Curriculum written for Teen Challenge Southern California. All rights reserved by TCSC and the author.

1.
A
Journey
Of
Intentional
Discipleship
The
Becoming
Of
A
Servant
Leader
Patrick
Curnyn

2. 2
Contents
Part
1:
An
Outlook
On
The
Journey
Chapter
1:
Where Are We Going? An Outlook On The Journey …….………….……………………… 3
Chapter
Discussion
…………………………………………………….………….…….…………. 8
Chapter
2:
Five Illustrations of Discipleship ……………………………………………...…………… 11
Chapter
Discussion
…………….………………………………………………...……………….. 21
Part
2:
The
Journey
–
Elements
of
Discipleship
Chapter
3:
The Call to Discipleship ……………………………………..…………………….….……. 23
Chapter
Exercise
……………………………………………….…………………...………..…… 29
Chapter
4:
Disciples are Intentional Learners ………………………………………..…………...……. 30
Chapter
Exercise
………………………………………………....……………...………....……... 34
Chapter
5:
Disciples Need One-Another ………………………..…………………………..……….… 38
Exercise
1
……………………………….……………………………………………….....……… 36
Exercise
2
…………………………………………….…………………………………...…..…… 42
Chapter
6:
Discipleship Transformation From The Inside-Out ……………..…………………………. 44
Chapter
Exercise
……….…………………………………………….………………...…….…… 49
Chapter
7:
Marks Of A Disciple ……………………………………………………………………….. 50
Chapter
Exercise
……….………………………………….…………………………...…………. 55
Chapter
8:
Are We There Yet? Discipleship a Lifetime Process ………………..………………….….. 56
Chapter
Exercise
…………………………………………………………...………….......…….... 58
Chapter
9:
Disciples are Ministers …………………………………………………..…………….…… 61
Chapter
Exercise
……………………………………..…………………………………...………. 65
Part
3:
Applying
the
Journey
Forward
Chapter
10:
Servant Leadership: The Imitation Of Christ
For Others To Follow …………………….……………………….………………...…... 67
Chapter
Exercise
…………….…….……………………………………………………………….73
Recommended
Resources
For
Further
Study …...……….………………………………................ 74
Endnotes:
………………………………………………...………….……………………………….…..75
Bibliography:
…………………………………………...…………….……………………………....… 79

3. 3
Part
1:
An
Outlook
On
The
Journey
Chapter
1:
Where
Are
We
Going?
An
Outlook
On
Intentional
Discipleship
Toward
Servant
Leadership
There are many great books that help us better understand what it means to be a disciple
of Jesus. Likewise, there are many other great books on Christian leadership. Our goal will be to
better understand how discipleship is the key element to becoming a servant leader. It is a
journey: a journey of intentional discipleship as a discipline that results in servant leadership.
The ultimate model being Jesus. The primary focus being the journey. Just like any other
journey, if we are not intentional where we are going, we will probably have trouble getting
there. For this reason, ask yourself this question at the beginning of each chapter: Where are we
going? Follow this question with a prayer, asking the Lord to help you in the process of
becoming a servant leader as you move along the discipleship journey.
In a survey conducted by the Barna Group in 1983, an astounding 94% of senior pastors
from various denominations did not believe they were gifted to be leaders.1
However, since this
survey conducted nearly 30 years ago, the Barna Group now reveals “85% said they do well in
encouraging people, and 82% claimed to be excellent or good in the area of pastoring or
shepherding people.”2
This surprising contrast may pose a couple of possibilities. First, perhaps
during these past 30 years, pastors have drastically become better spiritual leaders. Second,
during these past 30 years, the consensus on what leadership entails for Christian leaders has
shifted.
Intentional discipleship is a discipline that results in servant
leadership.

4. 4
Another Barna survey demonstrates that it is likely for the second option to be the case;
posing a threat to what it means today in making disciples of Jesus from Biblical theology. In
this survey, four specific duties were identified where leaders do most poorly.3
Of these four
duties, three of the four indicated leadership deficiencies regarding organizational items, while
only one indicated deficiencies regarding the individual person.
What this may indicate overall is a shift in how many Christian leaders now define
leadership. Is it possible that more attention has recently been given to the organizational
structure and success of the church as a whole rather than the individual development of the
people that make up the church? Perhaps too much attention has been given to developing
“organizations” within the body of Christ rather than cultivating “organisms” that make up the
body of Christ.4
These four weaknesses include:
1. Negotiating agreements that maximize benefits at minimal cost.
2. Attracting new resources to the organization – especially human and financial capital.
3. Developing and implementing individualized developmental plans for emerging leaders.
4. Nurturing robust relationships with existing colleagues, demonstrating sufficient care and
attention to their needs.
Our focus here is not to find fault within the church based on what these combined
studies reveal. Rather, these studies may spur us in a direction that we can take individually in
order to discover what servant leadership involves. Because our focus on leadership is geared
toward servant leadership as a result of intentional discipleship, our first task is to discuss what it
means to be a “disciple.” After establishing the core of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus,
we will then embark on a detailed journey through several key elements of discipleship that form
us into the image of Christ; the ultimate Servant Leader.

5. 5
This journey is not secluded to one group of Christians. Whether you have been a
Christian for a very short amount of time or you have been a Christian for many years, if you
desire to be formed into the image of Christ then you are invited to partake in this journey.
What
Is
A
Disciple?
Before moving on, stop and ask yourself how you would define discipleship. Write this
down at the end of this section in the space provided or in your own journal. There you will be
able to add and modify your definition as we move along.
It is important to first point out that the term “disciple” though used very frequently
within the New Testament is not secluded to Christianity. In general, a disciple is a committed
believer of a great master or teacher.5
Leading up to the New Testament era, what may come to
mind from the Greeks are famous names such as Plato and Socrates. Other groups found in the
New Testament also had their own disciples: the Pharisees, disciples of John the Baptist, and the
Zealots are just a few. This is to say that being a “disciple” held a very broad context to what one
believed and followed.
One of the intriguing aspects of Christian discipleship that separates it from other groups
of disciples is that while some groups of disciples last for a limited period of time, today the very
reason that we are discussing discipleship is because we are included in the many generations,
two-thousand years later, that continue to follow Christ. Christian discipleship is based on a risen
Christ. For without a risen Christ, Christian discipleship would have slowly died out after Jesus’
death rather than taking off as it did. This is demonstrated for us in Acts.

6. 6
A disciple, specifically as a Christian, is an individual who has come to Jesus for eternal
life, has proclaimed Jesus as both Savior and Son of God, and has begun to follow Jesus in all
aspects of their life.6
In the Gospels, the term “disciple” was used as an individual who
“followed” Jesus. Of the 87 times “follow” is mentioned throughout the New Testament, 76
occurrences are in the Gospels. This may tell us that the relationship between Jesus and those
who followed him was an important aspect that the gospel writers wanted to convey.
Following something or someone that we truly believe in is imperative to our success in
continuing to believe that ideal or individual. Therefore, it is necessary when discussing
Christian discipleship that we place knowing Jesus as God as the absolute foundation of the
discipleship journey. Following Jesus any other way will not avail to the same unless we are able
to declare his true divinity. Perhaps no other passage of Scripture declares this better than 1 John
1:1-3. The writer’s point in these verses is to demonstrate that what they have experienced
through all of their senses (“what was seen, what was heard, and what was touched”) is that God
manifested Himself through His Son. The pinnacle of this passage is the declaration that these
things were so that others may share in the knowledge and fellowship of Jesus, the Son of God.
Without this foundational element being accepted, we cannot attempt to cross the starting line.
More attention will be focused later when we examine several key elements of
discipleship to Jesus and what it may mean to follow Jesus. For now, however, we will set
certain boundaries of what discipleship to Jesus should not become to guide our efforts of
following Jesus and making new disciples.
Christian discipleship must begin with knowing God –
knowing Jesus as God.

7. 7
Briefly stated, discipleship is not a program nor is it a production line. It is not merely for
beginners but not limited to leaders. It is not intended for the highly intelligent nor is it just for
those who need some structure in their life.7
This is all to say that discipleship is not a part of
what the church does. It is what the church is commanded to do as a whole. By the words of
Jesus to “therefore go and make disciples… teaching them everything that I have commanded
you,” is the Great Commission for us to commence our journey down the road of intentional
discipleship toward servant leadership.
Why
Discipleship?
Living
The
Kingdom
Life
Many of us have been taught that our journey as a Christian has its focal purpose of
spending eternity in Heaven. Our concept of the “Kingdom” of heaven then becomes something
that we look forward to. Though all of this is correct for the true believer in Christ, it
concentrates our attention on eternity after this lifetime rather than the discipleship process that
takes place during our lifetime. What if I told you that we are not merely saved for the purpose
of eternity? What if I told you that we are also set apart by God for this lifetime? What if eternal
life – the Kingdom life, begins right now, not after we die?8
Would this stir passion in your life
to focus more on the here and now – the discipleship process of following Christ and being
shaped into His image, still knowing that our eternity rests assured with God? Consider again
Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 which is a command to “make disciples of all
nations.”9
This is why we study discipleship. If we are commanded to make disciples, we must
first know what it is to be a disciple of Jesus ourselves.
Discipleship is not a part of what we are to do, it is what we
are commanded to do as a whole.
We are set apart by God for this lifetime. Eternal life – the
Kingdom life begins right now, not just after we die.

