Taking New Ground

Pastor Scott Harris opens his message by asking who has intentionally invested in your walk with Jesus and what challenges they helped you through. He then introduces the theme of discipleship in action, focusing on Acts chapter 8, where the early church is shown taking new ground through the intentional making of disciples. He emphasizes that discipleship is not optional—it’s the church’s core mission, based on Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 to "make disciples of all nations." Pastor Scott explains that a disciple is someone committed to following Jesus, being changed by Him, and being on mission with Him.

He highlights that discipleship involves surrendering to Jesus’ teachings and allowing continual transformation into His likeness, citing Romans 8:29. He also notes that Jesus' earthly mission of making disciples is now continued through His followers, referencing John 17. Pastor Scott clarifies that while the church has many functions—like prayer and worship—all of them must flow from the foundation of being a disciple. He ends by celebrating how Jesus called ordinary, overlooked people—common fishermen who had "washed out" of religious training—to be His disciples, affirming their worth and role in God’s plan to grow the church.