I’m grateful to have been consistently discipled since becoming a Christian in high school. What goes into discipleship? It’s really quite simple (though it’s not easy).
Here’s a paradigm that I learned from Tim Maughan, a mentor and friend of mine from Redemption Gilbert:
1. Truth — You must impart Biblical truth into somebody’s life if you want to help them grow spiritually. Your ideas and experiences are helpful, but they must have truth from God’s Word.
2. Touch — People need love, care, and touch. They need you to be around them, seeing each other in a variety of life situations. They need hugs, high fives, fist bumps, and pats on the back.
3. Time — Growing spiritually takes time. Not just time together, but time elapsing on the calendar. It takes time to work through issues and see real change. Don’t rush it or try to microwave it.
4. Tension — Nobody grows through ease and comfort. There need to be moments of tension and challenge. If you want to help somebody grow, you have to be willing to say the hard thing and move towards tension.
Question:
Which of these do you need to focus on more as you disciple others?