Lesson One
1.0 The call to discipleship
1.1 Objectives of the lesson
By the end of this lesson, participants are expected;
a. To understand what discipleship is, and who a disciple is.
b. To know why discipleship is very important in our walk with God.
c. To appreciate what it takes to be a true disciple of Jesus.
d. To commit themselves to the lifelong discipleship journey.
1.2 Understanding discipleship
“And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in
heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
(Matt 28:18-20).
Making disciples is the command and main mandate of the church. We are all part of the church.
Therefore, all of us in our various callings and gifts are to be involved in the discipleship process.
It is God’s will and intention that we make disciples not just converts.
The scope of discipleship is to all nations (people groups) all over the world.
1.2.1 Definitions
“Discipleship is an intentional, largely informal, learning activity in which two or a small group
of individuals, typically in a community holding to the same religious beliefs, make a voluntary
commitment to each other to form a close, personal relationship for an extended period of time,
to enable the disciples learn from each other.´(Ermias Mamo, 2017, The Maturing Church).
According Greg Ogden in Discipleship Essentials, “Discipling is an intentional relationship in
which we walk alongside other disciples in order to encourage, equip and challenge one another
in love to grow toward maturity in Christ.”
From the definitions above, we learn what takes place in the discipleship process. The following
are key points to note about discipleship:
It is intentional, not accidental. A discipline
Largely informal, includes every part of life (although it may include a formal program)
Learning, unlearning and relearning takes place in the process from each other as guided
by the word of God
Involves two or more people in a group (community) who hold the same beliefs, walking
along side each other
It is a voluntary commitment (of time, other resources and lives) to the Lord and each
other
It is a journey that takes a life time.
The disciples get taught, encouraged, equipped and challenged
The ultimate purpose of Christ’s disciples is to become mature and Christ like.
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1.3 Who is a disciple?
“A disciple is one who responds in faith and obedience to the gracious call to follow Jesus Christ.
Being a disciple is a lifelong process of dying to self while allowing Jesus Christ to come alive in
us” – Ogden
A disciple of Christ is one who (1) believes his doctrine, (2) rests on his sacrifice, (3) imbibes his
spirit, and (4) imitates his example (Matt. 10:24; Luke 14:26, 27, 33; John 6:69). – Easton 1897
Bible Dictionary.
Looking at the definition above, what are some key attributes of a disciple? Write them here
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Discipleship starts at the time of conversion, when we give our lives to Christ as Lord and Savior
and become born again. A believer in Christ, is a follower of Jesus, a member of His church and
thus a disciple and a discipler.
1.3.1 What is the difference between a follower and a disciple? (John 6:60-68)
A disciple is a follower with a commitment to go all the way regardless of circumstances. A
follower may follow out of curiosity with no commitment. When things are hard, they turn back
1.4 Purpose of discipleship:
Why is discipleship very important for us as individual believers in Jesus Christ, to the church
and to the kingdom of God?
a. It establishes us firmly in the faith and not be shaken by forces of darkness and the
worldly system (Col 2:6-7)
b. It is through discipleship that the church is fully and truly transformed from worldly
patterns to lifestyles and patterns of the kingdom of God (Rom 12:2).
c. It prepares the church to become effective witnesses of Jesus Christ, and is the surest
means to make the church stand strong through all generations. (Acts 1:8, Matt 28:19-20,
John 13:35)
d. It enables the church grow into maturity in the faith, built up, become one in the faith,
escape deception of false teachings, and come to the full stature of Jesus the Head of the
church (Eph 4:11-16)
e. Makes us become like Jesus in every way, reflecting Him to the world, doing His works,
glorifying God (Matt 10:24-25, Acts 11:26, John 14:12)
1.5 The example of Jesus and the apostles:
Jesus modeled and demonstrated discipleship as a means of continuing His ministry on earth
after His departure. This ensured that the gospel continues and that the church grows to become
what Jesus intended it to be until His return. From the scriptures below, what was Jesus’ and the
apostle’s strategy for discipleship?
i. As Jesus appointed the apostles to support and continue His work of ministry - Mark
3:13-15, Luke 9:1-6, 6:12-13 ( He prayed about it, called them, appointed them,
delegated responsibilities to them, sent them out, empowered them)
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ii. As Jesus commissioned the church, what did He include as part of the discipleship
program? - Matt 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47 (He included teaching, baptism,
having power and authority from the Holy Spirit,the use of His name, to be His witness)
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iii. What did the early church apostles and apostle Paul do to disciple others? - Acts 2:42, 2
Tim 2:2, 1 Cor 4:16, 11:1, 1 Thes 1:6 (they were involved in teaching, fellowship,
breaking bread, prayer, leading by example)
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The above activities are what we too should do as we make disciples. It is very important that we
don’t remain as coverts who are immature, tossed to and fro by all sorts of teachings and
doctrines, but to become disciples established and strong in the Lord and the faith. As disciples,
we are called to make other disciples of the Lord through preaching the gospel and teaching the
converts to become disciples.
1.6 What does it take to be a true disciple of Jesus? The cost of discipleship:
Jesus clearly and plainly made known to all His followers about the price of being His disciples.
They were to make decisions whether to follow Him or not.
The following are the marks of any disciple (as derived from Mark 8:34-38, Matt 10:38, 16:24-
26, Luke 9:23, 14:25-27). You would do well to reflect on them in relation to your life:
a. Make a personal decision to voluntarily follow and learn from Him
b. Deny himself human desires, plans and wills which goes contrary to God’s will and yield
to God’s desires, plans and will (1 Peter 2:11, Gal 5:16, 19-22, 1 Cor 9:27).
c. Take up his own cross, a symbol of readiness to suffer shame, pain, rejection, loneliness,
denial of certain rights/opportunities/privileges in honor of God (Acts 14:22, John 16:33)
d. Follow Him wherever He may lead, submit to His authority, hear and obey Him (John
10:1-5 ), fixing your eyes and focus on Him (Heb 12:2-3), depending on Him for strength
(Isaiah 40:28-31).
e. Committed to His teachings, partake of His Spirit, place his faith on Him, follows His
example of love, forsakes all other allegiances (John 8:31, 13:35, Luke 14:25-33).
1.7 The key approaches and tools to effective discipleship
Additionally, in order for discipleship to be effective and achieve its intended purposes in
making us Christlike and establishing us in the faith, the following are very important tools,
means and avenues;
i. There should be a personal and voluntary decision to follow, live for and preach Christ.
This sets the pace for all one’s life in the discipleship journey.
ii. There should be a personal commitment to study and obedience to God’s word. This is
fundamental and foundational to the discipleship process.
iii. There should be a daily personal commitment to prayer and communion with God. No
disciple can avoid this and still remain true to the faith
iv. There should be a personal commitment to fellowship with others. This points to the
importance of belonging to a local church and fellowship and choosing to be
accountability to others (Heb 10:25). No disciple grows in isolation without others.
v. There should be willingness to forsake and deny yourself what may stand in the way of
your obedience to Christ. This calls for total loyalty to His Lordship alone.
vi. There should be a commitment to use your resources to enhance your relationship with
God, and to reach out to others as you promote the kingdom of God.
1.8 Conclusion
Discipleship is a choice each one makes as an individual. There are no short cuts to growth and
establishment in the faith than through discipleship. God gave us the Holy Spirit, His word,
access to His presence and the fellowship of others to enhance discipleship. Our part is to
respond in faith and obedience to Him. The ultimate goal of discipleship is to become like Christ.
