In Mt 28:18-20 we read of Jesus' "Great Commission" to the church to go to all nations and make disciples: 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
When we read in Mk 3:14 of Jesus ordaining the twelve, we should notice something very important. It says "that they should be with him,..." Jesus would "disciple" them. To be discipled today we must spend time with Jesus. To be discipled today we must pay attention to what God is saying to us as we spend time reading His Word (the Bible), responding back to Him in prayer about what we are reading, and then as applicable incorporating what we are learning into our daily lives, rightly dividing the Word of God (2Ti 2:15).
Just as it is not enough just to be physically born into this world, but one must GROW physically, emotionally, and socially to gain the most out of life; it is not enough just to be saved and reserve a place with God in eternity, but one must grow spiritually in order to gain what God desires for you to become. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:" 1Pe 2:2. True discipleship entails more that just going to Sunday School, Church services, and even most Bible Studies. It entails a time of spending time with God going over specific aspects of the Christian life. This is designed to give one a well-balanced, spiritual diet and exercise that will "discipline" one's life in such a way as to cause them to grow to spiritual maturity and productiveness for the service of Christ. This is not accomplished just by attending or serving in a church, but by incorporating an accountability and regular working relationship with Christ that includes times of evaluation and adjustments. This is best accomplished by having one "discipled Christian" mentoring another Christian in this process; being there for teaching, answering questions, listening to their feedback, exhorting, keeping them accountable, evaluating progress, and giving counsel for needed changes. Though we will not be able to be with you "in the flesh", if you are one of the many people around the world that we hope to reach out to, we will be with you in spirit as we offer you this following link to your own pursuit of discipleship. Originally written in a "fill in the answers to the questions" format, we have filled in the desired answers for you, so that you can pursue this discipleship training on your own, trusting the Holy Spirit to help you as you go. Use this link and go through the material at your own pace, calling on God to go through it with you, and review it occasionally once completed. You will find that you have been discipled indeed. Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments that you may have for us.