Student Discipleship
Why do we encourage discipleship? What should it do? What does it look like? If you want answers, read on.
If you are interested in entering into a discipling relationship with another believer, please read why we “do” discipleship and what our expectations are for a discipling relationship and go to our download page to complete the application.
Philosophy of Student Discipleship
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28: 19-20
There is a clear command to make disciples and teach them to obey the Lord. Not only did Christ give us this command, he modeled how we should do it. A disciple (gr. Mathetes) is a student or pupil. Biblically, a disciple is a student of Christ. Discipleship is about growing and multiplying the saints. At its foundation, disciples should be motivated in two directions, inward and outward. Inwardly, disciples should be motivated to have fellowship with Jesus Christ. This occurs when a person seeks consistent personal intake of the Word of God, an effective prayer life, and lives in union with Jesus Christ as imitators of Him on a daily basis (Ephesians 5:1). Outwardly, disciples should become witnesses for Jesus Christ. This occurs when a person understands the Lord’s desire for sinners to come to Him for salvation, that Christ models evangelism, and that God uses people to spread the Gospel.
Discipleship is a process. It does not happen quickly and it is not effective unless the teacher is intentional in relationship to the disciple. This process has three stages of Christian development. Each person begins in stage 1 with the hope of reaching stage 3 (1 John 2:12-14). The purpose of this process is to build up and equip the saints to build the body of Christ (Colossians 2:6-7; Ephesians 4:11-13).
The work of discipleship is to develop workers for the kingdom. In order to encourage the growth of a Christian through the discipleship process, the teacher must know the needs of the developing Christian in each stage. While the needs of each stage are characteristic to believers in that stage, the practice to meet those needs varies in each discipling relationship. This uniqueness of each relationship stresses the importance of the personal relationship between the teacher and disciple.
Nothing brings more joy than seeing a sinner come to Christ. The great commission, however, does not say to go and make converts, rather we are to go and make disciples. The goals of a new convert are to become fruitful, mature, and dedicated to following Jesus Christ.
The first need a new convert has is the need for assurance. The new student needs to know and understand that they have truly been born again (2 Corinthians 5:17). The role of the teacher is to challenge the student to understand this and see if it is true. No one can grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord if they are still dead in their trespasses. “This does not mean that they now fully understand the doctrine of the lordship of Christ over their life, nor does it mean they have all their old problems solved. But their basic attitudes have changed. They now hold Jesus in a favorable light (1 John 5:11-12) and they are unfavorable toward sin (1 John 1:9). In other words, they evidence new life.”*
The second need a new convert has is the need for acceptance. We must demonstrate a love for them that encourages spiritual growth and intimate fellowship (1 Thessalonians 2:8; 2:10-11). This involves coming along side them to support them in their walk, being available to share your life with them, and instructing them with gentleness and kindness.
Despite being a separate stage, these stages are not completely separate. The growing Christian has four basic needs: protection, fellowship, food, and training. These are necessary to support a developing Christian to full maturity.
Growing Christians, both babes and intermediate need protection from attacks by the enemy. As disciples continue to establish their spiritual identity, they will experience temptations and assaults by the convert’s old friends. Whether it’s non-believing friends, former girl/boyfriends, or unbelieving parents, the disciple needs the teacher to help protect them. The teacher should seek to immunize the disciple with the Word of God.
Growing Christians need fellowship. They have been born into and family and need the fellowship of their brothers and sisters in Christ. Not only does this offer spiritual protection, but it encourages further growth.
Growing Christians need food and that food is the Word of God (1 Peter 2:2-3). This is done in two ways. One way is to directly teach them the Word. The second is to teach them to feed on the Word. Christians can not only depend on someone else’s teaching of the Word. They must be able to read, understand, interpret, and apply the Holy Scriptures on their own. Unless the young disciple learns this, they will always be dependent on others, and God desires that they will grow and develop into a strong disciple who can meet the needs of others and eventually teach them to repeat the process.
Growing Christians need training. In a discipling relationship, the teacher must teach the young disciple the “how to’s”, as well as the “why’s” .
“Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:1.
The young disciple needs to learn how to read the Bible, pray, memorize scripture, study the Bible, and share the gospel.
As the young disciple digs in the Word and practices the “how to’s”, the natural questions of why will expose themselves and the disciple will be ready to answer them.
Like an educational process, from kindergarten to graduation, the student must master lessons, assimilation of facts, and learn to do many things. This is only accomplished when the education or training is well planned and executed. The following training objectives characterize a life of discipleship. The instructional technique and time may vary, but these are essential for every disciple. The purpose of building these objectives is so the disciple will become established in the faith (Colossians 2:6-7)
Training Objectives
- Assurance of Salvation
- The Quiet Time
- Victory over Sin
- Separation from Sin
- The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
- Christian Fellowship
- The Bible
- Hearing the Word
- Reading the Word
- Bible Study
- Scripture Memory
- Meditation on the Word
- Application of the Word
- Prayer
- Personal Testimony
- Lordship of Christ
- Faith
- Love
- The Tongue
- The Use of Time
- The Will of God
- Obedience
- The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
- Satan
- Dealing with Sin
- Assurance of Forgiveness
- Second Coming of Christ
- Witnessing
- Follow-up
- Giving
- World Vision
- Discernment
The purpose of these training objectives is to help us live a Christ-honoring life characterized by maturity (Hebrews 5:14; James 1:4), fruitfulness (John 15:2; Colossians 1:10), and commitment (1 Peter 4:19). Christ should be the center of our lives. We should live in obedience to Him, communicate with Him through the Word and prayer, and reach out to others through fellowship and witness.
The teacher needs a student. When a disciple reaches maturity, they should in turn begin to disciple another. This fulfills the example of reproducing oneself. Even though teachers have reached maturity, they should continue in their own discipling relationship with another saint. A teacher must be able to feed themselves on the Word of God, have a heart for people, be able to teach, be committed to ministry, and shepherd a young convert.
Discipleship Expectations
Below are the expectations for both the disciple (student), and discipler (teacher). Please read and understand what a discipling relationship involves.
It is expected that the discipler (Teacher) will:
- Initiate regular meetings with the student.
- Develop a personal relationship with the student.
- Model proper biblical habits (Bible study, prayer, fellowship, etc).
- Communicate meeting times, activities, and essential information with the student’s parents. Ensure you are supporting the parents in your teaching.
- Lead the student in a Bible study.
- Support the student as they grow and wrestle with spiritual issues.
- Gently correct a student’s sin and hold the student accountable to their choices and their spiritual habits.
- Provide Biblical counsel to students as needed.
It is expected that the disciple (student) will:
- Regularly meet with your discipling partner.
- Be willing to have a personal relationship with your discipling partner and be open and honest with them.
- Develop consistency in Bible study, prayer, fellowship, etc.).
- Notify your parents when you meet your discipling partner.
- Be held accountable by their discipling partner.
- Notify their discipling partner if you ever wish to stop the discipling relationship.
