Discipleship must become "setting the captives free".

Discipleship means more than ministries and programs and special gatherings.

When your definition of discipleship is wrong the whole ministry of discipleship is wrong and ineffective. If you think that everything you do in the church is defined as discipleship than you missed the point of Jesus and His message of redemption.

Every program and every ministry is NOT discipleship. I know that because we are producing a weakened (weekend) brand of Christ following that is grounded in a consumer based approach to ministry and service. The more we feed the consumer the more the consumer wants.

Discipleship means more than ministries and programs and special gatherings.

In our approach to making disciples our focus is not at all on consumer needs, wants, likes and wishes. We are focusing on "setting captives free". This is not done in large crowds with quick fixes of entertainment, this is done one life at a time. We have discovered that Jesus came to set the captives free and when a professing Christ follower is in bondage to the lies and strongholds of Satan they will never experience true freedom in Christ. They need to be set free. They must be set free and we "the Church" must take the time to lead every new (and old)Christ follower into the freedom Jesus brings.

We have concluded that early on in a new believers life they should be led through a process of replacing Satan's lies with the Truth of God's Word. Everyone of us have at one time or another believed the lies of Satan. A majority of those who proclaim Christ as Savior are still holding onto those lies of deception. Believing the lies of Satan is the breeding ground for more or greater bondage to more sin. In order to set the captives free those held captive must renounce the lies and announce the truth. All of the open doors of Satan's deception must be closed for captives to be set free. Doors are closed by renouncing the lies of Satan and replacing those lies with the what God says. And then and only then is the Christ follower free to walk in complete obedience.

Discipleship means the way it has been defined. Discipleship is "setting the captives free".

For years and years and in far too many places the American Church has had discipleship wrong. There are far too many captives in and outside of the church who are still not living in freedom. Many profess Christ but remain in bondage to the lies and strongholds of Satan. They have far too many open doors allowing Satan's influence in their lives.

Discipleship should NOT be defined as programs, ministries and services offered. Discipleship must become intentional in "setting the captives free" by renouncing all of Satan's lies (and sin) which in turn closes the open doors of deception and further bondage.

Jesus came and died and rose again to set the captives free. We could easily say that Jesus came to set the church free as well.