How Discipleship Can Energize Your Spiritual Life (Part 1)
During the Summertime, I am almost useless. Scratch that, during the Summertime I am useless. Why do you ask? Three words: Grand Slam Tennis. In May, there’s the French Open, June and July have Wimbledon, and the US Open rounds out the season in August and September. I’ve always loved watching tennis. The players inspire me because of their lifelong dedication to their craft. Ever since the day they picked up a tennis racquet, professional players have dedicated countless hours to the game.
Anyone who has played tennis can tell you there are levels to it. Imagine you make a habit of watching tennis with your son or daughter. You watch the matches, research historic matches, and acquire data analytics telling you why players are successful. After a few years of this, your child comes to you and says, “Mom, Dad, I'm getting bored with tennis. I think I’ve mastered it.” How would you react?
Most parents would just laugh. After all, your child has never even picked up a racket! Most of us would clarify to our children that while they may know a lot about the game, they have a long road to travel before they’ve mastered it.
This is how many of us are in our spiritual lives. We grew up going to church camp, Sunday school, and other programs. We read the Bible, study it, perhaps even memorize some key passages. We study books on theology, read biographies from men and women whose faith we admire, and maybe even study the original languages. At some point, we look at it all and we get bored. Like the child in my story, we ask, “Is this really it?”
So, what is the solution? In today’s post, I want to argue that the solution is found in one word: Discipleship. I will begin by briefly defining Discipleship and then provide a few components of Discipleship.
What is Discipleship?
As with so many things, we begin with a definition. Instead of getting technical, I’d like to simply summarize Discipleship in my own words, or rather, Orchard Hill’s words. Our mission statement comes in handy here because, at its core, Discipleship is helping people find and follow Jesus Christ. Any time you are helping another person grow in their faith, you are engaging in Discipleship.
Discipleship comes in many different forms. It can be done through one-on-one relationships, and it can be done in small groups. The content could be a book of the Bible, a book written by a human author, or even just talking about life. But while there are many different forms this can take, there are a few elements that must be present in order to have a Discipleship relationship with someone.
Discipleship is Relational
First, Discipleship is relational. In other words, it happens between at least two people who are aware of what is happening. This might be a clunky explanation, but it needs to be said this way in our digital age. While listening to sermons is a helpful way to grow spiritually, this is not the same as Discipleship. Personally, I have listened to hours of Tim Keller and Alistair Begg over my lifetime. However, to say that these men have discipled me would be a mistake. If you think I’m being pedantic on this point, I’d encourage you to think about the Discipleship we see from Jesus. He discipled those he had a relationship with. He knew their names, their tendencies, their struggles, and their giftings.
Discipleship has a Goal
Second, Discipleship has a goal in mind. Just as a trainer wants their clients to grow physically, those who engage in Discipleship want their disciples to grow spiritually. This goal can be as general as knowing God better or being more consistent in the Word. Whatever the goal is, it is vital to think of a Discipleship relationship as training. When we take the time to disciple someone, we are taking the time to teach them how to do something better than they could before. The heart of discipleship is approaching someone who is further along than us and asking them for help in our spiritual walks. A great example of this is when the disciples humbly came to Jesus and said, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Discipleship is Spiritual
Finally, Discipleship is spiritual. Of everything I have written so far, this seems to be the most obvious. It’s like saying water is wet, right? Maybe, maybe not. I clarify that discipleship is spiritual because we need to remind ourselves that the time we spend in this sort of relationship is spent growing closer to God. This is what sets discipleship apart from mentorship or friendship. While it may be a good thing to have a Christian mentor who can help you with your career, this is not the same thing as Discipleship. When we engage in Discipleship, our goal is to help someone take their next step in following Jesus, whatever that may look like.
Conclusion
Just as we will not grow as tennis players until we step onto the court, so too we will not grow as disciples until we take what we have learned and pass it on to someone else. Maybe you’re someone who has been around church for a while. Is it possible that God is using this post to get you “in the game”? I hope so! My hope for this post is not to make you feel guilty. After all, we are made right with God solely through Jesus’ blood, not in how many people we have taken under our wing. At the same time, Discipleship is something God commands us to engage in. As he was leaving Earth, Jesus commanded his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18).
Let’s say you’re reading this with an earnest desire to get in the game, but you’re not sure where to start. Here are some helpful questions to get you started.
Do I have faith worth passing on? Am I ready to step into a discipleship relationship where I am teaching, or do I still have more to learn? (Keep in mind that if you wait until you know everything, you’ll never get started!)
Who has God put in my life who could benefit from spending time with me? If you are new to faith, perhaps a better question is, who has God put in my life who can show me the ropes?
What are some ways I can grow spiritually? Do I know how to spend time with God in His Word? Have I ever taken the time to learn how to pray?
Finally, it should be said that we, as a church, are here to help. I speak for our Adult Ministry staff when I say we would love nothing more than helping you follow Jesus. If you are interested in discipleship but don’t know how to get started, please do not be afraid to reach out!
Let’s pray that God would continue to stir our hearts to grow in this area. Pray that God would bring people along who would help you, and that you could help as well. As we do, I am confident He will shower us with His grace as we reflect on what He has done for us in Jesus!
