Photo by Ivan Samkov
Beyond an expression popularly known and meant for the followers of Christ, discipleship is a growing interest people are closely paying attention to. Dr. Julius Mosley II is one among the numerous people under this belief in the modern setting.
What comes into your mind when you hear the word, disciples?
Typically, you’d go straight to the 12 disciplines you’ve encountered in the Bible: Peter, James, John, and the others, who birthed the term and made it well-known. The term disciple comes from the Greek word mathetes, which means “one who learns through instructions from another; a pupil or an apprentice.” In the religious context, the word means “one who constantly associates with someone with a pedagogical reputation over a specific set of views.”
From these definitions, one can conclude that a disciple or discipleship doesn’t necessarily have to be in context or associated with Jesus. It isn’t only a term limited to the 12 followers of Christ who made it well-known. Instead of being a label meant for these people, it can and is used to refer to people with specific beliefs and habits in modern society.
Discipleship in the Modern Context
Dr. Julius Mosley II is among the modern-day disciples. While he is primarily a practicing dentist, he also juggles this career with being the ministry head of discipleship and evangelism at his local fellowship. As an active disciple, he has written a book to redirect people’s focus back to the essential aspect of life, which is beyond materialistic impressions. His book Living Life with Blinders On awakens people about God’s righteousness and life after death, helping them understand how God wants people to live their lives.
This is one of the core missions of modern discipleship: redirection, to redirect the modern Christian community to focus on things that matter to the belief. As disciples, people must follow Christ. They must adhere to His words and model their lives according to Christ’s. Disciples are bearers of His essential instructions, having a good grasp of living by God’s will.
Creating Followers of Christ Through the Church
Being the most prominent advocate of God’s words, the church should be a central producer of disciples. They can facilitate in rearing generations of followers of Christ or people who abide by His will. The typical attendance and participation in mass might be a standard, but it isn’t the only means to show commitment to religion and the beginning of discipleship. Above encouraging the community to attend church gatherings and mass, here’s a five-step system to making modern-day disciples.
First, Encounter
What better way to meet suitable people than organize a purposeful gathering? The church can set meeting activities where they discuss and expand on meeting points. This meeting can be an opportunity to collect information. Get to know people and listen to their spiritual and inspirational stories. These can set the standard or measure who gets into the program. Encounters are crucial in creating disciples because not only will the church listen to people’s stories, but these meetings are also the perfect opportunity to discuss what happens next.
Second, Engage
While encounter is the opportunity to gather people and set objectives, engagement is when people listen to and interact with the gospel. They can ask questions about it and share how the gospels connect or relate to their lives. A deep and thorough discussion of the Bible in a group can give attendees different outlooks from varying perspectives.
Third, Commitment
After meeting with like-minded individuals and seeing what happens whenever they meet, people can choose whether they want to commit to the practice. More than the group, this commitment is toward their faith in Jesus and whether they’re ready to give themselves up in baptism to serve Him.
Fourth, Essentials
To help them better integrate and live up to being disciples, these groups must be given ideas and guidance to incorporate this new belief into their lives. Only then will they be oriented correctly in the belief and the Christian life. This period eases them through the essentials of the life they’ll be serving, providing insights into the faith.
Lastly, Experience
For faith to be firmly rooted in an individual’s life, they must experience it. This means regularly attending these gatherings, actively participating in group discussions, and, the usual, attending mass. This gives them an in-depth look into the possibilities and consequences of living with this faith, letting them experience Christian living personally.