What is Discipleship?
Dear Calvary Family,
I’m up at Biola University today, on a panel at their Missions Conference, talking about discipleship in the local church. As I talked through the questions, it made me desire to share some thoughts with you as a member of Calvary Church.
The word “discipleship” is an odd word in our current culture. But to be a disciple is to be a person that wants to become like their “rabbi.” We would follow their teachings, of course, but it’s mostly about following their life. So to be discipled by someone should be to see how someone a little farther along on their journey lives their life. How do they live in the good times and the hard times? How do they handle mistakes, how do they engage in spiritual practices, how do they treat the barista at Starbucks that gets their order wrong?
I think that words like mentor or friend are actually really fitting for a discipler. I also think it’s cool how people in some cultures call anyone in their life that’s a little bit older an auntie or an uncle. They aren’t really your parent’s siblings but they are a person in your life that knows a bit more, has lived a bit longer, has been through some more challenges, and they are present with you. So maybe we need an auntie/uncle ministry at Calvary.
I also wholeheartedly believe that it’s up to the younger or less experienced person to pursue someone to be their mentor, friend, rabbi, discipler, uncle or auntie. Then don’t worry about doing a Bible study or reading a book together. You can do that stuff at some point if you want to, but that’s not what it means to be discipled. You want to just hang out together. Share some meals at first. Then share in a hobby. Then pray together a bit. Then just be around each other casually. Then progress into some deeper stuff. This is discipleship. This is living the Christian life together - better together.
So don’t wait for a program or a ministry event. Just talk to someone a little farther along than you are in the Christian life. And you all need this - even if you are an older person. We all need this.
Then as we learn how to be a disciple it will help us learn how to make disciples. And as we consider missions at Calvary and we long to see people receive Christ and then grow as His disciples or followers.
Calvary’s annual Reach Week is coming up soon and you will have lots of opportunities to grow in our support of missionaries around the world. But first, let’s grow as followers of Jesus right here and now.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
Eric