Discipleship??

I just finished a class on discipleship and evangelism, the final is due next Tuesday. So my thoughts are on this subject as I get ready to write my views. In the Bible the thought of 'go' make disciples is something in the local church we have trouble with. I'm convinced that discipleship can’t and shouldn't be a fill in the blanks Bible Study…or a topical Bible study on Sunday morning geared towards mature Christians. What does it mean? What would it look like in Jesus time? Go back and every Jewish boy by the age of thirteen had studied and memorized much of the Pentateuch (first five book of the Bible) and the prophets. The best and the brightest students would have the opportunity to continue their education and maybe…get accepted into a rabbinical school. It would be in this place the young inspiring student would come under the teaching of his teacher. If he wasn’t the best and the brightest it was off to another vocation, maybe a shepherd, fisherman, carpenter, or farmer.

While the bright student was at the rabbinical schools, there were five characteristics he would follow.

1. The disciple chose to submit to his teacher.
2. The disciple would memorize his teacher’s words.
3. The disciples would learn his teacher’s way of ministry.
4. The disciple would imitate his teacher’s life.
5. The disciple would be expected to find his own disciples.

I found this very interesting…let’s put this into a perceptive we can understand in today’s Christian life.

1. We must submit to Christ.
2. We must memorize his words, know the Word.
3. Learn the way Jesus did ministry.
4. Be like Jesus.
5. Tell other about Jesus.

All of this must be done in fellowship with other believers. All of this needs to be done through prayer. We need to know the Scripture, we need to be in prayer, in fellowship with Christ and each other. We need to be a witness for Christ, sharing our faith with others. Lastly we need to serve, serving in ministry, somewhere and somehow.

I think if we are serious about reaching our children and if we are serious about being a Christian. We need to be very serious about discipleship. I think we have missed the boat for to many years in America. We have sacrificed true discipleship for surface studies of the Bible that make us feel good. We need to get deep into the word and let it change us. If we are not willing to do the work and if we are going to sacrifice our limited time for the simple pursuit of possessions and happiness…we will miss our opportunity to change the people around us. We miss the opportunity to change the world for Christ. Christ has to be the center of our lives…He is Life. We need to be more and more Christ like and less and less ‘ME’ like.

Read you Bible, pray…pray…pray, fellowship with Christ and other Christians…from that share your faith with others. Serve, serve your church, serve your neighbor…your family…your wife…your husband…give away of yourself…and gain the joy of Christ

-ps