We Are Disciples
Who Make Disciples

We Follow the Way Jesus Modeled Discipleship

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Acts 9:1-2

Gospel Message: Jesus Is Lord and Saviour

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
1 Corinthians 15:3–4

According to the scriptures, God creates humans in perfect Shalom. That is, total and complete peace with God, with self, and with others. Adam and Eve sin by believing the enemy’s lie that they can find this shalom somewhere other than God. It is this sin that destroys shalom for all those who followed (including us). As a result, God created a solution to this problem by creating a system of leadership and sacrifices that were only ever meant to be a temporary solution to this massive problem.

In his perfect timing, God became a human in the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and lived a perfect life without sin. This allowed him to die on the cross in our place for our sins. But, after he was buried for three days, he rose from the dead.

The scriptures tell us that if we repent (turn away from all places, people, or things that are not Jesus) and believe that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, we can be saved (we can find the shalom/peace that God originally planned for us). In this, we are putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our saviour.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9–11

However, Jesus is not only the Saviour of our sins; he must also be the Lord of our lives. This is how Jesus defines a disciple (or follower). In Matthew 7:24–25, he defines a disciple as one “who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice.” In Luke 9:23, Jesus further defines a disciple as one who denies their desires or ideas and follows his desires and ideas (his word).

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Romans 9:9–10

Disciples of Jesus Christ accomplish this by being in daily communion with God and walking in community with other disciples, which results in Christlike character. 

Gospel Mission: Disciples Making Disciples

To be disciples of Christ, we must also participate in other people’s discipleship.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18–20

Just as our discipleship is founded on listening to Jesus’ words and obeying them, we are called to help others hear Jesus’ words and obey them. This is what is meant by “making disciples”.

This might mean sharing the message of Christ for the first time to someone who does not yet believe in Jesus or for the millionth time to a fellow follower of Jesus. Of course, hearing the message (word) of Jesus must be followed by obedience. 

Our Vision: United in Christ Through Our Diverse Gifting

The primary way the Lord has called us to go about his Message and Mission is through the use of our diverse spiritual gifts. The Church is empowered through all the gifts of the Spirit distributed individually as Christ sees fit. As we work together in love, humility, and submission to one another, the Lord builds his church and brings his disciples into more and more spiritual maturity (1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 4:13).

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John 17:20–23

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
1 Corinthians 12:12–14

Additional references:

• Romans 12:3–8

• Ephesians 4:1–13

• 1 Peter 4:10

Our Message, Mission, and Vision In Action By Hearing and Doing

Abide: Listening to Jesus’ word

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:1-8

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:25

Abiding is prayer (communion and communication with God). The primary way to abide is through spiritual disciplines: Ongoing biblical practices by which we listen to Christ’s instruction individually and in a spirit-filled community. We do these activities to communicate with God, be like Jesus, and listen to His instructions.

• Inward: prayer, biblical meditation, biblical study, silence, fasting

• Outward: service, submission, solitude, simplicity, chastity

• Corporate: community, celebration, confession

Spiritual Disciplines Booklet

Deny: Doing what Jesus speaks 

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:23

Denying is giving up what we want and obeying what Christ asks/wants.

The primary way to deny is through the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit:

• Love Gifts: support the message and mission

• Word Gifts: communicate the message and mission

• Power Gifts: demonstrate the message and mission

Spiritual Gifts Booklet