Question: What is Christian discipleship? Answer: By definition, a disciple is a follower, one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another. A Christian disciple is a person who accepts and assists in the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ. Christian discipleship is the process by which disciples grow in the Lord Jesus Christ and are equipped by the Holy Spirit, who resides in our hearts, to overcome the pressures and trials of this present life and become more and more Christ-like. This process requires believers to respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to examine their thoughts, words and actions, and compare them with the Word of God. This requires that we be in the Word daily —studying it, praying over it, and obeying it. In addition, we should always be ready to give testimony of the reason for the hope thatis within us.
1 Peter 3:15 says … in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, and to disciple others to walk in His way.
According to Scripture, being a Christian disciple involves personal growth characterized by the
following: 1. Putting Jesus first in all things (Mark 8:34-38). The disciple of Christ needs to be set apart from the world. Our focus should be on our Lord and pleasing Him in every area of our lives. We
must put off self-centeredness and put on Christ-centeredness. 2. Following Jesus’ teachings … we must be obedient children and doers of the Word. Obedience is the supreme test of faith in God and Jesus is the perfect example of obedience as he lived a life on earth of complete obedience to the Father even to the point of death. 3. Fruitfulness. Our job is not producing fruit, our job is to abide in Christ, and if we do, the Holy Spirit will produce the fruit, and this fruit is the result of our obedience. As we become more obedient to the Lord and learn to walk in His ways, our lives will change. We have to
have a heart change from the old person to the new creation in Christ. 4. Love for others. We are told that love of other believers is the evidence of our being a member of God’s family, but also we are to love others. When it comes to everything in life, “our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” What a perfect example He is to us for everything we are to do in our Christian walk.
- Evangelism – Making disciples of others (Matthew 28:18-20). We are to share our faith and tell nonbelievers about the wonderful changes Jesus Christ has made in our lives. No matter what our maturity level in the Christian life, we have something to offer.
Too often, we believe the lie from satan that we don’t really know enough or haven’t been a Christian long enough to make a difference. Not true! Very often new believers who have just discovered the awesome love of God make to be a great witness. They may not know a lot of Bible verses or the “accepted” way of saying things, but they have experienced the love of the living God, and that is exactly what we are to share.
Yes, blessed and highly favored of God …. Come and join us at New Beginning Church.
