Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - The Commission
The core relationship between evangelism, stewardship, and discipleship is a dynamic connection where internal spiritual health leads to external action, and that action, in turn, deepens spiritual maturity. Mission, time, and money are best understood as practical pursuits that are the effects of receiving God’s grace through discipleship practices like word, prayer, and fellowship. When a believer is healthy in their faith, they are sustained, inspired, and empowered for evangelism and wise stewardship.
This relationship becomes reciprocal because actively participating in the Great Commission, particularly through mission and disciplemaking, acts as a means of grace itself. Reaching out to others can break spiritual isolation, push through lethargy, and jump-start stalled spiritual growth, leading to inner renewal.
The entire process operates within the framework of the Great Commission, which mandates believers to make disciples of all nations. The strategy to achieve this massive, global vision is encapsulated by the refrain: think big, start small, go deep. This involves focusing deeply on just one or a few individuals, preparing them to repeat the process.
Effective disciplemaking requires a holistic balance between intentionality (being strategic and teacher-to-student) and relationality (being social and friend-to-friend). It demands life-sharing in addition to truth-speaking, which involves giving up privacy and dying to selfishness concerning time and space—a clear link to stewardship.
The central content of this process is entirely the gospel and Jesus Christ, who serves as both the great model and the ultimate content. By engaging in this difficult, messy work, the discipler is exposed to their own failures and weaknesses, which teaches them to lean heavier on Jesus for daily strength. Thus, involvement in disciplemaking becomes one of the most significant things a believer can do for their own growth.
Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian
https://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730