8. 8
Chapter
1
Discussion
1. Briefly state your definition of discipleship:
2. In a few concise sentences, explain your experience of discipleship. You may mention past
experiences (good or bad), or your discipleship to Jesus at the current moment.

9. 9
3. How do the following statements change your thinking about your discipleship to Jesus:
We are set apart by God for this lifetime. Eternal life – the Kingdom life, begins right now,
not just after we die.
Use the space provided below to come back at later times to add insights to your growing
understanding of discipleship from Chapters 2-9. Make use of this space to bring together
whatever the Lord speaks to you as you move along this journey. This will allow you to see how
the Lord has developed your own discipleship to him over time.
Chapter
2:
Chapter
3:
Chapter
4:

10. 10
Chapter
5:
Chapter
6:
Chapter
7:
Chapter
8:
Chapter
9:

11. 11
Chapter
2:
Five
Illustrations
Of
Discipleship
Throughout the Old Testament God worked through Israel as a nation. The covenant that
God gave through Moses, upheld by countless others, was a form of discipleship for an entire
nation to bring God’s will of redemption to the entire world. Many Bible character studies have
been done to demonstrate God’s working through individuals to shape a covenant community,
both Israel and those who began a new covenant through Christ.
In this chapter, we will briefly step into the lives of five individuals whom God used to
carry out his sovereign plan: Joseph, Moses, Naomi, Mary Magdalene, and Paul. By working
through these individuals with various hardships, imperfections, and yet dedicated faith – a
picture of discipleship can be painted for us through the ultimate story of God’s plan of salvation
for all. Due to their various backgrounds and surrounding circumstances, these individuals may
serve us as illustrations in the journey of discipleship. Though our own individual journeys will
slightly vary from theirs, we can glean from them – relating to God working through them as
God continues to work through us today.
We will use several questions as a paradigm in order to gain a fuller understanding of the
overall discipleship process. These same questions should remain on the forefront of our mind as
we continue through the journey of discipleship. At the end of our journey in chapter 9, we will
revisit these same questions – not to study again the lives of these individuals, but ultimately for
ourselves. These questions to consider while reading are:
1. What was life like before the calling that God had on their lives?
2. What did God specifically call them to do?
3. What do the stories of these individuals teach you about discipleship?

12. 12
Joseph
The
Abandoned
Brother
Abuses come in so many different forms. From physical abuse to verbal abuse, from
abuse of one’s authority to abuse by sheer neglect – so many of us sadly understand these
various forms that plague a sin-driven world. Many of us may even be direct victims of one or
more of these abuses. The question that is so often raised in the midst of such occasions is, where
is God in my suffering? Joseph certainly relates to the issue of abandonment.
We can imagine Joseph asking this question being abandoned by his own brothers. We
can hear Joseph asking “why, God?” being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. However, one re-
occurring theme throughout Joseph’s journey is this: “the Lord was with Joseph.” Furthermore,
Joseph’s ultimate loyalty to God is demonstrated with the second half of this same theme: “the
Lord extended kindness to Joseph.” While abandoned by his own brothers, the Lord remains
with Joseph. When enslaved in Egypt, the Lord shows favor on Joseph.10
Even when things
cannot get worse and Joseph is falsely accused and placed in a lonely prison, the Lord is with
Joseph and shows favor on Joseph through the jailer.11
Eventually, Joseph is set free. He is able to interpret a dream that would save two nations
as well as Joseph’s family. Only the Lord could give this interpretation, and Pharaoh knew this.
Joseph becomes second in charge in all of Egypt. But why? Why did Joseph have to endure so
many years of abandonment and cruelty?
When famine was severe in the land of Joseph’s family, they had no choice but to come
to Egypt for food. Through God’s provision, and Joseph’s forgiveness for all the undeserved pain
thrown on him, God’s people would survive and continue on. The story has a happy ending, but

13. 13
frankly, the scars of abandonment still remain. What does this ultimately teach us about the
journey of discipleship? To answer this question honestly, we must swallow hard.
For a moment, consider your deepest motives when you ask God to use you. Sometimes
when God uses people, they experience hardship for the benefit of a much greater good. If you
somehow knew of possible hardships that would be coming your way, would you still ask God to
use you with the same fervor as before? Have you accepted God’s discipleship program thinking
it would always be glorious, or have you embraced God’s discipleship journey because you
desire to be a part of God’s provision? Sometimes the most effective ministry takes place
through compassion, because one is able to relate to another’s painful experiences. Prayerfully
count the cost of discipleship, and enter into the life of living for God’s greater good. Be willing
to enter into the shoes of a disciple such as Joseph who endured abandonment, remained loyal,
all for the sake of God’s provision for his people.
Moses
The
Wanderer
Popular stories on the life of Moses frequently focus on Moses as the man who
performed many miracles. They demonstrate Moses leading his fellow Hebrew people out from
slavery in Egypt up to the gates of the promised land, which Moses himself was not allowed to
enter. These stories may be outlined by Moses’ years of training, years of waiting, and ultimately
years of learning God’s perfect timing. Therefore, we will divide the life of Moses into these
three distinct periods: his life of training, his life of waiting, and a life lived for God’s timing.
Welcome to the extensive and difficult journey with Moses through these three portions of his
life.
During this first phase Moses is being brought up in Egypt, being groomed to one day be
the next ruler of Egypt. The training he receives places him above the rest. This training phase

14. 14
ends as Moses takes the life of an Egyptian man who mistreats one of Moses’ Hebrew people.
Ask yourself the question what really causes Moses to take the life of this Egyptian man?
An interesting verse leads up to this incident in Acts, which may help us better
understand the overall discipleship process that Moses must undergo. Acts 7 contains a
recollection of Moses’ life story in which verse 23 states that at the age of 40, “it entered his
mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.” The statement that “it entered his mind” is
interesting in that it serves as a transitional cause to the effect of what drives Moses out into the
wilderness for the second stage of his life. God certainly does not tell Moses to protect his people
yet. In fact, it is not until Moses reaches nearly 80 years of age that God specifically calls Moses
to do something spectacular. Has Moses put the chariot before the horse?
Certainly Moses knows of his roots as a Hebrew child, knowing the God of his
forefathers. Moses also knows of how God miraculously spared him at birth. Does Moses have
some sense of calling to do something great for this God of his forefathers much prior to his
encounter with God at 80 years old? 12
It is very likely considering all of his circumstances.
Yet despite Moses’ impressive training, this is not a license for Moses to act on his own
sense of calling. In fact, because Moses acts without God’s blessing on the situation, Moses now
has to spend the next 40 years being trained by God in the wilderness. Sometimes our sense of
God calling us to do something is not an immediate invitation to act upon our instincts and
desires. Rather, at these times it is appropriate to become more attune to God’s voice as we wait
for his command.
The second phase of Moses’ life is a period of waiting. It is a time that may seem that all
we hold dear to us has abandoned us. It is a time when it may even seem that God has let us go.
However, the wilderness wandering that Moses experiences is also a place that so many others

15. 15
experience. When we go into this wilderness we feel that we have done too much wrong for God
to ever restore us. Yet it is during this time of feeling complete abandonment that God is closer
at work than ever before. Perhaps you have visited that place before, or perhaps you are there
now.
Moses must wander in the wilderness to learn God’s greater good. When the time is right,
God finally commands Moses to do something. Yet it is interesting to see how Moses replies
back to God. Moses lists many reasons why he cannot do the job. Did Moses learn from his
wilderness experience after all? Did Moses finally learn that his impressive training itself was
not going to be the reason why he would do great things for God? Simply put, Moses now feels
inadequate to do this on his own. On the other end of the wilderness – at the end of our self, we
are fully ready to be used by God to accomplish His will, in His timing.
In the final stage of his life, Moses is the vessel of God to do many great things. Yet even
after all this training, when Moses gets in the way, he quickly learns that he must get out of the
way. At the end of Moses’ journey, Psalm 90 accounts for a lifetime of learned discipleship.
These incredible words of Moses are a prayer of response to God. Moses understands what it
means to wait on God’s timing. Charles Swindoll writes in his biography on the life of Moses:
“If you act without discerning His timing, you may lose the smile of divine favor.”13
Moses
learns that God’s timing is much better than our timing. Moses has finally gained eyes of eternity
rather than viewing things through the eyes of our own perception. With that life of learned
discipleship, Moses overlooks a promised land that he would not go into – because Moses would
indeed enter into the Promised Land.

