Pathway of Discipleship

Research conducted in 1999 by George Barna reports that nearly half of Americans at that time claimed to be “born again.” However, that same report went on to state that only 13% of those making the claim reflected behaviors and attitudes that were different from the world around them.ⁱ If Christians are born into a new life, the ways they engage the world should bear some significant differences from the world around them. But this does not seem to be the case. What has caused this disconnect in Christianity and the church and what can we do? Perhaps the church can recognize that over time, in many ways, the church has become more like the world where education and philosophy are the answers to life’s problems, and less like Jesus who continued to seek out people and engage them where they are with a compelling message of love, peace, and hope.

Perhaps the church in recent decades has replaced emphasizing discipleship with programs emphasizing Christian Education. Discipleship and Christian Education are not the same thing, although they have a direct relationship.

Likewise, membership is not discipleship. Our tendency is to assume that inviting someone to become a member of the church is the same thing as inviting them to become a disciple. The vows of membership for joining the church are vows based on actions we intend to undertake as a part of the congregation. Membership vows include our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness to the world, but fail to promise that we will seek transformed lives. Make no mistake, membership is important. But discipleship is about transformed lives. Perhaps we should keep in mind that all members are not disciples, but all disciples will be members.

Our understanding of discipleship is rooted in Scripture where Jesus is seen, heard, and experienced by people from all walks of life, including those with a faith foundation and those who have yet to know God in any way, shape, or fashion. As a Church, we follow Jesus’ command (which we often call The Great Commission) that is found in Matthew’s Gospel:

Our understanding of the Christian faith, therefore, is a “going” faith. Our Mission Statement at FUMC (below) is based on The Great Commission. The spirit of the Methodist movement is characterized by going to the people with a passion for making disciples. Unfortunately, we often forget that our passion and drive as Methodists for disciple-making is found in the actual effort, continuing and ongoing, to respond to Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples.” We need to be reminded of the continuing journey and process to which Jesus spoke. As we cease the “going,” there seems to be less passion for making disciples who are transforming the world.

FUMC Decatur’s Pathway of Discipleship is designed to help each of us understand discipleship and the characteristics of a disciple, acknowledging that our spiritual growth as disciples is much like a lifetime that each of us navigates in the physical world. In other words, we generally have a time when we are born, the early developmental stages of young life, adolescence and young adulthood, adulthood, and into our golden years. As we physically age and grow, our mental and spiritual capacities grow as we all move toward maturity, acknowledging that the pace of change/growth is not the same for all of us.

Our spiritual or faith life can also be compared to the stages of human life. We will use that comparison to help us see or determine where we are in our spiritual lives as disciples of Jesus and to see what stages of life (and discipleship) still lie ahead. For our Pathway of Discipleship, we understand the stages of life/growth in five periods or stages. These stages, from birth to the latter or last days of life, are called: “Exploring, Searching, Beginning, Growing, and Maturing.” Every person is different. Not everyone moves through the stages of life at the same age or at the same pace. Nevertheless, we use these stages and the image of a path or trail, in order to remind ourselves that discipleship is a lifetime journey.

A discipleship pathway is intended to provide us (our spiritual lives) with guidance, confidence, encouragement, and assurance along the way.

Discipleship is more than information – it is about behaviors. Discipleship is not only about education, but about transforming lives.

FUMC’s intentional pathway or system for discipleship acknowledges that discipleship is both personal and corporate. Both are necessary for healthy discipleship to take place.

Through the acts of learning, growing, giving, and serving God, we see ourselves as always being readied for the ongoing transformation into disciples of Christ Jesus and better prepared to be the embodiment of Christ for others, so that their lives are transformed, as well as our own. All of our beliefs, understandings, and resulting works have their origin in God’s gifts and movements of grace for us.

We have been talking about discipleship, disciples, disciple-making, pathways and more, but it is also important to have a solid understanding of what we mean when we use the term “disciple.” There are many different kinds of disciples throughout the world (a person could be a dedicated follower of a philosophy or another person, for instance). We, however, are talking about Jesus and trying to adhere to his ideas and ideals so that in and through us, others can see that we are followers or disciples of Christ Jesus.

Jesus invites us to follow him. It’s not for a few moments but for a lifetime. In fact, to be a follower or disciple of Jesus is to undergo a lifestyle change (again, for a lifetime) where we strive to emulate Jesus in every moment in every action.

Jesus is not inviting us to follow him into a life filled with regulations and prohibitions, but into an abundant, grace-filled life centered upon God. As previously mentioned, the life of a disciple of Jesus is a journey through which we move and grow in maturity (like the stages of life described earlier). As a disciple, life increasingly becomes Christ-centered and life-surrendered.ⁱⁱ

Becoming a disciple is not simply learning about Jesus or the characteristics of a disciple, but becoming like Jesus. To be a disciple of Jesus is to do life as Jesus did life. Three dimensions of life are apparent for those who would be disciples: be a part of the body of Christ; become more like Jesus (think journey and stages of life); and join Jesus in ministry (disciples participate alongside Jesus in ministry and don’t simply observe or stay on the sideline watching).

The opportunities for children and youth vary from time-to-time. These are some of the most common, as well as the most important to facilitate young discipleship.

The accompanying pathway image, as well as the chart showing example characteristics of a changing life as a disciple, are provided to help in understanding our plan or pathway for discipleship. Every person is invited to locate their “current” stage of discipleship and also see what future stages entail. Every person is invited to take one step deeper/further along the path, to find a “next step” along this lifelong journey of following Jesus. While the Church does not force you onto such a path, it is committed to God and each person to assist in every possible way in order to faithfully fulfil Jesus’s command to make disciples.

ⁱ Maynard, Phil, Membership to Discipleship: Growing Mature Disciples Who Make Disciples, USA, 2015, p. 11.
ⁱⁱ Ibid, 18.