Discipleship (2)

Discipleship is learning to walk with Jesus, and learning to walk as Jesus.

Many churches and Christian organizations filter discipleship through a series of classes, supported by a series of rules and guidelines.

First, Scripture defines mankind's basic problem as sin, which can be seen as man's inability -- including the lack of willingness, or desire -- to keep God's commands. So, the first thing organizations do is make a "to-do" list, and call it discipleship.

Second, the core of discipleship is founded, and strengthened, on a person's relationship with Jesus. (And where Jesus is, and what he touches, the Father and the Spirit are also there.)

Third, discipleship is not what a person knows, it is who a person is. Discipleship is about identity, lifestyle, values, goals, priorities, and motivations. And if you are a disciple of Jesus, then your identity, lifestyle, values, goals, priorities, and motivations come from him.

Discipleship means that Jesus' purposes become our purposes. And for Jesus, love is job #1. That means that the core of discipleship is: love God, and love people. Love is: reconnecting people to God, meeting needs, and bringing healing.

"Reconnecting people to God" means that people have a correct, and proper, relationship with God. People live in peace with God. People live in an ongoing and growing fellowship with God. Disciples promote this fellowship for themselves and others. Moreover, disciples are assertive in introducing this connection, and this fellowship, to others.

"Meeting needs" involves the physical, spiritual, psychological, emotional, social, and cultural.

"Bring healing" means bodies function as God designed them to, minds function as God designed them to, and hearts function as God designed them to.

Discipleship is taking the heart of Jesus, planting it in the core of people, so they live out the life of Jesus, in the midst of whatever environment, and context, they are currently in.