Discipleship Is…

I have a degree in discipleship, yet most people don’t know what that means, even in the church. All Christians should be disciples of Christ. Not the denomination, but simply followers of Jesus. Therefore, all Christians should be experiencing discipleship. But what is it? Great question!

First, let’s cover what it’s not. It’s not simply having fun, but it can include that. It’s not meeting at coffee shops, but it can include that too. It’s not a small group, a one on one mentorship, a monthly discipleship group, a seminar, a sermon, a class, a Bible study, a Sunday school class, a conference, or counseling. “But what?” You say? You thought all of those were good things? Of course they are. They’re just not discipleship. Discipleship might include some of those things, but it doesn’t have to include any of them.

Second, before we explain what discipleship is, let’s look at what evangelism is, so as not to be confused. Typically, evangelism involves bringing others to know Jesus. It’s sharing the Gospel and asking someone if they want to devote their lives to Christ.

Now, discipleship is everything that should happen after a person accepts Christ until they physically die. It’s the spiritual formation that should be happening there. Let me explain.

It IS helping people with REAL needs. It IS getting so involved with someone’s life that you know their deepest struggles and seek with them to grow and overcome challenges and trials. It’s coming alongside someone to help them become their best self. It’s encouraging someone to sign up for a financial class if they’ve asked for prayer over their finances for six years instead of simply continuing to pray and hope something changes. It’s watching their kids. It’s taking them a meal. It’s checking in with them REGULARLY to hear how EVERY area of their life is going. Then it’s praying with them and helping guide them spiritually on how to grow from there. Discipleship is and discipleship does.

Cru does discipleship well. Another group explained discipleship as “life on life.” It’s living in such close contact with someone that you become like them! Jesus’ disciples LIVED with Him for 3 YEARS! That’s a long time to live with someone. Think of roommates you’ve had. Did you ever live with anyone for three years? Besides your kids or significant other? How well did you know that person after that? If you only have lived with your significant other or your children for three years or more, think about the discipleship opportunities in the home.

Your kids see you do everything. Sure, you teach them, as Jesus taught His disciples. But they also learn a lot from just watching you! I recently watched my 70 year old dad interact with a friend of his who stopped by to say hi. I thought to myself, “wow, he sounds like me! I didn’t realize how much I took after him.” He never taught me how to be friendly or talk to friends. But I learned by watching him. Your kids will learn too. Parenting is the ideal ground for discipleship. However, since we live in a broken world, we must also reach out beyond the walls of our own homes. This can be a part of our discipling our children.

Cru discipleship when I was in college included one on one weekly meetings with a mentor. One hour was talking about praying about what was going on in one’s life. Another hour was spent evangelizing and bringing people to know Jesus, together. That idea of not only training someone, but training them to train others as well IS discipleship! Meet a mom for a playdate and share Jesus with her. Take your kids to a food pantry to serve food with you. Let your kids help with a backyard Bible club. Invite a college student into your home for weekly discipleship coffee meetings or a Bible study. They will not only benefit from having an older godly person in their life, but also by watching you as a mom.

It’s not always practical to have people live with us, but discipleship needs to resemble that idea. That means those you disciple need to see you in various areas of your life. Do regular Bible studies and coffee chats and pray together. But don’t stop there! Go beyond by meeting at their house sometimes, meeting them for lunch at their work, inviting them into your home, inviting them on vacation with you, inviting them into your lives. And if it is possible to have people live with you, by all means, do it! Many have come to Christ through living with Christians because they see how they live.