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Discipleship for All of Life

Following Jesus should make a difference in every aspect of our lives, if He is fully Lord. Most discipleship materials, however, focus on spiritual aspects such as right beliefs and practices. These include: Bible study, prayer, stewardship, witness, resisting temptation, and the fruit and gifts of the Spirit. While essential, these scarcely comprise the whole of our lives. The New Testament clearly shows the centrality of the spiritual in the believer’s life. Many other areas, however, must be considered in a holistic discipleship for all of life.

Consider areas of daily living, such as work, money, possessions, entertainment, and relationship to culture. These form important arenas in which we honor God. Understanding the way money affects our lives, Jesus taught more on money than prayer. We also need to address relationships, including the meaning of Christian community, relationships with nonbelievers, family, and marriage. We must provide intelligent biblical guidance about romantic love and sexual morality because these have been badly distorted by our culture.

Following Jesus should also lead us to embrace servanthood and mission. We need to embrace His concern for the spiritually lost, the materially needy, and those for whom justice has been denied (Micah 6.8; Amos 5.24).

Spiritual growth and personal maturing are closely related and affect one another. Spiritual resources not only produce spiritual growth, but also enable personal growth as well. Those who do not grow personally seldom make much progress spiritually.

Discipleship that honors God and produces maximal fruit requires growth in all five areas above. Failure to grow in one category negatively impacts our growth and effectiveness in others. I have known Christians, for example, who possess a strong commitment to God, yet they make little apparent difference for God. Why? Their weaknesses in relationships or personal immaturities neutralize or limit their effectiveness in ministry and witness.

Stephen Lim, Springfield, Missouri