A look into Discipleship I

Over the course of multiple conversations with multiple ministers I have found that the definition of the word “discipleship” varies from individual to individual. Some believe discipleship is equal to leadership. Leadership is related to discipleship, but it only reflects one of the aspects of discipleship. I have taken this simple explanation of Discipleship from the AG website.

“Discipleship is more than an important program in the church. It is the great priority found in the Great Commission. It is the ultimate proof of effective ministry and genuine church growth. It is the will of God and the desire of Jesus. It is the foundation of a stable faith and the means of rich and rewarding relationships with God and man.”

In the next few issues of the this post, we will be exploring the essentials of effective discipleship. At it’s foundation Christian Education is Discipleship. Every class, lesson, and program should be intentionally designed to further the discipleship process in the student. Christ is ultimately the perfect example of a disciple maker. Discipleship is so important that Christ dedicated the majority of His ministry to the 12 Disciples. Every time we witness to an unbeliever or work with a Christian we must implement disciple-making principles. It is not enough to hope that one will become an effective disciple, we must plan to produce disciples that will carry on the work of the Great Commission.

Here are some characteristics of Discipleship as listed on the Discipleship page of the Assemblies of God website:

• Discipleship is all about relationships: Our personal relationship with Jesus in devotion, relationships with other believers in care and accountability, and relationships with pre-believers in evangelism.
• If discipleship had two bookends, they would be transformation and multiplication.
• Transformation of character often comes in response to repentance. Followers of Jesus never outgrow repentance.
• Discipleship is a process, not an event. We never graduate from growing more like Christ. It is a goal that should consume our attention until the day we meet Jesus face to face.
• We’re not disciples unless we’re discipling others. Multiplication comes as a result of evangelism and mentoring.
• Discipleship is a life spent seeking Christ-likeness in the company of other seekers. As Jesus modeled it, discipleship is a contact sport.
• Since discipleship is a non-negotiable (it is the Great Commission), discipleship must be an intentional focus of every believer and every ministry.