I used to know a brother back in the days who fixes cable tv. I brought him to my house when I newly married to fix our cable tv. He was a follower of a popular controversial prophet who is known all over Africa but now late.

He spoke glowingly about him and I observed that he was one of those in his ardent followership. This man sermonized my wife about this prophet and then my landlady. He was a proud disciple of that man. How I wish he was proudly a follower of Christ. On his lips, the name of his prophet was not found wanting but little or nothing about Christ.

To disciple someone is to make the person an ardent follower to the point where the disciple will exemplify the life and character of his discipler.  The primary assignment of the church is to make you and me a disciple of Jesus Christ. One who will follow Jesus till the end.

We can say that the missing link in today's christianity is discipleship. That conscious effort to make God's people to become Christ addict and sold out followers is gradually fading away. How did I know? The kinds of messages on some pulpits lacks the flavour and ingredient of discipleship.

A sermon that leaves you with desires except to become like Jesus is toxic to your spiritual formation. If everything points to a man except Christ, it is not of God and If we end up becoming followers of men who are not following Christ indeed, we have missed the mark.

The goal of our calling and participation in Christ is to become like him. Anyother vision or mission other than this is not of God.

The church is not a place for freebies. Don't get offended If your pastor or church is not sharing rice and beans. That is not the primary reason for her existence. Transformation into Christlikeness is.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit"( ESV).

The desire of God is for you and me to speak boldly like Paul: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me"( Gal 2:20, ESV).