Path to Spiritual Maturity Meeting #15 Recap - Discipleship

Opening Prayer

Welcome:

Step 1: Overview

a. Go over last week’s assignment of reading an article on #11 Discipleship in the Foundations Pathway, and of doing an application.

b. This week’s assignment: read an article on #12 Spiritual Gifts in the Foundations Pathway, and do an application.

c. Finish with time for questions/comments.

If we run out of time you can always e-mail us, or post in the discussion group. I will post those e-mail addresses and the group link at the end of our session.

Step 2: Review of #11 Discipleship.

-Go over last week’s assignment of reading an article on #11 Discipleship in the Foundations Pathway, and do an application.

So did you do your reading and application this week? (Yes/no) Did you find it helpful? What struck you the most from your study this week? Was there anything that you were really challenged on that you prayed about or are doing something about?

Discipleship is often a word that only brings about a vague notion of understanding about what it really is. Somehow it is a passing along of life and information in a way deeper than simply reading a book or listening to a lecture. But what is it that we are actually called to by Jesus in being His disciple, and in making more disciples in the great commission?

Being a disciple means being a follower of someone else—in this case Jesus. A committed and true disciple then is one who learns from and models his or her life after the life and teaching of another. This indeed is a complete way of ordering one’s life. It affects what one learns and believes, it affects how one thinks and lives, it affects how one feels and what one loves. It is not something then that can happen completely all at once, it is a process of pursuit, a gradual growth, a lifelong lesson, a continual commitment.

Discipleship began for me when I was about 12. I started to realize that being a Christian was more than just asking Jesus to forgive me of my sins because of what He had done in His death and resurrection as the perfect substitute. Being a Christian involved my whole life: every aspect of it. God cared about my thoughts, my attitudes, my actions—everything! As I began to realize this I wanted and saw that I needed people in my life who could teach me more, who could model to me what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus. The lack of these kinds of available disciplers at certain times pushed me to realize that this was an area that the church needed growth in. Other times, and in God’s perfect plan, God did provide excellent disciplers who shared their lives and pushed me on in my understanding and pursuit of being a growing disciple of Jesus Christ.

This understanding continued to grow as I also realized that I (and every other believer) should be discipling others. We all can and should be making efforts to share what we do know and have learned with unbelievers to help them start on the path of being a disciple of Jesus, and with fellow believers to help them continue on in their growth as a disciple. Discipleship has never happened to someone perfectly excepting Jesus’ discipleship of the original disciples, but that is no reason to not be faithful and to not make the effort. Being and making disciples has been, is, and will be a lifelong process for me. Sacrificially sharing my life, time, and resources is not a natural instinct, but the fact is, my life, time, and resources are not mine: they are God’s who bought me and redeemed me from my slavery to sin at the expense of the Son of God’s life. May I continue to grow in sharing the life of God through every aspect of my being with “all the world.”

Where are you with discipleship? Has your active following of Jesus stalled? Is He your first priority? Is your life growing in similarity to the Master’s in each area? What area is glaring out at you that you should pray about and begin actively seeking the Lord to help change? How are you getting to know better the One you are following?

Who are you currently sharing your life with to help them become committed disciples of Jesus Christ? Are you being intentional about helping your spouse, and children (or other family) to better know what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ in the various aspects of life? Are you using your home as a place for discipleship to make new disciples and to build up existing ones?

Step 3: This week’s assignment: Begin #12 Spiritual Gifts in the Foundations Pathway.

Read at least one article in the Spiritual Gifts category on the Path to Spiritual Maturity #12 Spiritual Gifts under step 4) [or listen to an audio, or watch a video]. Then think about what you have read and do an application (some suggested ones are listed there). Next week we can discuss any questions that you might have had either about the article, or its application.

Other ideas:

*blog about your reading/application

*write down any questions you might have from the reading/experience

*write out any terms that you did not understand

*spend some time praying about and thanking God for His Word that He has given us to be able to know His truths.

Step 4: Questions, comments, and interaction.

…

Step 5: Closing Reminders:

*This week, focus on the Spiritual Gifts Step. (Keep up your Bible reading time, and as needed, focus on your motivation.)

*Go to the group page to post comments, questions, or to find a posting of what we discussed during our time together. http://users.bible.org/groups/path_spiritual_maturity_discipleship

*E-mail us as needed.

Closing Prayer

Pursue Christ in all you do, and may this Path to Spiritual Maturity be a tool to help you pursue Him. That is our prayer and desire. God bless!