Conversations for discipleship

I want to do a series of posts using some material that has been borrowed from Marshillchurch.org on discipleship. There will be seven posts in the series and whilst they are helpful for us all in leadership I would particularly like to commend them to the home group leaders.

What is discipleship?
There are many errors we can make in believing in Jesus. In my experience in a room of twenty Christians when asked who is a disciple, less than ten will answer in the affirmative. That seems strange when the instruction given to Jesus church is to make disciples. If we're not making disciples then what are we making? Whilst the answer is worth another post, I believe that we've made converts and not disciples. Converts believe in Jesus, but they dont' follow him or live like him. Jesus calls us and empowers us through the Spirit to follow him as he gives his life up for others and proclaims the coming kingdom of God.


One of our leaders made the point everyone makes disciples - the question is to what? Jesus or something else?

Being a disciple of Jesus is not an optional extra to the Christian faith, it is the Christian faith. It's something we are: it is an identity and not a function. There is often misunderstanding about this because the church has often presented the gospel as something to believe in and not a truth to be lived out. This is why so many Christians are biblically illiterate, don't pray, don't care for the poor, don't love the church don't witness and yet are convinced they are saved because of some intellectual belief in the resurrection. Our identity is in us being followers of Jesus - it's what Christians are!

Let me put it this way: I know the North pole exists, I've been told about it and even read books about it, I've even seen pictures (although all snow looks alike and they could be wrong). I believe in it. But it does not affect my life, the knowledge has no purpose in my day to day living. If I became a polar explorer that is a different story and that is how we're to be with Jesus!

As leaders our aim is not to get people to believe in Jesus - but to follow him. dozens of times in the New Testament Jesus says "Follow me". We've got to help people to follow him and as Paul in 1 Corinthians, Philippians and Thessalonians calls us to imitate him as he follows Jesus, so we must call others to follow us as we follow Jesus. We need to say to those around us "Watch how I live my life, love my family, battle temptation, deal with my failures and celebrate my success". Paul says in Thessalonians 2:8 that he shared not only the gospel with the church but his very life. Will you commit to you share your life with others so that they will become disciples of Jesus? Would you live deliberately and faithfully so that others would learn from you what it is to follow Jesus?

I'd like to give you seven conversations to have with a person young in the faith and I would love to hear what comes out of these discussions. So here is the discussion:

Conversation one

The first thing you should do as you begin to disciple someone is to hear the story of how they became a Christian, what Jesus has saved them from, and what He has put on their heart to do. (It's easy in a group to answer these questions in a generic sense, discipleship is about engaging them personally because Jesus saves individuals into the body of Christ.)

• When and how did you become a Christian?
• What did God save you from?
• What do you want Him to do in your life and where do you need to grow?

Be listening for some of the key elements of the Gospel:

• We are created for God and by God.
• We fall short and sin.
• We need forgiveness and reconciliation.
• Jesus is God and forgives sin through his death on the cross.
• We need to repent of sin and trust in Jesus through faith.
• Jesus gives new life with new desires.

Be sure to ask questions about their understanding of the Gospel, especially if any of these elements are missing. We don't expect theological precision from a new Christian but these elements do need to be understood clearly. Too often we assume that everyone in a church is a mature Christian but they are not and some are not even saved. That's OK and it is a great privilege to move them onto a growing track with Jesus. Have the conversation!

Further questions to ask:

• When you think about who you are, what pops in your head? (Point the new believer to their identity in Christ)
• What is the most exciting part about being a Christian to you right now?
• Have you shared your testimony with any friends or family yet?
• Do you have any fears about giving your testimony?