What is a disciple?

At a basic level, the word “disciple” refers to a student or learner. Jewish rabbis commonly garnered students to whom they would teach Jewish tradition, theology, and the Torah (Bible). Thus, it is no surprise that Jesus gathered disciples around himself when he began his teaching ministry, but there is something different about being a disciple of Jesus.

Jesus’s disciples are not:

• Really religious.

• Highly qualified.

• Especially knowledgeable about theology/the Bible.

Jesus’s disciples are ordinary people who Jesus called and to whom he gave his Spirit; discipleship (being a disciple) is a response to what Jesus has done. When Jesus called his initial twelve disciples, they left everything behind to live with and learn from Jesus, but they were not called to learn lots of head knowledge. They were called to “learn Christ” (Eph. 4:20), to become like Jesus in every way. Discipleship is the transformation of our heads, heart, and hands so that we might have the mind of Jesus, the heart of Jesus, and the hands of Jesus.

But seeking to be like Jesus, we must never forget that Jesus gave up his life and was obedient to the Father even unto death. Of Jesus’s initial twelve disciples, eleven were martyred, and all of them experienced another sort of death—they gave up themselves and control over their time, relationships, finances, and very lives to Jesus so that he could use them for his purposes and mission in the world.

So what is a disciple? A disciple someone who is following Jesus, who is being changed by Jesus, and who is living out the mission of Jesus.

Discipleship Characteristics

Defining the word “disciple” may be helpful, but measuring our own discipleship often requires something more concrete. Thus, we have identified five irreducible characteristics of healthy, growing, and faithful disciples: Gospel, Mission, Community, Renewal, and Disciple-Making. While there are plenty of other things that disciples are and do, we believe that true discipleship is stunted if not impossible without these five.

At Fairview, we believe that disciples actively and intentionally exhibit the following five characteristics within the context of a prayerful and personal relationship with God.

Taking Next Steps:

1. Pray that God would continually reveal the gospel to you and transform your heart more deeply.

2. Read your Bible. You can only live out of the gospel-narrative if we live in it. As you read, ask yourself: Where does this fit in the gospel-narrative? What does this tell me about God’s identity or mine? How does it challenge my values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors? How does it point to Christ? And how does it demonstrate God’s grace?

3. Learn more using the resources listed above.

4. Preach the gospel to one another. If you don’t understand the gospel, discuss it with other believers. If you don’t know how to apply the gospel, ask one another—how does the gospel apply to this? And if you’re in or leading a Sunday school class, ask these gospel-centered questions and more.

Taking Next Steps:

1. Evaluate what you’re doing on mission. Am I expanding my mission field? What would my neighbor say?

2. Place yourself in proximity to people you can reach out to (e.g., join a club or rec league, take walks around your neighborhood, take your dog to the dog park, become a regular at a coffee shop).

3. Pray that God would give you discernment to see where and to whom he is calling you. And then commit to praying daily for that person or people—both that they would know Christ and that God would give you opportunities to love them.

4. Invest in and love those people. And when opportunities for spiritual conversations arise, take them and see where they go!

Taking Next Steps:

1. Get plugged in with a community. Join a Sunday school class, start a dinner group, or get involved in a local community club or group.

2. Invite someone new out for a coffee or meal or activity or into your home or friend group. Get to know them and their lives, and share your life with them too.

3. Go deeper with the people you’re already invested in. Pray for them, and pray together. Keep track of important events in their lives and follow up on them. Be intentional to move past small talk to real talk. Be appropriately vulnerable about your own life.

Taking Next Steps:

1. Pray. Seek renewal by following Paul’s example in prayer. Ask God to renew you and keep on doing it. Consider joining our prayer team meetings.

2. Place yourself in the places where renewal tends to happen. Root yourself in God’s Word and read the Bible. Examine your heart, confess sin, and reflect on God’s grace. Journal about it. Go to the things which awaken God’s love in you—art, music, books, nature, or whatever that is for you.

3. Do the first things. Think back to what you did when you first loved God and do those things. As Jesus said in Revelation 2:4, “do the works you did at first.”

Taking Next Steps:

1. Be a disciple, informally. Evaluate where you’re at in your journey as a disciple (using the characteristics of gospel, mission, community, renewal, and disciple-making). Get feedback from another mature Christian in your life. Decide where you want to focus on growing, and then write down 1-3 ways how you plan to grow in that area. Maybe tell someone about it and ask them to pray. Then do it! And give it time.

2. Make a disciple, informally.  Be with others with the purpose of helping them grow as a disciple. Do this in your daily interactions. Start serving at the church (e.g. youth ministry, children’s church, Sunday school) or outside the church (e.g. GAP). Give it time.

3. Formally make a disciple or be a disciple. Pray that God would bring someone to mind to be discipled by/to disciple. Look for someone with spiritual maturity/spiritual hunger and character, commitment, and humility. Ask them. Get help from Dan as needed!

4. In all the above: (1) Be intentional. (2) Make an effort. (3) Give it time. (4) Invest in relationships.