Thoughts on Discipleship

Good Afternoon Church – Wednesday evenings we’ve been discussing discipleship.  Tonia tells me that it’s been a good discussion so far.    

The big point: a church should be far and away mainly about discipleship.  Discipleship happens as we gather in Sunday School and worship, but it can…actually should… also occur in one-on-one settings away from the gatherings.  Last night we talked about situations in which 1-1 discipleship is almost necessary: a) when someone is exploring Christianity; b) when someone is a new convert and needs basic orientation; c) when someone needs to get caught up on some basic Christian teachings…

While we are trumpeting 1-1 discipleship, we also discussed the current tendency to fall into a ditch on the other side: to subtly devalue the more the more mundane discipleship that occurs in Sunday School and sermon.  In America, especially in New England, and perhaps especially in Somers, faithful attendance at regular discipleship gatherings is declining.  

Below, see some verses and my try at a definition of discipleship.  A couple people were perplexed: living from Christ?  What do you think this means?

And how about the emphasis on the local church?  

At the end of this email I’ve made a list of books that are excellent for 1-1 discipleship.  Consider archiving this email and returning to it around Christmas time.!  

Come next Weds for another round of trivia (!) and for practical tips and tricks about what exactly to do when you meet for 1-1 discipleship.

Discipleship – definition

“[Christ] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.  For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works in me.” – Colossians 1:28, 29

“…for whom I am in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” – Galatian 4: 19

“…assuming that you have heard about [Christ] and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4: 21-24

“…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each art is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” – Ephesians 4: 15, 16

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.” – Hebrews 13:17a

Discipleship refers to 

that process in which a person grows accustomed to living from Christ by 

seeking biblical truth 

practicing obedience 

praying 

alongside other Christ-followers (that is, the church)

under the direction of church elders.

Good books for 1-1 discipleship

• For seekers and the newly converted: books that explain the gospel and the act of believing
  • The Christian Gospel by Tony Payne – the most succinct
  • Making Sense of God by Tim Keller
  • Basic Christianity by John Stott
• Introducing people to the practice of the Christian life – all of these have discussion questions/ assigned reading/ homework
  • Partners: One on One Discipleship by Mike Fabarez
  • Life with Jesus by Tim Chester
  • Need to Know by Gary Millar 
  • The Walk by Stephen Smallman
  • Fundamentals of the Faith by John MacArthur
• Basic doctrine
  • Christian Beliefs by Wayne Grudem
  • The Christian Life: a doctrinal introduction by Sinclair Ferguson
• Big Picture of the Biblical Story
  • Remaking a Broken World by Christopher Ash
  • The God Who is There by D. A. Carson
  • God’s Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts
• Specific Issues and Practices
  • Gospel Generosity by Nathan Harris – how to give.  A practice that should begin right away!
  • Married for God by Christopher Ash – a book about marriage that is rich in theology and application.  Super encouraging.  Whenever I do pre-marital counseling I hand out this book. 
  • Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission by John Dickson – different ways of partnering in the gospoel
  • Finding the Will of God by Bruce Waltke – a book about how Christians make decisions.  One of the most helpful that I’ve read.
  • What is a Healthy Church? by Mark Dever
  • The Cheerful Giver by Des Smith
• Hot-button Issues – as I said last night, it’s healthy and honest to treat these issues sooner than later.  We don’t want to pretend that following Christ isn’t counter-cultural.
  • Is God Anti-Gay? by Sam Allberry
  • Find other such books here
• Encouraging the habit of daily scripture reading: Search the Scriptures by Alan Stibbs – just a fabulous book.
• Making the case for making discipleship front and center in the church: The Trellis and the Vine by Marshall/Payne.  Groundbreaking for many.