What did Paul and his team do to make disciples in the places they had been sent to by the Holy Spirit?
Throughout this article I’m going to dive into how Paul and team made disciples in three distinct places; Thessalonica, Philippi and Corinth…
We will specifically draw out what the traveling team/foundation layers did, and what the new disciples/new churches did as a result
Hopefully this will lead us to asking the question;
How are we making disciples in the places and amongst the people we’ve been sent to by Jesus…
MAKING DISCIPLES IN THE CITY OF THESSALONICA
A. What the apostle Paul and His Team did…
When they visited Thessalonica to begin their work, their visit was not a failure but a success. Why?
Paul and team brought them the Good News, not only in words but also with power
The team showed the new disciples their concern for them from the way they lived when they were with them…
For example Paul reminds the new disciples that;
“We were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery…
Never once did we try to win you with flattery, […] and God is out witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else…”
They loved them so much they shared with them not only God’s Good News but their lives too
The team were devout, honest and faultless towards all the new disciples; treating each of them as a father treats their own children. Pleading with them, encouraging them and urging them to live their lives in a way that God would consider worthy
In the very early days, they instructed the new disciples regarding the resurrection of the dead and told them about Christ their Lord’s Second Coming
Paul and team had to leave Thessalonica and the new disciples/church behind due to persecution so they sent back Timothy, one of the team members, to strengthen them in their faith and to keep them from being shaken by the troubles they were going through
They made sure the new disciples knew that they would face persecution
Being away from them for some time…Paul and team decide to write back to the new disciples in their letters (entitled 1 and 2 Thessalonians in our bibles) , saying…
They view the new disciples and church as their pride and joy; their reward and crown as they stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns
Since making these disciples, Paul always thanks God for them and prays for them constantly…night and day the team pray earnestly for them, asking God to let them see them again to fill the gaps in their faith
The team urged the new disciples in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, just as they had taught them face-to-face
They instructed them to live a quiet life, minding their own business and working with their own hands and to live at peace with each other
They also instructed them to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in every circumstance
They exhort them to honor those who are their leaders in the Lord’s work…(so new leaders must have emerged in their context)
And finally they encouraged them to stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching Paul and the team had passed onto them both in person and by letter
B. What the New Disciples did as a result…
And what did the new disciples do in response to this input from Paul and his team?
The new disciples engaged in faithful work, loving deeds and had an enduring hope because of Jesus Christ (see HERE)
The Holy Spirit gave them full assurance that what Paul and team said was true
As a result, they became an example to all the believers in Greece…
The team don’t need to tell others about it, for everyone they meet keep talking about the wonderful welcome they gave the team and how the new disciples turned away from idols to serve the living and true God
They speak also about how these disciples are looking forward to the coming of God’s son from heaven- Jesus- whom God raised from the dead!
They remember the teams visit with great joy and want to see them again
They remain strong in their faith…standing firm in the Lord
They live in a way that pleases God, just as the team taught them
God himself has taught them how to love one another and they already show their love for all the disciples throughout Macedonia (Northern Greece)
Are we both sharing the gospel and our lives with the disciples we are making?
MAKING DISCIPLES IN THE CITY OF PHILIPPI
A. What the apostle Paul and His Team did…
Paul and team visited Philippi after receiving a heavenly vision of a ‘Macedonian Man’ (native) calling the team over to help them.
The team started by going to a river where women were praying and shared the gospel. Lydia, a business woman, opened her heart to receive their message and her and her household were baptised. She then invited them to stay at her house.
Paul and team continued to share the gospel, this landed them in prison. Whilst there, they led the prison officer and his whole household to Jesus and baptised them all there and then.
The church then all met together at Lydia’s house…(see Acts 16)
After leaving Philippi, later Paul writes back to the church in Philippi and addresses the people and the church leaders and deacons who have emerged in the process
Everytime Paul thinks about the disciples/church in Philippi he gives thanks to God. Whenever he prays he makes requests for them all with joy
Paul encourages them to pray also for him
Paul says to them;
B. What the New Disciples did as a result…
The disciples/church in Philippi have been partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time they first heard it…
They are the joy and crown Paul receives for his work!
MAKING DISCIPLES IN THE CITY OF CORINTH
I’ve already written about the apostle Paul’s First Five Disciples HERE…but I want to go into a bit more depth on what his process was in terms of making disciples. How did he begin?
A. What the apostle Paul and His Team did…
When Paul first went to share the gospel with them, he didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom, but decided to forget everything except Jesus Christ who was crucified
He went in weakness – timid and trembling and his message and preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches he relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit
He did that so they would trust in the power of God rather than human wisdom
Paul baptized the first 3 households, but after that others did the baptizing and Paul focused on preaching the cross of Christ
However, when he was among mature believers, he speaks to them with spiritual wisdom
However, when Paul was with them, he couldn’t talk to them as spiritual people. He had to talk as though they belonged to this world or as though they were still infants in Christ
He had to teach them with milk, not solid food, because they were not ready for anything stronger because they were still controlled by their sinful nature. For example, they are jealous of one another and quarrel
Though Paul is a free man with no master, he became a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When he is with those who are weak, he shares their weakness, because he wants to bring the weak to Christ.
He finds common ground with everyone, doing everything he can to save some. He does everything to spread the Good News
Paul tells them;
“I too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 10:33-11
Paul and team left the new disciples/church in Corinth after a year-and-a-half of being with them and later wrote letters to them
He always thanks God for the church plant in Corinth
B. What the New Disciples did as a result…
After Paul leaves these new disciples to head on to the next place, they write a letter to him asking many questions…(see 1 Corinthians 7:1 & 8:1 for example)
He responds by writing back to them and answering their questions
Some of the first disciples Paul led to Christ are now leading the church through their service (see 1 Corinthians 16:15-18)
Paul says this about the disciples/church in Corinth;
“The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.” -2 Corinthians 3:2-3
[You can read HERE more about the first disciples that the apostle Paul made in Corinth, Greece]
HOW ARE YOU MAKING DISCIPLES?
All scripture is God-breathed and useful to equip us for every good work!
So what can we learn from how Paul and his team made disciples in Thessalonica, Philippi and Corinth?
What are you and your team doing to make disciples?
What are your disciples doing as a result?
An interesting challenge
It seems that when we are preaching and looking to make disciples that we are in fact looking for co-workers!
Great insight Lee.
Yes, when Jesus sent the 72 disciples out (Luke 10:1-12) they were to pray for more workers in the harvest! When they found the Person of Peace (see Matthew 10:11), they found their worker, who would in turn empower more workers for the harvest
Thank you for such a great teaching. As Disciple makers of today we must emulate the example of the first church. I pray that this teaching reaches more and more Gospel preachers so that they do the work according to the Scriptures. God bless you.
Thanks!
Thanks Peter for what you’ve highlighted. I pray that God continues to raise up ministers (5 fold) who work in line with these principles rather than in line with the spirit of this age, & I pray that I am among them.