Discipleship – Helping others to follow Jesus

Do you believe it is your responsibility to build a healthy church? Let me tell you this for sure: if you are a Christian, this is your responsibility. Whether you are a church member or a leader, completing the building of a healthy church is a commission from the Lord Jesus. The Christian life includes both making disciples ourselves and making disciples of others. You must follow the leader and you must lead the followers; you need love from others as well as love for others.
Our greatest love for others is to help them follow Jesus on the path to eternal life. God has placed you in the church not only for your needs, but also to equip you and encourage you to care for others.

WHY DISCIPLESHIP?
(I) Because influence is everywhere
Maybe you never thought you could influence others, but you can influence others through the gifts God gave you at creation. You can bring gospel influence to others not only through your strength, but also through your weakness. Your influence does exist, but how will you use it? When you end your journey in this life and enter the palace of eternity, what will you leave behind in the lives of others? A disciple of Christ disciples others by helping them follow Christ. Is this how you influence others?
(II) Others centered
Just as Christ came into the world not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. A life of discipleship is a life centered on others. Discipleship requires us to spend every moment of our lives communicating God’s message and His Word.
(III) Christianity is about serving people
In order to disciple others, you must sow seeds patiently like a farmer, trusting that the seedlings will sprout from the ground. Only through discipleship can we transcend the limitations of time and space and continue to preach to this unbelieving world and equip believers after death. When I disciple others I leave a grace time bomb for the
future.

HOW TO DISCIPLE?
(I) Initiative
You must take the initiative to initiate discipleship, and cannot wait for others to come to you. Think about it realistically: Can your schedules work together? In addition, you not only need to identify whether the person is in need, but you also need to make sure that he understands his own needs and is willing to accept help.
(II) Inside and outside the church
The Great Commission requires that we disciple them individually and in groups. After the Sunday service has dispersed, church members should continue the ministry of teaching and urging through their own lives. Discipleship continues in daily life during the week.
(III) Teaching
From a collective level, in the church, in addition to teaching from the pulpit, members also need to be encouraged to participate in adult Sunday school classes, family group Bible study meetings, church prayer
meetings, various equipment courses, and dis cipleship courses, and encourage them Lead others to learn together.
(IV) Correction
Through discipleship, we continually expose our sins. But in order to be courageous in admonishing someone when necessary, you must be more God fearing. When a member is trapped in his own sin and cannot follow Christ closely, it is all the church members who will ultimately counsel him, but more often than not, he will correct others through private discipleship.
(V) Role model
The purpose of discipleship is to change lives. Discipleship requires not only classroom teaching, but also practical apprenticeships or personal coaching training. Discipleship is like the role of a parent in the home, they are expected to teach by word a nd example in all aspects. In discipling, you invite others to imitate you and model trust in Christ to them. Therefore, you must be willing to open yourself up and allow others to come into your life and actually observe your words and actions.
(VI) Love each other
Let us live together according to the teachings of Hebrews 10:24 25: Look out for one another, inspire love, and encourage one another to do good deeds. Do not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing; but encourage one another. This is all the more true now that we know that that day is approaching.
(VII) Humility
Being discipled requires humility on our part, and discipling others also requires humility on our part. Your invitation may hit a wall, and your counseling may fall on deaf ears.
(VIII) Lead the way to heaven
While following Jesus, are we also helping more people to walk on the road to heaven and follow Jesus?

(IX) How do you respond to objections?

• This discipleship target is not ideal.
• If a person always obeys the person who disciples him, he may stop submitting to other authorities.
• This statement seems to be too elevating and focused on people.
• Isn’t this trying to force others to do something difficult?
• I don’t have this need. I am so busy that I really don’t have time to pay attention to discipleship.
• Only extroverts can disciple effectively.
• I cannot disciple others. I am too young, often make mistakes, and have too many shortcomings!

WHERE ARE DISCIPLES TRAINED?

1. In the local church
2. In the gathering
3. In the authority mechanism
4. In baptism and mutual teaching
5. Members take care of each other

PURPOSEFUL DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING

1. Help the other person know more about God through discipleship
2. Help people better live out the truth through discipleship

PAID DISCIPLESHIP

1. Discipleship takes time
   Discipleship does not happen overnight, so disciplining a person must be done carefully. As long as we hope to influence lives with our lives, we must be willing to give up our time for each other. Finally, remember: If you wait until you need to build these relationships, it may be too late.
2. Discipleship requires learning
   In your discipleship relationships, use the Bible and spend time studying God’s Word.
3. Discipleship requires prayer
   Pray for those you disciple and teach them to pray. What we need is supernatural change, and in discipleship we can help others think about the meaning of prayer.
4. Discipleship requires love
   Each of us is called to love and called to be loved. All the time, truth, prayer, and love the Lord gives you can be used to bless others. Discipleship certainly has its challenges and costs, but God will be glorified in all of it!

IN CONCLUSION

At its core, discipleship is a way of life and a way of relating to others. It includes: bringing opportunities to others through your fellowship with others, and building the church according to the gospel. No matter who teaches, the gospel should be at t he center of the teaching. When church relationships and power structures are based on the gospel, people will not use authority to dominate others but to serve others (Matthew 20:25 28).

Article extracted from 9 Mark website