What do you think?

Roughsoul are you referring to discipleship to Jesus or disciplining others?.

I'm looking at using the examples of discipleship and key points that can build a well rooted Christian. You may or may not be surprised how many Christians are still on elementary truths, who do not know if their salvation is secure, who don't know their identity in Christ, or who don't even know their gifts or calling.

Discipleship comes with a cost. Jesus said consider that cost. This is a very key teaching to discipleship.

Discipleship to me is about self sacrifice -----not just going to preach the truth and be a good follower--

I wonder how many people who say they are true followers --Disciples ----of Christ would be willing to give up their life for Christ if confronted with it ---we all can talk the talk ----but how many would walk that talk when push comes to shove ----being a True Disciple of Christ requires you to be willing to take all persecution that comes your way and still keep on preaching and following truth ----and be willing to sacrifice their life for Him -----

ISIS was slashing the throats of people who claimed to be Christians

When a object is at your throat and you are told to denounce your Faith ----would you ? or would you take the sword for your Faith ?----

The Disciples had the infilling of the Holy Spirit which gave the the strength and power they needed to go out among the wolves and be Self sacrificial -----

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit occurs when you receive Salvation --it is a one time event ----

The infilling of the Holy Spirit gives you the anointing and power when you need it -----and you have to be totally yielded to God and ask for it when needed -----

Paul says ----
Galatians 5:16 AMP

16 But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the [a]sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].



Acts 4 GWT
Peter and John’s Trial in Front of the Jewish Council
4 Some priests, the officer in charge of the temple guards, and some Sadducees approached Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 These religious authorities were greatly annoyed. Peter and John were teaching the people and spreading the message that the dead will come back to life through Jesus. 3 So the temple guards arrested them. Since it was already evening, they put Peter and John in jail until the next day.

8 Then Peter, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and leaders of the people, 9 today you are cross-examining us about the good we did for a crippled man. You want to know how he was made well. 10 You and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands in your presence with a healthy body because of the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You crucified Jesus Christ, but God has brought him back to life.

I say -----are we willing to be stoned ----go to jail -----be threatened ---persecuted and even die for Christ -----cause that is what a True Disciple is to do -----not just preach truth but be willing to die for it ------Self Sacrifice ------just like Jesus did for us ------

Just my view -----

I have been stuck on the topic of discipleship for a few years. I have studied how discipleship was portrayed through Jesus, the early church, and cross-referencing that to the modern church.

Discipleship was vital in promoting strong-rooted followers who, with all boldness, lived to serve God.

Discipleship with Jesus was no convenient task as they would travel with Jesus, eat, camp, and suffer with Jesus. The early church met regularly, even if it meant in the catacombs of the dead.

Discipleship is so key to everything, and so many examples teach us so much, like Moses to Joshua, Elijah to Elisha, or Jesus to Peter, to name a few. When Moses told his people to choose righteous leaders among them, the only way one would know if someone today was filled with the Spirit and called to such gifts is through discipleship.

This list speaks to me

Discipleship someone to

1. Truth (as in truth that objective reality exists. We can know what we believe is true. We speak truth knowing that hearing is the first step to salvation)
2. Salvation (one must have the Spirit to understand the deeper truths)
3. Renewal or renewing of the mind (as John the Baptist once proclaimed, prepare the way, I believe we must pave the way as in we must now prepare for a new foundation)
4. Foundation (the foundation is rooted in Christ Jesus with the ability now to filter out counter gospels)
5. Identity (the foundation laid, we now can fully grasp who we are in Christ and our purpose)
6. Eternal security (an insecure individual is not freed from the legalistic mindset that kills the courage of the believer)
7. Spiritual Warfare (now that the basics are met, it is time to prepare for the enemy)
8. Spiritual gifts ( to learn where we are gifted or called is the greatest of assurance in knowing our purpose)
9. Boldness ( Scripture has a lot to teach on the word boldness, and that is the very characteristic we should hope to see in a well-rooted disciple)

Discipleship
It repeats as this individual goes forth with such a firm foundation that boldness is now who they are.

Amen great , great post thanks a lot from posting it !!

it’s what being a Christian means to be a disciple of Jesus christ as he presented himself in the gospel

“….And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭11:26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

the term Christian means we’re a disciple of Jesus the Christ. Should be what every Christian is focused upon being more like Christ , following the ways he made plain and said would bless those who followed

I'm looking at using the examples of discipleship and key points that can build a well rooted Christian. You may or may not be surprised how many Christians are still on elementary truths, who do not know if their salvation is secure, who don't know their identity in Christ, or who don't even know their gifts or calling.

Oh but how people make what is plain, difficult. The parable of the sower describes how crucial discipleship is and how easy it is for many to be shallow rooted or choked out by thorns.

It takes great urgency to make sure people have so called basic training and ready for the war at hand.

