Believers’ discipleship is how we grow in Christlikeness throughout our lifetime. It is an enduring journey to live according to what Jesus teaches—conduct reflecting His precepts and principles—a life lived according to the tenets and doctrines Christ exemplified during His life and ministry. As the Lord’s ambassadors, disciples emulate Jesus’ life and practice His teaching in private, in fellowship, and in public without compromise or consideration for worldly expectation. Reflecting Christ’s image into the lost world means exemplifying His life while growing in faith, wisdom, courage, strength, and service, which bears good fruit. Disciples help others chosen by God to do the same. This help requires more than church attendance. A disciple's individual journey calls for increasing devotion to God, making Him first above all things in this world. Nothing in the world is more important than a disciple’s journey to grow in Christlikeness, including family, friends, wealth, and social approval. Putting God first above all worldly things means dedicating the very best of yourself to prayer, Bible study, meditation, and service that glorifies God by teaching self-replicating discipleship.

 

Core Tenets

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1. Disciples follow Jesus and learn to practice what He teaches—they put Him first above all else in the world.

 

“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels’” Mark 8:34-38 ESV.

 

Disciples set themselves apart from the world. Their focus is on Jesus, not themselves or any worldly person, place, or thing. They discard their rags to put on Christlikeness.

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2. Disciples grow in Christ, live a transformed life through the Holy Spirit’s leadership, and trust in Him.

 

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” Galatians 5:16-25 ESV.

 

Disciples transform through prayer, study, and meditation in God’s Word while growing to know Him the way He created them to.

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3. Disciples walk in holiness, sojourn through the world without becoming part of it; it’s a journey, not a destination.

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“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” Psalm 23 KJV.

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Disciples grow stronger in faith, wisdom, courage and strength as they learn to walk the way Jesus teaches us to walk, act, and think while in the world.

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4. Disciples obey what they learn from Jesus and trust in His faithfulness to the promises He makes to them.

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“Then the eleven disciples went into Galilee, into a mountain, where Jesus had appointed them.  And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me, in heaven, and in earth. Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the holy Ghost, Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, until the end of the world, Amen” Matthew 28:16-20 GEN.

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Disciples share their faith in the world while growing in understanding, maturity, and relationship with Christ. All disciples have gifts, which draw God’s people still lost in the world home.

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Disciples Apply and Practice

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• Daily prayer and Bible study (Matt 4:4).

• Repentance and turning from sin (1 John 1:9).

• Witnessing and sharing the Gospel (Mark 16:15).

• Serving others and showing a servant's heart (1 Peter 4:10-11)

• Accountability and fellowship with other believers (Heb 10:24-25).