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Prince Guneratnam

Making disciples is not just leading someone to say the sinner’s prayer. Evangelism is more than leading someone to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is to disciple the believer to walk by faith and be led by the Holy Spirit. The work of the church is to do evangelism and be missionaries.

The making of a disciple is the mandate of the Great Commission. Jesus said: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20, NKJV).

We who go, must go as God’s anointed witnesses and make disciples. This is the kind of discipleship the church needs, to be anointed witnesses making disciples. Wherever God has placed you, be an anointed witness.

Your dependence is on the Holy Spirit, not your eloquence, charisma and communication skills, as helpful as these skills and talents may be. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is for the church to do the work of evangelism and missions. Jesus said: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

You are to share the gospel …

  • Not what you think.
  • Not what you believe to be true.
  • Not your experiences.
  • Not your visions or dreams.
  • Not what you have heard or read.

Preach the gospel. The gospel is the power of God to salvation for the world.

It is like the slave girl who led Naaman to find the man of God (Elijah) to receive healing from leprosy. The little girl said simply: “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:3). This is sharing the Good News.

It is like Elijah, who told the widow at Zarephath: “For thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days” (1 Kings 17:14-15). Believe the Word of God with faith by God’s grace, and you will have everlasting life.

It is like the four lepers who went to tell the king’s household some good news. When they stumbled upon the spoils of war of the Assyrian army who hastily fled their camp, they were challenged to share this good news with the king. The Bible says: “Then they said to one another, ‘We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household'” (2 Kings 7:9).

This is akin to us in the church. How can we attend church services Sunday after Sunday and be blessed, but keep the Good News to ourselves? Sharing the gospel may come with challenges; you may even be ridiculed or shunned. That is why God has anointed us—to be witnesses.

Prayer Points

  • Pray for God to anoint our eyes so we may see the lost and reach out to them.
  • Pray for the church to equip believers on the empowerment by the Holy Spirit to go and make disciples.
  • Pray to the Lord of the harvest that laborers be sent to bring in the plentiful harvest.

Share your thoughts. See comments below, and add your own.

is the senior pastor of Calvary Church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and serves as chairman of Pentecostal World Fellowship.
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