What is Discipleship to Jesus?

What is discipleship? A big picture definition.

The concept of discipleship covers a lot of territory. But when a term starts to mean everything then it really means nothing. When ten people say discipleship they can have ten different ideas in their heads. Here is my best crack at defining discipleship in a paragraph:

Discipleship is the ongoing process of taking steps closer to Jesus. As a result, evangelism is best understood as the early stages of a discipleship journey rather than a separate compartmentalized category. Both the spiritually curious agnostic learning about Jesus and the seasoned saint pursuing a deeper faith are engaging the process of discipleship. A disciple is someone who is constantly learning more about Jesus within community in order to more faithfully navigate the world like He did. A disciple, therefore, is consistently evaluating and recalibrating their beliefs and behaviors to be in alignment with Jesus.

I've yet to encounter someone who succinctly and clearly articulates the heart of discipleship as well as Dallas Willard:

"A disciple is a person who has decided that the most important thing in her life is to learn how to do what Jesus said to do...Disciples simply are people who are constantly revising their affairs to carry through on their decision to follow Jesus"

Discipleship is not one dimensional. Sustained apprenticeship to Jesus takes:

• Vision (conception of the good and beauty of where we are going)

• Desire (heart transformation)

• Intention (practical habits and practices).

WHAT IS DISCIPLESHIP? A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PHILOSOPHICAL/THEOLOGICAL

How should the church think about discipleship at the macro level? What should the theological and philosophical foundation be comprised of? I consistently circle back to this short list of core ideas.

Discipleship is an ongoing process.

Everyone, no matter how far or close they are to God, can engage a process of turning towards and moving closer to Jesus. Being formed by Jesus to look more like Him in order to do what He does is not a process with an expiration date. Discipleship never stops and we never fully arrive. Discipleship is inclusive. Consequently, church rhythms ought to welcome all to the table. Discipleship is also ongoing so even veteran Jesus followers should possess a growth-mindset.

Discipleship requires trust, not certainty.

When I decided to marry Emily I couldn't be certain our story would turn out well. However, a high level of trust that our marriage would be good and healthy was necessary to take the step of commitment.

When I went rock climbing and repelling I could not be certain that the instructor would keep me safe. But I did need a significant level of trust in the instructor in order to take the first step. Did he have the credentials? Was there are long track record of keeping others safe? Was he a person of trustworthy character and level-headedness?

In both examples, if certainty was required I would either: 1) pretend I was certain even though it was unattainable or 2) never take a step forward.

Transitioning to faith and the church, too often discipleship is situated within a framework of certainty. We perpetuate an idea that we must be certain in order to follow Jesus. Those who display the highest level of certainty are the most faithful and impressive disciples. There's a major problem here. Biblically speaking faith is not about certainty, it's about trusting enough to follow. In fact, faith and certainty are incompatible. If something is certain there is no need for faith.

Should the church help others discover the compelling rational and intellectual reasons for why faith in Jesus makes sense? Absolutely! But the goal should never be certainty because it's not honest, creates unsafe space for questions and views doubt as a grave problem that must be squashed as fast as possible rather than an important part of a discipleship journey that can actually strengthen our faith.

Discipleship is a response to a wide gospel.

The gospel tells a story of Jesus Christ as Lord. Jesus perfectly reveals God to us and this is truly good news. This gospel has wide implications that impact our personal spirituality AND social responsibility. In other words, the implications of the gospel are wide.

Too often segments of the church reduce gospel implications to either justice or evangelism and a ridiculous hierarchy is created. Jesus reminds us that God has inaugurated a Kingdom that is concerned about individual spiritual transformation AND social transformation. A disciple ought to care about personal righteousness and social righteousness (social justice). Jesus-centered discipleship must hold both together and never let the gospel and its implications be collapsed into one atonement theory or neglect entire dimensions of life.

I'm convinced that a narrowing of the gospel is at the heart of much of the discipleship crisis seen in large portions of the church. We must remember that God cares about the restoration of all things (1 Corinthians 15, Acts 3, Colossians 1). With this in mind, our understanding of what missions means expands to all dimensions of life. We have opportunities everywhere to partner with God in what he wants to do in the world. This is our mission. What does God want to do in the world? Restore all things.

