Colossians 1
What was the goal of the apostle Paul, the passion that got him out of bed in the morning, that caused his heart to beat faster? Colossians 1:28 states his goal as, "to present everyone perfect in Christ." The word perfect doesn't mean flawless - it means mature or complete. The goal is spiritually maturity through discipleship.
Pastor A.W. Tozar was "spot on" when he diagnosed the problem of the Western church when he said, "the problem is that everything is made of the act of accepting Christ, then there is no more seeking." Our goal is not to make converts but disciples.
In a nationwide survey, George Barna asked thousands of Americans, 40% of which were Christians, what their goal in life was. Not one ( including pastors and hundreds of people who regularly attended church) said their goal was to make disciples. The result is that Christianity in the West is declining about 2 percent each year.
I would be in despair about this statistic but for the fact that Jesus said He was building His church. Paul was "all in" in his commitment to join Jesus in this mission.
"To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me." Colossians 1:29. Notice he says, "His energy." I thought Paul would say "my" energy. The energy for his great mission is supplied by Jesus Himself. This perfect blending of divine power and human effort is the key to victory. Remember it is called the great Co-Mission; our mission is to make disciples of all nations and to do this in His energy. So, who are you discipling this week?
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