What is Disciple-Making? - Prolegomena (2)

So, I can grant that I am no expert on disciple-making. Yet, any significant experience in disciple-making is these days more than most. I tend to find that many people have different ideas about just what disciple-making is.

So maybe this is moving toward a second "first thing" to discuss. (See my last post for the first "first thing.") :) I didn't plan on writing another "prolegomena" post, but now that I've begun, I can see it is heading that direction.

Defining "discipleship"? Goodness. It's a word that registers many different things for people. Some pleasant, some not so pleasant...after all, it shares a root and bears striking resemblance to "discipline." Certainly that word has negative connotations with most people. Even the Bible attests that "no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful..." (Hebrews 12:11a).

But in the Christian life, discipline is not just important, it is absolutely essential. There are several scripture passages, Biblical and theological concepts that I could toss out in support of this statement. Perhaps the most telling of all is the fact that "Christians" are seldom called "Christians" at all in the New Testament. Instead, they are called "disciples." And what is a "disciple"? The root meaning of the word is "learner."

So let's go back to Hebrews 12 and read the rest of the verse...."No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it...." (Hebrews 12:11).

What are we "learning"? The Way of Redemption. The Way of Salvation. The Way of Wisdom. The Way of Life. The Way of Truth. The Way of the Master, Jesus.

Discipleship is a "learning" that's not just doctrinal (i.e. one has to know a bunch of facts)...it's not just experiential (i.e. one has to do a bunch of things)...it's not just emotional gobbledy-goop (i.e. you have to feel a certain way). None of these previous ideas offer the complete picture of discipleship. This learning that we speak of is all-encompassing. It is better to think of this sort of "learning" as a submissiveness unto God through Jesus Christ, a teachable heart that comes from knowing God, experiencing Him, and walking with Him daily in obedience.

Now, how can this be "taught"? The answer? It is so very easy and yet so very complex.

-RCW