Discipleship is about following Jesus INTO the Kingdom of God.

I've noticed that many American Christians have been given a vision of discipleship that is primarily about following Jesus into great morning devotionals or meaningful bible study conversations. It's just me, my bible, a beautiful sunrise and some spiritual warm fuzzy feelings. To be sure, devotional rhythms can be an extremely important dimension of discipleship to Jesus. But this vision is woefully incomplete.

Jesus calls us to follow Him into something far more compelling and all-encompassing. I find it most helpful to think about following Jesus into the Kingdom of God. Jesus leads His disciples towards a way of life in which the will of God becomes our greatest desire.

What is the Kingdom of God? It's a reality that takes place when everything is in alignment with Jesus being Lord. This is an individual and social reality. The Kingdom of God is made visible when the will of God is being done. The Kingdom breaks forth every time God's people offer their allegiance to King Jesus. The Kingdom of God is a place where people are introduced to Jesus, hatred is exchanged for love, the poor are fed, the vulnerable are advocated for, people are freed from destructive habits, forgiveness happens, materialism is resisted as we care for our souls and creation, etc, etc, etc.

When we view discipleship as following Jesus into the Kingdom of God it's hard to do discipleship in a compartmentalized fashion.

Discipleship is concerned about transforming the heart (desires), not just sin management (behaviors). Discipleship must focus on heart transformation, not behavioral modification. The burdensome religion of the Pharisees emphasized behavioral boundary-keeping. Discipleship to Jesus is far more comprehensive and transformative. Jesus-centered discipleship is concerned about the whole person and includes a passionate pursuit of life-giving behaviors, not just an avoidance of sin.

The formation of desire has broader and more sustainable implications than any behavioral modification plan can offer. Let's take sexual addiction as an example. I can't tell you how many times I've encountered people struggling with sexual addiction whose recovery is exclusively about managing behavior: Don't look at that, don't do this, don't think that. Many people have white-knuckled through years of behavioral boundary keeping and seen little change. Yet, it's possible to never look at porn for months yet have a stronger desire than ever to go to fantasy land. But what if the emphasis shifted? What if instead of thinking "I can't do that" we thought "that's not good for me"? This is the beginning of desires being transformed which opens the door to the possibility of real change.

This paradigm for discipleship takes great trust. If we don't actually trust that Jesus offers the best way to live our efforts often collapse into spiritual mask wearing. We become concerned about looking Godly rather than being Godly.

Grace is the bedrock .

Jesus illustrates a God who turns towards us with love and compassion no matter how far we have wondered. The parable of the lost son provides us with powerful imagery to solidify this truth. Although the Holy Spirit can use healthy guilt to turn us towards a better way to live, our ultimate motivation to faithfully follow Jesus is God’s love for us and our growing love for our neighbor. Our beliefs and behaviors can be fear-driven when discipleship is pursued within a retributive and punitive view of God. We often live inauthentically as we try to hide our weakness and sin. Conversely, when discipleship flows from a vision of a loving and gracious God we find powerful motivation.

Exodus 34:5-7 has become a critical passage for me in framing what God is like. God reveals himself to Moses on Mt Sinai and declares Himself to be:

"compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation".

In the Hebrew scripture the order of things means a great deal. The point of emphasis is always given to what appears first in a list. We ought to be thankful that God righteously punishes sin. He wouldn't be good if human atrocities weren't held accountable. Yet, we should also be thankful that the center of God's character is compassion and grace. With this vision of God in mind we are able to follow Jesus motivated by love instead of coerced by fear and punishment.

Life WITH God is the goal.

Skye Jethani's book With has greatly impacted my views on discipleship. Too often our goal in discipleship fits one of these categories:

• Life FOR God - The goal of discipleship is to accomplish impressive things for God and our value is based on this.

• Life ABOVE God: God exists to affirm our theology and desires. We create God in our own image to validate what we already want.

