“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
Matthew 28:16-20
The challenge of being a disciple arises as you read the Bible and hear teaching and preaching. It can be unclear for new Christians and those of you who have been one for a long time. It is discussed, and you are challenged to be one, but you are left asking yourself, what exactly is a disciple? If this is you, you are not alone.
Many in the church are confused and do not understand what it means to be a disciple. Sadly, the church’s failure to explain what a disciple is has created a problem. This problem has left the church stunted and immature and hindered the advancement of the Gospel.
People have yet to be intentionally developed and guided to become mature believers with a deeper relationship with Jesus. Most Christians today attend Sunday morning worship and do not read, pray, or consider God for the rest of the week. Our culture and human nature have continued to feed this mindset and problem and have made the problem seemingly worse.
What most call discipleship is different from what biblical discipleship looks like. The church will put people through an eight to twelve-week class and claim the person has been discipled. Most of these programs teach what they consider the foundations, and to an extent, they teach foundational Biblical principles and doctrine. They need to teach how to have a relationship with Jesus, read His word, pray, and navigate the difficulties of this life as a believer. This is what has been missing in most churches. The church has become a revolving door with people who place their faith in Christ, become discouraged, and eventually leave.
So, the main problem that needs to be addressed is what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Once a disciple is defined, the next question is why we must make disciples. Lastly, you may ask, what does biblical discipleship look like today? Please take the time to continue reading to discover the answers to these questions.
What Is a Disciple?
This question has been asked by many through the years, and there has been a growing rediscovery of this practice. At its core, a disciple is a person who is a learner and a follower of another, and it comes from the Greek word mathetes. This can be seen in many ways through the years, and it was not original when the twelve disciples followed Jesus. A disciple and making disciples are seen in the secular world and the church.
Non-Jewish Context
These people took learning seriously and were diligent students of a person who had mastered a particular trade or job. The master would take the apprentice under his tutelage and teach them their skill and craft. The apprentice would learn from this master until he had learned and mastered the skill and would leave and eventually take an apprentice. An excellent example of this can be seen in a trade such as plumbing or electrical. An individual wishing to become a plumber or an electrician will apply to a company or a union with licensed masters. They will then learn the trade in a practical and classroom setting under the supervision of the master. These apprentices will progress till they are proficient in the trade and have reached the required hours and years to take an exam to show they have learned the craft and are considered masters.
Jewish Context
The Jews also practiced this form of discipleship in their culture as well. They utilized the same process in their secular society to train skilled tradesmen. This method is valuable and needed to help develop individuals who know nothing into someone who has mastered a skill. The discipleship concept of training was not only for secular trades in Jewish society but also prominent in their religious system. A Rabbi who is a teacher and master would have disciples who would study and follow him and learn his interpretation of the Torah. These individuals would submit applications and be interviewed by these Rabbis, and only the smartest would be selected. After this, they would learn from the Rabbi and follow him everywhere he went, and when they reached a particular age, they would leave, recruit their disciples, and teach them what they had learned from their Rabbi.
Jesus’s Disciples
Jesus’s discipleship model resembled what the secular world and the religious institutions did during His time. Though it had similarities, it had differences as well. First, Jesus’ disciples did not submit resumes and undergo an interview process. They were selected and called by Him. These men came from various trades and backgrounds, with none of them undergoing training to be religious students. In the day Jesus lived, only the top students would further their education in the Jewish religious system and be considered candidates to become Rabbis. Jesus was different because He called individuals who had returned home to learn the family trade and job.
The twelve also underwent a series of training sessions. They initially watched and listened to Jesus teach, preach, and perform ministry. It was only a short time before they were involved in ministry alongside Jesus. Through this, they learned the teachings and commandments of Jesus, and they went from helping to being supervised in the ministry. Once they progressed, Jesus sent them out to conduct ministry and report to Him. He would take the time to encourage, instruct, and help educate them when they returned so they would understand what was expected. The last instruction came once Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the grave. He spent forty days with His disciples, encouraging and instructing them, and finally ascended to heaven. He gave them the Holy Spirit, who would be with them wherever they went.
Why Do We Have to Make Disciples?
So, this leaves us with the question of why we must make disciples. Jesus, before He ascended, commanded His followers to go and make disciples themselves. This command is often referred to as the Great Commission. It can be seen in Matthew 28:18-20 where Jesus commands them to go to all nations and to make disciples. They were told to teach and instruct them to follow the commands of Jesus. He lastly encouraged them that they would not be alone. This command has continued through the years to each generation. Each believer is a disciple called to reach others with the Gospel and then to disciple them.
What Does Discipleship Look Like Today?
So, this leaves the question: What does discipleship look like today? Sadly, as mentioned at the beginning of this blog, this command is being neglected. The church went from being a community of believers to a group of individuals. This thought can be discouraging because we want to follow Jesus and His commands. Though it seems like becoming disciples and making disciples is hopeless or an afterthought for many, many are still committed to this Commission and endeavoring to make disciples.
These churches and individuals are making disciples by not only endeavoring to have people go through another program but also getting involved in people’s lives and helping them grow. Each one will look different, from some being small group discipleship to one on one. Either way, people intentionally assist others in growing in their walk and faith in Jesus. They accomplish this by having a Bible reading plan teaching them to journal, pray, and evangelize through times of accountability. Each instance and setting will look different, but they attempt to follow the Command of Jesus to Go!
At Grace Baptist, we strive to be faithful to Jesus’s Command to go and make disciples. This is accomplished in three ways. The first is corporate discipleship, modeled after Jesus’s ministry to the multitudes. This is when the Bible is opened and preached each week on Sunday morning worship. Through this time, the church is taught the word of God and is challenged to respond to what they had been taught. The second is the mid-week connect, where groups gather in sizes of ten to fifteen people and share life, study the scripture, and pray. This is meant to resemble Jesus’s model with His twelve disciples. The last group represents Jesus’s relationship with Peter, James, and John. These three men were His inner circle, which He explained to, taught, and had a deeper relationship with. The discipleship groups at Grace resemble this group as they meet as a closed group of either men or women. They endeavor to share life and grow through spiritual disciplines and accountability.
Conclusion
So, what is a disciple? It is a person who is a learner and a follower of Jesus Christ. They are not perfect but committed to growing through knowing more about Him. This is the challenge: now that you know what a disciple is, are you willing to be one?
Resources
These sources were utilized for research in developing this blog post.
Hull, Bill. The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2006.
Coleman, Robert E. The Master Plan of Evangelism. Wilmore, Kentucky: Dept. of Evangelism, Asbury Theological Seminary, 2019.
Spangler, Ann, and Lois Tverberg. Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2009.
Gallaty, Robby. Rediscovering Discipleship: Making Jesus’ Final Words Our First Work. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2015.