Here at Global Catalytic Ministries we are committed to making family in all situations. As disciple-makers, this means that we are committed first and foremost to making new disciples, but we don’t stop there. As people come to Christ we continue to invest into those relationships letting love form bonds of unity that can not be broken.
One of our disciple-makers named Liya details what that looks like in her corner of the earth. Like most areas of the world where our disciple-makers work, the people around her suffer high levels of pain and depression. She often notes that there is almost no joy in those she meets. When new people join her group they are usually downcast and hopeless.
She begins sharing the stories, praying that God would reach these people with the truth. But she doesn’t stop there. As people begin to encounter God for themselves and accept the stories as true, she continues to invest. The group gathers together to share about miracles they have experienced along with the freedom they have found from patterns of anger, worry, and unforgiveness.
In her own words “When we finished reading the story the expressions on each of their faces were changed. By the time the meeting is over these people start joking, having fun, talking about hope and how God has reached them at the right moment. They are transformed into different people. They become hopeful and filled with joy!”
This is only possible with Jesus. The gospel is eternal life, but it is also life here on earth. It is freedom, unity, and family. Only with Jesus can we see people saved, healed, set free, and given purpose in just a conversation! As Liya says “Seeing results from reading the stories allows us to see God’s amazing work, to partner with Him, and to see how in a short period of a few hours people who are full of burdens and sadness become joyful people and full of hope.”
Making disciples makes family, bonding people together in truth and in love. As we purely share the gospel through stories God does so much more than we could ever ask for or imagine. This call is for everyone. Every Christian can and must make disciples and every disciple-maker can and must invest in people, making family along the way. Disciple-making is kingdom building, and we will continue to do this hard, beautiful, gritty, joyful work until Jesus returns.
