We agree that the mission of the church, and the mission of God in our lives, is to make (beautiful) disciples of Jesus. We also agree that discipling is a maturation process; believers are supposed to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).[2] Another way of saying this is that we are partnering with God to help people follow Jesus and join his mission. All our doctrines, practices, and congregational lives are anchored in these ideas.
Renew.org recently published my article on this topic. You can read the full article here. Below is part of the article.
But in order to pursue this discipling process, do we not need to know what a maturing disciple of Jesus looks like? How do we know if we are traveling on the road of maturity unless we know what the road looks like? In other words, how can we honor God’s mission unless we have a coherent and balanced biblical picture of a growing disciple? More specifically, how can we design sermons, small groups, adult education curriculum, children’s programs, etc., unless we have a clear picture of a maturing disciple? If a congregation has conflicting conceptions of a maturing disciple, their efforts will be confusing.
This highlights the need for long, careful study of Scripture on the part of everyone involved in drafting a definition. Below, for your consideration, is a 27-line definition of a maturing disciple. This is a working definition we can apply to ourselves and our ministries, so it is moderately detailed. We need more details than just phrases such as “be like Christ,” but we also don’t want to get lost in too many details; we could list hundreds of ideas related to growing as a disciple of Jesus.
Please note that I am not suggesting every association of believers should have the same definition, but each association should have a consensus on a coherent definition of a maturing disciple if they want to be effective in making disciples. Sadly, today we see many congregations prioritizing activities that have a low relevance to producing disciples of Jesus. This could be remedied by adopting a balanced biblical definition of a maturing disciple. Denominations would especially benefit from a definition of disciple that they could promote among their congregations. This would help congregations develop cultures and ministries that would truly transform the members. It would also allow local or regional overseers to evaluate the effectiveness of congregations’ disciple making.
Below is the 27-line definition of a maturing disciple I developed and refined over eight years. I tried to include the highest priorities in Scripture. It is in the form of a declaration and can be used for both congregational recitation and individual devotion. It is designed to challenge and deepen our devotion. It is detailed enough to be used as a guide for planning and evaluating your congregation, even if you belong to a non-creedal tradition. To my knowledge, it is compatible with every Christian tradition. Of course, you may adapt it as desired for your congregation or association; the important thing is to have something in place.
The Christlike Creed
(A definition of a maturing disciple.)
I am a forgiven and loved child of God.
I have been reborn in the image of Christ.
I have the Spirit of God dwelling in me.
I am a member of God’s family.
I have spiritual gifts for blessing this family.
My destiny is the community of love with God and His people.
I need the Father’s Spirit and grace to become Christlike.
I need the support of God’s family in order to grow.
I need to pray and absorb Scripture to follow Jesus.
I commit to loving and trusting God with my whole self.
I commit to setting my mind and heart on Jesus and things above.
I commit to trusting the Bible.
I commit to acknowledging and turning away from my sins.
I commit to loving and forgiving all people, including enemies.
I commit to accepting God’s healing for my shame.
I commit to surrendering to God’s will in all things.
I commit to pursuing honesty, humility, and holiness.
I commit to trusting Jesus even when life is dark or painful.
I commit to being a channel of God’s kingdom coming to earth.
I commit to walking in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.
I commit to blessing those in my care.
I commit to exercising discernment in all matters.
I commit to speaking words of encouragement and blessing.
I commit to building godly friendships.
I joyfully look forward to seeing Jesus in the new creation.
And being completely Christformed and rewarded.
And united in love with God and His people.
Has your congregation (or denomination) adopted a definition of a maturing disciple so that your congregation can pursue that? Would the above defintion of a maturing disciple work for your congregation?
To read the remainder of this article go to Renew.org and view it here.
