Discipleship Thoughts

Discipleship = Community = Family

The thoughts on this post will continue to grow as we edit in more links to this important topic. 

Discipleship is:

• teaching and learning about getting the cards right - the top card being Jesus Christ placed above all the others. [adapted from Tim Keller]
• fostering attention to the words and actions of Jesus, promoting God’s love for the world.
• about sharpening but also culling, stripping away the bad. [Chris Sligh]
• patiently growing our faith, our willingness to accept God’s will.
• becoming transformed by the Gospel story. [Kevin Peck - Verge 2013]
• to follow Christ foremost.
• living in God’s rhythm and serving in God’s mission.
• never hip and never in style because it’s a call to come and die. [Mike Breen]
• reaching out through our brokenness to help others. [Julie Barnhill]
• being willing to experience God’s big stuff.
• leading all people into fully devoted, mature followers of Christ.
• exercising the serving heart of Jesus.
• about building up people in Christ.
• giving up other priorities in order to fully serve Jesus Christ.
• about relationships, walking alongside others.
• an apprenticeship process of following Jesus Christ in how to live in the Kingdom of Heaven. [Dallas Willard]
• learning to be the person God has created you for, in this life and the next.
• costly and serious business, paying the cost of putting Jesus first in all things.
• not always knowing where we’re going, but always knowing who we are with. [David Platt - Verge 2013]
• opening up to the risen Jesus and learning to follow him.
• living in and passing on the gospel message of God’s love.
• sharing with each other so that we can be encouraged to grow spiritually.

 God the Creator

• He is the essence of life.
• He has subjected all of creation to long for the revealing of the children of God so that it can be set free from its bondage to decay [Romans 8:20,21]
• He lavishes the riches of his grace [Ephesians 1:7,8]
• He did not withhold his own Son but gave him up for the people He called in order to justify them to glorify them [Romans 8:30,32]
• He accomplished all things according to his counsel and will [Ephesians 1:11]
• He foreknew people to be conformed to the image of his Son [Romans 8:29]
• He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son [Colossians 1:13]
• In Love, God chose us in Christ to be reconciled, adopted, holy and blameless before Him [Ephesians 1:4,5 Colossians 1:20]
• Each of us will be accountable to God. [Romans 14:12] 

Jesus the discipleship maker

• He is the word of God, the spoken word which became flesh, a great mystery.
• He is head of the body, the church [Colossians 1:18]
• In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell [Colossians 1:19]
• All things have been created through him and for him [Colossians 1:16]
• He gathered together an extended ‘family’ of disciples
• He did this when his sceptical family in Nazareth had distanced themselves from him
• His disciples are witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God [Romans 8:34]
• He has become the firstborn within a large created family [Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:15]
• He obtained an inheritance for his followers [Ephesians 1:11]
• In him all things hold together [Colossians 1:17]
• He intercedes for his community so that they are more than conquerors [Romans 8:37]
• If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. [Romans 14:8] 
• We have redemption and forgiveness through Jesus’ blood on the cross. [Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14,20]]
• For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be the firstborn Lord of both the dead and the living. [Romans 14:9, Colossians 1:15,18] 
• The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. (Romans 14:18) 

God’s seal of the Holy Spirit

• With the first fruits of the Spirit we wait patiently for adoption and redemption of our bodies [Romans 8:23,25]
• We are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit as a pledge of inheritance after hearing the word of truth about Jesus and believing in him. [Ephesians 1:13,14]
• The Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God [Romans 8:27]
• The Spirit helps us in our weakness, interceding with sighs too deep for words [Romans 8:26]
• For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. [Romans 14:17] 

God’s mission purpose

• to do what Jesus was doing, clearly laid out in His Great Commission
• To gather all things in the fullness of time to live for the praise of his glory [Ephesians 1:10,12]
• to grow in relationship in the family of God

Spiritual Parents leading the family

• have an important responsibility for mentoring and planning
• guide the community to keep a balance of worship (up), fellowship (in) and serving God’s missional purpose (out)
• lead in rhythms, predictable patterns that enhance learning and fellowship
• guide the community to reflect on the learning and growing process