16. 16
Naomi
The
Heartbroken
The setting for the book of Ruth takes place during the time of the Judges. Though the
book is named after Ruth, a Moabite who embraced the God of Israel, an amazing story exists
with Naomi – Ruth’s mother-in-law. Let’s bare the burdens along with these two for a moment.
The book opens with a serious conflict; there was a great famine in the land. Naomi, her
husband and their two sons leave Judah to escape the famine for nearby Moab.14
Within the next
verse, another tragedy strikes; Naomi’s husband Elimelech dies leaving Naomi widowed with
her two sons.15
Her two sons that will now provide for their mother marry Moabite wives: Orpah
and Ruth. Yet only a couple verses later another serious tragedy strikes; both Naomi’s sons die.16
She is completely heartbroken. Who will care for her with two other widows in a foreign land?
The amazing thing is that Naomi decides to care for both of her daughter-in-laws. Just as
Naomi needs Orpah, Orpah needs her mother-in-law Naomi. Likewise, just as Naomi needs
Ruth, Ruth needs her mother-in-law Naomi. When the famine lifts from the land of Judah,
Naomi decides to go back to her homeland. Orpah decides to remain in Moab, while Ruth
decides to continue to Judah. Through Naomi’s life of tragedy yet warmhearted spirit, Ruth
embraces the God that Naomi worships. Ruth becomes an enormous encouragement in turn to
Naomi, who was also an encouragement to Ruth. Despite Naomi experiencing complete
heartbrokenness, she still displays warm-heartedness.
Back in Naomi’s homeland, Ruth gleans from a field of grain behind the reapers in order
to provide for herself and Naomi.17
What Ruth did not know was God’s plan behind the scenes.

17. 17
The rich land-owner, Boaz, took a liking to the warm-heartedness of Ruth – the same warm-
heartedness that Ruth learned from her mother-in-law Naomi.
After seeking permission by the elders of the city, Boaz was allowed to marry Ruth.
Together they had a son, Obed. Not only did Ruth have a husband once again, but also a son.
Ruth, the foreigner was redeemed. This son would become the grandfather of king David, whose
lineage was Christ.18
Because of Naomi’s warm-heartedness through heartbrokenness, she too
was redeemed once again. Not only was she redeemed, but through her warm-heartedness would
come a redeemer to the entire world.
Mary
Magdalene
The
Oppressed
There have been many scandal stories about Mary Magdalene that are quite shocking.
One popular story has Mary Magdalene getting married to Jesus after Jesus snuck away from the
burial tomb having time to revive a bit; rather than the Biblical narrative of Jesus dying on the
cross and resurrecting. Such stories as this one even go to the extreme of having Jesus and Mary
Magdalene having children! As Christians, we may laugh at this. Though these stories are
absolutely absurd historically, perhaps there is something to say about the fervor that Mary
Magdalene had for Jesus; not in a romantic sense, rather in a fully devoted sense. Perhaps we can
learn from Mary Magdalene about what it means to follow Jesus. Let’s step into the life of Mary
Magdalene.
One thing we know for certain of Mary Magdalene’s life before becoming a follower of
Jesus: her past was characterized as a very unrighteous Gentile woman who was demon
possessed.19
Church tradition assumes that she may have been a prostitute, based on a passage in

18. 18
Luke 7:36-50 where Mary Magdalene anoints the feet of Jesus. It may be safe to assume that
according to many people of that day, Mary would be very unlikely to have a changed life.
The reality is that Jesus has done so much for Mary that she in turn wants to give every
moment of the rest of her life to serve him.20
While all of the disciples have fled the scene of
Jesus’ arrest, Mary Magdalene remains loyal to Jesus. At the scene of the crucifixion, Mary
Magdalene is there. 21
When Jesus is taken down from the cross and given a burial, Mary
Magdalene is there.22
After the Sabbath early in the morning, Mary is back at the tomb.23
In fact,
Mary Magdalene is the first to find out of Jesus’ resurrection, as two angels appear to comfort
her.24
In the garden by the grave, Jesus appears to her and commissions her to be the first
messenger of the good news to the rest of the disciples.25
Beyond a shadow of doubt, Mary Magdalene has much to teach us about what it means to
be a disciple to Jesus. Her genuine gratitude for her redemption is demonstrated in her outward
worship to Jesus. Mary Magdalene, once oppressed, has become pure in the eyes of the Lord.
Saul
The
Violent
Aggressor
When we meet Paul in his letters, we may be tempted to forget the life that he lived prior
to the writing of his letters. However, the little of Paul that we do know prior to his calling
provides us enough to see a vivid before and after portrait of a man who was captured by God’s
grace. Meet Paul – from Saul the violent aggressor, to Paul the giver of grace.
The book that contains much of Paul’s missionary journeys does not begin with a
description of Paul the Apostle, but earlier with Saul who is determined to wipe off the face of
the planet those to whom he will one day be a compassionate leader. Our first encounter with
Saul is in Acts 6, where Stephen speaks boldly of the risen Lord Jesus.

19. 19
Saul’s goal in life early on is presumably to become a successful and well-respected
person amongst his people. Eventually, Saul accomplishes this endeavor to uphold the covenant
of God with his people. Saul’s life as a lawyer, a member of the Pharisees, gives him a zeal for
the Scriptures he knows. His fervor for God and God’s will for his people eventually find to be
misappropriated zeal – a zeal that Saul has to redirect when he learns that rather than carrying
out God’s will in the way he understood, he actually hinders it by persecuting God Himself.
It is quite possible that Saul hears Stephen’s defense.26
It is certain, however, that Saul is
instrumental in the martyrdom of Stephen.27
What paints a vivid picture of Saul is his zeal taken
to the extreme: even further than what he has been taught by his respected teacher Gamaliel. In
Acts 5:33-34 we learn of Gamaliel speaking out to the officials of the law suggesting that those
who were professing Jesus risen would probably soon end, and to leave them alone. Soon
afterwards, Saul is on his way to Damascus determined to end what he thinks is
unrighteousness.28
Saul’s zeal may have begun as righteousness in his own eyes, however it has
become poisonous hatred when he goes against the advise of his former teacher.
Acts 9 accounts for Saul’s determination to stop the new Christian movement. However,
on Saul’s journey to Damascus, he encounters the Lord Jesus who questions him: “Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting Me?”29
It is through this calling Saul, now Paul, learns the truth of
God’s ultimate will for his life. Saul, being shown much grace for his past, is now a witness of
God’s redemptive truth through Jesus.
What Paul learns on the road to Damascus is that his new path in life is re-directed onto
the road to Jerusalem. Rather than persecuting the people of God, Paul is called to be a giver of
grace for the people of God. Paul too, is called to follow the path of Christ. Charles Swindoll
writes in his biography on Paul, “The better we understand the darkness of his past, the more we

20. 20
will understand his gratitude for grace.” Think for a moment how you might relate to that
statement.
The remainder of Paul’s life is to follow God’s plan for his life, to bring the good news of
Jesus to the Gentile world. Paul’s numerous accounts of his suffering are not necessarily a
burden to him. Rather, Paul considers himself privileged to be a giver of grace – even under
heavy persecution, which he himself had caused upon others many days before his Damascus
road experience.

21. 21
Chapter
2
Discussion
Think of each of the individuals we have gone over. What comes to mind in the following
questions? You may discuss about one or more of these individuals.
1. What was life like before the calling that God had on their lives? (What hardships did they
face? What imperfections did they have that may need refining for God to use them for his
ultimate plan?)
2. What did God specifically call them to do?

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3. What do the stories of these individuals teach you about discipleship?

23. 23
Part
2:
The
Journey
–
Elements
Of
Discipleship
Chapter
3:
The
Call
To
Discipleship
Examining what discipleship may have looked like during the time of Jesus’ earthly
ministry is very important for us to have a proper understanding of Christian discipleship today.
Without doing so, we run the risk of defining Biblical discipleship through the perception that we
gain from our current time-period, our own culture – our own presuppositions. We also run the
risk of making discipleship to be what we may want it to be, based on the way that we are living
our lives. Rather, we must allow the Scriptures to guide us in defining what it means to be called
into discipleship to Jesus, and what it means to follow Jesus. Simply put, we must allow the
Scriptures to influence us rather than us changing the meaning of the Scriptures to satisfy our
own desires.
“Calling” is a very broad subject, which we will see. In this chapter, we will recognize
how discipleship is something that we are called to only by the Lord Himself. It is then our part
to respond positively to the call to discipleship or to reject it. We will first look at how
individuals were called to become disciples in the gospels. Then we will discuss how this may
apply to us today.
The
Call
To
Discipleship
In
The
Gospels:
Coming
Out
Of
The
Crowd
One of the things that we notice very quickly in the gospels is that during Jesus’ earthly
ministry he attracted large crowds. Mark’s gospel is one good example that demonstrates a
gradual progression of the crowd growing larger as Jesus became more popular. Even though
these crowds followed him, they did not really “follow” him in the sense of being his disciple. In
fact, the object of Jesus’ ministry among the crowd was to make disciples out of them.30

