Discipleship Essentials: 5 Things Every Christian Must Embrace for Spiritual Growth
Welcome back, my faithful Bezzies!
The Christian walk is one of faith, and it’s a path not to be taken lightly. The scriptures remind us, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” [1] Many believers misinterpret this verse, assuming that once they accept Christ, their journey is complete. However, coming to Christ is only the beginning. Growth in Christ requires conscious and meditative efforts. Today, I want to share five essential things every Christian must embrace for continue growth in Christ.
Stages of Salvation
Salvation is divided into three stages: instant salvation, continued salvation, and future salvation. 2 Corinthians 1:10 reads, “ He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.” This implies that after believers have decided to accept Christ as their saviour, that is the first stage of salvation, but it does not end there. They need to be nurtured and guided into maturity in Christ.
According to Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials is designed to implement small, reproducible discipleship units. The vision behind this tool is an ever-expanding, multi-generational disciplining network. This tool brings together three elements that create the climate for the Holy Spirit to bring about accelerated growth.
1. Spiritual Food that We Eat
The first element is the unchanging truth of God’s Word. The Word of God is the spiritual food that believers eat. “It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here too, Heaven is opened and the gates of hell disclosed.” [3] The believer must set some time aside in the day to read the Word of God and meditate on it. This is not just a casual scanning through the Word of God but careful studying and meditating on it. A daily quiet time typically consists of at least three elements: reading the Word of God, meditating on what we have read so that the biblical truth begins to saturate our minds, emotions, and wills, and praying.
Meditation & Reflection
Concerning the Word of God, it is a process of reading, meditating, reflecting on the Word, memorizing, and applying it. Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful.”
Going about the day conscious of the Word of God and His promises brings hope and increases our faith. There are several needs in many societies and the lives of many individuals today; the only thing that can keep the hope of believers alive is when they cling to the Word of God and say with David. “I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” [4]
2. The Spiritual Air of Believers
Another vital discipleship essential is prayer. Prayer is the spiritual air that believers breathe. It is a transparent dialogue with God. It is a conversation with God in which we address Him and, in quietness, are addressed by Him. Scripture says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” [5] This is a heartfelt prayer from a place of openness and great transparency with the Lord. Not a religious pretence and facade to gain people’s approval and commendation. Matthew 5:6 asserts
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you
The How of Prayer
In prayer, believers must first offer adoration unto God. As Jesus taught us in what has become known as “the Lord’s prayer”, Jesus said, “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” The first thing Jesus taught us to do in the model prayer is to adore and praise God. The next thing after adoration and praise is to confess our sins. 1 John 1;8-9 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Be True to Yourself
We must be true to ourselves and mindful that God knows us more than we know ourselves. Therefore, we should be transparent with him in confessing our sins to be truly forgiven. We can then follow up with thanksgiving, thanking God for the things He has done, the things He is doing and more so, the things He will do. Thanksgiving is a seed for more. We can then proceed by putting our request before God, believing that we shall receive those things we ask for in prayer. Lastly, we may end our prayer with intercessory prayer. Praying for anyone the Holy Spirit may lay on our hearts.
We need to also pray for those in authority. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 reads, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.”
3. The Spiritual Good Environment
According to Greg Ogden, fellowship is “an intentional relationship in which we walk alongside other disciples to encourage, equip and challenge one another in love to grow toward maturity in Christ. This includes equipping the disciple to teach others as well.”Fellowship is the spiritual good environment that believers stay in to develop. The Church is the ecclesia–an assembly of believers as the Body of Christ. We need each other in this fellowship, which is our good environment.
The Whole is Greater than The Sum of the Parts
It is important for believers “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…” [6]
Psalm 133:1-3 says “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.”
We must encourage ourselves to get involved in the church’s activities. And stay close to other believers. They may bring encouragement and corrections, which will invariably expedite our growth. In Mathematics, there is a concept known as synergy, derived from the Greek word synergos “working together”. This is the concept that a whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This is in agreement with the Word of God in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
We cannot overemphasize the importance of fellowship. Proverbs 27:17 says “Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another.” Together, we stand; divided, we fall. One great importance of staying together is that we can discharge our spiritual gifts to the edification of the entire assembly.
4. The Spiritual Exercise for Believers
Ultimately, the last discipleship essential suggested by Greg Ogden that I want to discuss is witnessing. The church of Christ is the only institution mandated to recruit people into the Kingdom of God. The only way other people may come to the saving knowledge of Christ is when believers witness to them. Romans 10:13-15 reads;
For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Believers thus, have been sent to witness to the lost world about Jesus Christ, who Has entrusted to His followers the message of the Gospel, which contains the power of God unto salvation. A witness is someone who declares on the basis of personal experience what he/she knows to be true about Christ.
The best message we can ever preach to someone is the testimony of our own lives. If we tell people what Christ has done for us and practically live that new life, they can as well come to know Jesus. The Great Commission of witness, also known as missionary mandate is a mandate Jesus gave to all believers, to make disciples of Him. Believers ought to have a continuous and endless flow of witnessing. This is represented by the diagram below.
5.The Spiritual Spring of Living Water
Just as physical water is essential for sustaining life, worship nourishes and revives the spirit. Through worship, believers connect deeply with God, drawing strength, inspiration, and renewal for their journey of faith. Worship is not a mere ritual or routine; it’s a transformative experience that quenches spiritual thirst. It allows us to encounter God’s presence in a fresh way, cleansing and empowering us to live out our faith. In this sense, worship serves as an ongoing source of vitality, much like a spring that continually provides fresh water.
Conclusion
We need some inevitable practical markers for successful functional discipleship and growth in Christ. These include the Word of God, spiritual food that we eat, prayer, the air that we breathe, fellowship, a spiritually good environment in which we stay to develop and witness, spiritual exercise that we do, and worship, a spiritual spring of living water. These are requirements if believers are going to reach maturity in Christ.
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References
[1] 2 Corinthians 5:17
[2] Greg, Ogden. Discipleship Essentials: A guide to building your life in Christ. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2007.
[3] The Gideon International, “An Inspiring Introduction To The Holy Book.” Accessed on February 26, 2022. http://blog.gideons.org/2010/12/the-bible-contains-the-mind-of-god.
[4] Psalm 121:1-2
[5] James 5:16 (NKJV)
[6] Hebrews 10:25
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