About a year after Kyle and I entered the ministry, I felt that God was calling me to invest my life into others at a deeper and more intimate level. I taught Bible studies and led small group classes, but I rarely saw the life transformation that I knew I would only see through life-on-life relationships.
So I asked several college women if they would like to be discipled and, to my surprise, they said yes.
I had no idea how to proceed, what to do, or how to do it. And I floundered for most of that first year (and for several years after). But meeting with those four girls changed my life. First, one of those girls said words to me that God used to usher me toward a fuller understanding of grace. Second, I developed a passion for discipleship. I saw how God uses life-on-life relationships to transform people and how it has been His plan to impart grace and truth since Jesus walked the earth.
Ten years later, I'm still at it: meeting with women, sharing what I've learned about Jesus, and gleaning from their knowledge and experiences. Because it has changed my life and I've seen it change others, discipleship is something I will do for the rest of my days.
Happily, I've learned a thing or two along the way about discipleship. And it's something that I love to share with others! Today marks the start of a series of posts in which I'll share resources, ideas, foundational principles, and a biblical perspective regarding discipleship. My prayer is that God will use these posts to encourage you in your own ministry.
But wait, before you go, will you help me get the series started? I'm curious. Have you ever been discipled? If so, what did that relationship mean for your spiritual growth?
You can read the next post in the series here: What is Discipleship?
