New Testament Model of Being a Disciple

The excerpt below is about being a disciple. It is from the book ‘Choose the Life’ by Bill Hull.

 

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To be a disciple as described by Jesus requires a person to submit himself or herself to a more mature follower of Jesus. Unless you have done so, you are not following Jesus in the way he desired.  Our definition of a disciple, then, must be adjusted to fit what Jesus truly meant. We know this is what he meant by the way he lived and by what he modeled in calling the Twelve to be with him. We also see this in the way he changed his relationship to them when he was ready to commission them to go make their own disciples (Mark 3:14-16) (see note below)

The purpose of discipleship is to go deeper with God, to be shaped into the image of Christ, because character is developed in community. If we are following the New Testament model discipleship should look like this today:

·         A disciple submits to a teacher who teaches him or her how to follow Jesus.

·         A disciple learns Jesus’ words

·         A disciple learns Jesus’ way of ministry

·         A disciple imitates Jesus’ life and character

·         A disciple finds and teaches other disciples for Jesus

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Note

Jesus called the Twelve to be with him so they could eventually go out to preach. He graduated them in the upper room when he said: ‘I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you’ (John 15:15). This demonstrates that they are now moving from being disciples to the responsibility of making their own disciples.