Being Disciples — Making Disciples
Part 3 — †-3
Bishop Richard D. Snyder

†= Trinity
Every great relationship is rooted in the fact that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. While in prayer, Jesus spoke to the Father about each of us believers: "I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are — I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one. Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me" (John 17:22-23 NLT).

Earlier (John 14:16-17; 26) Jesus had told his disciples, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. … But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative — and by Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit — he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you." (NLT)

The Trinity has powerful implications for us. A marriage of two people is always strengthened when the couple consciously and consistently recognizes the presence and authority of God. A Christian is always strengthened when he/she is a part of a cell or small group that is focused on being disciples and making disciples. In all likelihood, a group of three or four has more potential for personal growth and for multiplication of disciples than any other configuration. It is modeled in the Trinity and in Jesus' life. Often, Jesus left the crowds to be with his disciples, and often Jesus left his band of 72 or 12 to be with 3 — Peter, James and John. Jesus was setting the pace and pattern focused on the multiplication of disciples so that righteousness would cover the earth.

†= Cross
Apart from Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross, we would have no remedy over our selfish, sinful ways. "God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us" (Romans 3:25 NLT). Coming into right relationship with the Living God "happened" the moment we believed — not in our ability or cultural respectability - but in the shed blood of Jesus. "The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins" (Romans 8:3 NLT).

The experience of being born again — born from above "of the Spirit" (John 3:5) is so awesome that no words can adequately describe it. Sometimes, when a person admits their sinfulness and hopelessness, believing that Jesus saves them, they break out in laughter or tears of joy. Sometimes a deep tranquility — "There's a deep settled peace in my soul" — ushers in a quietness and unspeakable joy. But, any truly born again person soon discovers the attack of Satan and the struggle with self-interest. A major fact of the Christian life becomes obvious — THERE IS A CROSS FOR US. Jesus made it clear: "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24 NLT). Jesus states what he means by "shouldering the cross" in verse 25. "If you try to keep your life for yourself you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life."

Anybody who pats themselves on the back, glorying in their own merits, will find the cross utterly repugnant. When Mel Gibson produced the graphic movie "The Passion of the Christ," where did the uproar come from? It came from those whose god is themselves. If I am unwilling to renounce 'self' and take up the cross in a thorough-going identification with the Crucified Risen Son of God, however great my imagined virtue, I am on the road that leads to death; I shall eventually lose everything, however much I may seem to gain of this world.

On the other hand, those who take up the cross — constantly setting self-interest aside, living to see that God receives all the honor and glory — will be able to say, "The Cross is Heaven."

Paul told the Corinthians, "Christ died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them" (2 Corinthians 5:15 NLT).

Jesus put it this way: "Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag" (Luke 19 MSG).
†Summary:

The Trinity shows the way and makes possible a transformational community (TC) of people who are one, just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one (John 17:21).

This community can only occur as we "shoulder the cross," living never to please self and always to please Christ who both died for us and lives for us - risking all.

†-3 = Action
Picture this: One man — or one woman — eager to win ONE MORE SOUL. They've been born again of the Spirit and are walking as friends of God. They love the church because it is the Body of Christ. The cross of Christ has become precious — so powerful and so full of Divine Love - that self-interest has been set aside (crucified). Jesus is truly on the throne of their lives and all their decisions are motivated by the purpose: GLORY TO GOD. If self-interest raises its ugly head and dominates an attitude or decision, confession and repentance are immediate, keeping fresh their walk with God.

But, in most cases, there are problems. No one has intentionally discipled them. They are not intentionally discipling anyone. They long for this. Beyond this hunger to be a disciple of Christ, they have, through Word, worship and prayer, gained insight into the heart of the Father. They know lost people. They pray for them. They want them saved — brought into the Family of God, but it is not happening regularly.

