What Is Discipleship?
If that's not a word you are familiar with, a disciple is someone who is a follower of someone, usually for the purposes of studying under them and to learn what they have to teach you about life. More specifically, this term usually implies some relationship in which you understand that the disciple-maker also has insight into what it means to be a Christian and you can learn how to grow closer to God and live your life as a Christian by imitating them. Ephesians 5: 1 commands us to, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children." 1 Corinthians 11:1 says, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." and 1 Thessalonians 2:14a says, For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea." (That is that the Gentile Christians have something to learn by following the example of the Jewish Christians). First and foremost, we imitate God, then, as much as our spiritual leaders are following God, we can follow their lead, and, lastly, newer/younger groups of believers have a lot to learn from following the example of older believers.
The disciple-maker calls out to others "follow me as I follow Christ." It is not simply the disciple-maker saying, "follow me" and then them making up their own religion or version of Christianity (that's a cult leader). The disciple-maker is one who understands The Great Commission to "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations"...…"baptizing"..."preaching"..."teaching to obey everything I have commanded you"....and becoming witnesses and ambassadors for King Jesus and His Kingdom. I have been called to make disciples. I have been called to train others and to send them out to be disciple-makers.
The goal of discipleship is not just conversions (though evangelism is definitely a key component of discipleship), but it is about training others to become like Christ (that is what the word "Christian" means) and to be obedient to His Lordship in all things. In doing so, these disciples will naturally want to fulfill their mission--The Great Commission--and go and make disciples as well. Those who are citizens of a country they love will naturally want to tell others how much they love it and how others too can become citizens of such a great country. In the same way, those who have been truly saved by Christ will want to tell others their story of how they were once a citizen of the kingdom of darkness but have now become a citizen of the kingdom of His marvelous light, and that others can experience that same transformation and become citizens of the kingdom of heaven (the kingdom of God) as well. "20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20). We are His ambassadors and we are "ministers of reconciliation.
There is much more that we could talk about, but let's focus a bit on that last part of that last verse I just quoted. God made the world in a perfect state that was corrupted by sin. The relationship between God and Man, God and Nature, Man and Nature, Nature and Nature, and Man and Man were all broken. Only God could fix the damage that had been done, but, to do so, He would have to be obedient to God in all things living a perfect life that deserved no punishment and then take the punishment that all of us deserved. This would fix the biggest issue--the relationship between God and Man--for those who accepted this sacrifice that was made on their behalf as the only Way of Salvation, Redemption and Restoration for them. Yet, that restoration is still a work in progress as we are not perfectly the people God wants us to be, and we still see all kinds of brokenness from sin around us in Nature and our relationships with fellow Man (there are still natural disasters, wars, crime, etc.) All these things make us groan and long for the end of this brokenness and a new and fresh start where everything will be perfect, never to be corrupted by sin again. That day is coming for all those who are in Christ, but that day is never coming for those who refuse to be reconciled to God by the one and only Way that He has provided. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me." Jesus is the only Way. You come to Him with nothing of value--you cannot buy your salvation from Him, you must accept it as a free gift. However, you must also give your life to Him so that you are now His humble servant and that you desire to do what pleases Him in all things and that you desire to bring glory to the Father, Son, and Spirit both now and forevermore. So in one sense this choice costs you nothing, but in another sense it costs you everything (though you realize that "everything" was of no value at all).
Please pray for God to bring people to us to be discipled and for God to bring people to me that are curious and want to be discipled as well as those who want to mature spiritually and help make disciples. The goal of discipleship is larger than the goal of evangelism or church-planting. It is about "teaching them to obey every I have commanded you." This was why Jesus commanded and commissioned us to go and make disciples, not converts. It is a long-term commitment and journey centered around the gospel of Jesus Christ and showing and telling others the change that it has made in you and me and the change that He can make in them as well, through the power and work of the Holy Spirit. This is why the gospel is at the heart of what we study as a group and is a central theme of most of what I write here on this site.
The disciple-maker calls out to others "follow me as I follow Christ." It is not simply the disciple-maker saying, "follow me" and then them making up their own religion or version of Christianity (that's a cult leader). The disciple-maker is one who understands The Great Commission to "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations"...…"baptizing"..."preaching"..."teaching to obey everything I have commanded you"....and becoming witnesses and ambassadors for King Jesus and His Kingdom. I have been called to make disciples. I have been called to train others and to send them out to be disciple-makers.
The goal of discipleship is not just conversions (though evangelism is definitely a key component of discipleship), but it is about training others to become like Christ (that is what the word "Christian" means) and to be obedient to His Lordship in all things. In doing so, these disciples will naturally want to fulfill their mission--The Great Commission--and go and make disciples as well. Those who are citizens of a country they love will naturally want to tell others how much they love it and how others too can become citizens of such a great country. In the same way, those who have been truly saved by Christ will want to tell others their story of how they were once a citizen of the kingdom of darkness but have now become a citizen of the kingdom of His marvelous light, and that others can experience that same transformation and become citizens of the kingdom of heaven (the kingdom of God) as well. "20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20). We are His ambassadors and we are "ministers of reconciliation.
