Discipleship is more than believing a set of ideas we call “Truths.”  Discipleship is a transformed mind which produces, transformed thoughts, transformed actions, and a transformed life.  Discipleship is transformative. 

Discipleship is not the changed you; it is the renewed you.  Were you ambitious before the discipleship journey began, then you will be ambitious when you are discipled?  God does not want to remove the best parts of you, but to your best, better, more focused, empowering you to fulfill His purpose in human life.  Discipleship harnesses your energy and redirects your focus.

Through discipleship, the Holy Spirit takes the best in you and refines it, then aims it at the purposes of God in Christ.

People have been asking me, “What does God want me to do with my life?” The sincerity of the question is not in doubt; the challenge is that the person asking the question has not been taught what every disciple should learn. 

God has a purpose that was affected in the life and work of Jesus Christ and is continued through the Holy Spirit’s work in us. 

What is the purpose of God in Jesus Christ?  Jesus said very pointedly in John 10:10 ^10, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

There are two purposes juxtaposed in Jesus’ statement. One is the thief’s purpose, which is to steal, kill, and destroy.  Jesus’ purpose is life-affirming, life-giving, and life empowering.  We who lead a life of following Jesus are tied to the purpose He pursued and fulfilled.  We create life in the people we meet, serve and live among. 

We are in the business of helping building life, improving lives, deepening and strengthening relationships to help others become life givers, life affirming followers of Jesus Christ.

How can I give and affirm life?  It all begins with creating healthy, life giving and loving relationships.  We must become a relationship magnet, drawing people to ourselves so that we may point them to a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

We cannot do this through lies and pretense.  We must have a genuine concern about the quality of another person’s life and experiences. By being open to others in a way that offers understanding and connection we can show the light of Christ that shines within us.  We do this for one purpose to light the way to the hope we have for others so that they too may experience the Love, joy, peace and power of a committed relationship with Jesus Christ.  The local church creates opportunities for life through its ministries that occur Monday through Saturday. The follower of Christ who takes part and powers the church through working in a ministry is the vital contributor. 

Without committed followers of Jesus Christ who want to glorify the Father and build the lives of others, the work of a disciple and the Cause of Christ may be diminished.