Just Make Disciples ™
I’m tired of gimmicks, mottos, slogans, mission statements. Why can’t we just make disciples? In fact, I think that will be my new motto: “Just Make Disciples”.
I shared this idea with a few friends, and they were all very excited about the idea of spending time with one another – discipling one another – helping one another live our lives in conformity with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and encouraging others to do the same.
One of my friends has a t-shirt printing business. He told me that he could print some t-shirts with “Just Make Disciples” on it. I think this will be a wonderful way to encourage people to spend their time making disciples instead of doing so many other things that seem good, but distract us from our mission. I was planning to get together with my friend this afternoon, but he’s working on the design for the logo, and buying t-shirts, and setting up his screen prints, and talking to Christian retailers. He thinks “Just Make Disciples” will become a huge brand.
Another friend is in marketing. He thought this idea was wonderful also. He said he knew some people that he needed to spend time with in order to just make disciples. His mind works so fast that he already has ideas for a print campaign, a radio spot, and maybe even a TV commercial. He knows a couple of actors and authors who may be interested. I was hoping to have lunch or dinner with him, but he’s very busy putting together these marketing plans for “Just Make Disciples”.
One of my friends is one of the elders of a local church. He thinks this idea will revolutize the church. He says that it is so simple that any believer can take part, and it is so effective that only a few people who just make disciples will change their neighborhoods and city. He had to cancel our plans to get together because he’s working on a small-group study and a sermon series designed around our new motto “Just Make Disciples”.
I have a friend who is a lawyer. He thinks he needs to spend more time helping the people in his practice follow Jesus. He’s looking forward to spending time to just make disciples. Of course, he said, we have to be very careful with our brand. Someone could steal it, or mimic it, or denigrate it. He’s looking into a formal copywrite. For now, he say, we should try to trademark “Just Make Disciples ™”. We were planning to get coffee together tonight, but he has to do some research and fill out the right forms in order to protect “Just Make Disciples ™”.
So, my afternoon and evening is free. I was planning to get together with several friends to just make disciples, but they’re all busy with “Just Make Disciples ™”. You know, now that I think about, what we really need is a web presence. And, since I’m a web developer, I think I can come up with a great web site for “Just Make Disciples”. There could even be a discussion area where people can hang out and spend time with one another online.
So, like I said, I’m tired of all those gimmicks, mottos, slogans, and mission statements. I want to just make disciples. I think “Just Make Disciples ™” is exactly what we need today.
25 Comments
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I checked…jmd.com is already spoken for.
Dang.
🙂
Great post, bro. Been pondering this kind of thing myself lately, and will probably post about it soon.
Hey Alan,
Put me down for twenty thousand t-shirts! I’ve got several mega-churches in my area that will gladly take them off my hands (at a small profit, of course!).
Tom
Fabulous idea Alan. I’d really like to get together with you but I’m too buys commenting on all these posts about Just Make Disciples. ;-P
Tremendous irony…and humor.
Thanks for the comments everyone.
Jonathan, I need to remind you to include the trademark when you write Just Make Disciples ™. Thank you, but God’s business is big business, ya know.
-Alan
Alan,
You need to hire some professionals to run Just Make Disciples â„¢. Making disciples is too important to leave to amateurs.
Alan,
You nailed it!! The BIG BUSINESS of today’s “church ministry”.
Blessings,
Gary
Dude …….
🙂
I love it! But it hits a little too close to home. In our circles here, we constantly refer to the “3 D’s” of the Devil. The second being DISTRACTION. This seems to be one of the enemy’s most effective tools…to distract us continually from doing what we know to do.
Arthur,
Maybe God is calling you to this ministry. Send me a resume.
Gary,
I’m happy to say that we’re now incorporated and can accept donations as a 501c3 organization. God is up to something big!
Wade,
I’m glad you’re as happy as I am. I even received my first royalty check today. Go God!
Guy,
You’re exactly right! Just today someone came by to talk with me, and I had to politely tell them that I was busy with “Just Make Disciples ™”.
-Alan
Alan,
This whole bit about Just Make Disciples â„¢ ……wait hold on…i’ll be right back, no time for commenting now…..gotta go make some disciples.
peace.
Jason,
If you don’t have time to contribute to “Just Make Disciples ™” then you just don’t understand real ministry.
-Alan
Alan,
I am sure you realize that not all of us are gifted in making disciples. Couldn’t I just Partner With Youâ„¢ and send a financial contribution so you could “Just Make Disciples™†for me – you know, sort of make my calling and election sure – by proxy?
Eric,
For a sizable donation, not only will the professional “Just Make Disciples ™” team make disciples for you, we will also send you a picture of your disciple. You will then be able to pray for your disciple by name, and show the picture to those who think you are not obeying the great commission personally.
-Alan
You inspired me Alan
http://www.morethancake.org/2009/06/simple-church-â„¢.html
Thanks Alan for reminding us to “just make disciples”. Indeed, time is short and the task is so big…therefore “just make diciples” as long as you can and as mush as you can. Thanks bro GBU~Jonathan Singh
Thanks Alan! I would be just making disciples too, but you know us pastors. We are busy pastoring — and such.
Thanks for the reminder. I’ll try to schedule it in.
“Just win, baby.” – Al Davis 🙂
Alan:
Wonderful, terrific idea. In brutal honesty, I have been very shallow and shy when it comes to just doing what I know I believe in, like making disciples. Like just breaking out of my routine to do something like this. Thank you for a gentle encouragement and reminder. And please, if you’re selling those T-shirts, I would LOVE to buy one. God bless brother!
ROFLOL!! Don’t forget the JMD bracelets! Get one on every wrist! (still laughing)
I hope you haven’t sent this off the the printer yet! I just had a brilliant idea. How abot on the back of the t-shirts, you put “Just Made Disciples” TM – Of course, I would want 50% or the royalties for our “Motivating other to Make Disciples” discipleship seminar.
:>) Well done…
Wow! Great concept Alan!
Funny! When I first started reading, I was thinking ok, you guys have had a couple of years, so where are the shirts? But as I read, I got it! LOL!
Sheree,
I’ll mail you an order form…
-Alan
Good post. Thanks.
Our fellowship’s website explains our Mission as “making disciples.”
http://lambblood.com/disciples.html