God’s family gatherings

• set their hope on Christ [Ephesians 1:12]
• understand their adoption into God’s family is lavishly and freely bestowed [Ephesians 1:5,6,8]
• welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions. (Romans 14:1) 
• see the sufferings of this present time not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed [Romans 8:18]
• cannot be separated from the love of Christ, even though hardship, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword [Romans 8:35,39]
• is more than conquerors through Jesus who loved us [Romans 8:37]
• is small enough to care and big enough to advance God’s mission with support of its members
• is blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places [Ephesians 1:3]
• is chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world [Ephesians 1:4]
• learn how to serve so it is not just the role of the few leading church
• is a family with a shared mission of Jesus’ great commission
• have been given the authority in the spiritual realm
• know the mystery of God’s will [Ephesians 1:9]
• shares times to serve, eat, pray, study the Scriptures and play, sharing hope
• is an all of life picture, enjoying God’s gift of life and sharing it with others
• can partner with other organisations using all manner of gifts and abilities
• grows in spiritual maturity by doing community together
• shares a task that is bigger than their individual selves
• is called to be accountable and have a higher level of commitment [Romans 14:12]
• make links and share resources
• those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. [Romans 14:3] 
• Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. [Romans 14:5] 
• Those who observe the day, observe it in honour of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God. [Romans 14:6] 

Interaction protocols

• We know that all things work together for good for those who love God [Romans 8:28]
• We hope for what is not seen and we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies [Romans 8:23,24]
• Be interested in another person whether they are a part of the gathering or a passing acquaintance.
• Let us no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another. [Romans 14:13] 
• Give to and expect from others in the gathering much prayerful support.
• Do not let your good be spoken of as evil. [Romans 14:16] 
• Be ready prayerfully to be responsive to people who God places before me.
• Be willing to listen to another with full attention and not try to think up something to say.
• Avoid cross-talking and interrupting, being ready to listen and slow to speak.
• Celebrate the good in everyone and encourage in a positive way.
• Be culturally, theologically, and spiritually considerate of the others in the gathering.
• Be respectful and trustworthy in issues of confidentiality.
• First gain permission to offer advice on issues that may be sensitive.
• Trust in God’s Holy Spirit to move among the gathering to guide, inspire and heal.
• Be in the present with others, with an expectation of hope.
• Make the most of opportunities.
• Face a painful challenge, when we might procrastinate and not do those pastoral visits or phone calls.
• Let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up-building. [Romans 14:19] 
• The faith that you possess, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve. [Romans 14:22] 

Electronic support

• Create personal videos to share with a wider circle of listeners. (eg. Barb’s speech video)
• “What’s App” chat room for quick sharing before and after the gathering especially for prayer support
• “Zoom” Zoom.us offers free, high-definition, group video calls for up to 15 people over a variety of devices
• Watching good speakers on YouTube such as Tim Keller
• eSword and other such Bible apps
• A daily devotion through What’s App
• Pondering over the interpretation of a Bible passage with others through text messenger
• Audio Bible
• Sons of Korah music, loads of inspiring music actually

Six Discipleship Readings

[inspired by Colin Marshall & Tony Payne, “The Vine Project”]

• Romans 8 (&14)
• Ephesians 1:1-14
• Colossians 1:13-20
• Titus 2:11-14
• Hebrews 12:18-24
• Revelation 7:9-17

Note what there is to learn about:

• The end toward which God is moving everything
• The place of Jesus Christ in God’s plans
• The significance of Jesus’ death for God’s plans
• Humanity’s place in God’s plans
• Why making disciples is important

It may be helpful to look at what is not discipleship among Jesus’ followers

Final Questions:

• Why do you think many churches lose urgency for making more disciples of Jesus?
• How would you describe your own urgency for the task?
• What different ways can we truthfully finish this sentence? “We make disciples because…”