The Pastor’s Job is to Be the Lead Disciplemaker

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I’ve been reflecting on the Great Commission and the priority that Jesus placed on making disciples.

Original photo by Johann Schumacher

Jesus invested the majority of His ministry years in making disciples. That’s what He did.

After His death and resurrection, He commissioned His disciples to go and make disciples.

Every Christian is to carry out the mission of disciplemaking. This is especially true for pastors and elders in local churches. They are to be the lead disciplemakers.

If the pastor and elders aren’t engaged personally in disciplemaking, it’s highly unlikely that the rest of the church members will be personally engaged in disciplemaking.

As I’ve heard it said over and over again, “Speed of the leader, speed of the team.”
Pastors need to be equipping disciplemakers. They need to be raising up disciplemakers. How do they do this? By taking the lead in making disciples who make disciples.

This isn’t something to delegate to others. Pastors can’t say their job is to preach, or think that preaching alone makes disciples.

As I heard Jim Putman say this week, “Jesus didn’t rely on good sermons to make disciples.” And pastors shouldn’t either. They need to be involved in intentional relationship with those whom they disciple.

The pastor has to take the lead because at the end of the day, it’s all about making disciples! That’s what Jesus sent His disciples to do. If the pastor isn’t making disciples, He’s a disobedient pastor.

Yet if the pastor is making disciples, it will impact the entire church! Lives will be changed. And more and more disciples will be making disciples. I think that’s what Jesus had in mind!