• Life BELOW God: Discipleship is about pleasing God through our obedience. Our value and worth in God's eyes is dependent on our righteous actions.

In contrast to each of these inaccurate or incomplete visions for discipleship we are called to life WITH God. The end goal of discipleship is intimacy with God. God is the treasured possession and our value is not dependent on our performance. Make no mistake, this is not sentimental Christianity devoid of action. When life WITH God becomes the goal our lives bear fruit because we are connected to the vine (John 15).

Community isn't optional.

We can't fully engage discipleship on our own with a bible, a journal and a sunrise. Additionally, although large Sunday morning gatherings can be a critical rhythm to deepen our walk with Jesus, robust discipleship must occur within the context of intimate relationships which is extremely difficult to accomplish in most Sunday morning contexts.

Sometimes churches lower the bar so far on relational investment that merely showing up to a large gathering a couple times a month is viewed as a success. We must turn our chairs to face one another. The church, by definition, is a community of people gathered around Jesus. Peter uses the imagery of living stones gathered around the cornerstone. Discipleship can only occur within the context of this community. A call to follow Jesus is a call into community.

Forming resilient disciples means education and not indoctrination.

At the University of Arizona an indoor ecosystem was constructed of trees and plants inside of a dome as a tool for researchers. The trees inside the dome would grow quickly but then fall over before reaching maturation. Scientists discovered that this phenomenon was caused by a lack of wind. Without resistance (wind) the root systems would not grow deep and strong enough to stabilize the trees as they grew older.

What a great analogy for discipleship! When the church indoctrinates inside a bubble and refuses to expose people to the hard questions of faith or a wide spectrum of perspectives, a discipleship "biodome" is constructed. Although it feels comfortable and safe we are not building resilient disciples who are prepared to engage a diverse church, a pluralistic society and the hard questions of faith that will inevitably come. I've encountered story after story of young adults turning away from their faith after one college course and a couple of podcasts. We must do better.

Black and white thinking isn't as messy. It feels safe to carefully curate resources that only come from within our tribe to validate what we already believe. Many church leaders are afraid that broader exposure and honest conversations usher in a "slippery slope" to non-belief. Ironically, this narrow approach to discipleship has the opposite effect it intends to have. These disciples enter the world with a fragile faith. Their worldview is one gust of wind from falling over. Can we spend more time centering theology that is congruent with denominational positions? Absolutely. Pastors should unapologetically articulate church positions while not demonizing others who think differently. Sheltering people away from hard questions or theological diversity is counter-productive.

Theologian A.J. Swaboda recently talked about the importance of building a resilient faith. He believes people are much more likely to chuck their faith if they've been discipled in a bubble. I agree completely with his thoughts:

"We treat churches as places we go to find out why we are right. But we rarely go to church to be introduced to the difficulties of faith. When my pastor or leader is willing to introduce me to the tough parts of faith it develops trust and hope. But when you find out from Bart Ehrman or your first year religion professor it's like you've been tricked this whole time. I think we need to introduce the difficulties of the Christian faith earlier and when we do that it creates a healthier immune system (in reference to being more resilient)".

Finally, I believe indoctrination tends to encourage self-righteousness and a lack of authenticity. We can make an idol of our own "rightness" and convince ourselves that most others out there, including other Christians, are utterly lost and completely wrong. Those outside the tribe are demonized. Then, when someone inside our tribe begins to wrestle with the difficult questions of faith there is nowhere for them to go. It seems they are left with two options: be judged and ostracized by the community or put on a mask in order to stay within the fold.

WHAT IS DISCIPLESHIP? A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PRACTICAL

When discussing discipleship I believe it is critical to hold both the philosophical and the practical together. It's my contention that many Christian spaces primarily focus on one at the neglect of the other. I think of it like this:

• The philosophical/theological without the practical = infatuation with great ideas without action steps.

• The practical without the theological = Loads of strategies, tips and programs without buy-in, vision or sustainable motivation.

• The practical with the theological/practical = holistic and sustainable discipleship that has the ability to go somewhere.

