Page 4 - Discipleship Ministries Student E-Book

verb which is the command, as opposed to “go.” The wording is more like, “While you are going, make
disciples!” This seems to be at the heart of the Savior – to share wherever you go what He had
accomplished on the cross of Calvary and then to help guide the new believer into a deeper and mature
st
faith walk in Him. This is Christ’s final word and it not only is applicable to the disciples of the 1
century, but it applies to all of us today; we are to be about making disciples!

So how does one make disciples? The text indicates that it is by baptizing and by teaching. The baptizing
into the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit implies both evangelism and conversion. The teaching is a
teaching with a view toward obedience of all that Jesus said. In summary then, making disciples
includes both evangelism and instruction in the Christian faith.

This is a course about discipling others in Christ. How do we win others to Christ? Then, how do we
nurture a new, born again “babe in Christ” into a strong disciple, willing and able to win and train
others? Why do so many who come to know Christ as Savior tend to at first be thrilled with their new
faith in Christ, but gradually lose that excitement and drift on into being a lackadaisical and non-
influential “average Christian”?

What is a disciple?

A disciple is a learner, a student or follower of Jesus Christ. A disciple is growing in love for and trust in
Jesus Christ. A disciple is fully devoted to Him.

Discipleship starts with the Word of God. Our lives must be saturated with God’s Word and information
must move from our head to our heart. In doing so, we become new creatures in Christ. The Word
affects our character and moves from our heart to our hands where it affects our actions. From there,
we are a display to the world of what a follower of Christ is: we love God, and we love others. A
disciple’s resources, abilities, and time are at His disposal so His mission can be completed. A disciple’s
head, heart, and hands do the bidding of Christ! A disciple is committed to Christ and making disciples
of others…of all nations!

Jesus broke down the extent of the commitment of a disciple in Matthew 19:16-22. A rich young ruler
came to Jesus to ask Him how to receive eternal life. Jesus, knowing his heart problem, asked him if he
kept the commandments. Of course, the self-righteous young man claimed that He had kept the
commandments but asked what he lacked. Jesus asked him to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and
follow Him. The cost of discipleship was to fully follow Christ with nothing in the way. Sadly, the young
man left sorrowful because he was unwilling to part with his great possessions. His love for this world
trumped his commitment to Christ.

Keeping Christ at the center of one’s life places the new-born Christian in an ideal position to grow up to
be like his Savior. The more a person takes direction from his teacher, the more like his teacher he will
become. Jesus told His disciples more than once “follow me.” For a Christian, the epitome of life is to
become like Christ…

Col. 2:9,10 “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him,
which is the head of all principality and power.”

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