24. 24
Jesus’ aim was not to gather as large of a following as possible. His focus was not to
entertain these crowds through the miracles he performed. Nor were his teachings to merely be
great sermons that qualified him as the best Rabbi of the century. Rather, Jesus’ ministry
amongst the crowd was intended for a decision to be made by the individual hearer, once the call
by Jesus to follow him was made.31
The hearer had to “count the cost” of what it meant to be his
disciple, and make a decision to either follow or not. Either the hearer would come out of the
crowd to “follow” Jesus, or they would continue being just part of the crowd. Another interesting
thing about Mark’s gospel is that not only does the crowd grow larger over time, but the crowd
also represents people who progressively get more in the way of Jesus. In fact by the end of
Mark’s gospel, it is the crowd that chants for Jesus to be crucified.32
It is one thing to believe in the existence of Jesus. Many do today. It is even one thing to
be amazed by what Jesus taught and did. Many people in Jesus’ day fit into this category, as
many still do today. However, it is an entirely different thing to demonstrate the pre-requisites of
discipleship: counting the cost, and making a commitment.33
In the early church, the term “disciple” was the same as “believers,” who would later be
referred to as “Christians.”34
With Jesus not being present anymore in his earthly ministry, now
the calling was made through the Spirit. The massive amount of people who became believers at
Pentecost in Acts 2 is a prime example of the Spirit-calling, effective today in calling people.
After Jesus called someone to be his disciple, it was their
responsibility to count the cost and make a commitment.

25. 25
Applying
The
Call
Today:
Becoming
a
Disciple
What does it mean to “count the cost” and make a “commitment”? The cost is everything.
We must be willing to submit our entire self to what the Lord may ask of us with a commitment.
The best example of this is found in Mark 8:33-35. In this passage Jesus turns to include
speaking to the entire crowd and makes a general call that “if” anyone is willing to follow him,
they must “deny themselves” and “take up their cross.” Jesus clarifies what he means by this in
the following verse. Those who want to truly find life must lose their life – they must be willing
to follow no matter the cost, no matter what this may cost as a commitment now and down the
road. Though eternal life is found in acknowledging who Jesus really is – placing faith in him for
salvation, following Jesus as his disciple has a cost that requires a commitment on ones part. It is
a choice that we make – a choice of following our selves, or dying to self in order to follow the
one Master who invites us to new life.
What does following look like after a commitment is made? Jesus’ call to follow him
found in Luke 9:23-24 shows that the cross is to be taken up “daily.” Counting the cost to follow
Jesus and make a commitment is not just a one-time event as salvation. We make these
commitments to follow the Lord every day.35
The ongoing commitment is made when
discipleship begins, when we continue to count the cost on a daily basis.36
This, as the Apostle
Paul described several times, is “running the race” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1; 2
Timothy 4:7).
Ask yourself this question: What has Jesus asked you to change since you have answered
the call to follow him? Think of things you have committed to change. Also think of things you
have not committed to change that he has asked of you. Remember the willingness that you

26. 26
displayed when you first made a commitment to follow. Renew this willingness to ongoing
commitment.
However as his disciples, if we impose our specific commitments that the Lord has called
us to onto other disciples, we run the risk of making others into our image rather than the Lord’s
image. Discipleship will not look exactly the same for all of us. We must be aware of what
commitments the Lord wants us to make. We must be sensitive that we are not all called to make
the same commitments. The gospels give us several examples of how Jesus personalized the cost
of discipleship based on the priority of the individual’s heart.37
The demon possessed man in Mark 5:18-20 after being healed and shown mercy by Jesus
was asked to return to his home and share what the Lord had done for him there. In Matthew
19:16-22, Jesus instructs a young man to go and sell all of his possessions and give to the poor.
The reason why this young man walked away from Jesus was because his wealth was a priority
in his life that prevented him from following Jesus.38
In this case, the young man counted the
cost but decided not to make a commitment. In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus teaches a parable about the
Good Samaritan as an illustration for an expert in the law who asks Jesus what he must do to
inherit eternal life. The point that Jesus made to this individual through this parable was that his
superiority complex was an obstacle to him obtaining eternal life and following Jesus.39
In Luke
14:25-33, Jesus makes some seemingly harsh statements in order to personalize his message so
that the hearers could consider obstacles they had preventing them from having faith in Jesus and
following him.40
Still for others such as Nicodemus we don’t know what specific commitments were
required by him in order to be his disciple. At one point in John’s gospel Nicodemus hears of
eternal life, then after Jesus’ crucifixion Nicodemus re-appears as one of the religious leaders

27. 27
who helped to bury Jesus.41
Many others were required to pay various costs if they were to make
a commitment to follow Jesus.
Jesus’ calling to follow him in specific ways is further understood in later letters written
to the early church.42
In 1 Peter 2:21, Peter writes to the church: “To this you were called,
because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” In
1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul exhorts: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” What
these can teach us overall about “following” Jesus is that doing so means to imitate his lifestyle.
In Philippians 2:13, Paul demonstrates how once we have become a follower of Christ,
God works in us according to his will for his purpose. In the same way, God gives us the desire
to carry out what his specific purpose is in our life – whatever our assignments may be from him,
whatever commitments this may require.43
Paul also demonstrates the differences in our specific
callings in 1 Corinthians 12:4-31. Whatever God has called us to do – the gifts he gives to us,
may allow for the discipleship process to vary from one person to another. Stop and think for a
moment how the discipleship process may look different for each of these gifts mentioned in the
above 1 Corinthians passage. Where do you fit in? Focus on your task. If we really want to honor
God in our specific calling – in the commitment we need to make to him, we will seek our
passion and gifts and go after those things.44
The importance, then, may be to uphold one-another
in our various specific callings rather than tear down one-another. Perhaps we can learn to
appreciate what God is working out in others so that we can embrace the big picture of
discipleship – God’s picture.
There is caution that must be mentioned here. We must not use all of this as a license to
do whatever we want to do “in God’s name.” God does place people in our lives to guide us in

28. 28
areas where we are deficient. If a rebuke is done in a loving, God-honoring manner, it is best that
we heed to such advice.
Essentially, we must be willing to count the cost and to make a commitment to whatever
the Lord asks us to do. Counting the cost and making a commitment makes us a disciple of Jesus.
Once discipleship begins, the commitments are made real through a life-long process of being
willing to do what He asks – whatever He asks of us independently. This is “running the race.”
See the diagram below to better understand the overall process of calling and commitment to
discipleship.
As we move through our journey of discipleship, hopefully it is clear now that what we
are discussing is a journey for those who have already come to Jesus for eternal life, have
counted the cost, and made a commitment. This journey of discipleship has its starting line as
demonstrated above but continues throughout our lifetime.
The Lord calls us to discipleship in His timing. Our responsibility is to count the cost
and to make a commitment. Not only is this the beginning of discipleship, but should
also be an ongoing process of committing to change whatever the Lord asks us to do.
Counting the
cost
Commitment
Starting
L
ine
Discipleship
Life-­‐long
Commitment

29. 29
Chapter
3
Exercise
From
this
point
on,
each
chapter
will
end
with
an
exercise
rather
than
discussion
questions
for
that
chapter.
Now
that
we
are
actually
on
the
journey
of
discipleship,
it
is
more
important
that
we
make
every
attempt
to
apply
the
principles
of
discipleship
into
our
lives,
rather
than
merely
discussing
them.
1. What has Jesus asked you to change since you have answered the call to follow him?
2. What things have you committed to change that you have been asked to change by the Lord?
What things have you had difficulty in committing to change that you have been asked to
change by the Lord?
3. Find two or three other individuals within your overall group whom you can confide in. Get
together in a private area and discuss what you have written in the previous questions above.
Then pray for one-another. Commit to this for a minimum of 20 minutes undisturbed. Allow
the Lord to lead your small group.

30. 30
Chapter
4:
Disciples
Are
Intentional
Learners
In the previous chapter we discussed how our call to salvation and discipleship comes
only from the Lord in his proper timing. We also discussed how our specific calling and gifts
given may allow for discipleship to look slightly different from person to person. The question
that may arise from all of this is: How do I recognize my calling so that I am not simply
becoming like someone else, but am being discipled into the specific calling that God has for
me? The answer to this question is the focus of this chapter.
Ask yourself the following question: how can I live out discipleship if I don’t make an
honest effort to understand it?45
The purpose for learning as Christian disciples is so that we can
become more like Christ. This is important to qualify because the initial disciples of Jesus and
the early church appear to be more than merely “learners.”46
They were intentional in their
learning. So is the goal with us – to become intentional in our learning as disciples.
A modern understanding of “learning” may indicate the acquiring of new information.
This does not imply that a learner will always practice the teachings of a teacher. It places an
emphasis on the skill being acquired from that teacher and not the person doing the teaching.47
If
Christian discipleship is more than merely learning according to our modern understanding, it is
learning for the purpose of following that teaching and intentional in becoming like the teacher –
Christ-like. What Jesus taught was very important. However, it was not the teaching itself that
transformed the lives of the early disciples, as it was the person of Jesus that was the vehicle for
their transformation.48
It was the life that they observed that taught them who they were to
become to be as his disciples. While their training was seeing servant-hood practiced on a daily
basis, our discipleship learning also requires a nurturing care.

