A Prayer for Simple Discipleship
By Ashley Moore
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” - Matthew 28:19, ESV
Discipleship can seem complicated, can’t it? We often overthink mentoring others by spending too much time considering our method. We dwell on things like:
- What program should I follow?
- What Bible Study will resonate with them?
- What time will work best so that we get the greatest participation?
Don’t get me wrong, we do have to consider the details and make a plan. But if you are like me and you get hung up on the logistics, I wonder if it may be helpful to simplify the way you think about discipleship. A disciple is simply a student. John Mark Comer says in his book Practing the Way that a disciple does three things.
- Be with Jesus.
- Become like Jesus.
- Do what Jesus did.
So, to fulfill Jesus’ command, the call is to teach others to do these three things. Obviously, for each of us, the way we choose to do this will vary significantly from person to person. When I felt convicted to begin discipling others beyond my children, I reflected on the ways I was discipled.
I became a Christian in college. The Lord began placing people in my life who each taught me how to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did in different ways. I interned at an Animal Clinic where the vet held a daily devotion and time of prayer before the work day began. I worked at a restaurant where one of my coworkers prayed for me and invited me to church. Once I began attending church with her, her mom and dad regularly invited us to their home for Sunday lunch and games. They also took my then-boyfriend, now husband, through a book study.
The point is that there wasn’t a single method that was more effective than another. The book was transformational, but another book would have proved just as valuable. The time and places we met were significant, but other places and times would have been effective too. I learned to follow Jesus because His people took the time to intentionally teach me what they were taught and to invest in me in the ways they were invested in by others. They didn’t get hung up on how they were going to fulfill God's command to go and make disciples. They took a chance, made plans, and spent time with me by inviting me into their lives so I could develop a stronger relationship with Christ.
Now as I think about discipling others, I remind myself to simply show up for others the ways those individuals, families, and employers showed up for me. Discipleship does not have to be complicated. May we keep it simple by replicating how others taught us to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did.
Let’s pray:
Jesus,
We thank you for the ways others have obeyed the call to make disciples. Thank you for the big and small ways people have taught us to practice what it looks like to follow you, love you, and love your people. Jesus, forgive us for the ways we let the enemy discourage us from making disciples or allow our own overcomplicated thoughts to distract us from pouring into others. Lord, will you help each of us reading today, or listening today, reflect on the most impactful and meaningful ways we were taught to be with you, be like you, and do what you did? And will you encourage us to examine how we might reproduce that in our own lives, in our own ways, for the people you placed right around us? In Your name, we pray, amen.
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