The elementary doctrines are listed in Hebrews 6

repentance from dead works
faith toward God
doctrine of baptisms
laying on of hands
resurrection of the dead
eternal judgment

A brief scan of the topics on this forum confirms your statement: many Christians are still stuck on elementary truths.

Regarding discipling: you will notice that "disciple" is no longer used after the book of Acts. Peter only uses the word "Christian" once. In the letters of Paul, John, Peter, etc. you will see greetings to "my beloved children", "my son(s)", "house", references to those with whom the writers had close relationships. Paul would even write to the Corinthians "..for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church."

Written instruction was not enough. Deep relationships, as a father is to a son, are required for maturity. Those with the grace to show the Father to the people of God are sent as fathers in the House of God. That is how Jesus Christ sent out the first apostles: "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." It serves to reason that they would disciple others in the exact manner in which Christ discipled them: showing the Father to the sons.

Brothers do not disciple brothers unless there is an absence of grace. Fathers disciple sons, as was Paul's example, and Peter's, and John's, and of course, Christ's. The arrangement of discipling is between fathers and sons. This is not a biological connection. This is a spiritual connection arranged by the Holy Spirit. Also, sons of God are neither male or female. So "sons" is not a reference to gender.

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Amen We’re all disciples of the same paul was never creating disciples of himself but was teaching people to be disciples of Jesus and find this heart that was in him

We should all be disciples of Christ, but are we really?

I would propose to you that MILLIONS of professing Christians aren't really disciples of Christ first and foremost.

In Paul's day, here was one of many problems:

I Corinthians chapter 1

[11] For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
[12] Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
[13] Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

Again:

I Corinthians chapter 3

[1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
[2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
[3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
[4] For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
[5] Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
[6] I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
[7] So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

There were contentions in the church at Corinth, and Paul couldn't even speak to many of the saints there "as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal" because their focus wasn't truly upon Christ, but rather upon flesh (carnal) and blood ministers of God's word.

Yes, some said they were of Paul, others of Apollos, others of Cephas or Peter, and others of Christ.

Do we HONESTLY BELIEVE that it's any different today?

Nowadays, it's "I'm a Calvinist", "I'm a Lutheran", "I'm a Weslyan", etc., etc.. etc.

Sad to say, Christ himself gets lost in the shuffle.

Just yesterday, I was speaking on the phone to someone I've known for 38 years.

Since I first got saved about 33 1/2 years ago, I've been talking to him about the Lord, with the scriptures as the backdrop for everything I say to him.

He claims to be a Christian himself, and, just yesterday, as I repeatedly quoted things that Jesus said, he countered with things that his pastor said, or Charles Stanley said, etc., etc., etc.

I pointed it out to him yesterday, even as I've done so many times before, and I think that he might have finally realized what he's doing.

Anyhow, my point is that a lot of professing Christians are more "disciples" of their particular church or some alleged Bible teacher, but many aren't rooted and grounded in the actual words of Christ as recorded in scripture.

Acts chapter 20

[28] Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
[29] For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
[30] Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
[31] Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

“I would propose to you that MILLIONS of professing Christians aren't really disciples of Christ first and foremost.”

yes I agree many aren’t disciples because thier teachers aren’t teaching them to be. Instead they say “ christs words in the gospel aren’t for you , your already saved by “grace “ there’s nothing more to learn and do nothing to see here

if we shared the gospel as Jesus commanded, believers would become disciples by Gods Will and the power of his word. If we shared this anyone who believed would become his disciples

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8:31-32‬ ‭

Our calling once we accept the gospel is to just go share what we have accepted it’s already esrablisjed and accepting it is what creates disciples

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

the modern world has twisted the gospel and watered it down so it has nothing to do with discipleship is the issue those itching ear teachings that causes people to reject the truth and follow fables

For many I get this vibe that discipleship is too time consuming for the busy modern human. They got lunch to run off to, the gym, a sports game on tv, kids soccer practice, careers, etc. Everything has it's place but we do make time for what is important.

I have for many years like your ministry you wanted to create, I wanted to focus on a volunteer group but in my view these will be those who want more than the status quo. They will be like David's mighty men but women as well.

These points above are topics I feel must be addressed for boldness to really be unleashed.

“Preach!”

I agree. You will always find some who want more than the status quo. To these I am sent (in the area the Lord has given me).

These are the people I want to assemble. Could you imagine if that became the status quo. Something that inspires people to a boldness that prepares them to help build others up to that same place of boldness.

For many I get this vibe that discipleship is too time consuming for the busy modern human. They got lunch to run off to, the gym, a sports game on tv, kids soccer practice, careers, etc. Everything has it's place but we do make time for what is important.

I have for many years like your ministry you wanted to create, I wanted to focus on a volunteer group but in my view these will be those who want more than the status quo. They will be like David's mighty men but women as well.

These points above are topics I feel must be addressed for boldness to really be unleashed.

I have been stuck on the topic of discipleship for a few years.