31. 31
As disciples of Christ our development in following will be a life-long learning process.
But how do we learn intentionally? We do not have the option of following Jesus around the
county-side as the initial disciples did. We do have one-another to learn from as a community of
believers. This will be discussed in a later chapter. We do have the Spirit of God that guides us –
and we also have the truth God has revealed of his own thoughts to us in the scriptures.49
Intentional learning is time spent with him through both study and meditation of how he revealed
himself to us – the Scriptures.
We learn from the scriptures not as if it were another book of ancient people we can
relate to. This is not intentional learning. Nor do we study the scriptures to merely teach others or
even point out their faults. We learn intentionally from the Scriptures so that we might be
transformed into the image of Christ. Knowledge leaves us empty without transformation.50
Learning
To
Follow
Christ
From
The
Scriptures
Our goal in studying and meditating on the Scriptures should be to allow the
characteristics of the Lord to penetrate our own lives. We are to put on the mind of Christ so that
we may display the characteristics of Christ. What we learn from Jesus is that having faith means
following him.51
However, learning how to follow is not based on our own abilities.52
This is good news
for some of us! Learning is enabled by regeneration and transformation. Regeneration is
something that is made new. In the biological sciences, regeneration is the ability to create
Just like the original disciples of Jesus, our goal is to be intentional learners as
disciples of Jesus.

32. 32
tissues, organs, or limbs that have been damaged or completely lost. Regeneration, spiritually, is
that fact that we have been born again – made completely new in the eyes of God. As the Spirit
of God regenerates us, we then begin the process of transformation. This transformation is the
discipleship journey of becoming more Christ like. It is character development.
The more time we spend intentionally studying and meditating on the characteristics of
the Lord, the more room we give for transformation to take place. Developing a daily habit
intentionally reading the Scriptures is the best place to begin.
Using
Secondary
Sources
If learning is placing ourselves under submission to the teaching of a great master, how
much more should we submit to the teachings of Jesus our Lord? Sometimes in order to better
understand the teachings of Jesus, it may be helpful for us to have a better understanding of that
particular text of Scripture. We can do this by either reading a secondary source such as a
commentary about the cultural background to that passage, or we can listen to others who have
already done this work for us to expound on a passage.
Though secondary sources are not a substitute for spending personal time in devotion to
the Lord through the primary source of the Bible, what these secondary helps can do is paint a
picture much more vivid for us so that when we re-read a particular text of Scripture we can
almost see the surroundings, hear the sounds, and better interpret the expressions on the faces of
The goal of learning from the Scriptures is putting on the mind of Christ so that we may
display the characteristics of Christ.
“Let
the
same
mind
be
in
you
that
was
in
Christ
Jesus.”
–Philippians
2:4

33. 33
those standing by. Simply put, we may relate better to that story or text because that story or text
has drawn us into their world where we can almost hear the words of the Lord spoken for the
first time.

34. 34
Chapter
4
Exercise
1. What is one new thing you have learned this past week from your personal devotion time?
(Be sure to mention specifically what passage you are referring to) How did or can this
lesson you learned from this passage help transform you more completely into the image of
Christ?

35. 35
2. Based on the passage you mentioned above, find out some further information about this
passage. Look at a secondary source for background information. Once you have done so, re-
read this passage, spending time meditating on it. Make sure to describe how this new
understanding from your meditation can be applied into your own discipleship to Jesus.
Passage of Scripture: _______________________________
Name of secondary source used: ___________________________________________________
Reflection on your passage:

36. 36
Chapter
5:
Disciples
Need
One-­‐Another
Some
Questions
To
Consider
First
–
Exercise
1
If you are reading this as a part of a group, spend some time truthfully considering the
following questions before you begin reading this chapter.53
1. Does each person of your group feel part of the group?
a. In what ways do you personally feel part of the group?
b. In what ways do you personally not feel part of the group?

37. 37
2. Do you accept one-another in the group for who they are?
a. In what ways are you struggling to accept another individual(s) for who they are?
3. Do you encourage one-another and hold others in your group accountable in a God-
honoring way?
a. How specifically have you encouraged another individual in your group recently?
b. Can you think of a specific incident recently when you should have encouraged
someone in your group or held them accountable but did not?

38. 38
The
Biblical
Meaning
Of
“Church”
Up to this point, we have focused on much information and knowledge about
discipleship. We have also focused on how we as individuals become disciples of Jesus. Now
our focus will shift away from ourselves and onto those around us – the community of faith.
The idea of community is one of the deepest aspects of Christianity. Stop and think for a
moment about the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each is
distinct, yet the intimate fellowship of the three is so united that the three are essentially one.
That’s mind-boggling! Yet this perfect unity is an example of community.
Not only is community perhaps one of the deepest aspects of Christianity, it is also one of
the most important parts of Christianity. Sadly, it is very neglected. In Western cultures, this may
be due to our emphasis on individualism. When we talk about going to church, we often refer to
the church as a place or an event.54
Why the sudden mention of “church”? Because the church is
a community. The Biblical idea of community – the church, has nothing to do with a place or an
event. Let’s take Ephesians 2:14-22 as an example of what the church is.55
"For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and
has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He
has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he
might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus
making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body
through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he
came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those
who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to
the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are
citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus
himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together
and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built
together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.”
In this passage, Paul describes how Jesus has brought all of humanity together – united as
one new community. He has “broken down the dividing wall” of all that separates us, so that we

39. 39
may be reconciled back to God. What this teaches us about the church is that the community of
faith in Christ is the “dwelling place for God” – we the church are a community.
Discipleship
Takes
Place
In
Community
It is important for us individually to ask ourselves on a daily basis how our relationship to
Jesus is doing. However, if much of our focus is only on “me and Jesus alone,” we run the risk of
separating ourselves from the community of faith.56
You may find that statement a bit shocking
depending on where you are in your life – many do. The truth is that we need one-another. God
has not saved you and called you into discipleship all alone. Look around you. God has given us
a community so that we may grow together. Acts 2:41-42 gives us a glimpse at a very early
picture of how discipleship took place in a community:
“Those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about
three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the
apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the
prayers.”
Leading up to these two verses, Peter had been preaching to a crowd. The result is that
three thousand became believers in the new community of faith. After becoming believers, in
Acts Luke wrote that they “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching (learning of Jesus and
his redemption), fellowship, the breaking of bread (presumably the Lord’s Super), and prayers.”
When we look at this verse along with the previous passage of Ephesians 2:13-22, the
importance of fellowship teaches us something about a community of believers. When we
“fellowship” with someone, we are sharing with someone in a deeper way than just a passing by
greeting. In the Ephesians passage, we read that God has brought people together despite our
differences and difficulties.57
The intimacy of fellowship is the common bond that we have with
“Church” is not a place or an event that we attend. It is a community of those
who follow Christ. As a community, we are the Church.

40. 40
one-another, despite these differences and difficulties. This is why Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:14
– “he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility
between us.”
What
Discipleship
In
Community
Should
Look
Like
For
Us
If “church” is not a place or an event but a community of disciples of Christ, how are we
doing? How well is your group demonstrating this to others? Think carefully what specifically
Jesus invited his disciples into in Mark 1:17 – “Follow me and I will make you fish for
people.”58
Jesus is not inviting us into discipleship alone with him. When Jesus states that he will
make us “fish for people” after making the decision to follow him, we are not just inviting people
to have a relationship with Jesus alone. We are inviting others to join us in relationship to Jesus.
In the beginning of John’s gospel, Andrew goes to get Peter and brings him to Jesus.59
The next day when Jesus is in Galilee, Jesus finds Phillip and calls Phillip to follow him. Phillip
does the same thing as Andrew, and goes to get Nathanael to bring him to Jesus. This is not all to
say that we are called to merely bring people to Jesus. This is to say that Jesus calls us into
discipleship with him that involves others who are called to follow as well. Again, look around
you. There are others who follow Jesus. This is your community.
There are two ways we can look at what we are doing right now in our journey of
discipleship. First, we can look at this as a book with chapters, assignments, and discussion
questions. Or second, we can look at this journey as an invitation to a relationship with others
that involves love, transparency, and accountability.60
It is an invitation to fellowship despite our
differences and difficulties. Hopefully, from this chapter we will learn to practice the second
view.
Look around you. God has placed you in a community so that you can grow
together. You cannot do this alone.

