two incredibly different points of view on how to make disciples. For Jesus, the content and process of making disciples was immersing Himself into his culture and the people; sharing life with them; teaching them along the way. For many churches, the content and process of making disciples has become institutionalized through programs and really good music.

When we commit to making disciples who make disciples, we not only participate in the great commission, but the kingdom is expanded where more and more come to hear and know the person and work of Jesus Christ. And before I continue, let me say this: nothing is wrong with great church programs or really good music, but that's not the priority of the church--it's to make disciples through cultural renewal (1 Peter 2:9-11) and missional engagement (John 1:14). While a church can have several marks that constitute it as a healthy church, I would first argue to say that if a church (the people) are not making disciples then they are not a church to begin with.

We, the church, have been chosen by God to reveal his manifold wisdom; as a watching world looks in, they should be able to see glimpses of the Kingdom; existing to be a church that shows the beauty and glory of Jesus to the heart of our cities.

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