Discipleship Tips: Keeping Christ Centralনমুনা

Conversion without discipleship

• Country: Rwanda
• Population: 8,000,000
• Days of widespread bloodshed: 100
• Deaths: 1,117,000
• Percentage of the country self-identifying as Christians: 93.6%

In reflecting on these statistics from the Rwandan genocide, I’ve often wondered: How do people who know the Gospel and regularly attend church take up machetes against their brothers and sisters in Christ?

I sought an answer from HOPE International’s Africa savings and credit association region director, Erisa Mutabazi. In addition to his duties with HOPE, Erisa has served as an ordained pastor in Rwanda for almost three decades. He shared: “It is extremely perplexing that genocide was possible. How could true followers of Jesus do this to one another? I have concluded that the idea of being a Christian at that time did not mean living as a disciple who was called to a completely new life in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).”

This problem of conversions without discipleship is by no means unique to Rwanda, and the local church has witnessed incredible stories of reconciliation since then, including through programs like HOPE’s savings and credit associations. But the fact that people often “convert” to Christianity without surrendering their lives to Christ compels us to pursue nothing short of full discipleship.

So what did Jesus say about what disciples should be and do?

First, a disciple in the first century was a fully committed “follower.” These followers learned their master’s teaching, method of ministry, and way of life. They imitated his thoughts, actions, and habits.

Second, in the Great Commission, Jesus called His disciples to teach others to obey everything He commanded. Conversion without commitment to total obedience is foreign to a true disciple of Christ.

And third, disciples go to others to help them find and follow Christ. Making disciples is not a spiritual gift or a call for the spiritually “elite.” It is not just for “professional” Christians or the highly educated. All disciples are called to multiply.

As the global community vows “never again,” I believe one way we can fulfill that promise is by embracing this call to become new creations. May we boldly choose Christ as our first identity—over nation, race, political party, or religious denomination. May we seek to make disciples in whatever calling He has given us. And may we choose each day to follow God’s call to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Matt. 16:24).