It's interesting that what seems to have prompted Jesus to begin teaching the Sermon on the Mount was when he saw the crowds (Matthew 5:1). Why would growing popularity and the presence of a swarming crowd inspire Jesus to teach some of his hardest sayings? If miracles and healings were drawing a crowd, why jeopardize this momentum with a series of teachings that would most certainly drive many away?
The abrupt transition from Healer to Teacher that occurs in Matthew 4:25 - 5:1 should jump off the pages for us with repeating shouts from Jesus: Take note of what I am modeling for you. Be aware of crowd-infatuation and it's potential to lure you away from the core principles of the Kingdom of God. I submit that this abrupt transition by Jesus, in all its meaning, is actually the first teaching of the Sermon on the Mount not "blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
While the specific thoughts and intent of Jesus are not revealed, I would like to suggest that Jesus' prompting to begin teaching was due to this truth: Miracles and healings create a crowd, but they do not create disciples. And Jesus' mission was, and continues to be through the Church, to reconcile humanity to God by cultivating disciples. Crowds, miracles, and healings are great and should be anticipated along the way, but discipleship is the mission. And the two do not always go together.
Now, in anticipation of the "but what about __________?" questions that can often be asked, as they should be, in response to this kind of observation - namely the complexity of crowd-drawing v. discipleship tensions that exist in ministry - here are some clarifying statements:
- Crowds are not bad. 3,000 people believed in Jesus on the day of Pentecost. Quite a big crowd. But how crowds influence you determines whether they are bad or good.
- Discipleship efforts should never be used as an excuse for lack of water baptisms. Salvation is the first step of discipleship. Ministries without new declarations of faith in Jesus will die.
- The quality of discipleship happening in a ministry should be multi-layered throughout the community - not solely dependent on one sermon a week.
- "Holy Remnant Mindset" (which I define as "we are small because we preach the hard, true gospel here and only a few holy people are willing to receive it") is antithetical to the Gospel. The Good News attracts - not all the time but much of the time. If your leadership is chronically driving people away, there are flaws in your leadership.
- Challenging, Kingdom principles can be taught to those on the margin of faith with a tone of love, hope, patience, and goodness that draws them in to a deeper walk with Jesus. We don't need to assume that they are only looking for entertainment.
- Leading a large ministry requires significant leadership capacity and skill. We should never assume that a large ministry means a shallow ministry. There are large and small ministries that are unhealthy, and there are large and small ministries that are healthy.
- Creativity is not necessarily an indication of an entertainment-only ministry. The first characteristic of God we discover in Scripture is that He creates with endless beauty and awe-inspiring works for our senses. Let's use all the tools available to us to spread the Gospel.
- Laughter is good. Discipleship does not equal seriousness only! Scripture says, "The joy of the Lord is our strength." A ministry that does not laugh together is a ministry that is limiting the work and strength of the Lord in their midst.
