W.B.E.M – a new marketplace Radio station
Last time, I ended with this question—are willing to make this commission not just a “great” one but an everyday one?
“Going” all the way to work and the marketplace—“and making disciples!”
What specifically are we being told to do in this one simple verse?
Let’s break down the verse even further, and see what we can discern.
W.B.E.M.
Sounds like a radio station, doesn’t it?
Chuck Proudfit loves acronyms, so here ‘s a new one for all you AWOP aficionados.
It’s not one of Chuck’s though. You can find it in Bill Hull’s “The Disciple Making Pastor.”1
And as a pastor who years ago bought into this, I can tell you it actually gives you a way to act strategically in your community, church, and yes, even office. And see God do some things through you that you never dreamed possible. I’ll include a reference again to the book at the end of this blog, but let me state it directly.
It’s learning the simple power of W.B.E.M.
Winning seekers and believers.
Building them into the body of Christ (and that doesn’t always mean getting them to immediately go to church).
Equipping them to do their ministry (or in our world, biznistry).
Multiplying shepherd leaders in the marketplace who live W.B.E.M.—win, build, equip, and multiply, for the expansion of people living by Kingdom priorities.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE GREAT (and everyday) COMMISSION.
Look at this closely in the following table.
JESUS’ DISCIPLE-MAKING LIFESTYLE
2 All Scriptures in this blog is taken from the New International Version, properly cited below.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
One of the things that astounded me when I first became aware of this concept as a pastor is how Jesus lived a disciple-making lifestyle. For all that he worked the crowds and healed and taught and dazzled and saved, a whole lot of his time he spent focusing
on the lives of 12 “disciples” that he taught by personally being with them.
In fact, when he finally chose the twelve, Mark points out one very specific thing he “chose” them to do.
To simply “be with him.” Notice it in the book of Mark.
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out . . . Mark 3:13-14 [emphasis mine]
He lived a disciple-making lifestyle while with them. He simply let them see things he did. Then he let them join him in things he was doing. Then he sent them out to do certain things themselves, and come back and debrief. Then he sent them out to go.
And to live out the acronym of doing what Jesus had done with them—win, build, equip, and multiply those who could “Go!” and do the same.
WHO HAS GOD CALLED TO “BE WITH”—YOU?
By virtue of where you’ve been “air-dropped” in the Marketplace, who has God called you to “be with”—or perhaps more specifically—to “be with” you for a season in your marketplace life?
Who is the audience before whom you daily play out the drama of your marketplace life?
Is it just “other Christians” at work, so you can be a shining light on a hill at your workplace and look cool?
Or are there some nonbelievers and seekers God has called you to be with and to learn how to have some conversations that count with? And to see just where it might lead?
Next time, we’ll show how Jesus turned his need and a casual conversation at the water cooler into a conversation that counted. And we’ll plant some seeds as to how you might be able to do the same.
1. Learn more at https://billhull.com/disciple-making-pastor