What is a disciple?

A disciple is a Christian who can recognize and replicate the way of Jesus in themselves and others.

That means you are growing in your ability to see and hear Jesus in the world, and you’re turning into a person who thinks, talks, and acts just like he does. It also means that you are actively trying to help other people know and follow the way of Jesus too. 

Discipleship doesn’t happen by accident.  It happens because you want it to, and you pursue it.

If you want to be just like Jesus and invite others along to follow him too, you have to arrange your life around people and practices that will help you do it. The more you follow through and live this way, the more you become like Jesus, and the easier it becomes to help other people know him.  That’s the goal. It’s a life-long process of learning, obeying, and sharing Jesus. It’s a journey that really matters, for your own life and for the world.

How does Disciple
Path work?

Disciple Path is intended for groups of 2-3 people, because we believe that it’s in these smaller groups that you’ll grow best. You will meet regularly with your group leader, who will guide you through the process. Disciple Path is flexible, so you will decide with your group when to meet and how fast to progress through the materials. Your growth is up to you, but you’re each other’s encouragers, so your commitment to each other is really important in this process.    

One of the most important features of Disciple Path is that you will be learning to see yourself not just as a disciple of Jesus, but also as a disciple maker. The lessons are structured to help you not only learn and practice a concept, but also help you be able to communicate and guide someone else to understanding the concept. You’ll learn it, and you’ll learn how to share it. Because we don’t want you to be the last link in the disciple-making chain, this process will give you confidence to disciple someone else. There’s also accountability built into Disciple Path, so that you won’t move on to the next chapter until you and your leader feel you have completed the intended outcome for the current chapter. 

Pray for the next person in the link.

Right now, even before you begin, pray for the next person that you could walk through Disciple Path with. Disciple Path isn’t just about you and your spiritual growth, although that’s part of it. It’s also about honoring Jesus’ intention and command that his disciples would make other disciples. So, start praying today that God would help not only you, but also the person you will impact. That person may be someone who is curious about Jesus. He or she may be someone who already follows Jesus, someone who might be just a step or two behind you on the journey.  At this point in your own Disciple Path experience, you may have a good idea who you would like to be able to influence—or you might have no idea at all, and that’s ok. Just start now to be in prayer for whomever God will touch through you.

One last thing before getting started.

As you begin, you’ll be asked to make a covenant. The covenant describes your intentions to be faithful to the process and to the people with whom you walk the Disciple Path. Reading over the covenant now will give you a good feel for how you will interact together. It’s our sincere prayer that the Disciple Path process will be a blessing in your life, that it will help you follow Jesus wholeheartedly, and help you influence others to follow him too.

I am here to learn how to follow Jesus as his disciple.  I am here to learn how to help others follow Jesus too.  I want to recognize and replicate the way of Jesus in myself and in others.

I commit to walking with Jesus and my group through the Disciple Path process.  I will be faithful to attend our group meetings and to do the lessons.

I will respect each person’s privacy and never share something about their life that they would not want me to say outside of the group.

I will always be honest, kind, and bravely vulnerable with my group.