What Does Discipleship Look Like In Action?

In January 2021, I moved from Moneta, Virginia, to Frisco, Texas, to join a church plant called Connect Church. Having visited Texas once before, this felt like a new beginning. As a Christian for about 12 months, I was eager to be used by God.

My brother-in-law, the lead pastor, needed my help. I was so excited to be involved in “ministry,” even though I didn't fully understand the meaning of that word.

Fast forward to today, and I still can’t define what “working in ministry” entails. However, over the past four years, I have learned several valuable lessons regarding my walk with Jesus and my relationships with those around me. The primary one came through meeting a man named Eric.

After moving to Texas, I applied for many jobs and landed a position at Lowe's, where I met my friend Eric. At the time, Eric worked in the receiving area and was known for being reliable and hardworking. He always had a smile on his face, and it was evident that he possessed strong morals. He treated everyone around him respectfully and was truly an amazing person.

Still, Eric would be the first to admit how far he felt from God. After getting to know him a bit, I decided to give him an invitation card to church. As I did, I could see the hunger in his eyes—a longing for something more, something real.

A few Saturdays later, on a blistering hot June afternoon, Eric showed up at our church’s kickoff to the summer event. I'll never forget the joy I felt when I saw him walk up while I was on grill duty. The following day, he came to church and gave his life to Christ.

Accepting Christ Is Just the Beginning

While many “ministry stories” tend to end when someone gives their life to Christ, for me, this is where every story of faith begins. After all, Jesus referred to this experience as being “born again.” So, why would we consider a birth to be the end of someone’s story?

Thankfully, that June Sunday in 2022 wasn’t the end of Eric’s story. Over the past three years, I have witnessed God’s work in Eric’s life as he transforms him daily, shaping him into the likeness of Christ. Eric isn’t perfect, but through biblical discipleship, the Holy Spirit has brought significant change to his life.

In his words, “I still have failures and struggles in life, but I have begun to see these as challenges to grow and become so much more, and I cannot do it alone. Prayer has become a much stronger focus for me this year.”

Eric went on to share with me that “as Christians, we are not alone and cannot prevail on our own. Only through God’s greatness can we overcome obstacles and succeed.” I love that!

Discipleship is simply the process of becoming like Christ. And scripture shows us it is not merely a suggestion; it is a command. Jesus expects those who have faith in him to follow him and strive to be more like him.

We see this in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Here, Jesus delivers a discipleship message rather than a salvation-focused one. The crowd present consisted of his disciples and followers.

We see Jesus discipling the crowd by giving his declaration of the kingdom of God. He’s telling them that when they are a follower of him, this is the way they should live. In Luke 6:23, Jesus gives another command of life after the rebirth. He says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

The Christian life has three stages. The first is salvation, which occurs when you put your faith in Christ. The second is glorification, which happens when you die and are made perfect in heaven. The third and most challenging stage, and the one that you, Eric, and I are all going through right now, is sanctification, the ongoing process of becoming holy and more like Christ, supported by the Holy Spirit.

This process occurs daily, from salvation until glorification, and requires being discipled by the Word of God.

How Do I Apply This to my Life?

When I disciple someone new to the faith, I often ask myself, How can I help them fall in love with Jesus?

When someone comes to faith in Christ, they need to understand the importance of a daily relationship with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. This concept is central to the idea of being a “Monday Christian,” which is why I greatly admire the work of Ezra and his team.

When I work with new Christians, one of the first things I do is help them set up a Bible reading plan. I usually recommend starting with the Gospel of John or another gospel to give them a clear understanding of who Jesus is and what He represents. This approach helps them become familiar with Jesus' life and teachings.

To help someone who has dedicated their life to Christ grow in their faith, ask yourself the same question I always ask: How can I help them fall in love with Jesus? Reflect on the moment you fell in love with Jesus yourself.

When this transformation occurs in a person's life, the Holy Spirit takes control. And as I can attest, the Holy Spirit can do more in an instant than you can in a lifetime for that person.