Recipe for Discipleship Pt. 4

We have already established that every disciple must have a Savior, Church, and a Paul.  In addition, we must add one final ingredient to our recipe for discipleship.  Every disciple must have a Timothy to reach and raise up in the faith.

A friend recently pointed out that discipleship is “perpetual.”  Meaning it cycles through like a repeated pattern.  Such is the case with the recipe for discipleship that we have been piecing together.

The Christian faith was never intended to be stored up it was meant to be shared.  All throughout the New Testament believers are instructed on their responsibility to preach Christ to the perishing and to equip the body of Christ to do the work of ministry.

Here is an example of Paul teaching Timothy about his role in the perpetual cycle of discipleship:

• Do the work of an evangelist.
  • “But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5

• Teach faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
  • “…what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

Too often Christianity gets treated like a spectator sport.  We mistakenly assume that we must leave the work of ministry up to the professionals who like athletes get paid to be on the field.  However, this mentality is unbiblical and needs corrected.  In the words of Claude King if we fail to multiply disciples then we are a “terminal generation.”

If the church is going to be effective in making disciples then it will require all of us doing our part.  We must personally “desire to be discipled” and we must personally “desire to disciple others.”

Maybe this will involve you becoming a teacher or small group leader for students or adults.  Maybe it will involve you befriending a new believer or younger church member so that you can coach them along in the faith.  Either way we need a discipleship revolution to revitalize the current church culture.  It begins with me and it begins with you “one disciple at a time!”