Churchy Words - Discipleship
Today’s word was a little hard to decide. I had first thought about church offices and pondered going through the different leadership roles of the church. Then, it occurred to me that we have many leaders that don’t necessarily have a title, and so it made sense to have it “leadership.” It was going to be “leadership” right up until the lightbulb went off.
What really needs to be discussed is how someone goes from new believer to church leader. We talked about sanctification when we looked at salvation, but more than character/moral development, leadership is about living out God’s calling for your life. It’s more than what you do with your “normal life.” It’s about sacrificing your plan in order to fulfill God’s plan.
Some of you love lists, so you will love this list of 8 attributes of a growing disciple.
8 Attributes of Growing Disciples
Bible Engagement
Reading the Bible, Commentaries, Studies, Scripture memorization
Obeying God & Denying Self
Systematic removal of sin, surrendering unhealthy idols and desires
Serving God and others
Individually and corporately with the church
Sharing Christ
Relational, Intentional, and Often
Exercising faith
Obeying before “the sign”
Seeking God
Knowing Him more
Building relationships
Encouraging and engaging one another as well as making new ones
Unashamed (transparency)
Moving beyond the past
It will give you the comfort of a checklist, but rather than just go through a checklist of to-do’s, I want to look at the journey we take. Life isn’t a checklist. It’s a winding path of ups and downs.
Today, we are going to look at the process of discipleship using a literary framework. The English Lit people are going to love it. I’m calling it “The Disciple’s Journey.”
The Epic Quest of Being a Disciple
In the first part of the Journey, the hero receives a call to adventure. This looks different depending on the story, but for the disciple, this call begins at salvation. The moment you understand the gravity of your sin and the grace of God through Jesus Christ, you are called to begin your new life in Christ. We turn away from our sin and turn towards Jesus. This is your call to adventure—the call to live eternal life. Your aid in this journey is, of course, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the One who calls you to repent, and the Spirit is the One who gives you this new life.
Now, for our purposes today, we come to the next step in the Hero’s Journey, which is the Threshold. At the threshold, the hero finds himself facing a new enemy that doesn’t want him to proceed. You have the Minotaur who keeps Theseus in the labyrinth, or the Sphinx who gives riddles and challenges before travelers may enter the city. The Black Knight of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, who not only blocks Arthur and his knights, but gives one of the greatest comedy lines in film. “Tis only a flesh wound.”
For the disciple, the threshold is the barrier between living true eternal life or living as you lived before. What does the world look like when we step into obedience? And what keeps us from walking into that world?
The answer is our self.
We may attribute temptations to the devil or demonic forces, but those actually come a bit later. The devil doesn’t spend time on lazy or inactive Christians. There’s no need. The first guardian to overcome is our own self.
Again, Jesus says:
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Matthew 16:24
The first step of being a disciple is to deny self, take up your cross, and follow Jesus.
We cannot grow as a disciple if we are unwilling to deny self. Our priorities have to become God’s priorities. Our desires have to be God’s desires.
The next step into the journey consists of the challenges and temptations that come our way. Once we have taken the step of faith to deny our self and follow Jesus, inevitably temptations will come.
James 1 addresses the reality of these trials, but begins by telling us to “count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds.”
The reason we can have joy in our trials is because God is working on us. As our faith is tested, we produce steadfastness. Another translation would be to say these tests produce grit. The life of a disciple takes grit. It is a steadfast hope and conviction of the reality of Christ and His presence in our lives.
When we face trials, we are tempted to give up and return to our homeland—the old way of living. But that way was the way toward death. We compromise the two ways by relegating Christianity to a moral life. As long as we don’t do the bad things, then we’re good…right? The problem with this thinking is that God doesn’t just call us to avoid sin. He also calls us to do something with this life.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10
The second step of being a disciple is to do the work God has designed you to do.
How can we know what God has for us? Obviously, this question is first answered in prayer. Ask God what He would have for you to do. If the answer doesn’t jump right out, then consider how God has made you. Look at 1 Corinthians 12 with me.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:2-8
This list is one of a few in the Bible in which we read about spiritual gifts. The gifts are different from the fruit of the Spirit in that the fruit of the Spirit has to with character while the gifts have to do with service. I bring this up because for many Christians, we tend to think of our discipleship in moral terms. Am I a good person? Do I love people? Am I patient? These are absolutely great questions, but they miss the question for today—Am I serving the Lord as He has called me to serve?
Where we serve is informed by our gifts. If God has gifted you with the ability to teach, then you should be teaching. If it is healing, you should be healing the sick. If it is administrating, then you should be the one organizing things. If it’s exhortation, then let’s get you some pompoms so you can start cheering people on!
Now, as we continue in our journey, we will inevitably find ourselves headed towards a chasm. In the Hero’s Journey, it is some underworld type place in which the hero finds his most formidable foe. In Beowulf, it would be Grendel’s mother, the underwater beast. For the disciple, it is once again our self.
As we serve, we learn what works and what doesn’t work. We get into a routine and pattern of ministry that makes us confident in our job, but it also can prevent us from growing.
The Monster of Self rises again, and this time in church clothes. Our devotion to the Lord turns to religious duty. The love for God and others becomes religious practice and cold attitudes for the lost. It is the same monster the Pharisees succumbed to. They knew all the right answers, but failed to practice the higher law of love. It’s why church programs, that have long lost their effectiveness, have to stick around. “That is the way we do it” becomes the mantra of the unforgiving and un-growing.
But there is hope. Paul says,
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
If you are on this journey and are unsure of your next step, I have great news for you. Jesus will continue the work he began however long ago it was you were saved. If you are unsure of your next step, he will light it up.
