What is Discipleship?

It’s an amazing thing, really, that Jesus’ small band of disciples could create a movement that started as small persecuted sect and ended up dominating the culture of the Roman Empire. It makes me wonder. With all the resources we have today, our Christian books and Bible studies, television and radio broadcasts, videos and conferences, why don’t we see that kind of impact on our own society?

The answer, I think, is found in our scripture verse this week, in Jesus’ final command to His disciples. Go and make disciples. Teach them to obey My teaching. He didn’t say converts—that’s only part of the job. He wasn’t looking for people who would claim to know Him. What He wanted was people who would put into practice what He taught. Doers of the word, not just hearers.

So I need to look at myself. Am I really a disciple, a disciplined follower of Jesus, a doer of the word? Or am I content with just knowing about Him?

Jesus’ real test of a disciple goes beyond simple obedience to love. They will know you are My followers by how you love one another.

How well do I love others? I’m not so sure how the customer service representatives of our health insurance company would answer that question—or some of the other drivers on Highway 40. And sometimes it’s tough to know the best way to show love, like when dealing with a demanding child.

But I don’t have to let my failure and struggles stop me. The important thing to remember is that discipleship is a process.

What does this process do? It

• Trains us to live in a way that pleases God
• Transforms us to be like Christ

So that

• Our lives become an expression of Christ’s love
• Others want to know the Source of that love

This is how we can find meaningful relationships and show unconditional love; this is how we can impact our own corner of the world and beyond.

I’m excited about the beginning of a new year of Discipleship by Design as we continue the process of learning to be disciples. What’s most exciting to me is that it’s not just learning facts, but learning how to use what we have learned. Sometimes we may fail, at others we will succeed, but in the end will be the rewards of knowing Christ and His love that never fails.