Recently I began to think about what it really means to be a "Disciple". According to W.E. Vines Expository dictionary of New Testament words, the word itself comes from the Greek word Mathetes: a learner (from Manthano, to learn from a root Math-, indicating thought accompanied by endeavour) a disciple was not only a student, but an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher.
I like the end of that definition....."an imitator of their teacher". As children growing up, we all have had someone in our lives that have had some effect on us to the point that we would "imitate" something about them. I was a big sports fan growing up and remember imitating Billy "White shoes" Johnson doing his dance in the end zone after making a long touchdown run. I remember imitating Ervin "Magic" Johnson making his Jr sky hook to beat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Championship. How many young boys did Joe Namath inspire to want to play quarteback in the NFL? We have all had teachers, family members, friends, other people that we admired something about them and have attempted to imitate. As I get older, I look back and find myself "imitating" my parents in some regards saying the same things to my children that my mother often said to me. While we are all unique and individuals, there are some things that are common to our humanity, and imitation of someone, somehow, someway, and at sometime is as much part of our humanity as it is to be born. I recently had a conversation with a friend and we talked about doing certain things because "thats the way we always did them". Some things we imitate for so long we forget where we got the from.
Jesus Christ had a group of 12 close followers that became known as his "disciples". My dictionary app on my Android smartphone (I love technology) defines disciple as one of the 12 personal followers of Christ . He was the teacher, they were the followers.....the imitators. He didnt call them to imitate only some parts of His life and not others. He didnt say "follow me boys while the lights are on, but when they are off, dont do as I do, do as I say". No, Jesus Christ lived his life everyday, teaching his disciples to be imitators of his conduct, character, and conversation. To think like Him, respond like Him, love like Him, give like Him, serve like Him, be like Him. They would fail often, but He would never give up the mission of making disciples. Shaping and molding them into His very own image.
At the end of the book of Matthew, Jesus after He had been crucified, buried, and resurrected, met 11 of his disciples. Chapter 28 verse 18 Jesus said "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. GO therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." The teacher was passing the baton to the students. Graduation time boys, now get out and go to work!
It is the goal of Gadara Ministries to pick up that baton and continue to imitate the Master. The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ", and that is what we intend to do. Gadara Ministries is nothing if not a ministry of discipleship. It will always be the very heart of what we do. We will offer a lot of services to the formerly incarcerated in an attempt to meet their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs with different programs available throughout the community. We do so knowing that God doesnt just redeem the soul, His plan of redemption includes the whole person (Romans 8:23) But above all else, we are not in the need providing business, we are in the disciple making business. We are looking to not make disciples of our own, but those of the highest order, the greatest calling, the order of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So, we are heading our call to the great commission, to go and make disciples of all nations....anyone wanna join us?
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