If you are on this journey, but have succumbed to the monster of ritual and pattern, I also have good news. It’s good for your soul but is going to do havoc to your ego. You can break the pattern by going to Jesus.
When Jesus addresses the Church in Ephesus, he addresses this very issue. Look with me at Revelation 2.
I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
Revelation 2:2-5
If your discipleship journey has been derailed, you only need to return to Jesus.
Return to your first love. Return to Christ and remember that your salvation is not contingent on programs or ritual. It is fixed on the saving work of Jesus who began a good work in you and desires to complete that work.
When we get to this point in our walk in the Lord, we find ourselves in the Abyss. Heroes tend to find themselves in some great darkness. They must overcome the great beast in the chasm if they ever hope to rise up and return to the light.
For churches, the greatest enemy is not actually Satan. Satan has already been defeated. Our greatest enemy is our old sin nature that longs to come back in our hearts and take command. What Satan does is show us how we can dress up our sin in church clothes—so that what is evil, we will call good.
Returning to James, we read:
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
James 1:12-15
We like to blame the devil for our problems, but our greatest fight will be against our own selfish desires. Satan’s tactic has always been to give us what our flesh wants. Because if we circumvent the Lord’s plan and get the shiny thing now, we will not pay attention to what God is actually trying to do with us. To reference another great literary work, we are the monster at the end of the book.
So, as Paul says in Galatians:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16
The key to Christian growth and leading well is always to rely on the Holy Spirit for direction.
We must crucify the flesh and self with the Sword of the Spirit, much like Beowulf slays Grendel’s mother.
Joy in the Journey
With the great beast of Self slayed, we can pursue our next step. This point is where quality Christian leaders step up. In our church, we have deacons, elders, pastors, and ministry leaders who are here to serve. Christ came to serve, not be served, and likewise He calls His disciples to do the same.
After Jesus washes the disciple’s feet, he tells them:
“Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
John 13:12-17
I pray each and every one of you grow into maturity and leadership. But don’t seek a leadership spot to elevate yourself. Doing so only feeds the Self Monster. Seek a place of service.
Discipleship and Church Leadership is about serving the Kingdom of God, not ourselves.
I had a similar conversation recently with my wife as we talked about things we were proud of. She said, “As a teacher, my great accomplishments are when my students make great accomplishments.” As a pastor, my greatest accomplishments are when the people God has given me do great things for Christ. That’s the job of the apostle, evangelist, pastor/teacher—to equip the body for the ministry of the church.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13
Our greatest accomplishments as Christians will always be helping others do great things for Christ.
Several times in the New Testament, the authors will tell a congregation to “make my joy complete” or “make your joy complete.” “Complete” is also the word for “fullness” or “whole.” Joy in the Lord, and the fullness of joy in our walk with God, is not found in doing stuff for us. It is found in helping others do their ministries well.
Think about whatever hobby, sport, or activity you do that brings you joy. Have you ever taught someone how to do that thing? Have you experienced the joy of seeing someone enjoy the thing you’ve been enjoying? If not, you need to try it.
The Next Step of the Journey
So, where do we go from here? Your next step will depend on where you are now.
If you have never surrendered to Jesus Christ, that is your first step. Your journey can’t begin until you surrender to the call of the Holy Spirit to turn from your sins and turn to Jesus. Next, you need to find a small group that can help you in your journey. In a Sunday School class or life group, you will find people that are on this journey together. They can hold you accountable and help you walk where they have been.
For many Christians, this is where they stay their whole lives. They may help here and there, but they never experience the joy of true service. The reason is because true service requires sacrifice. We have to continue crucifying self. We must sacrifice our time, our money, and our pursuits. Just before Paul writes about spiritual gifts, he says this:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2
Before stepping into a leadership position, we have to ask what are we willing to sacrifice. Your Self will not want to sacrifice. The old nature will be quick to say, “NO,” but remember, the call to discipleship is a call to deny self, take up a cross, and follow Jesus.
In the verses following that we read above, Paul gives a list of gifts. If you are unsure of your gifts, a long time ago, Christians started making tests to help people discover them. The tests aren’t canonized by any means, nor are they authoritative, but they are helpful. We have one linked on our church’s website under “Learn More.” I would highly recommend you take it and share your results with an elder or deacon.
Another piece of practical advice I would give is to actually talk with those in leadership positions already. Ask them how they became a Sunday School teacher, a deacon, an elder, or a pastor. If one of these positions, or one of these offices, sparks your curiosity, it may just be that God is pointing you in that direction.
At this point is when I can see what many will be thinking. “There’s no way I can be a pastor…or elder, or deacon or teacher.” Maybe it seems impossible, at first. Being a senior pastor of a church was not on my BINGO card as a teenager either, but here I am. Once again, I have some good news.
God regularly calls people to a task that is impossible. He does this so they cannot take credit.
Gideon is told to have less people in the battle with the Midianites in Judges 7 than what would be normal. He is not the only one given some very bizarre battle plans. Do you remember how Jericho fell? David, the scrawny shepherd boy, kills Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. There’s a whole army of Israelites, but God calls up David to do the job. Why David? He was the only one who knew the battle could be won, if they relied on the Lord’s power.
In order to hear God’s call for your life, you must deny self.
I know that’s a heavy ask, so let’s go back to the comfort of a checklist. This time I have three things on the list. Do these, and you will find yourself growing into a mature disciple of Christ.
Attend Sunday Worship
Join a Small Group/Sunday School/Life Group
Serve in a Ministry