This process of hands on teaching or making disciples has been replaced by a form of religion where believers gather together once or twice a week for about an hour and listen to good uplifting music and good teaching designed to inspire and motivate and if possible within that one hour time frame help people to live a better Christian life.

As far as that goes, there is nothing wrong with that type of meeting. In fact, Jesus himself would allow large crowds to gather and address them with life giving teachings in the same manner. However, we can not overlook the disciples and the work that they accomplished on the earth. You might say they were God’s chosen 12, and you would be correct. But there were many others after the original twelve that would allow themselves to be discipled. Many met in homes, spending time with men and women of God more mature in the Lord than themselves, so that they might be more useful to God and affect the lives of more people and in a more effective way.

It was while they were meeting in these small groups that they were receiving the same kind of teaching that Jesus had provided for the original 12. They were able to be mentored, ask questions, step out in faith and learn how to be used in the spiritual gifts, something impossible to do in a large group setting. This type of learning brings believers to maturity in the shortest possible time and helps them to more accurately learn the things of God because someone is right there next to them to mentor them.

God’s command to the believers was to go into the world and make disciples. One Bible dictionary’s definition of a disciple is a “scholarly learner” in other words, a student who is studying as if to receive a degree in advanced studies at a university. A disciple then would put all other interests aside to pursue his goal of excelling at his education with the purpose of attaining the degree recognizing his accomplishment.

How many believers are truly seeking after maturity with that same mind set? How many churches are establishing that priority as one to be pursued? And how many opportunities to be discipled are available to those pursuing the goal of spiritual maturity in Jesus?

Scripture tells us that we can know who is mature in Jesus by their fruits. The greatest of these fruits is love. If we see a believer who is growing in love then we see a believer who is a true disciple.

Jesus also spoke of signs that should follow believers. In Mark 16, they would cast out demons and lay hands on the sick and recover.

Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead and performed so many miracles the Bible says, that all the books on the earth could not record them. Yet he said of the believers yet to come, “these works and greater works shall they do”. Why shouldn’t these works be done through me, and YOU.

Here a Victory fellowship, we will always have an opportunity for those who want to grow to maturity in the Lord, to be discipled in a very real and effective way. Do not miss out on this opportunity.