Expression 4: Committed to Discipleship

Expression 4: Committed to Discipleship

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” - Luke 9:23-24 

In this passage, Jesus is using language of discipleship - to be a disciple is to be a follower. Being a disciple is not about just praying a prayer, going to a church meeting or just reading the Bible. It’s about a total lifestyle devoted to following the way of Jesus on a daily basis - a lifestyle that involves sacrifice as well as gain.

We take this call very seriously, and we recognise that it’s impossible on our own. We need God and we need each other, and so we want to be committed to discipleship in two ways:

1. Being discipled

This is about being in accountable relationships, where we can be honest about hardships, struggles and sin. Not just that, but also to be encouraged, for people to spot gifts in us and bring them out of us, and celebrating the good and grace of God at work in our lives, as well as bringing loving challenge.

2. Discipling others

Just as we would have people speaking into our lives, we would be speaking into other people’s lives. Denying and pouring ourselves out for the good of others is all part of following the way of Jesus, as we seek to help others to follow Him.