What is needed? †-3. The woman begins to pray and think about two or three other Christ-ian women who would join her every week for a year. Why? To be disciples and to make disciples. The man does the same, finally inviting two or three men to join him. The plan is simple, but profound. It is designed around FRUIT:
1) the fruit of the Spirit: people growing in Christ;
2) the fruit of the cross: people coming to Christ.

Picture this: Larry, out of prayer, invites two or three Christian men who agree to meet every week for a year. Though they are all Christians who have "shouldered the cross," they will start at the beginning, reviewing the basics of Christian faith. The reason is simple: one of their main objectives is to make disciples, to win ONE MORE SOUL. They need to get ready to win and disciple the not-yet-saved. Larry has decided to invest his life into the lives of these two or three fellow believers for a full year. Together they will get prepared for a great harvest. Judy gets on board out of heart desire and does the same with two or three women.

So, we have two focused †-3 cells — three or four people each. What do they do?

One of the key first steps is that each one, through thought and prayer, identifies three people of the same gender who do not know the Lord. Agreement is made that these people will be prayed for daily and more. Each time the †-3 cell meets, they will join together in praying for these nine (3 x 3) friends by name, knowing the promise of Jesus "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there with them."

The †-3 cell makes plans — plans to connect with their unconverted friends. What do these men like to do? What do these women like to do? Everyone gets invited: ballgames, cookouts, shopping, hiking, dinner out, an evening at home, etc. Building bridges, letting friends observe how godly people relate to one another, how they view life, how they live by faith.

And — setting self-interest aside — the †-3 cell and each person in the cell looks for needs in the nine. When needs emerge, help is offered, "risking life" to serve.

At the meeting of the †-3 cell each week, the group of three works through a year long plan that keeps them ready at the Spirit's prompting to win their friends to Jesus and that roots them personally in their faith in Christ. Four key segments guide the cell's year-long plan which is centered on:
Getting the heart of the Father
Gaining the mind of Christ
Grasping the fullness of the Spirit.

1. AWAKEN: The nine people identified by the cell will never become Christians unless they are made aware of the Word of God and thereby awakened to their need. Fundamentally, this is the faithful work of the Holy Spirit through the ministry of the †-3 believers. Therefore, the cell will learn how to partner with God as witnesses to the unsaved:
- Learning how to pray for the heart of the Father
- Learning how to pray for those who are lost
- Learning how to identify receptive people and to connect relationally with them
- Learning through study of the Catechism *
- Learning through the Alpha course **

Goal: Compassion for Lost People

2. WIN: The cell will seek the mind of Christ and work together on the ways and means of winning their friends to Christ.
- Learn and practice the principles of Transformational Communities (TC);
- Learn and practice the patterns of "Each One Win One."

Goal: Transformational Ministry

3. DISCIPLE: What does a true disciple of Jesus look like in attitude and behavior? How can we be salt and light in a world of decay and darkness? Is there a way for us to shine on the inside and establish spiritual authority wherever we are?
- Learn how to study and obey the Word of God;
- Learn how to live in the Holy Spirit, exercising spiritual gifts;
- Learn how to be a faithful steward of all life and things;
- Learn how to practice in heart, mind and action a life of submission to Christ and one another through healthy accountabilities;
- Learn to practice the "One Another" passages of Scripture and demonstrate healthy, biblical community;
- Learn how to advance the church's Expected Outcomes.

Goal: Live in Healthy Submission

4. MULTIPLY: Jesus made an astounding statement as recorded in John 14:12. "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same work I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." In the Book of Acts, we discover that in the beginning, after the believers were baptized (filled) with the Holy Spirit and fire (Acts 2:4) many were added to the church that very day. By the time you get to Acts 6, the growth of the church is defined as multiplication. Most of our stories of growth are about addition: "We gained fifteen new members this year!" "The conference has three more churches than we had last year!" There are, in the United States and the United Kingdom, few stories of multiplication. Why? We have the wrong system. And, we have failed to implement. (There is also, in the church at large, a major spiritual reason. After all, Jesus said, "But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere…" (Acts 1:8 NLT). But this paper is written to Christians who are baptized with the Holy Spirit and want to be a part of a system which gets implemented and that produces fruit, so we:
- Learn the principles of getting things done;
- Learn how to delegate;
- Learn how to implement the vision to multiply disciples, leaders, groups and churches;
- Learn how to get others involved in being disciples and making disciples.

