A Disciple and The World

June 1, 2026

Disciples Are Committed To Influencing The World, Being Obedient To:

• The Great: Commandment (Mark 16:15-18)

• The Great: Commission (Matt. 28:19-20)

• The Great: Mission ((1 Cor. 9: 19-23)

1st KEY PASSAGE:

Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe; in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on

the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:15-18)

2nd KEY PASSAGE:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end

of the age. (Matt. 28:19-20)

3rd KEY PASSAGE:

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Cor. 9: 19-23)

We’re all called to be believers when we make Jesus Christ Lord, but we are also called to become disciples. There is a huge revival taking place around the world, even as I write this blog. So many people are becoming believers, but in order for them to continue to thrive in what we call the “Church” they need to become disciples.

Salvation brings us into faith as believers and calls us to actively serve

in ministry wherever there is need. Discipleship shapes us into devoted, lifelong learners and followers of Jesus Christ. This threefold calling includes loving and obeying Jesus, continually seeking God’s Word and His will, and remaining steadfast in following Him.

Everyone should take the opportunity to move beyond what is familiar and engage the world around them. Jesus Christ and Apostle Paul models this clearly in Mark 16, Mathew 28 and 1 Corinthians 9, where they urge us to reach beyond our immediate surroundings and actively serve others. My prayer is that these scriptural truths will impact you as deeply as they have impacted me.

Through the training, education, and ministry experience I received at Oral Roberts University School of Theology & Ministry (ORU-STM), I have had opportunities to travel to many parts of the world. In doing so, I have sought to follow the example of Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul by relying on the Holy Spirit to reach and understand people across cultural barriers. In many ways, I have also traveled the world through the classroom—asking questions and adapting my teaching to respect and reflect students’ cultural identities and backgrounds.

Much has changed since I joined a small Home Cell fellowship at Church On The Rock (COTR) in Rockwall, Texas. Since then, God has taken me around the world to teach, preach, and minister to people who need Jesus Christ. That has been my way of helping others come to know Him. This month, I encourage you to reflect on this truth: reaching the world requires more than becoming a believer—it calls us to become disciples.

Ask yourself:

• What does seeing people get saved and discipled look like in my life and why should it matter to me?

• Why am I called to be a disciple—not just a believer—in doing God’s will?

• Where, in my life and in the world around me, is the Spirit leading me to recognize a need and respond?

These are questions I have asked myself along the way, I have seen people come to salvation through many avenues, including pulpit ministry, street witnessing, missions, and teaching. It has been a meaningful journey of growth as God has led me from COTR into the lives and communities of others.

I believe the needs of people around the world will lead some to step beyond their own culture and enter what I call a “Jump Culture” experience. This begins when a person practices the “Big Four”: praying to the Father for guidance, studying the truths of God’s Word, fellowshipping with other believers, and committing to reach a world in desperate need of Jesus Christ.

God’s Word gives us a clear calling to make disciples of all nations. The Greek word ethnos and the Hebrew word goyim point not only to geographic nations, but also to people from every background and walk of life. This is an assignment from Father God, and my prayer is that our obedience would mirror that of Abraham, God’s servant and the father of many nations. Those who serve God the Father come to know Him and understand that salvation is found only through His Son, Jesus Christ, who leads us by the Holy Spirit.

This revelation for some will become a full-time calling. For others, it may become a pathway to teaching around the world and putting the “Big Four” principles into practice across cultures. My question is this: what will it take for you to fully see the call and fulfill the mandates of Matthew 28, Mark 16 and 1 Corinthians 9?

Consider This: What if God is calling you beyond the person that you are now—a person already marked by grace and integrity? You may recognize that, but have you fully considered that He may also be calling you to live in a godly way: to love Him first, wholeheartedly, and then to love people in the world who need to know Him? Loving others in their need also means embracing His call to make disciples of all nations—every place, every people, every race.

Questions For Reflection:

1. What does it take to connect with people who are different from us if we want to build a relationship with them?

2. Why would someone want to build a bridge across cultural or racial barriers?

3. If we spent an unhurried hour with the Apostle Paul, what about him and his message in 1 Corinthians 9 would stand out to most to us?