Discipleship
What is Discipleship?
Many may think that the term “disciple” refers only to the early followers of Christ. We know that they were a praying, worshipping, loving, giving, and evangelizing group of men and women who refused to keep the truth of the gospel to themselves. Yet, God still desires disciples today—ordinary people like you and me whom God can use to do extraordinary things.
The Christian experience of the believers in the first-century church may seem radical to many in the church today, but to those early believers, it was normal Christianity. And these men and women—empowered and motivated by the Holy Spirit—turned their world upside down for the sake of Christ. In short, they were true disciples of Jesus Christ.
There is disciple-making and then there is disciple-ship — or the shaping up of a disciple. The oft-missed reality is, if you are a disciple, then you are a disciple-maker — this doesn’t mean you have to be a teacher or a preacher or a pastor — but according to the Great Commission, every disciple is called to reproduce. The early church knew it, and you can see how that played out in Acts of the Apostles. But we — the Church, and every individual inside it — are called to be ambassadors to the Kingdom.
So let us re-think how we define the term of “disciple” in Christian lingo today. Most of the time when you hear about “discipling” you picture a couple of guys meeting for coffee discussing a Christian book or if you’re lucky, the Bible itself. But is that what Jesus had in mind when he said go and make disciples of all nations? Because what we see immediately afterwards is a rapid movement and urgency to make disciples, lead them to be obedient followers of Jesus, and then to go out and do what you just did with them.
Some Thoughts on Discipleship
Discipleship Must Be Reproducible
If disciple-making and then disciple-shipping is not reproducible, the Great Commission slows down. In the west, we have individualized much of Christianity that we have made it so much about the pastor/preacher doing the discipleship, and he is so gifted that you couldn’t hardly do what he does! That is the problem. It must be something that is less individualized, and more Kingdom-centric.
Disciplers must commit to leading the way with a “caught over taught” attitude. At Anchor, we believe strongly in individuals internalizing and mastering a reproducible method of discipleship, so that it can be transferred to others who can do it and multiply it too. The M.A.L.L. method (Model for your disciple, Assist - have the disciple assist you in ministry, Look at your disciple in action, and Launch your disciple out to do with others what you were doing with them) is a good place to ground a discipleship relationship.
These new disciples don’t have to be highly gifted storytellers, evangelists, preachers, teachers, etc. But the method must be reproducible to where it doesn’t depend on giftings. That is where we get to our next point…
Discipleship Isn’t Mentoring
As you as a disciple allow others into your life and let them help you follow, obey and worship Jesus, you should be seeing how to reach out and disciple others. But that doesn’t mean we are mentoring others.
Mentoring has to do with what the mentor can offer to someone else through their own wisdom and experience; discipleship has to do with what Jesus can offer to someone else through His wisdom and presence.
This is why you don’t need to have a slew of qualifications to disciple someone else (the original 12 were just “ordinary, unschooled men,” remember?)—you just have to be following and obeying Jesus in your own life and be willing to help someone else do the same.
Discipleship Isn’t “Just Me and Jesus.”
While discipleship is all about Jesus, it’s not a solitary endeavor. Discipleship is relational, and to fully respond to the Great Commission, we need to be disciples who are making disciples of Jesus. This means we need to spend consistent time with other believers.
Jesus and His disciples spent a lot of time together (Acts 1:21-22). They ate together, walked together, rode in boats together. They even fought together (Luke 9:46-48).
The 12 disciples were in one another’s lives, constantly and intentionally.
Discipleship Foundations
Disciples must have their identity affirmed in Christ — Everyone deeply longs to know they’re loved. Help them understand who they are, and their relationship to the Trinity.
Disciples must know their spiritual gifts — Help them to understand how to implement their giftings for the benefit of the Church and the expansion of the Kingdom.
Disciples must know how to converse with God — The Creator of everything longs to talk to his creation. We must disciple those around us to understand his voice, the prompting of the Holy Spirit, how to pray, and how to discern the voice of God through the various methods that he uses.
Disciples must know how to study the Bible — We need to be able to help them understand how to read and study the bible. Begin with Observation, Interpretation, Application (OIA).
Disciples must appreciate the value of fellowship — This is vital. We must make time for each other, and value that time as sacred. Show up on time. Do what you say you’re going to do. Make sure to keep your word, and be intentional.
Disciples must confidently know how to share Jesus and their testimony — Disciples need to have a firm understanding of how to share the gospel, along with their testimony. It’s our responsibility to help them understand HOW.
Disciples of Jesus are to be held to a higher standard — It’s our job to make sure those we’re teaching and equipping are held accountable. We must be willing to share when we see issues arise. Remember, we must share the truth in love.
Disciples all have a calling on their life — If someone gives Jesus their whole life, what does that mean for their career? Does God care whether someone becomes a lawyer, a musician, or a truck driver? Be intentional in your discussions about how God can use your group members' passions and talents in combination with his Kingdom mission.
Disciples must allow God in to heal their brokenness — Whether a Christian wrestles with an eating disorder, pornography addiction, recreational drug use, or a lifelong grudge, God wants to restore his children fully. Spend time leading those you disciple in confession, prayer, and scriptural truths to build faith in God’s ability to rescue them from the difficult issues affecting them inside and out.
Practical Discipleship in Today’s Environment
Practical discipleship is meant to take place outside of regular Wednesday/Sunday meetings, but of course can occur there as well. Discipleship is meant to be doing life together with Kingdom missions on the mind.
Here are some of the practical discipleship methods we expect and employ here at Anchor:
Set up regular times to meet
Discuss what God has been doing in your heart
Discuss what God wants to do with you for his Kingdom
What has God put on your heart for the harvest fields?
Where are the harvest fields God has put on your heart?
What does God have for you in the harvest fields?
What does God want of you as the harvest force?
What are your strengths, weaknesses, giftings, things that make you come alive? How can they be used for the Kingdom?
Commitment for discipleship
Constant prayer for one another
Accountability
Allow for authority to speak into your life and trust
What is the End Goal?
The end goal is not to make a well-mannered, well-read, really well-behaved “Christian”. The end goal is make well-rounded, uniquely created, Kingdom citizen disciples, that make other disciples, that make other disciples, at an exponential rate to disrupt the kingdom of darkness.
Jesus asked us to take over the family business of making disciples as his last request and that is an exciting thought! We ask that you approach discipleship as one of the greatest opportunities to not only grow in your relationship with Jesus but to also see others walk in the plans God has for his Church.
Your time does not have to be boring! Go have fun when you meet up. For some of you, that might mean going fishing, for others it could be shopping, or just meeting up for dinner, coffee, and early breakfast before work. Whatever it is, make sure it is intentional for each other, and for those who see you out in the world. Wherever you are, be thinking about the lost, and also about growing the Kingdom as individuals.