Goal: Implementation of a fruit-bearing system

One of our biggest errors is found in our tendency to concentrate on the many rather than on the few. Many pastors or other church leaders, in an effort to please everybody, end up spending the bulk of "people" time with those most inclined to demand attention, rather than with those most eager to learn, to obey Jesus and to advance the cause of Christ.

It is amazing that Jesus — the King, the Lord of all — kept leaving the crowd, vacating an area, resistant to advertising:
- He often withdrew to be with his Father - Being a disciple
- He often withdrew to be with his disciples - Teaching the Kingdom
- He often withdrew with three of his disciples - Multiplying fruit.

To multiply; to grow; to send; to advance; to get big — WE MUST BECOME SMALL.

Think about Jesus' parable of the farmer scattering seed (Mark 4), "Still other seed fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted" (vs. 8 NLT).

Who is the farmer? "The one who brings God's message to others" (vs. 14). Jesus points out that there are varying kinds of soil — receptivity to the message. We can learn how to identify "good soil" and how to pray for increased receptivity.

The incredible thing is the power of the seed — the Word of God: some produces 30 fold, some 60 and some 100 fold!

Let's take the lesser of these: THIRTY FOLD.
Picture this: The †-3 cell meets weekly in Transformational Community, Learning together, Encouraging one another, Accountable to one another, and Dreaming together about the heart of the Father (LEAD).

Each of these three has identified three unsaved people who seem receptive to spiritual interaction and truth. These are friends of the same gender and these nine people are prayed for daily and by name each time the triad meets. These are not superficial prayer times but are designed to join Jesus in his ministry of intercession.

During the year, three of the nine (30 fold) come to the Lord. These become a part of a small group and a part of a worshipping community where personal care, prayer and nurture are practiced, giving "milk" to the newly born. By the end of the year they are a part of a †-3 cell led by one of the members of the original triad, which has now become three †-3 cells.

So, to view this over a nine-year period, 3 becomes 9; 9 becomes 15; 15 becomes 42; 42 becomes 63; 63 becomes 96; 96 becomes 144; 144 becomes 216; and 216 becomes 324. (108 †-3 cells; 324 new believers in 9 years).

These 324 are all new believers, being intentionally discipled. Some of these new believers are now discipling others. Just doing what Jesus told them to do: being disciples and making disciples; gathering the lost and teaching them to obey (Matthew 28:19-20).

This says nothing about their families, but we know that when one member of a household is genuinely transformed by the power of God and is clearly being formed into the mind of Christ, other family members are also saved.

It took nine years to get from 3 to 324 plus any family and others along the way, and it was not 60 or 100 fold, but the lowest of Jesus' figures: 30 fold. It started, not with two groups, but with one †-3 cell made up of three earnest Christians.

A heart for God, a simple system and some students = multiplication of disciples, leaders, groups and churches.

Jesus said: "When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant" (John 15 MSG).

** The Alpha Course is a video and discussion series introducing the foundation and principles of the Christian faith in non-threatening ways.

NOTE: There is a system which is called by many, G-12. This was implemented in Bogatá, Colombia, through the multiplying ministry of Cesar Castellanos. Starting in 1983 with eight people, the church he pastors now exceeds 200,000. G-12 is based on Jesus' ministry to the 12. †-3 is based on Jesus' ministry to and through the three. Some particularly gifted disciple-makers may be able to win and effectively disciple 12 people. Some †-3 disciple-makers may be able to develop two or three †-3 cells. The main key is to become passionately involved in a multiplying system that wins ONE MORE SOUL, and disciples them in holiness, thus changing the world for Jesus' sake.

†-3

Gathering the Lost
Teaching Them to Obey

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