Discipleship in the 21st Century, actually, toward the end of the 20th Century, began to look very different from the Survival Kit generation of the 70’s and 80’s. When I was first taking a discipleship class, I was a high school student. I had been a Christian for about ten years, and I had been discipled through strong believers in my life, Sunday School, and Training Union…yes, I feel old. However, a college student asked my friend and me if we’d like to take a discipleship class with her, and she took us through a Bible study and mentored us (in today’s terminology). We learned about having a quiet time, what it means to know Christ, and how to pray. We learned about prayer journals and being faithful. Much of what we learned were basics of theology for someone who has grown up in and around the church.
When I started discipling others, I followed the same patterns, until one day I was so blessed to have two young women who had come to the Lord from very different backgrounds (one was from a Taoist background, the other considered herself Catholic but only attended mass about twice a year) ask me to mentor them. They would read their Bibles each day, and then after work, they could come to my house and hang out. We would discuss what they’d read, and I would answer their questions. While fixing dinner, we would discuss the Word of God and deal with any issues that had arisen in their process of following Christ.
This was the most authentic, rewarding discipling I’d ever experienced. It was also the most challenging. I was living out my faith, teaching by word and example, and we were discussing topics that I have NEVER seen in any discipleship book. Some of the topics, quite frankly, made me blush.
However, one of the topics that I had never even thought to cover was reincarnation. I guess I just assumed they would know that it didn’t fit into Christian teaching; that we did not believe in reincarnation at all, but that was not the case. Having no background in the Bible, one of the young women assumed that reincarnation stopped when you became a Christian. She believed she would go to heaven, but she did not have any idea that reincarnation, as she’d been taught, was not true.
The other young woman had the strong and happy conviction that she would someday be an angel. This is a popular teaching North American culture often embeds in our movies and stories. When she realized while reading the Bible that it was not true, she was crushed.
These are things I never would have thought of putting into a discipleship training manual. But these were topics that were important in our discussions.
Today, just as in the New Testament, we need to seek more opportunities for what we would refer to as a more “organic” disciple-making where we literally allow people to come alongside us as we live out our lives daily, mentoring and learning together.
Some key components to this type of discipleship are:
1. A commitment to read the Bible: These two young women were hungry for the Word of God. They devoured it daily without any reading plan. They just had a desire to know God and understand Christian living. The mentor and the mentees must be reading their Bibles. We could have read the Bible together each day when we met, and sometimes we did, but usually they read on their own, and we discussed what they’d read.
2. Time: This type of discipleship is not a once-a-week Bible study, although that can be a part of it. These young women were in my home almost daily. They ate dinner with us most evenings during the week. It was a commitment for me and my family as well as for them. And the fruit of discipleship made it so worth it.
3. No limits on topics: You must be open to discussing ANYTHING. You never know what ideas, problems, hurts, or beliefs a new believer may be wrestling with. We can’t help them grow if we are afraid to tackle tough topics. We also must be ready share and explain the tough requirements of following Christ. Jesus said to count the cost. We need to help them do that.
4. Pray together: Let them know where you are struggling too. Let them see that coming to Christ doesn't place you in a protective bubble. When young Christians learn that they can minister and that you trust them to minister to you, they often grow faster and are more serious and committed in their faith. Plus, it is terrible to see those who are spiritual sponges but never share their knowledge and experience. We need to help young believers start ministering from the beginning of their walk with God. I’m not saying we should pour out all our dysfunction and stress upon them, but there should be some reciprocity in the caring for one another.
5. Ask questions: Don’t be afraid to ask questions; ask for their thoughts on current events or, if you dare, politics. This may reveal some areas that need to be addressed in their thinking. However, stick with the Bible. For example, just because you think one political view is more “Christian” than another doesn’t mean you are right. We should be careful not to go beyond what the Scriptures teach. We are trying to connect with this person and help them connect more with their newfound faith and their new loving Father. I try very hard, very consciously, to state when something is just my opinion or personal conviction about something that the Bible does not state clearly one way or the other. I explain why I believe the way I do. I’ve had those I’ve mentored explain why they believe the way they do as well, and we’ve been okay with that. It’s not always comfortable, but we can disagree peacefully and still continue to be friends and fellow disciples. This teaches them the strength in fellowship.
6. Pray for wisdom in all things: You will need it. Never be afraid to admit that you aren’t sure about something. Let them know you need to do more research or ask your mentor about something that has you stumped. Once one of these young women asked me about a story I had totally forgotten in the Old Testament. I couldn’t remember the context or anything. I had to tell her I would go back and read it again and get back to her with an answer. I did that and clarified her misunderstandings the next day. It turned into a great teachable moment where we discussed how God never contradicts Himself. If a verse seems to be contradictory to other Scriptures, we are misunderstanding something. That was the case with this story.
7. Love them: More than anything, love God and love them. Respect them. And encourage them. It’s like growing a garden. The more nourishment, the stronger they become in their new-found faith and the more they grow. Watch a young believer when you encourage them. They respond with joy and enthusiasm for the things of God.
When we look at what discipleship was in the New Testament, we see that this kind of model is closer to how Jesus and Paul did it. In our culture, it is hard to think of doing discipleship this way, especially with our busy schedules, but, if we can commit to it, it is so worth the time and effort. Both young women I’ve mentioned here met with me like this for about a year. Later, one went on to seminary and serves in her church. The other went back to school to become a teacher and helps with children’s ministry in her church. Both are still very active and faithful. It’s been nearly 20 years since we first met. I met them when they accepted Christ and began discipling them almost immediately.
Today we use terms like “pour into people’s lives,” “mentor,” or “be authentic.” This is all a part of simply living out your faith in front of others and teaching them along the way how to live out theirs. This really is what discipleship is.
Terri. I just completed a 12 wk Freedom course and your words of wisdom will come in handy if im honored to teach in the next class.
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