As I mentioned at the beginning, discipleship is not one dimensional and requires vision, desire and intention. These components of discipleship don't operate in a linear way. For example, sometimes it's an intention (a concerted effort to trust Jesus' call to be radically generous even when I don't fee like it) that bolsters desire as we experientially begin to trust that Jesus' version of flourishing is better than our own. The passion points regarding discipleship I listed earlier target the vision and desire elements. But we can't forget the necessary role of intention.

In terms of the practical side of discipleship, I find these concepts extremely helpful.

The importance of subtraction.

The adage "less is more" is a bizarre concept for most of us. Our American culture values bigger, busier and faster. These values have crept into the church. I can't tell you how many times I've seen Christians wearing busyness as a badge of honor and symbol of importance. I've been guilty too. What comes to our minds when we think of a thriving disciple? The congregant who goes to the most bible studies, prayer gatherings and service opportunities? The more spiritual activity at church the better right? Not so fast.

A full spiritual calendar does not automatically equate to spiritual flourishing. Sure, being involved in the life of the church is a positive thing, but our packed church calendars can become part of the problem, not part of the solution. Are we simply adding to the noise? Are we burning out leaders by the constant cycle of programs? Or are we encouraging a pace of life where we have time for each other and our neighbors?

We must establish habits and patterns that draw us near to God and community. But many of us need to focus on subtraction in order to do so. Our lives are so full and cluttered that we hardly have margin to be present to God and to others. Church becomes part of the problem when the vision of a flourishing disciple is someone who is at church 4-5 times a week for events. Thoughtful discipleship must wrestle with these important questions:

• When it comes to serving...what do I want to give a purposeful yes to? Consequently, what must I say no to?

• What weekly rhythm am I going to commit to that encourages meaningful relationships? What other social or ministry opportunities must I then take off my plate?

• Do I have margin to develop relationships of love and trust with my co-workers and literal neighbors? If not, how can I slow down? Is there something at church I need to step away from in order to have a balance of being present with my church and my neighbor?

• Do I live life at a pace that allows me to consistently and deeply love God and neighbor?

Pastors and church leaders ought to be supportive of those who need to adjust their schedules even if it means attending less events at church.

Go local

The proliferation of technology when it comes to discipleship has many blessings and curses. I'm concerned we now have the option of pursuing discipleship out of the context of our own place and people. We can listen to podcasters we've never met and tune into a celebrity pastor five states over as our primary spiritual rhythms.

I wonder if this non-local form of discipleship contributes to the lack of rootedness and spiritual vitality that many of us feel? When we entrust our discipleship to a famous Christian a few hundred miles away what happens when celebrity leaders and ministries are wrecked with scandal? We become more disillusioned with the church than we need to be. Where do we turn for pastoral care given the nuanced dynamics of our own lives? How do we form intimate relationships?

Just like eating local provides a more nutrient rich diet for our physical health, engaging discipleship locally encourages a healthier spiritual diet and a more rooted faith. We ought to take advantage of the great content that modern technology provides us. I'm the first to love a thought-provoking podcast. But let's ensure that a bulk of our diet stays local.

Practicing the spiritual disciplines in community

We need to learn about and practice the spiritual disciplines together. Rhythms like prayer, contemplation, fasting, solitude, silence, reflective time in nature and engagement with scripture are never ends, they are always the means. The end is deeper communion with God. Spiritual disciplines put ourselves in positions to encounter God and allow His presence to change us...our thoughts and behaviors.

Our engagement with the spiritual disciplines is done in community together. Even the individual disciplines can be viewed as embedded within community. For example, the pursuit of silence can be encouraged by Christian friends and inspired by the thought of others within our church community making the same commitment throughout their week. Small groups, whether formal or organic, would do well to practice and learn important spiritual rhythms together.

Spiritual disciplines create an entry point into a deeper life with God. Disciples need these habits and practices to be formed into people who look more and more like Jesus.

Empowerment, not dependency.

