In this new blog series, I will share some reflections from my research and understanding of discipleship and the need to both have a mentor and to be a mentor to others.

I hope these posts bless you on your journey.

Discipleship for a Christian means to follow Jesus Christ. A disciple is “One who accepts and assists in spreading of doctrines of another.”[1] As disciples of Jesus Christ, the doctrine that we are called to spread is the Holy Word of God found in the Bible. Jesus commanded us to “make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:18-20).[2] Becoming a disciple of Jesus is not a one-time transaction. We need to think of it as being an apprenticeship journey that we are on throughout our lives. The master teacher is Jesus and His Word; we are called to encourage others to join us as we learn and grow. I do not believe we are called to wait until we have all the answers. Instead, we should share what we know with others, walk alongside them, and learn from and with them along the way. Our personal growth is multiplied when we share the journey with others.

Becoming a disciple of Jesus encompasses changes in our entire being. We are called to put off our worldly selves and strive to emulate the example that Jesus gave during His life on earth. This can be daunting to some if they attempt to do it independently. Cloud notes, “When someone succeeds in life, many others have taken him ‘under their wing’ to help him along and develop him in his chosen field, whether or not they realize it.”[3] A mentor from within one’s church can be a powerful source of support when we struggle with decisions in life. This does not mean they have all the answers, but they can share an outlook from a Christian perspective and their experience that helps us formulate our choices. As we grow as individuals, we gain experiences and insight that we can share with others coming up in their walk, thus continuing the cycle. Having, or being, a mentor on the journey allows us to see an example of the changes that Christian maturity brings. We have a model to compare the changes in our lives.

Change is a subtle and inward transformation of our entire being. Willard says, “it is in our thoughts that the first movements toward a renovation of the heart occur.”[4] The things that we allow ourselves to think about guide our actions. Simply put, when we center our thinking on God and His Word, we replace toxic ideas and images from this world that have invaded our lives. Our goal is to think as Jesus thought. Paul instructs us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil 4:8). When we focus on these things, we avoid the danger of allowing our emotions to guide our thinking.

Have a blessed week,

Pastor Michael

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[1] “Definition of DISCIPLE,” accessed November 12, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disciple.

[2] All scripture references are from the ESV translation unless otherwise noted.

[3] Henry Cloud and John Sims Townsend, How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals about Personal Growth (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 134.

[4] Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ, 10^th-anniversary edition (Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress, 2012), 95.