Discipleship
The Purpose of Discipleship
It is essential to the gospel call to pass along the truths of scripture and to make disciples. Jesus commanded the first disciples and all who would follow:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:19-20
What does that mean for us practically?
A simple way to look at what this means for the church is to break the process of discipleship into three general areas in which content, relationships and experiences will fit: Know, Be, Do.
We pursue Know Be Do Whole-Person Discipleship for each age–children, youth and adults–and for each stage– those exploring Christianity, new and growing Christians, and mature Christians.
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
— Colossians 1:9-10, ESV
Each element (class, event, experience, group, etc.) of the discipleship plan corresponds to one of these three areas in order to fully form followers of Christ.
Know [Head] | “...to be filled with the knowledge of his will”
We hear the gospel preached, taught and declared in worship. In this area, we grow in knowledge of what God says about himself, his people, and his plan of salvation. Collectively we learn the gospel as we learn what it means, through corporate worship, preaching, and teaching; in addition we pursue small group and individual study and worship to grow in our understanding.
Be [Heart] | “...to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord”
Having heard and believed the gospel, we are formed to the likeness of Christ at a level of our identity and affections by the Holy Spirit. The gospel penetrates not only our mind, but our instinctive understanding of who we are. The result is a holy change in us; our passions and convictions are redeemed. The church as a whole is collectively renewed after the image of Christ.
Do [Hands] | “...bearing fruit in every good work”
Having understood the gospel, and experiencing the internal change in our passions and priorities, we then apply it in our lives practically. Our actions are empowered by the Spirit and refocused on kingdom-building. As a result, our efforts in discipleship do not remain static. We are outward-oriented, inviting newcomers, serving the church and the community. We practically use our time, talent, and treasure to see our city flourish and enjoy Christ.