Welcome! We trust you’re excited to be embarking on this journey of understanding discipleship in a greater way and the part you can play.
A disciple in its simplest definition is someone who ‘follows’ or a ‘learner’, so in the context of Christianity a disciple can be defined as a person who is committed to organise their life around the following:
Be with Jesus, Become like Jesus, Do what Jesus did.
Simple right! However, to live this way requires a life-long commitment to a radical transformation from the inside out. It’s important that as we embark on this journey of discipleship, that you take a moment right now to pause and ask yourself if the way you’re living reflects the Biblical model of living life to the full? Has spiritual transformation taken place in your life in the last 12 months, or do you feel like you’ve reached a plateau?
As you pause you may find yourself asking if a lifestyle of deep engagement with Jesus and His practices is actually possible in this chaotic, information charged society we live in? Yes, it is, and we hope this will be the start or continuation of a journey of discovering that for yourself in a greater way.
Everyone has a part to play.
Traditional views of discipleship have either been one-to-one such as mentoring or coaching, or one-to-many such as teaching or Group leading. These models are vital, valid and foundational for discipleship growth – however to define discipleship purely through these models can cause us to miss the beautiful strength of many voices into an individual’s discipleship journey – this could be defined as many-to-one discipleship vs one-to-one. The many-to-one approach recognises that a disciple will have multiple people who will invest and grow them on their discipleship journey, either at the same time, or within different seasons of the journey. If a disciple can be open to learning from many in various environments, no matter the discipler’s spiritual maturity there’s greater opportunity for growth. Note, a discipler can be defined as ‘an individual who intentionally shows others how to be a disciple of Jesus’. The many-to-one model establishes a discipleship culture versus the one-to-one model that establishes a discipleship relationship. Both forms are necessary and valid.
We are all called to disciple others. Jesus’ last words to us in Matthew 28 were ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’
At what point on your Christian journey are you ready to show someone else how to be a disciple of Jesus? That is, to be a discipler! We will forever be on this journey of growth towards being like Jesus and none of us will ever fully arrive.
The New Testament is littered with scriptures of the apostles (the men who we could all acknowledge were some of the strongest, Holy Spirit filled Christians in history) who grew stronger in their faith journey because of the example set by others. Consider Paul writing to the Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 3:7-8. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
Cast your mind back to when you made a decision to follow Jesus. Did you have a friend or family member make a decision to follow Jesus not long after because of you sharing your new found faith? (If not, be assured it does happen on a regular basis). And once that friend was saved, you would have naturally continued sharing all that you’ve learnt on your short recent journey with Jesus. It wasn’t necessary to have completed Bible College for you to show your friend what you’d learnt on your Christian journey so far... you were discipling them.
APPLICATION
The practice of silence & solitude was a common practice for Jesus, it has also been a fundamental practice for any Christian over the centuries who wants to stay emotionally alive and spiritually awake. The practice of silence & solitude is a moment of intentional time in the quiet to be alone with God.
During the next 2 weeks of this devotional, we encourage you to set aside (at least) 10 minutes of your day to sit in silence and ‘Be with Jesus’.
Reflect on those people in your world who have discipled you (someone who has intentionally shown you how to be a disciple of Jesus). Is there more than one person? Have they been part of your journey for a long time or just a season?
Consider what your next step could be in your journey of discipling others.
PRAYER
Lord, I pray you would show me how I can contribute to a discipleship culture on a daily basis.
Please bring people across my path that I can, with intention, share some of the things I have learnt on my journey.
Lord, I’m excited to freshly consider the impact I can have in others worlds for you, and I want to step into a fresh confidence of sharing what I have learnt about you.
You could also pray:
- For the courage and passion to encourage others in their journey with Jesus.
- For a tangible presence of the Holy Spirit in all our church services this weekend.
HELPFUL READINGS
Book:
‘Emotionally Healthy Discipleship’ Peter Scazzero
Scripture:
Acts 13:1-3
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 9:10-16
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Acts 9:17-19
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptised, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.