Philosophy of Discipleship
Chaplain Evangelism and Discipleship (CHPL 655)
March 6, 2026
Contents
Theology.................................................................................................................................1
Army Chaplain........................................................................................................................2
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................3
Bibliography............................................................................................................................4
ii
1
Introduction
What does it mean to be a Christian disciple in the world today? What does it entail? What
exactly does it require from a believer? Discipleship requires one to be a servant. It requires one
to be humble and gracious, even in the face of adversity and difficult circumstances.
Discipleship means putting the needs of others before the needs of yourself. As a Christian, your
responsibility is to God first, then others, and lastly yourself. The purpose of this paper is to
articulate my philosophy of discipleship and how it will relate to my Army Chaplain ministry
within a secular setting. During Jesus’ ministry here on earth, He served others will gladness and
kindness. It is my job to do the same as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Servanthood is at the heart of
true discipleship
Theology
The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians that God’s purpose for all Christians is to bring
Him the glory.1 There are a multitude of ways that Christians can bring glory to God. One of the
most impactful ways for Christians to bring God glory is through that of servanthood. Jesus
acted as a humble servant during His earthly ministry. Jesus said of Himself, “For even the Son
of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”2 Jesus
states clearly that His mission is not be served as the Lord, but instead to serve others. If Jesus
Himself can serve others, than there is no excuse for believers today to do the same. Jesus had a
heart of compassion and love for others, and His actions showed that during His ministry. He
healed the sick, blind, crippled and even brought the dead back to life, all in the name of being a
true servant. A true disciple of Jesus will not simply read about Jesus as a story in a
1 Rod Dempsey, “Discovering an Organizing Principle,” in Disciple Making Is . . .: How to Live the Great
Commission with Passion and Confidence (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2013), 14.
2 Mark 10:45
2
book, but will instead seek to imitate the actions of the Lord. This does not mean attempting to
heal those that are sick, but it means serving in your church and in your community in places
like soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and wherever there are people who need the love of God.
Army Chaplain
As an Army Chaplain, you can commission as either a lieutenant or a Captain. Either way, you
are an officer, which means you are considered a leader. Officers have authority over enlisted,
so an officer can tell someone who is enlisted what to do, and if it’s a lawful order, they
generally must follow it. As a future Army Chaplain, while I can easily give orders to Soldiers to
follow, that will not be my focus. The main focus is to serve the Soldiers as a spiritual leader, and
not as an officer. This means visiting them during their training missions, being available at all
times of the day, even after work hours, and investing in them not only as Soldiers, but as
people also. Geeting to know them on a personal level, talking with them, caring about them,
and being there when needed are things I plan to do during my ministry. My serving can be
done in a multitude of ways. As an Army chaplain, my responsibility is not only to Christian
Soldiers, but to all Soldiers, regardless of their religious views. That is my responsibility as an
Army
Chaplain; to be a servant of the Lord God, just as Jesus was.
The writer of the book of Galatians instructs believers saying, “but through love serve one
another.”3 Paul understood that servanthood was one of the key aspects of the Christian life. It is
not about being served, but serving others through gentleness, humility and kindness. Being a
servant is not about getting rewarded for helping others, because it is important to remember
3 Galatians 5:13*
3
that when Jesus served others, He did not do it for a reward. God will reward each one of us
according to what we’ve done on this earth when the time comes.
Conclusion
What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ in the world today? A Christian disciple is a
servant. Someone who can serve others without wanting a reward or something in return. Just
as Jesus served during His ministry, we as followers of Christ must be willing to serve those we
meet. Serving can be done in a variety of ways. As a future Army Chaplain, it is my responsibility
to take care of my Soldiers. I am called to be a servant of Christ, and that means not using my
rank to order Soldiers around, but to instead humble myself to show the love of Jesus Christ.
Rewards are not the goal for serving others, it is to show the love of Christ to everyone.
4
Bibliography
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is ... : How to Live the Great Commission
with Passion and Confidence. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2013.
