Leadership Thought: Are You a Christian or a Disciple? A Lesson on Christian Discipleship.

Dear Friend.

I have often wondered if we need to change our names. All around the world those who follow Christ have been called Christians. When you fill out a religious survey, one of the choices you can check to describe you includes the term ‘Christian.’ But what if instead of Christian we were to read the word “disciple.” Would that make a difference in how we checked the box?

The early followers of Jesus were called Christians, resulting from their testimony and witness in the city of Antioch (Acts 11:25). But before the word Christian became widely used to describe a follower of Christ, the word ‘disciple’ was used. Followers of Christ were disciples. 

A disciple is not a deluxe version of a Christian. No, a disciple is a Christian, a  follower of Jesus who seeks to practice the disciplines of Jesus.

The word disciple comes from the Latin word ‘discipulus’ which means a pupil or a learner. A disciple of Jesus is one who seeks to be like Jesus. He loves like Jesus; he learns about Jesus, and He lives in such a way that He reflects Jesus. In short, a disciple of Jesus follows Christ so that he or she can be like Him.

As disciples we are called to make disciples. Jesus commands us “to go into all the world and make disciples” "Matthew (28:19).

So, the question is what does a disciple look like? What is a disciple’s job description?  What does a disciple do to fulfill the commands of His Master?

Pastor and author David Platt says disciples are to be disciple makers. “Disciple making is what happens when we walk through life together, showing one another how to pray, study the Bible, grow in Christ and lead others to Christ” ("Church Growth Magazine," David Platt, quoted from the internet).

Based upon this description, how would you say we are doing as disciples? Is there someone we are teaching how to pray? Is someone learning more about the bible because of our instruction? Is there someone who is growing in his or her faith because of our impact and influence. And is there someone who knows how to share his or her faith better because of your training?

A student is to look like his teacher and a disciple is to look like his ‘discipler,’ but if there is no one involved in discipling there will be no disciple production.

This brings me to the question of whether the church needs to improve our disciple making ability, so that we can better fulfill our calling to “make disciples.”

If you and I are not already involved in discipling another believer, why not? What keeps us from fulfilling the divine command Jesus puts forth in the Great Commission ‘to go and make disciples.” Is our failure to follow His command a reflection of our unwillingness to be obedient to His commands or is there another reason?

I suspect the reason is not due to a lack of our will, but more due to a lack of knowledge. Most of us would probably admit that we are not sure where to begin? What do I do and how do I do it?  

Tomorrow we will explore a disciple’s job description and learn how we can fulfill our calling as disciples.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

P.S. “Conversion without discipleship is openly implied in much of our evangelical preaching. It has become strangely possible to be Christ’s without taking up the cross. C.D. Alexander, Drapers Book of Quotations for the Christian World, Edythe Draper, p. 41.