The role of church ministries is not to provide for every spiritual need/desire in the congregation. If that were the case, we would be encouraging an unhealthy dependence upon the church. Instead, we want to see people step up, follow God’s leading and take the initiative. It might be initiating a coffee date, mentoring relationship, bible study, social gathering or service opportunity. The less dependent congregants are on their pastor the better. Pastor's ought to think of their role as empowering the ministry of those in the congregation and less of the other way around. As the paradigm is flipped the go of the pastor might take a hit, but the sheep will be much healthier. Empowerment leads others owning their own spiritual journey. Here are a couple of questions that encourage empowerment:

• What's a gap you see within your church community? How can you be the change that you want to see?

• As you think about your neighborhood and workplace how might God want to partner with you to bring about His Kingdom?

• When you come to church on Sunday what is one thing you can do to make the community look more like Jesus?

Diversity is necessary for growth.

Engaging with those who are different allows us to see God better. When we isolate ourselves in a community that thinks, acts and looks like us we put a ceiling effect on our discipleship. We grow closer to Jesus within an environment where our ideas and life experiences are side by side with those who have different ideas and life experiences.

Churches should, to the greatest degree possible, do all they can to celebrate racial, generational, experiential and theological diversity. And not because it looks trendy or culturally appropriate on a website. Our commitment to diversity ought to run much deeper. Two primary thoughts come to mind in terms of why diversity matters as Christians:

1. God in Christ has begun a new humanity in which the social categories that divide us have been broken down. Being united in Christ along racial, ethnic, economic and gender lines is a sign that it is in fact Jesus who has brought us together.

2. Diversity causes us to grow and learn more. When someone who experiences the world differently than I do is sitting next to me in small group it changes everything. I am now forced to get outside my experience and expand my view of the world.

With this in mind, disciples of Jesus should go out of their way to live life alongside Christians who are different than they are. This commitment ought to impact the way we get involved at church and form relationships.

Presence (consistency in showing up to community) and vulnerability create the soil in which spiritual growth can take place.

Without these two elements our discipleship frameworks, pathways and strategies just look nice on paper. Here is what these concepts mean to me:

• Presence: Both physical and mental. Let's take small groups as an example. Physical: am I literally here? Do I make it a higher priority to show up to group? Mental: am I psychologically here? Am I an engaged contributor?

• Vulnerability: Vulnerability feels like risk and emotional exposure (thanks Brene Bown). It's entirely possible to engage in church your whole life and never be vulnerable. The temptation to put on a mask is strong, especially in certain Christian contexts. Without vulnerability our true selves will never be known. When we are vulnerable we offer an entry point for others to get into our lives and for God to heal, grow, restore and encourage.

A small group or any other discipleship effort will fall flat without presence and vulnerability.

In closing...

Both church leaders and church goers must resist consumerism when thinking about church and discipleship. A bulk of the American church's discipleship crisis can be traced back to this. Church leaders tend to industrialize discipleship and naively think that plugging people into a structure of programs will efficiently crank out resilient and committed disciples. A messy, ongoing and relational process is reduced to a formula. Church goers create demand for this kind of church by showing up with the expectation that their spiritual desires will be fulfilled in convenient and enjoyable ways. Here I am church! How are you going to make faith exciting and meaningful for me?! The moment things gets messy or uncomfortable the church wish-list can be taken down the road to a more desirable place.

Instead, communities gathered around Jesus must expect that discipleship will never end and always be packed full of joys and challenges. This realistic and biblical vision is harder sell in a lobby brochure but opens up the possibility of transformation. We must keep foundational concepts in front of us while never reducing the process to simple metrics and pain-free formulas.

It may be a bit like health and dieting approaches. The multi-level marketing diet fad that promises quick weight loss with minimal sacrifice seems attractive to most people. Who doesn't want to lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks while eating pancakes and shakes? All of the cool kids seem to be a part of it too. A more holistic health strategy built upon the simple foundations of eating healthier and getting consistent exercise seems less trendy, might require more sacrifice and will yield slower results. But I'd put my money on that program forming people who are much healthier in the long run.