Jesus’ earthly ministry maintained a single purpose and a dominant strategy. His purpose was to glorify the Father by establishing and expanding His kingdom. His method was to make disciples by investing in men who would join this kingdom and live radically committed to continuing its expansion. Following this example, Christian ministry operates along complementary, intertwined themes: worship and discipleship. Last time I focused on the first of these themes and this time I’ll focus on the second.

Some contemporary explanations of church ministry include discipleship as one of four or five aspects. However, setting discipleship beside service and evangelism misunderstands this term altogether. More than just one of many emphases for ministry, disciple-making is the single focus of ministry in the New Testament.

Near the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He called twelve men to follow Him. These men, commonly known as the disciples, walked with and learned from Jesus. He clarified and extended the call to countless others during his brief earthly ministry, but his focus would never shift elsewhere. Jesus never shifted from making disciples (or life-long followers) out of this small group of men.

In fact, a more accurate understanding of the New Testament realizes that teaching about subjects like Christian service and evangelism is a facet of discipleship. In other words, for a believer to learn how to use his gifts to edify the Church was part of developing as a disciple, not a separate category of his development. All New Testament exhortations are – in one way or another – for disciple-making

Jesus’ final commission to His closest disciples highlights this primary thrust for ministry.

But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20

Before examining the commission itself, notice the role of worship in this event. When Jesus’ closest disciples saw Him, they worshiped. Finally seeing Jesus in full deity, their reaction fulfilled His single purpose: they worshipped God.

On this foundation of placing ultimate value on God (as manifested in Jesus), the disciples learn their dominant strategy for all future ministry: to make disciples. Much can be written about this pregnant text, but the clear command from Jesus is a call to continue the ministry He started in them. He exhorts them to do what He had done with them.

Therefore, Christian ministry must be patterned after Jesus’ earthly ministry by pointing people to value God supremely and to follow Jesus absolutely. Ministry – and by ministry I mean everything from preaching to ministry coordination to outreach to administration to staff leadership to community involvement to small group Bible studies to pastoral counseling – must lead people to exalt God and follow Jesus.