Discipleship

Where Disciple-Making Begins (part II)

 Go . . . make disciples. - Mathew 28:19

 A DISCIPLE IS . . .

Let's start with a definition easy enough for a child to understand:  A disciple is someone who follows Jesus, loves Jesus, learns from Jesus, and obeys Jesus in all of life.  Discipleship is a relationship with Jesus that's based on love, guided by His commandments, and nurtured in a community of faith.  Discipleship is both a decision about life and the life itself.

For parents, this definition is a reminder of their accountability to Jesus as the real parental authority in a child's life.  Parents need more than their best ideas to raise disciples.  They need to know that Jesus leads them as they parent His children.  It means everything sends them back to God and His Word-sibling rivalry, leisure boundaries, scheduling priorities, discipline-it's all about discipling.

Where Disciple-Making Begins (part I)

Go . . . make disciples. - Mathew 28:19

They walked in, anonymously mixing with the Temple crowd.  What was so special about one more couple bringing their baby for the commanded visit?  Mary and Joseph were probably just as nervous as you were your first time out in public with a newborn.  Still learning about the cries and the needs of the baby who had changed every routine of their lives, they were no doubt more focused on the baby than anything else.

They had been taught about the importance of this visit.  They had witnessed other parents making their first family trip to God's house.  Now it was their turn.  Pride tumbled with wonder.  Joy wrestled with fear.  They were to raise this child for God.  The only way to begin was with obedience.

Discipleship As I Envision It – A Natural Part of our Everyday Lives

Discipleship should be part of the DNA of God's church, especially the Church of the Nazarene. The Church of the Nazarene has identified its mission as "Making Christlike Disciples in the Nations." This article expresses discipleship as I envision it, as a natural part of our everyday lives.

Who cares?  Why would anyone care how I envision discipleship? Who am I?  I am nothing more than a servant of God, who has received a vision from God, and is now devoting all his time to the fulfillment of that vision, seeing discipleship become a part of the DNA of God's church, especially the Church of the Nazarene.

First of all, I envision a people who understand that we must do discipleship!  They understand that it isn't enough to get people to church, or to get them to the altar.  We must get them to heaven!  John 15:16 (NIV) says . . . "I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last."  Our job never was meant to be about evangelism alone.  It was always meant to be about discipleship.  Jesus never intended the two to be separated, but meant them to both be a part of the process of transformation.  In Matthew chapter nine, Jesus instructs His disciples to pray for workers for the harvest field.  Jesus knew then, as we know now, that there is more to working the fields than just bringing in a harvest.  We must also get the harvest to market.  This is discipleship.  We must make sure the harvest (fruit) lasts until market (heaven).