DIGGING INTO DISCIPLESHIP

PART 1 - THE CONSTITUTION OF DISCIPLESHIP (1st Thessalonians 1:5-6)

Paul was a masterful teacher, leader and disciple maker. It is not wrong to say that he remains such through his letters to Christians across the globe. Discipleship was everything to Paul because it was the way in which the gospel would spread, effectively, through out the world. In this 4 part series of blogs I want to Dig Into Discipleship using 1st Thessalonians 1.

By constitution I mean what is the foundational quality of discipleship. In these verses Paul teaches us that there are two factors that are bedrock in a discipling process.

1. Prayer Soaked Preaching and Teaching (v5)

Paul said that the gospel he preached to them came not only in proclamation "but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (v5). Paul's effectiveness in spreading the gospel throughout the known world was, actually, not Paul's effectiveness. It was God's power at work in Paul's teaching that would bring such transformation. The same is true with every disciple maker.

While disciple making is a process that involves procedures and practices, its effectiveness is found in the disciple maker's prayer life. It is only as we bathe our lives in prayer and beg the Lord, daily, for the unction that brings change that we will be used greatly in the lives of others. Paul, being such a prayer dependent and prayer soaked man from the start (Acts 9:11) would see many changed under his ministry. His continual prayer life gave Paul the confidence that when he spoke it was not merely words; it was heavenly power from the Holy Spirit with a conviction (an unction) that was full of hope in the transforming power of the Lord.

Effective discipleship begins with the disciple maker's prayer life. If you are a Christian you are called to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Whether you are a pastor or a layperson - titles do not matter - our effectiveness in making disciples starts with bathing our teaching in prayer for heaven's power.

2. The Power of Our Practice (v6)

One thing that seems to have always been true of Paul was his willingness to see himself as an example worth following. So much so that he called and invited people to imitate him, which is the same as saying "watch and see Christ in me and follow my life" (1st Corinthians 4:16; 11:1)! Here, in this verse, we see the same spirit where Paul says that they "...became imitators of us and of the Lord..." (v6).

The old adage, "practice what you preach", applies here but in a deeper and more significant way. Paul says that while it was the prayer soaked preaching of the gospel that brought transformation, it was their example that provided a paradigm for continued growth in the Lord. Yes, we should practice what we preach BUT because the endurance of others in the faith need to see the consistency of our love and holiness for the Lord, Christ. Our lives matter with respect to the strength of newer and struggling believers. This is why Paul said that there was no question regarding the impact Paul's integrity had on their lives. Their change and continuance in the faith proved it!

Paul knew the power of integrity and so he lived, with passion to the Lord and for the vibrant and growing faith of others. There are many who have turned away from the Lord because of poor and inconsistent examples of Christians. Some who we may have poured into may have fallen away and or are walking in ways that reflect a massive struggle with the flesh and life.

Could it be because of my own lack of integrity? We must be honest about our past and present if we are to be effective in the future. The tragedy is not in finding error. By God's grace that can be transformed. The real tragedy is in not humble enough to examine ourselves.

Therefore, as disciple makers we cannot be content simply with our preaching and teaching being powerful. WE must...we MUST, see ourselves as examples and be a man or woman who lives a life worthy of imitation. May our tree be full of men and women who believed because of our words and who remain because of our example. May we all be able to say, with integrity: "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).