There is much more that we could talk about, but let's focus a bit on that last part of that last verse I just quoted. God made the world in a perfect state that was corrupted by sin. The relationship between God and Man, God and Nature, Man and Nature, Nature and Nature, and Man and Man were all broken. Only God could fix the damage that had been done, but, to do so, He would have to be obedient to God in all things living a perfect life that deserved no punishment and then take the punishment that all of us deserved. This would fix the biggest issue--the relationship between God and Man--for those who accepted this sacrifice that was made on their behalf as the only Way of Salvation, Redemption and Restoration for them. Yet, that restoration is still a work in progress as we are not perfectly the people God wants us to be, and we still see all kinds of brokenness from sin around us in Nature and our relationships with fellow Man (there are still natural disasters, wars, crime, etc.) All these things make us groan and long for the end of this brokenness and a new and fresh start where everything will be perfect, never to be corrupted by sin again. That day is coming for all those who are in Christ, but that day is never coming for those who refuse to be reconciled to God by the one and only Way that He has provided. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me." Jesus is the only Way. You come to Him with nothing of value--you cannot buy your salvation from Him, you must accept it as a free gift. However, you must also give your life to Him so that you are now His humble servant and that you desire to do what pleases Him in all things and that you desire to bring glory to the Father, Son, and Spirit both now and forevermore. So in one sense this choice costs you nothing, but in another sense it costs you everything (though you realize that "everything" was of no value at all).
Please pray for God to bring people to us to be discipled and for God to bring people to me that are curious and want to be discipled as well as those who want to mature spiritually and help make disciples. The goal of discipleship is larger than the goal of evangelism or church-planting. It is about "teaching them to obey every I have commanded you." This was why Jesus commanded and commissioned us to go and make disciples, not converts. It is a long-term commitment and journey centered around the gospel of Jesus Christ and showing and telling others the change that it has made in you and me and the change that He can make in them as well, through the power and work of the Holy Spirit. This is why the gospel is at the heart of what we study as a group and is a central theme of most of what I write here on this site.
How Do We Do Online Discipleship?
First, there are the resources you can access directly from this website. A few of these resources require me to make them only available to our members, though membership is free. If you want access to these recorded lessons, you can register for this site. Once you register, use the Request Access page to let us know what resources you would like to request access to (make sure the information on your Access Request matches what you used to Register). I cannot guarantee that Weebly will not harvest and sell your information, so you may want to use an email account that you only use for online registrations like this.
In addition to the blogs that I've shared here, I'm also using various social media platforms to foster relationships with discipleship in mind. I won't list all of the services I use, but there are quite a few--more than likely you are on one or more of them unless you only use platforms that require you to have a specific brand of computer or mobile device to access them (I stay away from these kinds of platforms because I want to be equally accessible to everyone). If you have a question about the Bible or anything you read on this site, you can always start a conversation with me right here through the website using the Contact Us page. I encourage all kinds of questions from those who are studying the Bible with me or those who are studying the Bible for themselves.
If you know me from any of the social media platforms that I frequent, you can send me a direct message there (please don't call me without messaging me first, but texts and text-based direct messages are always fine). You don't need to know me from anywhere else to reach out to me using the Contact Us form.
In addition to the blogs that I've shared here, I'm also using various social media platforms to foster relationships with discipleship in mind. I won't list all of the services I use, but there are quite a few--more than likely you are on one or more of them unless you only use platforms that require you to have a specific brand of computer or mobile device to access them (I stay away from these kinds of platforms because I want to be equally accessible to everyone). If you have a question about the Bible or anything you read on this site, you can always start a conversation with me right here through the website using the Contact Us page. I encourage all kinds of questions from those who are studying the Bible with me or those who are studying the Bible for themselves.
If you know me from any of the social media platforms that I frequent, you can send me a direct message there (please don't call me without messaging me first, but texts and text-based direct messages are always fine). You don't need to know me from anywhere else to reach out to me using the Contact Us form.
Can You Help Me Find a Local Church to Disciple Me and Help Me Disciple Others?
No matter what level you are at, we are not meant to do discipleship or Christianity in isolation. Our Bible Studies are here to help you grow, but they will not replace your being a member a local church and being under the authority of the Word of God, your pastor, elders, and deacons. While discipleship is largely done outside the church as we live life together, it is not something that happens apart from the Church or in place of the Church. If you have questions about church membership or need help finding a church local to you that will help you to be discipled, encourage you to cultivate your spiritual gifts and use them to the benefit of the Church and other, and encourage you to be spiritually mature and to become a disciple-maker, please let me know. You may find the "9 Marks Church Search" that is available in the Links and Resources area helpful in your search for this kind of a church. You may also find the material in the "What We Believe" section helpful as you look at local churches and evaluate their Statement of Faith and Mission/Vision documents.
It may take some work on your part, but probably the most important component of choosing a church is to find one where the pastor preaches and teaches the Word of God in what would be called an expository format--he lets the text speak and the Bible interpret itself. If this is the type of church that you go to, then every other part of the church's work and ministry should eventually line up with the preaching as people will be encouraged to apply the Word of God to how the worship, how they work, how they interact with each other in the church and how they interact with the world. You will find issues in every church because every congregation is made up of imperfect people who are trying to follow Christ, but still struggle with battling the flesh. This fight is not over until we die and go to heaven or until Jesus returns and we are transformed into His likeness. If you are looking for the "perfect" church, you won't find it, but do look for a church that desires to honor God, not man and whose desire is to fulfill The Great Commission and that preaches the true gospel and is faithful to the Word of God in all they do.
It may take some work on your part, but probably the most important component of choosing a church is to find one where the pastor preaches and teaches the Word of God in what would be called an expository format--he lets the text speak and the Bible interpret itself. If this is the type of church that you go to, then every other part of the church's work and ministry should eventually line up with the preaching as people will be encouraged to apply the Word of God to how the worship, how they work, how they interact with each other in the church and how they interact with the world. You will find issues in every church because every congregation is made up of imperfect people who are trying to follow Christ, but still struggle with battling the flesh. This fight is not over until we die and go to heaven or until Jesus returns and we are transformed into His likeness. If you are looking for the "perfect" church, you won't find it, but do look for a church that desires to honor God, not man and whose desire is to fulfill The Great Commission and that preaches the true gospel and is faithful to the Word of God in all they do.