Training

What is Discipleship?

Dr. Mike 2026 , , , ,

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” John 21:22

As I get older, I have come to the place to spend more time listening then talking. You learn more when you first watch and listen then act and speak. The biggest difference today is also grasping the meaning of what is being asked or said. In the old days it seems words contain specific definitions. Today, words have a way of changing their meaning overnight. Also in the old days, it seems people were more precise in their chosen words. Today, the words are misplaced and misused more often than not. This may happen at work, in the home, and also in the faith community you attend.

Recently I had this experience speaking with church leaders. They were interested in starting a discipleship training program. After several minutes, how each person in the group defined discipleship became obvious. We were not on the same page.

Some thought discipleship as learning how to better evangelize the word. Some thought of gaining better knowledge of the church’s doctrinal positions. A few emphasized the importance of practicing spiritual disciplines. Then of course, there was me. Alone again, naturally.

All the things mentioned are a part of discipleship, but in my opinion, not its core. The central core of discipleship is Jesus. To follow HIM. To learn life by walking with HIM. HE is the teacher; we are the student. Being a disciple is having a relationship with Jesus. Allowing HIM to tutor you via the Holy Spirit.

Discipleship is a training process under the tutelage of Jesus. One learns to view the world through HIS eyes. To partner with HIM in your ventures through life. To learn how to be more effective as a spouse, parent, and child. How to be Kingdom focus in your career, work, and play. How to think with wisdom in your everyday practices. As you hang out more with HIM, your attitude and actions become more like HIS. The student becomes more and more like their teacher.

A good discipleship program equips one to with the tools to become more attuned to Jesus in their world. One studies the life of Jesus in all circumstances. You study how HE related with people. How did HE communicate with others? What was HIS focus in HIS relationships? How did HE act on HIS tasks at hand? How did HE recuperate at the end of the day? How did HE prepare Himself for the start of a new day? How did HE spend HIS free time? How did HE lead? How did HE follow others? How did HE use Scripture? One studies into HIS life to gain head knowledge. But the real walk is living life with HIM throughout the day.

I compare it to a ballroom dance. The music is playing. The dance floor is open. This is your time. You have been preparing yourself for a long time for a moment like this. You wait. The anticipation is growing. You Asked your Teacher this morning for his help today. You know HE is dependable and always available to help you. But now you are Seeking HIS presence. The announcer speaks your name. The Opportunity is here. The moment has arrived. You take your first step toward the floor. You sense HIS presence. HIS encouragement. HIS confidence. HIS assurance. You give it your best.  You know HIS grace is sufficient to cover any shortfall.

Whatever the outcome, you are OK. You are being held by HIS arms. You dance for HIS glory. For HIS namesake. You consider it a privilege to dance with your teacher on this day and every day.

Discipleship is learning to function each day with Jesus. To make decisions together. To learn how best to live and love like HIM. Together to bless others. To show HIS Kingdom ways for others to capture the same vision HE has given you.

Like Jesus speaking with Peter on the beach before his ascension into heaven, the same holds true for us. Both Peter and John are HIS disciples. Both have chosen to follow HIM. Yet each may have a different ministry on earth to fulfill. Don’t compare yourself with the other. Instead focus on your purpose in walking with HIM. Peter and John both served Jesus. Both followed HIM till their last breath on earth. Jesus loved both of them.

Discipleship is following Jesus on an individual basis. But also collectively supporting one another in their walk. Together we form the church. But each with individual gifting and mission. As you learn to relate, walk, and spend time together with Jesus, HE will become more and more involved in your life. The result is a life well lived as a disciple of HIS.   

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

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“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Potty Trained

Dr. Mike 2025 , , , ,

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14

Recently came back from visiting our daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. The family is currently training our granddaughter how to use the toilet. She is two-and-half years old and plans to start attending nursery school in the fall. But, she needs to be potty trained before acceptance.

This weekend, she was at the stage of being aware of the need. Yet lacked the willpower to stop what she was doing to take care of business. So, the adults in the room would always check-in with her whenever she began to twitch. At first she would ignore the reminder and continue her play. Other times, she would agree and rush to the bathroom.

It is a process we all had to learn. Some of us quickly pick it up. Others take longer. The same can be said about our walk with Jesus.

