Next Steps
Growing as a Disciple
We are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory. 1 Corinthians 3:18
WHAT IS DISCIPLESHIP?
When you think of the word disciple, is it synonymous with Christian? Are all Christians disciples? Can you be a disciple without being a disciple-maker? At PV, we will define disciple and disciple-making as Jesus did in His call in Matthew 4:19: “‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.'”
Be with Jesus. Become like Jesus. Do what Jesus did.
- BE WITH JESUS (come, follow me): Abide in Him. Slow down enough to listen to the Spirit, connect with God, and practice being in His presence.
- BECOME LIKE JESUS (and I will make you): Allow the Spirit to transform your heart and help you become a person of deep love for God and for others. A person to whom the teachings of Jesus are second nature.
- DO WHAT JESUS DID (fishers of men): What would Jesus do with your only life if He was walking around in your skin today? How would He love the people in your circles of influence and make new disciples among them? How would He impact the world and your neighborhood?
GROW AS A DISCIPLE
It sounds simple enough, but how do we really live like Jesus in today’s world? At PV, our goal is to provide Christ-centered, meaningful pathways for disciples to grow and multiply, helping us all become more like Christ and renew the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Growing as a disciple is much more than attending church. We are patterning our lives after Jesus, growing in community, serving others, giving of our time and resources, and practicing spiritual disciplines.
Serving
Giving
Jesus wants something better for you than chasing and being controlled by the god of more. Jesus advocates radical generosity, but as with any practice, it begins with the heart. When we approach the world with an open hand and a content heart, we begin to feel the joy of giving without conditions or judgment. Because of Jesus, we can look at all the world has to offer and simply say, “I have enough.”
Trusting Jesus and living simply and generously is truly a pathway to great personal joy, setting our hearts free from many unnecessary worries, anxieties, and fears. By living this way, our lives tell the gospel’s good news through generosity in a million tiny ways and sometimes in large, sacrificial ways. It is one way that as disciples, we can bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth right now.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
Malachi 3:10
This is the only place in scripture where God says to test him. What would it look like if you accepted this invitation of generosity? Standard American practice says to live on your money, then save a little, then, if there is anything left, give some away. What if instead you flipped the script to give a tithe, or 10%, first, then save (or pay down debt), and live on what was left?
This is the only place in scripture where God says to test him. What would it look like if you accepted this invitation of generosity?
Standard American practice says to live on your money, then save a little, then, if there is anything left, give some away. What if instead you flipped the script to give a tithe, or 10%, first, then save (or pay down debt), and live on what was left?
Depending on your situation, this might seem impossible. If that is where you find yourself, take it a little at a time, and don’t get discouraged. Start with 3%, 5%, or 8%. Prayerfully trust God to meet you where you are and help you grow in your desire and financial ability to be a person of radical generosity. Remember that everything you have belongs to God anyway, and steward it accordingly.
Rule of Life
In your personal walk, a primary tool is developing a “Rule of Life,” a set of rhythms for spiritual formation that help us be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did. For more information and resources, see the links below. The term “rule of life” has been used over the centuries to describe the intentional pursuit of practicing the spiritual habits or disciplines modeled by Jesus.
Having a spiritual rule of life means considering what exposes you most to God’s love, making you more like Jesus, and then planning how you will intentionally pursue those habits in your daily, weekly, and annual routines. None of us drifts toward disciple making, and a rule of life helps to ensure that our schedule aligns with our values.
Take a look at the resources below and begin working on your rule for this season.