41. 41
We are called to love one-another because this is an outward demonstration to others of
how Christ loved. Despite differences and difficulties, loving one-another is a true mark of a
disciple of Jesus – which we will look at in a later chapter. We are called to transparency because
without this, we cannot grow. Transparency with one-another brings us together when we realize
that we all have differences and difficulties. Without accountability, none of this is possible.
Without accountability, discipleship in community cannot happen.
Accountability is a contemporary term, however it is very much a Biblical concept. The
early church in the scriptures demonstrated accountability by helping one-another keep their
commitments to God.61
Think back to the discussion in chapter 3 where you shared what
commitments to God you were struggling with to others in your group. Have you upheld each
other out of love for what you shared by holding each other accountable since then?
Practicing
Community
As
Disciples
If discipleship takes place in a community, then let’s be real and make certain that we are
creating a community. Consider the questions that you answered at the opening of this chapter.
Based on how you answered these questions, how is your community doing as a united group of
followers of Christ? How are you personally doing in being part of that community? On the
following page, you will have an opportunity to help create a closer community with those God
has called you to follow with at this moment in your discipleship journey. This may or may not
be easy. However, if we want to grow, then it is necessary for you to learn to grow together.
Discipleship in community requires love, transparency, and accountability –
despite our differences and difficulties.

42. 42
Community
In
Application
–
Exercise
2
1. How can you contribute to each person of your group to feel part of your community?
2. How can you personally make yourself more part of the group? More love? More
transparency? More accountability? Explain.

43. 43
3. How can you better accept one-another in the group for who they are? Think about how
you answered question #2 in Exercise 1. Is there anyone you need to work better with?
4. How specifically can you encourage another individual in your group who needs
encouragement or who you have trouble getting along with?
5. Now that you have read this chapter, why is it important to hold each other accountable?
The purpose of discipleship in community is so that we may grow together.
You cannot do this alone. Disciples need one-another.

44. 44
Chapter
6:
Discipleship
Transformation
From
The
Inside-­‐Out
Recall from chapter 3 that in order to be a disciple, one must count the cost and make a
commitment to follow Jesus. We also discussed that discipleship begins here, but does not end
there. We must continue to count the cost and make commitments daily to whatever the Lord
may ask of us.
Therefore, the question we will deal with now is about this ongoing – daily commitment.
Am I willing to let God change me – really change me?62
In this chapter we will learn what it
means to be transformed, and how we can be transformed. We will also look at some practical
examples that may help you along your journey of transformational discipleship. Let’s begin
where it all starts – in the heart.
Consider first the above verses that talk about transformation. What do these three verses
seem to say about what transformation means? What does the third verse seem to say about how
we are transformed?
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. –Romans 12:2
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you
lived in ignorance. -1 Peter 1:14
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being
transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the
Lord, who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:18

45. 45
What
It
Means
To
Be
Transformed
Jesus taught what it means to be transformed by describing the need for the Spirit of God
in one’s life. When Nicodemus asked Jesus in John 3 what he must do to inherit eternal life,
Jesus responded that a person must be born-again by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is a
foundation for growing as a disciple.63
This is also to say that a person who is a disciple of Jesus
has the Spirit of God to guide them.64
Paul clarifies this in Romans 8:9 –
“You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if
the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of
Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”
Jesus also described what it means to be transformed when talking to the
Pharisees. In Matthew 12:33-37, Jesus’ point to the Pharisees and teachers of the Law is
the heart is the ultimate source of change; therefore change begins inside the heart and
moves outward as we are transformed.65
Pastor and author Bill Hull has written: “Discipleship involves saving people from
themselves and eternal oblivion, permitting the transforming power of God to change them from
the inside out.”66
What does this mean for us individually? This means that real transformation
takes place from the inside-out, not from the outside-in where we try to make ourselves change
outwardly hoping that some day our desires will match God’s desires. This means that
transformation is something that God does in us first, as we either cooperate in the process or
resist God in the process.67
As we cooperate with God in this process, we become transformed
more and more into the “likeness” of Christ, as described in 2 Corinthians 3:18 above.

46. 46
If we are really willing to be transformed by God, we must come to terms with the fact
that we are sometimes unwilling to really be transformed. We may be willing to ask God for the
power to change us, but we may still be unwilling for God to change us from the inside-out.68
After all, it’s really scary what’s deep inside of us.
How
We
Are
Transformed
If it’s God’s part to do the transformation, then what is our role? As we have discussed,
we must be willing to let go of our own desires, aligning ourselves to God’s will by being
transformed from the inside-out – beginning in the heart. As a disciple of Christ, the Spirit
prompts us as he works to guide and change us.69
As God changes our desires – our heart, we
begin a transformational process that is demonstrated outwardly in the way we act with others
and walk daily in the real world.
The question that still remains is how do we do this in our role? How do we submit to
God’s will when our desire is not to do God’s will? If we are really honest with ourselves, we
will discover how often we really don’t want what God wants. We may make ourselves believe
that we do by all the things that we do outwardly for the Lord. Or we may convince ourselves
that that’s not what the Lord really meant – what he meant was more along the lines of what I
want. It’s not as if we talk this way. However, this is what sin has done.
Yet deep within us there is still a yearning to really be who God wants us to be.
Willingness to accept and admit our true desires is where God meets us and is able to do his
work. All we have to do is ask him to change us on the inside first. We start by asking: “Lord
help me want to do it.”70
Have you ever prayed this? It’s not a magic formula – but is an
Real transformation takes place from the inside-out, not from the outside-in
where we try to make ourselves change outwardly hoping that some day our
desires will match God’s desires

47. 47
acceptance for who we really are and what we really want. Let’s now look at some practical
ways that we can take this a step further.
Putting
It
All
In
Practice
The experience that some have had participating in accountability groups and other
various programs have proven well in the transformation process. Others, however, have been
able to still partake in accountability groups and programs yet still found no genuine
transformation in their lives. Why is this? Is merely attending an accountability group always the
answer to being transformed into the image of Christ? Is participating in a program and
completing the entire required curriculum really going to transform us if we are not committed to
life-change?71
Let’s be real for a moment here.
If you think or say that God watching you is enough to keep you accountable, you may be
only kidding yourself. The temptation within accountability groups is to sugarcoat the real
problems – the embarrassing ones. We may say that we are struggling with one problem when in
reality there’s a much bigger issue we are too ashamed to say. So we throw out something minor
to avoid exposure to the real problems we are struggling with. If we don’t avoid the bigger issue
by sugarcoating, we may also be tempted to lie when asked certain questions that probe sensitive
areas. Though this may not be the case for all of us, it is a temptation that is a reality for so
many.
Perhaps a better way than having to fess up to problems after they occur, if we are so
bold to admit them, is to avoid them before they happen. One way of doing this is to live as
much transparently as possible in accountability – living accountability. This is not to say that we
all move in together for the rest of our lives. This is to say that we set up certain boundaries in
more areas of our lives than we would like to. Pastor Larry Osborne has suggested this type of

48. 48
accountability called “Glass House” living.72
The purpose is to give certain people permission to
enter into our lives more freely than we let them.
It may be placing a computer in a noticeable area at home, sharing records of spending,
or even allowing a colleague to enter into our office area at any random time. The purpose of this
is not for the individual to catch us in the act of sin. The purpose is to keep us from doing certain
things because we know that there is the potential for us to get caught in the act. When there are
less closet opportunities in our life, there is less potential for us to fall into grave sin because we
fear being caught. The best place to begin is with those who are closest to us. Although those we
are closer with may not be able to pinpoint a certain issue in our life at any given moment, they
are the best individuals to know that something is wrong.73
Many of us who think that God watching us is enough to keep us accountable
are only kidding ourselves. We need to set up our lives so that we avoid grave
and continuous sin wherever possible, rather than having to admit to sin
afterwards.

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Chapter
6
Exercise
1. Think of two specific ways you can apply “Glass House” living. This may include
specific ways that help you now with those close to you, or in the future if you see this as
a necessity in the near future.
2. Applying a “Glass House” is something that you must be willing to do. It cannot be
forced upon anyone if they are not ready to ask God to change their willingness. If you
are ready for this, make it a point this week to apply the two specific ways you mentioned
in question 1 above. Perhaps it may be wise to begin by involving the same people you
included in previous exercises. It may also be using someone close to you such as a
family member or a trusted colleague.

