Jesus calls his followers to live as constant disciples of Him—learning, growing, and applying His teachings to their lives. He commanded His disciples to make more disciples. In some of His last words, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)
The same is true today. We’re called to be disciples and make disciples. The word “go” in Jesus’ command is a plural participle. This is important because many people interpret that to mean “leave your current situation and go somewhere in the world to make disciples.” That’s not what Jesus meant. Because “go” is a participle it could be translated, “As you are going…” God does call some of us to stop what we’re currently doing and “go” somewhere else in the world to serve, but every believer (there’s the plural application) is called to make disciples “as we are going” to work, home, their neighborhood, the gym, anywhere we go. We’re all called to make disciples where we live, work, and play.
This series is meant to help us grow as disciples of Jesus but to also give us a model to apply in the discipleship of others. The third and final part that helps us grow significantly as a disciple of Jesus is participating in regular community with other disciples.
- Read the Bible Every Day – Read about that here.
- Pray Regularly – Read about that here.
- Participate Continually in a Growth-Oriented Discipleship Community – As Jesus walked the earth, He built a learning community around Him to teach them how to fulfill the greatest commandment to “love God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love their neighbors as themselves.” (Matthew 22:37-40) He knew this group of people could not learn His commands by themselves. There are no “lone ranger Christians.” Ulrich Boser, in his book Learn Better, shares that people learn more effectively when they do so in engaged cohorts or groups. He noted research that explained how people think deeply in groups, especially in diverse ones. Jesus certainly knew that. His discipleship group contained a tax collector, some fishermen, a zealot, and a thief. While these men were all Jews, their socio-economic status, occupations, and family-of-origin backgrounds were as diverse as they come. Jesus used this to spur His disciples on to pursue a life of discipleship together, which they did and changed the world.
The author of Hebrews took note of Jesus’ communal discipleship strategy and the regular practice of the early church which met together frequently. It appears, however, that some no longer thought they needed a discipleship community. The author exhorted those people when he wrote: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV) It is crucial for us to get into a community of growing disciples who will “stir up one another to love and good works.” This is what a discipleship community does. As Jesus reminded us, where two or three are gathered He is with us, and the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. A continual community of growing disciples encourages its members to put Jesus’ truth into practice by living out Jesus’ commands together daily.
There is no substitute for a discipleship community. We simply cannot learn what we need to by ourselves. There are many who would argue against this point. They claim we can grow simply by reading the Bible, praying, and engaging with the Holy Spirit. While those things are crucial parts of our spiritual development, engaging with others around what the Holy Spirit is teaching us in those times leads to the effective application of Jesus’ commands and therefore true transformation in our lives.
One thing to note. Someone might ask, “Is going to church weekly enough?” By way of reminder, the church is not a place, it’s the people. The short answer is probably not, UNLESS, you are engaged with a small group of people who meet beyond the weekly large church gathering AND the group is a growth-oriented discipleship community. It is pivotal to be engaged in a community that applies Jesus’ commands in the power of the Holy Spirit.
One final thought. A growth-oriented discipleship community provides both encouragement and accountability steeped in the presence of the Holy Spirit. We need this to effectively take Jesus’ teachings and apply them in our lives. One of my mentors, Dr. Chris Marshall, often uses the following equation to demonstrate this truth. He says, “Information + Application = Transformation.” I would simply add “Information + Application within a growth-oriented discipleship community = Transformation.”
Don’t be fooled. The enemy wants you to think you can do this yourself. You can’t. I can’t. No one can. We all need each other and the Holy Spirit if we’re going to apply Jesus’ teachings and be truly transformed into His image.
As we bring this series to a close, I want to remind you, Jesus calls us to be disciples and make disciples. We must engage Him daily in Bible reading and prayer. When we do this together with a growth-oriented discipleship community, the effect will be transformational not only for you but for all those around you. You will leave a trail of God’s presence, delivering His Kingdom everywhere you go!