Discipleship: What does this mean?
So, what is discipleship?
“Discipling is an intentional relationship in which we walk alongside other disciples in order to encourage, equip and challenge one another in love to grow toward maturity in Christ. This includes equipping the disciple to teach others as well.” - Greg Ogden
- In looking at the life of Jesus, it is basically “doing life with another person”. It is investing in someone (through the power of the Spirit) in a way that causes them to be more like Christ and more in love with Christ. It also implies a sending out of the disciple to now be the one who makes disciples.
Why do discipleship?
- Jesus did it (Ephesians 5:1 - Be imitators of God)
- Because Jesus Commands us to do it. (Matthew 28:19-20) - This is a personal call on each of our lives! It is incredible to know that in doing this we are in the center of God’s will for our life…what a sweet place to be
- Because we love Jesus and we desire to be obedient…not out of compulsion (1 Peter 5-1-3 and 2 Corinthians 5:14)
Jesus’ ministry on earth
His ministry was not all about appealing to the masses of people, instead He invested in a few people that would go out and spread the Gospel after He was gone.
- “We need to have enough vision to think small” - building the church up solidly with only a few people at a time.
