Clearing the Fog on Discipleship
I have seen it too often. Christians stuck in a spiritual fog. They might be holding on to faith but many aren’t advancing in it. For all too many, prayer has become dry and routine, Bible study is an imposition, and church attendance is mechanical. When Jesus called us to discipleship and to make disciples, He had to have had more in mind than this, right?
I think part of the problem is this: We don’t know what a disciple really looks like.
As a pastor, making disciples is a part of my job description. Actually, as Christians, making disciples is a part of OUR “job description.” The whole idea of making disciples is part of the good works God created for us to do.
But the question still lingers…. What are you looking for when it comes to making a disciple?
This is a key question that every church planter, pastor, and follower of Jesus must wrestle with. If we don’t know how to clearly point people to a series of next steps on the journey towards Jesus, then we fall short of significantly helping them.
When Jesus says that we are to go and make disciples of all nations, the idea He was communicating was that disciples are constant learners at His feet. With that in mind, I think there are three characteristics of a disciple:
- A Disciple is formed by Jesus
- A Disciple is following Jesus
- A Disciple is faithful to the mission of Jesus
Discipleship isn’t about the transferal of information but rather, learning and walking with the one who is truth.
How are you helping your people come to know and be formed by Jesus? How are you helping others follow Jesus? And what are you doing to help them live faithfully in the mission of Jesus?
When it comes to creating disciples, know what you are aiming for.