Discipleship Focussed
Discipleship Focussed
After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the pastoral ministry of teaching, care and growth was passed to the overseers of his Church for the express purpose of nurturing spiritual maturity to the fullness of Christ to the Church (Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Tim. 3:16) esv.
The strategic and devotional power of authentic discipleship is still available to all believers today, but not all believers avail themselves of it, and sadly lead defeated lives.
Home Church recognises the spiritual strategic value of small groups of Christians meeting in their homes who are committed to working things out with God and one another.
Discipleship is a very significant and strategic function in the Christian's walk with God.
Discipleship should not be so much about improving our knowledge of God, but rather surrendering and nurturing our mindset, judgement values and agendas to reflect a desire to deepen our relationship with him. Spirit led discipleship, creates a place where our life becomes transformed because of His presence, and not because of any impotent self-effort based on our knowledge of him (John 5:39-41; Rom.8:5-7) esv. A living discipleship births a living disciple (Luke 9:23-24; John 8:31-38, 13:34-35) esv.
Discipleship should be the most natural characteristic of a Christian and of the Church (Matt. 28:16-20) esv.
Ask yourself ‘How do I see Jesus? Do I know the Jesus of the Bible?’
Many see Jesus as their friend, or as an agony aunt who they talk to only when they need advice. Others see themselves just as churchgoers or even believers, but rarely do I come across people who see themselves as disciples, why’s that I wonder? We'll all have to answer the question that Jesus once asked Peter, ‘but who do you say that I am?’ Good question, what’s your answer? Can you say 'You are the Christ, the son of the living God' and say it with the same spiritual conviction that Peter did? (Matt. 16:13-17) esv.
Knowledge of God by itself cannot bring these kind of spiritual revelations
that only a purposeful relationship with God can reveal (1 Cor. 2:12-13) esv.
Nothing draws God closer towards the heart of man more than the heart of man drawing close to God. None of us walk the perfect walk with him, and all of us need to be attentive to the condition of our heart. We would be wise to be like King David who prayed:
'Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!' (Psa 139:23-24) esv.
In Ephesians 4, Paul outlines the need and the purpose for strong Godly leadership in the Church, and he highlights the gifts given to the Church to equip it for that task:
v11. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers esv.
Equip-Build-Mature
v12
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Fullness of Christ
v13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ,
Discernment-Stability
v14
so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Growth in Love
v15-16
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
What you have just read from Ephesians 4 is the biblical expected experience of all believers empowering them to live and walk by the Spirit. The contents of Ephesians 4 describes a spiritual dynamic which is characterised by equipping believers through maturity in Christ, spiritual discernment, and Christlike stability for everyday life. Paul goes on to assure his readers that by adhering to God's equipping in this way, the Church will grow and become a catalyst for the Church to 'build itself up in love' (Eph. 4:16b) esv. This is the essence of discipleship and its fruit. This leaves us with the question, 'do we see this growth in believers' lives and in the life of the Church? If not why not?'