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Chapter
7:
Marks
Of
A
Disciple
Recall from chapter 3 when we discussed the large crowd that followed Jesus around
during his earthly ministry. What is surprising, however, is that near the very end of Jesus’
earthly ministry many no longer followed him. The crowd that once followed him in the
countryside was now getting smaller and smaller. Why is this? What was it that made Jesus
seemingly less popular as he approached Jerusalem to be crucified on a cross and rise from the
dead three days later for the sins of humanity? This answer can be understood by discovering
what makes a person a real disciple of Jesus.
Was confessing to believe, merely following Jesus around the countryside, and claiming
that they were a disciple of Jesus enough to qualify them as a true disciple of Jesus? The answer
to this question can be answered by looking at the marks of a true disciple, provided for us in
John’s gospel.74
We will also look at how these thee marks of a disciple are demonstrated
elsewhere in the New Testament.
Jesus was very clear that a disciple of his would stand out evidently. In John’s gospel, we
find three statements Jesus made that separate a true disciple of Jesus from those who are not
really a disciple. These three marks of a disciple are as follows:
Was confessing to believe, merely following Jesus around the countryside, and
claiming to be a disciple of Jesus enough to qualify them as a true disciple? Is
this enough for us today to call ourselves disciples of Jesus?
3 Marks of a Disciple of Jesus
John 8:31-32 – A Disciple abides in Jesus’ word
John 13:34-35 – A Disciple loves others
John 15:8 – A Disciple bears fruit

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Disciples
Abide
in
Jesus’
Words:
John
8:31-­‐32
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my
teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and
the truth will set you free’.”
Before continuing on, read John 8:31-59 in your Bible to understand the
surrounding context of these two verses. What you discover is that Jesus is speaking to
the Jews who “had believed him” (v. 31). Why does it say “had believed him” in the past
tense rather than those who “believed in him” or those who were “believing in him”? The
reason for this is because the Apostle John is trying to show, looking back on this
incident, that not everyone who believed in him stayed believing in him. To say this in
other words, some proved to not really believe in Jesus, even though it seemed they were
believers before.
Jesus begins by making a statement about discipleship: those who are his disciples
are those who “hold to his teaching.” Or in some other translations, “abide.” We may
assume immediately that this means those who don’t always do what Jesus says are
simply not disciples. However, this is not the case – this is not what Jesus is saying
specifically. The next verse demonstrates what he means. Verse 32 states that the true
disciples will know the truth, and that truth will set them free. But what truth is Jesus
talking about? This is why it is important for us to continue on reading the surrounding
context.
Jesus goes on debating with these Jews who supposedly “believed in him” about
whose father they belonged to. The Jews gave a typical Jewish response that they were
children of Abraham. Jesus reveals to them that they were actually children of the devil
because they did not believe in his words. He goes on to demonstrate that they were

52. 52
children of the devil and that they really did not believe in his words as they once
claimed. Jesus puts himself on the same playing field as God in verse 58 saying “I am!”
Yet these same people that supposedly believed in him would now pick up stones in
verse 59 attempting to kill him because Jesus was basically saying that he was God. So
they did not believe in Jesus’ words after all, did they?
Just because one says that they “believe in Jesus” does not mean automatically
they are a disciple of Jesus. A disciple of Jesus is a person who has moved beyond
curiosity and is convinced who Jesus is – the Son of God. They are convinced that Jesus
has the words of life. It is not necessarily that a person has to always abide in Jesus’
words in order to become a disciple. A person becomes a disciple by being truly
convinced (true belief) that Jesus is who he has claimed to be. In truly believing this, then
abiding in Jesus’ words – holding to his teaching – clinging to his words, will naturally
follow as a mark of a true disciple of Jesus.
Disciples
Love
One-­‐Another:
John
13:34-­‐35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so
you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another.”
The love that disciples have for each other is a distinguishing mark that separates
them from the rest of the world. In the surrounding context of this passage, Jesus predicts
Peter betraying Jesus later when questioned three times in a crowd if he was one of his
disciples. When Peter professes his allegiance to Jesus, Jesus demonstrates love to Peter
foreknowing that he would betray him. The difference between Peter’s love for Jesus at
A true belief in Jesus will be reflected in a disciple who clings to his words –
abiding in his teaching.

53. 53
this point, and Jesus’ love for Peter is an example of the difference between God’s love
and the world’s understanding of love.
Not many years pass by after Jesus’ command to love one another and the church
suffered severe persecution. Rather than suffering producing conflict, the disciples held
to Jesus’ teaching and had a love for each other that stood out to the rest of the world.
The evidence that these individuals were disciples of Jesus was not because of a love of
their own. Rather, God’s love being received by a true believer enabled them to love
others. John also demonstrates this in 1 John 2:5 1 and John 4:17-21. In fact, when
writing his three letters to the church, John mentions this type of love 30 times! Peter also
certainly learned this love that only God could give. Look at the following verses that
Peter wrote later in his life: 1 Peter 1:8, 22; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 3:8; 1 Peter 4:8; 2 Peter
1:7; 2 Peter 2:5. If we really want to be a disciple of Jesus, we must stop and ask
ourselves the question: do I demonstrate love for other disciples?75
Disciples
Bear
Fruit:
John
15:8
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples.”
Jesus uses the analogy of a vine and the fruit that is produced by that vine. The purpose
of this is two-fold. First, bearing fruit is a natural result of the other two marks of a disciple. By
abiding in Jesus’ word as a result for having true belief in him, and loving one-another – these
will demonstrate outward results. Second, the analogy demonstrates that only those who are truly
A disciple of Jesus is able to love others because he or she has received true
love that only God can give.

54. 54
connected to Jesus will be able to produce such fruit. A person who is not a disciple of Jesus will
not be able to produce the fruit that would come from Jesus. The vine of one type of fruit will not
produce a different type of fruit. Likewise, people not connected to the vine will not be able to
produce fruit on their own. The importance is to remain connected to the vine – remain
connected to Jesus by trusting in his words for life, and displaying the love that he displays to us.
Being connected to Jesus – the vine, is the only way a person can produce fruit.

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Chapter
7
Exercise
1. Think of the words of Jesus from your own reading of each of the scriptures in this
chapter. From your reading of these verses and this chapter, what personally strikes you
the most about your own discipleship to Jesus?
2. If you are participating in a group, spend some time specifically discussing the three
marks of a disciple in this chapter and how these relate to you with at least one other
person. Share with each other what you have written in the question above. Be sure to
pray for one-another as you close.

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Chapter
8:
Are
We
There
Yet?
Discipleship
A
Lifetime
Process
Discipleship
In
A
Box
There is a problem with trying to pack a discussion about discipleship into ten short yet
distinct chapters. The problem is that we run the risk of making discipleship into yet another
program – another class – another event. We commit ourselves to discipleship or teach it based
on the requirements for a program, class or event; rather than prepare ourselves or others for
discipleship as an ongoing process throughout a lifetime.76
Discipleship is none of these, nor
should we try to force discipleship into one of these categories. Rather, we need to understand
discipleship as a way of life, for our whole life.77
Another problem we have is that we may tend to think that once we have completed a
course, a four month, one year, or two year program on discipleship – we are done.78
Far from it!
Of course we would not admit that we have arrived at mastering discipleship, but the sad fact is
that many of us may act this way once we are given a small amount of authority or responsibility
within the church. At least, if we are honest, the temptation is there for many to do so. The
reality with discipleship is that we are never done in this lifetime – we are only getting closer if
we are following.79
If we are not following with this in mind, we are not growing.
A third problem is unrealistic expectations. We may be tempted to expect ourselves or
another individual to reach certain levels of spirituality in discipleship at defined times. When we
do this, we let ourselves or that individual down when things don’t go the way we anticipated.
Rather, we must regard situations, whether negative or positive, as an avenue for discipleship to
take place.

57. 57
It is certainly amusing when we step back and look at how we tend to put discipleship
into a box – our box. We package it well so it is appealing to others. Then we wonder why our
programs, the classes we have taken, and the events we have attended don’t work. Perhaps we
feel personal defeat. We may even give up on God because we think that he gave up on us back
there somewhere during our defeat.
All of this is like trying to put discipleship into a box. They come in many sizes and
shapes. We have created them to suit our personal desires, or we have thrown them out due to
our personal downfalls. No matter the situation, when we finally learn to see our discipleship
process the way that God sees it, through eyes that see a bigger picture – only then can we more
fully embrace discipleship for what it really is. It is for a lifetime. It is a process. We cannot force
it into a box.
… Rather …
Discipleship
is not a
program
, class, or event.
D
iscipleship
is not
som
ething
w
e get “done.”
Discipleship
does not have
levels of spirituality
that are
reached
in
our expected
tim
e.
Discipleship is a lifetime process, which we may grow from all experiences,
negative or positive, as we follow Christ.

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Chapter
8
Exercise
1. What has been your personal experience regarding “discipleship” in classes, events, or a
program?

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2. Think of ways that you can continue your discipleship process outside of an event, a
program, or even this book. List these ideas below as goals you can set. Be sure to pray
about these things routinely.
3. What experience have you had having unrealistic expectations for yourself that did not go
as hoped? Have you been let down by another because you had certain expectations of
them? Explain.

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Use the space provided below for more room from any of the questions in this exercise:

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Chapter
9:
Disciples
Are
Ministers
As disciples of Jesus, we come from various backgrounds. We have experienced failures,
crises, personal struggles – and because of these we are emotional beings. Sometimes God may
allow us to experience certain circumstances so that we may be better equipped to minister from
the heart, rather than only from the mind. God can even use our failures to keep others from
making the same mistakes or assist others who have failed in similar ways. When we are
experiencing hardships and failures ourselves we know the need we have for others to come
alongside of us. Never forget the feeling of such a need. When others look to you to come
alongside them, you will remember the need, and hopefully answer the call.
The question we will seek to answer in this chapter to help us transition into our next
chapter on servant leadership is this: How can we as disciples minister so that we are effective
servant leaders?
It is amazing to see how God uses the experiences of one’s past as a motivation to in turn
minister to others. However, if we are not intentional to receive the healing that is available in
Christ from our past, we may minister not out of compassion, but out of conflict that still resides
within us. It is not uncommon for people to seek a position of spiritual authority not out of
compassion for others, but for personal edification.80
These things may not be done intentionally.
They may rest deeply imbedded within us, unnoticeable to us. However, not dealing with these
past issues may hinder us in becoming the servant leaders that God may be calling us to be. Our
past, no matter what it may hold, can either be a vehicle to minister out of compassion, or for us
to remain in conflict.
It is not uncommon for people to seek a position of spiritual authority for
personal edification rather than the compassion of a servant leader.

