{"id":13496,"date":"2025-02-28T11:37:08","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T17:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.navpress.com\/sites\/thedisciplemaker\/?p=13496"},"modified":"2025-03-10T09:54:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T14:54:46","slug":"what-is-the-one-thing-necessary-for-raising-disciples-of-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.navpress.com\/sites\/thedisciplemaker\/2025\/02\/what-is-the-one-thing-necessary-for-raising-disciples-of-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the One Thing Necessary for Raising Disciples of Jesus?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When I was a child, a couple of times a year, my family would journey from our home in central Illinois to visit my grandmother in southern Minnesota. Because we traveled that path so frequently, I knew the six-hour route very well. I knew when we would cross the Mississippi River and pass the Quaker Oats sign\u2014which was important when you were searching for that illusive Q in the alphabet game. I knew how many hours in the car were left when we passed through certain towns or that our trip would be extended when we turned down a road that led to my aunt and uncle\u2019s farm. Even today, I can point out the location where our family van exceeded the speed limit early one Thanksgiving morning, and my dad received his first traffic ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During those trips I learned how to read a state road map. I still carry an old-school atlas with me in the car, just in case. But today we can open an app on our phones or on the car dashboard to provide us with cues for our travels. The GPS tells us when to exit, merge with traffic, and change lanes. It can provide alternate routes based on traffic, suggest the closest coffee shop, or exclaim \u201cRecalculating route!\u201d when you miss your turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what\u2019s the one thing necessary for a GPS system to function as it has been designed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to raising disciples, we should set our eyes on the destination.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe that one of the reasons parents and caregivers struggle to disciple children well is that we haven\u2019t clearly identified the destination for their discipleship and the directions that guide them toward that goal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How would you describe a child who is entering adolescence as an active disciple? Would you choose words that describe their character: loving, joyful, obedient, self-controlled?<\/em> Or would you choose words that describe behaviors: reads the Bible daily, asks spiritual questions, worships God?<\/em> Perhaps you would choose words that describe their depth of knowledge and understanding about God and His Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public and private education systems have stated objectives when it comes to student expectations. Lists of student learning outcomes articulate the goals for students at the conclusion of each grade level. Each child is unique and develops at their own rate, so there are those who will exceed the expectations and others who will struggle. But teachers begin each year knowing the goals and guiding students along the path toward achievement. Like a GPS, they might have to find alternate paths for some or help others get turned back around, but with a clear goal and markers on the way, teachers are able to guide their young disciples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is what we\u2019ve been missing in our homes and churches\u2014a discipleship map that states the goal for raising disciples and provides directions toward that goal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some Christian traditions, the goal for children has been a public confession of Christ; in others, submission through the act of baptism. In yet other traditions, it has been completion of confirmation classes. Regardless of our tradition, our goal for raising disciples should be the same as the goal for all disciples: to become more and more like Christ every day.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For three years, Jesus taught the crowds, His enemies, and political leaders, but most often, He was teaching twelve ordinary men from various backgrounds, vocations, and experiences. When He chose the Twelve, He had a goal in mind.<\/strong> Jesus knew that at the conclusion of His earthly ministry He would redeem the world through His death, return to God the Father, and equip His followers with the Holy Spirit to disciple others. He needed a core group of leaders who would follow Him daily (Luke 9:23), continuing His mission \u201cto seek and to save the lost\u201d (Luke 19:10) and to \u201cmake disciples of all nations\u201d (Matthew 28:19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Jesus prepared to leave the Twelve to continue His mission, He met with them to give them some final encouragements and admonitions. Woven through Jesus\u2019 conversation in the upper room (John 13\u201317), we find descriptions of what it means to become like Christ:<\/p>\n\n\n\n