What is a Healthy Church?

Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
1 John 2:6

1. A disciple is someone who walks as Jesus walked.  1 John 2:6

This isn’t just following a bunch of rules – although if we are following Jesus we will be following the rules

• There is a changed mind – Romans 12:1-2

• There is a changed heart – Luke 18:9-14, Ezekiel 36:25-27

• There is a changed lifestyle – Matthew 7:24-27

What Would Jesus Do? has become cliché.  If we are following Jesus we will not be constantly asking this question because we will already know what Jesus did in similar situations and we can follow.

Do our lives reflect a change?

Would a stranger know that we are a disciple after knowing us for one day?

 2. “Go and make disciples…”

We think of disciples as holy people who went out and turned the world upside-down for Jesus.  A disciple is much simpler than this.  A disciple is a student.  An apostle is someone who is sent out with a mission.  We are to make disciples.

• To be a disciple, we are to believe who Jesus said He was – John 8:31

• To be a disciple, we are to obey Christ’s commandments – Matthew 28:19-20

• To be a disciple we are to love others – John 13:35

  • What are ways that we can love other Christians?

  • How can we love other non-Christians?

•  To be a disciple we are to help alleviate suffering – Matthew 10:42, 25:34-40

  • We do this by meeting needs

  • Our focus is outward, not inward

What are the needs of those around us?

How does alleviating suffering differ from loving others?

We are told to obey Christ's commands so... - What are Christ’s commandments that we are to obey?

Next lesson covers more of what it means to be a disciple.

Adapted from the Missionary Church’s Healthy Church Initiative   www.mcusa.org

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