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Many Christian leaders throughout history have grown up in dysfunctional homes.81
Because they have received healing from God and been transformed into a healthy spiritual
leader, they have been able to impact many through their ministry. Dwight L. Moody was once
asked to stop commenting in public because he was a poor speaker. Billy Graham was told as a
young man by the president of a University that he would never amount to anything. Joseph was
sold to slavery by his own brothers, falsely accused of rape due to his loyalty, and placed in
prison for years after knowing that God had called him to something. Moses spent years away
from the family he once knew. Naomi lost her husband, her only two sons, and had to live in a
land away from what she considered home. We can only imagine the pain that Mary Magdalene
must have held onto until the day Jesus freed her from her past. We can only imagine the pain
Paul must have felt when he realized that in killing Christians in the name of God he was
actually getting in the way of God. Paul would then presumably spend several years after his
Damascus road experience being seriously mistrusted by Christians. Yet each one of these, and
so many more throughout history have used their failures, crises, and personal struggles as an
opportunity for ministry.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all utilize the plagues of our past as a vessel for
ministering effective servant leadership? Perhaps the question of how to receive the necessary
healing is not as much the question to ask as how our journey has been as a disciple up to this
point? The process of healing may begin as we learn to follow Christ and continue to do so
intentionally. Though this may not work for all, as some things in our past may require the
There are countless individuals whom God has used throughout history where
their failure, crises, and personal struggles were opportunities for ministry as
servant leaders.

63. 63
support of those who are trained to assist us through a healing process. Or it may simply require
our openness with another who can share such an experience with us, seeing how Christ has
freed them. Sometimes, God may simply not heal us of something.
The effectiveness of our ministry to others, as disciples then, is by our willingness in
becoming servant leaders. It is not by our own ability or desire to make things right from our
personal experiences. Rather, it is a deep desire to share the ministry of reconciliation that God
has given to us, and the healing that comes to us through the journey of following Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Paul talks about the ministry of reconciliation we are called to.
As God reconciled Paul to himself through Christ, Paul was then given the ministry of
reconciliation. It is a powerful statement where the reconciled become reconcilers.82
The
important aspect of this passage for our discussion is that God is the initiator of reconciling us.83
In the original Greek, God is the one doing the action in this verse, not us. The fact that God is
the initiator and not the recipient of the reconciliation also means that when we are the
“reconcilers,” God is still the initiator. Thus, the constant reminder for us is that we are to share
in the ministry of reconciliation where God is always the initiator in reconciliation. The
effectiveness of our ministering depends primarily on how much of a focus we place on God,
rather than ourselves. When we fully recognize that it was God that did the work in us, we are
then able to demonstrate this to others.
The effectiveness of our ministering is by our willingness to become servant
leaders and share the ministry of reconciliation that God has given to us.
The effectiveness of our ministering depends primarily on how much of a focus
we place on God, rather than ourselves.

64. 64
Think how the individual Christian leaders we mentioned earlier exemplified this type of
ministry. Their effectiveness was their complete reliance on God. Their process of discipleship
shaped them into the ministers that God called them to be. Recall when we looked into the lives
of five individuals that served as illustrations of discipleship in chapter 2. Think about how these
individuals became servant leaders through their discipleship process:
• Joseph was abandoned yet became the provision that rescued his entire nation
• Moses wandered for God’s greater good
• Naomi was heartbroken but used for redemption
• Mary Magdalene the oppressed was made pure
• Saul the violent aggressor became Paul the giver of grace
What about you? What failure, crises, and personal struggles tormented you? What has
God called you to do? How is God using or going to use your past to minister as his disciple?

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Chapter
9
Exercise
Recall the discipleship process of the five individuals we looked at as illustrations in
chapter 2. Now it is your turn. Write your own story below by answering the following
questions.
1. What was life like before God called you? What hardships did you face (failure, crises,
personal struggles)? What imperfections did you have that needed refining or still need
refining for God to use you for his ultimate plan?
2. What is God specifically calling you to do? Be specific. What passions do you have? What
burdens are on your heart? Spend some time meditating on this before answering in a general
manner.

66. 66
3. How is God using your past to be a servant leader? Or, how can God use your past to be a
servant leader?
Get together with the same group of individuals you have grown closer with in your discipleship
journey up to this point. Share with one another what you have written. Pray for each other, and
commit to uplift one another as you now move on from this journey into the journey forward.
Use the space provided below to make any notes on your experience with your group, prayer for
others, or things you have learned about the discipleship journey from what others share during
this time of gathering together.

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Part
3:
The
Journey
Forward
Chapter
10:
Servant
Leadership
–
The
Image
Of
Christ
For
Others
To
Follow
Leadership expert James MacGregor Burns once observed: “Leadership is one of the
most observed and least understood phenomena on earth.”84
What images come to mind when
you think of a leader? Perhaps it is a past United States President. Or another might see a famous
military general. Still another may recall reading about Joseph Stalin, or even Adolf Hitler’s
capability when rising to power. Yet another may claim his or her own mother, father, or a
teacher that had a significant impact on their life. Browse a local bookstore and observe the
volumes of books published on leadership, or search the web yourself on the topic. Some experts
who have done studies on leadership found over 850 different definitions of leadership.85
What
then is leadership? Whether we are a leader of a major corporation, a pastor of a church, or a
leader in our home to our children – at some point in our life we will almost all serve the role as
a leader. The question we must ask ourselves is what type of leader will we be.
Now think what images come to mind when you think of a “servant leader?” Intentional
discipleship ultimately produces servant leaders. While our journey of discipleship has taught us
how to follow Christ, the journey forward of servant leadership will now allow us to imitate
Christ for others to follow. Hopefully, this narrows down the vast amount of definitions on
leadership. As disciples, the purpose of our following Christ is to project the image of Christ for
others to see – for others to follow. Servant leadership has been the goal of our discipleship
journey. Though it is not an end. Rather, it is another new beginning. It is a place along the

68. 68
roadside, different for each of us as disciples, when we are able to fully embrace the heart of the
Great Commission that thrusts us to continue on the journey forward.
The Great Commission does not ask us to tell people about Jesus. We are not to share the
gospel message, then bid them farewell and good luck on their journey – which seems to be a
popular practice amongst the church today. The Great Commission is a command for all those
who are true disciples to partake in “making disciples of all people” in whatever way the Lord
has called us to based on the gifts he has given us. In essence, it is not a command to merely
speak the message of Christ. It is that and to project the image of Christ for others to follow. This
is how we define what it means to be a servant leader.
A
Biblical
Model
Of
Servant
Leadership:
5
Characteristics
Of
A
Servant
Leader
If our objective as disciples is to become prepared to help other’s needs with the
characteristics that Jesus displayed during his earthly ministry in the Scriptures, then it is clear
that discipleship is all about servant-hood.86
There are too many passages to note about servant-
hood and disciples called to be servant leaders in the way that we imitate Christ. We will look at
some of these key passages that should form the basis of our understanding about servant
leadership.
A
“Great”
Disciple
is
a
Servant
Matthew 20:25-28 sits within a story of Jesus telling about the Kingdom of God. Within
this section, Jesus begins to tell his disciples about what is about to happen when they get to
Jerusalem. As soon as Jesus finishes telling them of this, a mother of two disciples came to Jesus
Servant leadership is more than only speaking the message of Christ. It is also
projecting the image of Christ as an example for others to follow.

69. 69
to ask a personal favor of political nature: “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at
your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” It almost seems as if they did not hear
what Jesus had just said – or at least understood what he had said. Jesus responds with a lesson
about leadership:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high
officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to
become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first
must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25-28
A
“Good”
Disciple
Serves
All
Luke 10:30-37 contains the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It is loaded with
lessons that are more fully understood when we understand more of the background to
who Jesus was telling this parable. Speaking to the Jews who detested Samaritans, a man
who was robbed in a very dangerous area outside of Jerusalem was left with nothing on
the ground. Two people who are considered the most “holy” of people – a priest and a
Levite, avoid this individual due to their regulations on being “unclean” touching a man
in such a condition. Yet the third man, the Samaritan, helps the man by taking him in and
restoring him to full health. The fact that the Samaritan did the “holy” thing was an
enormous stab at the Jews who heard this parable. The command was to do the same. It
is, however, a lesson on servant leadership.
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the
hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on
him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” – Luke 10:36-37