Initially, we hear the good news. We begin to investigate. We read material from third-party sources. Then we begin to read the Bible ourselves. Like other material we read and master, we begin to practice its teachings. But somewhere we hit the spiritual wall. Our lives are still a mesh. We become frustrated with our growth. We become tired of pushing ourselves away from the temptations. We become confused through all the various influencers on social media. In some ways, it’s like being potty trained. We know the importance of the toilet, but are too busy with what we are doing to stop. We don’t grasp the importance of the moment. We again miss the mark. Sin spoils our life again.

Discipleship involves training the willpower to do good at all times. To recognize evil and have the wisdom and maturity to overcome it. In many ways, it is like being potty trained. When the moment arises, one can do nothing and experience the messy consequence. Or one can find the toilet and manage the discharge quick and efficiently. The same is true in our Christian journey.

We begin with attaining knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. But failure to execute what we know doesn’t complete the task. We are instructed to renew our minds. To transform our thinking under the governance of God’s Kingdom. But it also requires help from the adults in the room. Church elders who are working along with the Holy Spirit to nudge you toward maturity. To assist you to become the person God has wired you to be in Christ.

Yes, one may say the maturity process begins when one is potty trained.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Practicing Godliness

Dr. Mike 2024, Uncategorized , , ,

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.   1 Timothy 4:7-8

What if we pursue godliness with the same intensity as career professionals? As athletes craft their trade. As body builders train themselves for maximum performance.

How would that change your life?

Yet, how many of us are like the weekend athlete? We dream of the opportunity to play like a professional. But are unwilling to commit and pay the price of change. We treat the activity as a hobby and not a life-commitment. Yet is not training for godliness what being an apprentice of Jesus is about?

The challenge many of us may have is capturing a picture of what godliness looks like. Few of us have had healthy role models to emulate. The ones we may have experienced were probably religious zealots. They caused more pain and sorrow in everyone’s life. They were the anti-role models. The encounter with them left us with a bitter taste in our mouth.

But, there are those of us who witness and shared time with godly people. They exemplified the life of the Biblical Jesus. We are most grateful. We had a positive glimpse of the character of God in action.

Yet God doesn’t leave us on our own. When one comes to know the Triune God, Father/Son/Spirit, one slowly discovers a life worth imitating. Though God is invisible, HE leaves HIS markings all around us.

The beauty of creation. The design and operation of the human body. The strategic plan of salvation. Everything around us shows off HIS workmanship. Everything made is a reflection of HIM.

So when we acknowledge humans are made to reflect HIS image, the groundwork is laid. The goal now is to become more like HIM. The question is how?

Enter Jesus Christ. When we study into HIS life, we witness God in the flesh. Jesus stated when you look at HIM you are also looking at our Father God. When one knows Jesus has been resurrected and now lives to intercede for us, we have a high priest to minister us. We also allow the Holy Spirit entrance into our heart. We now have a coach ready to assist us to make godliness real in our life.

How? By practicing God’s ways in the routine of everyday life.

We may start with the basics. Look at how the early church in Acts 2 practiced godliness. They began to train themselves through four basic disciplines. They gain knowledge under the teaching of the apostles. They shared meals together. They fellowship together. They prayed. Over the centuries, different saints also practiced other disciplines found in the Bible. They included meditation, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, fasting, and, silence. There are many more practices than these. These are just a few for one to select from depending how the Spirit is working with you. 

One also needs to be careful and not turn the practice into a legalistic approach to living. Instead, the discipline is a way to attune yourself to God and HIS grace. The process is an indirect way of strengthening one’s relationship with the living God. As one does, one finds themselves slowly becoming more like HIM in character. Iron sharpens iron and one person sharpens another is a Biblical proverb. The same can be said about practicing godliness. The more we hang out with Father/Son/Spirit, the more we will catch HIS ways.

In fact, one of my favorite disciplines is to live under the presence of Jesus and HIS Kingdom in every area of my life. Yes, there are many moments when the reality hits that I haven’t totally surrender my all to HIM. That always reminds me that there is much work HE has yet to do in me. It keeps me humble and appreciating HIS grace on a regular basis. As we surrender each corner of our kingdom, HE continues to share HIS vast richness of life with us each day. Yes we practice every day to be prepared for the moment of truth. For we have learned that practicing godliness is good for daily living and for the life to come.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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