I’ve been thinking about Christian discipleship. What does it look like for a follower of Christ in America today? What is and is not part of discipleship? When does it start? 
As a college student I thought I understood discipleship. It would start when someone made a commitment to Christ. A more mature Christian would meet regularly with a few younger believers. They would study the Bible, pray and take part in evangelism and outreach activities together. If all went well, the younger believers would mature and start leading others.
When I moved into adult life, I tried to replicate that model. I met with three other young men when I lived in the Philippines. Together we studied The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert E. Coleman. I saw that the model from college was a start, but would not be sufficient for adult life.
Over the years, I’ve continued to consider how discipleship should work. I recognize that in a community or a church, many people are involved in discipling any one person. It isn’t a matter of me making a few disciples, but my influence and example will influence many people. But they all also need to be influenced by others in order to be discipled fully.
About a year ago we began discussing discipleship in our local church. We asked some of the same questions from my first paragraph, above. We recognized that discipleship begins before someone makes a commitment to Christ. It did for me. I was raised going to church, and what I learned early on led me toward Christ.
Recently, I attended Creating Options Together, sponsored by the Inner City ministry of Cru. There I heard more about discipleship. Adam Edgerly, a pastor from Los Angeles, said, “We think we make converts, then the Holy Spirit makes disciples. We have that backward.” We need to begin discipling people to help them move toward faith in Christ. Then at some point in that process, the Holy Spirit will draw them to a personal response to Jesus.
As you think of us this month, please pray that we will be effective in making disciples in our church and community. (In the photo above, Bethany, Michael, our friend Gala, and Anne Marie enjoy a moment during our multi-generational Sunday school class, one way we are making disciples.)
Also, please pray for Michael and Bethany as they return to college. Michael will begin his senior year at the University of Central Florida. Please specifically pray he’ll find an internship. And this week, as we send this letter, we are preparing to drive to Nashville to take Bethany to Trevecca Nazarene University for her junior year.
As always, we’re grateful for your partnership in our ministry. We thank God for you.