"Discipleship 101" (pt.1)

2 Timothy 2:2 "and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

There is no greater feeling in the world than knowing you have been covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and forgiven of all your sins. When God brings a person to the genuine knowledge of his sins and then reveals to him it was all of His grace it causes him to truly worship the Creator of the universe. When the individual sees that God has led him to repentance and faith it causes him to see there was absolutely nothing he did to earn this forgiveness in Christ (repentance and faith are both gifts from God). When a person is saved it is purely from the graciousness of the Lord and for His sovereign purpose.
Unlike salvation, after one is forgiven and has been born again that person has a responsibility to "grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)." I believe this is one of the chief failures of the local church today. I see we get alot of numbers and people who profess to know Christ but is the church disciplining these "new" believers or "old" believers as far as that goes? Often we boast in the numbers of baptisms and additions to the church but where do they go? Why can we not find them a month later, a year later, or 5 years later? Why is our churches full of people who has sat in the pews for years and never has been challenged to "grow in their faith?"
I have been a pastor for 6 years now. I have served two local churches and have been blessed by both in my ministry. I have been burdened as a pastor of how I can pour my life into the church, primarily through the men of the church. If you look at the ministry of Jesus, he was constantly pouring His life in the men he had with him. Jesus knew he was going to depart from these men and He knew they would pave the way for the continuance of the local church. Day after day, Jesus taught, prayed and discipled these men. As I look at the local church today we do not have much of this anymore (a pastor pouring his life into the men). I know personally, I never had anyone to pour themselves into my spiritual life and encourage me to grow to be a leader of the Lord's church.
I tell our people, "the church will only be as strong as the men of the church." That is the reason I am beginning to meet with our men this coming Saturday morning. We will meet for a very pointed time of bible study, prayer, and accountability. I am convinced men in pray and their bible is the way Christ will grow His church. As the church grows spiritually God will take care of the numbers. These men are not required to come, only if they have a desire to come.
I thought what a blessing it would be to the church for them to know there were spiritually minded men coming together to pray and study God's word together on a weekly basis. What an encouragement to the church to know that we got men who love the Word of God and knows God will not bless His church or His people apart from the Word of God. As the pastor of the church, I am excited to be allowed the privilege to disciple these and prayerfully them disciple me.
I believe for the church to get where she needs to be we must start with the men of the church. I look forward to our time together this Saturday morning with these men. I will post again to let everyone know how it goes. Please do pray for our time together.