Time for a pop quiz. What is a disciple?
Answer? None of the above. Surprised? Don’t be! Never has a word been so overused yet so misunderstood. Although the topic of discipleship has been overworked, it is an under-applied concept. We all have probably heard a lot about discipleship. But if the truth were known, most of us still are not discipling others or being discipled ourselves. Most of us are still spectators when it comes to ministry. That is not only unwise and unhealthy, it is unbiblical. Let’s focus our attention on what the Lord said in His Great Commission in Matthew 28:16–20. Let’s learn what it means to live as a true disciple.
Many years ago on a hot Saturday morning, an Insight for Living staff member lay critically ill in the hospital. The family stood stunned, devastated by a prognosis that shook everyone who knew her. A colleague and I drove to the hospital to show support as best we could. It was then that Chuck and Cynthia Swindoll stepped into the room.
In His earthly ministry, Jesus modeled discipleship in a perfect way. Now, we are called to continue this model by being mentored and also mentoring others within the body of Believers.
A mentor points out blind spots and reproves you when you need to be confronted about your pride. A mentor won’t back off. A mentor relentlessly presses for excellence. A mentor cares about your character.
Hidden in Scripture are vaults of priceless wisdom that can be hard to find if you're preoccupied or in a hurry. But godly truth is there, awaiting discovery.
You want to be great? You want to make a lasting impact? You want to make a significant contribution? I don’t think that’s a bad ambition—if we’re talking true greatness.
Please remember—your age is not a mistake…nor an oversight…nor an afterthought. The command to multiply your faith in the lives of others often occurs most effectively when you’re older.
Let’s focus our attention on what the Lord said in His Great Commission in Matthew 28:16–20 and learn what it means to live as a true disciple.
Chuck Swindoll says it's the church's job to be a training ground for disciples in the making, to help them become spiritually fit for service.
God’s Word is a mirror for the soul, reflecting what needs to change. As James warns, hearing it isn’t enough—real transformation comes when we act on it.
When circumstances like these arrive in our lives, we all need to have developed the habit of spending time with the Lord. I never could have imagined the journey God would take us on in answer to those prayers offered many years ago. He is full of surprises!
Insight for Living is committed to excellence in communicating the truths of Scripture and the Person of Jesus Christ in an accurate, clear, and practical manner so that people will come to an understanding of God’s plan for their lives, as well as their significant role as authentic Christians in a needy, hostile, and desperate world.
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