Marks of a Disciple
DSMN 815 Spiritual Formation
Tracy Sellers
June 16, 2023
Contents 1
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………..1
Faith……………………………………………………………………………………………….2
Worship…………………………………………………………………………………………3-4
Peace…………………………………………………………………………………………….4-5
Love……………………………………………………………………………………………..5-6
Encouragement………………………………………………………………………………….6-7
Leadership………………………………………………………………………………………7-8
Ministry…………………………………………………………………………………………....8
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………8-9
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………..10
Introduction 2
The greatest commandment that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples is true today. It is
found in (Matthew 28:18-20) “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” A disciple has salvation in Jesus Christ
and serves the Lord. This person witnesses to people that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior,
and they are not shy about witnessing to people about Jesus. Jesus knows how vital this is to
further His Kingdom. This report will identify the true marks of a disciple by examining faith,
worship, peace, love, leadership, ministry, and encouragement, paving the way to what it looks
like to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Faith
To have a relationship with Jesus Christ is to have a life surrendered to what God wants
for his or her life. It means that those who believe in Him will gladly worship Him with all their
heart, soul, mind, and strength, and God calls His disciples to live by faith, not by sight. Faith is
invisible (2 Corinthians 5:7). This is one of the true essential marks of a disciple of Jesus. Daniel
Bush says, “Only in a personal encounter with the Lord Himself are our eyes blessed with faith
this happened to the disciples when they met the risen Lord in the upper room, and it happened
to us when were overcome and undone by meeting Him in His word.”1 Jesus wants everyone to
come to Him by faith. The apostle Peter was a great example of having faith. This was recorded
when Jesus walked on the water and asked Peter to join Him in the boat (Matthew 24:21).
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1 Daniel Bush, Noel S. Due, and Steve Brown. Embracing God as Father: Christian Identity in the Family of God.
(Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014), 19.
3
Jesus is the sustainer of all we do; However, some disciples struggle. Jesus called out His
disciples who lacked faith (Matthew 8:26, 13:58, Mark 4:40, 6:6, Luke 8:25). Hykins states,
“Those who claim to have attained sinless perfection have simply not come to grips with the fact
that the whole being is permeated with the poison of sin.”2 Pride is the enemy of faith. It allows
us to think we can do life on our own. No one ever arrives on a plane of complete faith in Christ.
It is daily growing and serving the Lord where faith becomes strong and more evident in a
believer’s life.
Worship
Worshipping the Lord God is a longing to give oneself to Jesus. It is a crying out to the
deepest part of our souls where all we need to want is Him. It can be expressed in surrendering to
God and raising hands. Worshipping can be made through a believer’s life of praying and what
he or she does daily in their personal life. Bill Hull says, “Worship becomes a key part of
discipleship because, in worship, we break ourselves in the habit of interpreting all events in
God’s story as it centers in ourselves.”3 It is not about us; it is about serving God and others. A
Christian man or woman should find great satisfaction in how he or she can bring joy into
someone else’s life. Jesus Christ speaks of how essential this is (Matthew 25: 40) Worshipping
and praising God brings us closer to His glory (Colossians 3:16).
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2 Michael Haykins, The God Who Draws Near. An Introduction to Biblical Spiritually. (Webster, NY: Evangelical
Press 2017), 17.
3 Bill Hull, The Complete Book of Discipleship: One Being and Making Followers of Christ. (Denver, CO: NavPress
Publishing Group, 2006), Accessed July 14, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central. 145. HH
4
As disciples of the Lord God, we need to realize that it is a big deal to God that
we worship Him. God is delighted when we worship Him. Andrew Murrey agrees with this
“In the temple and presence of God, everything is worthless that is not pervaded by deep, true
humility towards God and men.” 4 A disciple and believer is committed to the reading of God’s
word, prayer, helping, and reaching out to our community, is worshipping God. This should be
practiced in a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus.
Peace
The moment someone decides to follow Jesus and have Him as their Savior comes the
immediate release of the sin, pain, loss, and discouragement in their lives. Someone who freely
receives the gift of pardon is overwhelmed by Jesus’s love, life, and peace filling up in their
lives. It is an experience where believers fill like they are born again. Jesus spoke of Himself as
the living water (John 4:10). He also was referred to as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9: 6). Jesus
said He left His peace in us. (John 14:27). It is another natural instance that disciples and
believers should see in his or her life. George Wood says, “The Lord can give us peace from the
storm or peace in the storm. You can have His peace no matter what the circumstance is.”5
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4 Andrew Murray, Humility: The Beauty of Holiness. (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House 2001), 33.
5 George O. Wood, Fearless: How Jesus Changes Everything. (Nashville, TN: Vital Resources, 2015) Accessed July
15, 2023. ProQuest e-book Central. 138.
5
The disciples thought for sure that they were given to die with the way the storm was rocking the
boat while they were in it. The disciples had forgotten the true source and protector of their lives;
the winds and the waves immediately obeyed Jesus, and all were calm. When a believer has
Jesus in their life, all can and should be calm, even during touch storms that may come. The
apostle Paul, writing from prison to the Philippians, assures that peace is always available.
The beauty of peace is completely available to us at any moment of our lives. True peace
is given to us by the power of God’s Holy Spirit, and true peace is understood the best in a
believer when he or she decides to no longer fight the battle on their own. The moment of
surrender occurs when harmony and tranquility are discovered in Christ. The disciples of Jesus
did experience this (Mark 4:39). When a believer has Jesus in their life, all can and should be
calm, even during harsh storms that may come. Jesus gives us satisfaction in knowing that He is
the One who holds all things together, and he holds someone up who believes in Him as well.
Peace is a gift that will be forever felt and known in eternity. The Lord God has given His gift
and peace to His apostles and to all who trust that God’s promises are fulfilled through His Son,
the Messiah Jesus. Slow to anger is found in (Proverbs 15:18). It is important for believers to
have this in their lives. We lead people to Jesus to show them that there is power, love, peace,
mercy, and grace from God, and it is real.
Love
A believer in Christ likes to express their feelings about God or someone else. The love
we choose to give to God and one another is vital to growing as a disciple and, more importantly,
to reveal God's true nature. God created the Prophets and the church of Israel. He also did this
6
out of love. God shows He loves us even when He corrects us (Hebrews 12:3-11). God
unconditionally loves us and loves us closer than a brother or sister. Daniel Bourquet beautifully
states that love is the closest communion between two people, the most intimate love relation is
certainly between a man and woman in marriage, between spouses.”6 As a follower of the Lord
Jesus, it is the love of God and loving one another that the Lord wants us to follow and have in
our hearts. In Christianity, agape is the highest form of love. The word “Agape” is from the
Ancient Greek. The love of God for man and women and of man and women for God, and this
brotherly and sisterly love and self-love, is a sacrificial love that transcends and persists
regardless of circumstances (John 15:13). The bible scripture is replete with the love of God and
the love that should be evident in us (1 Corinthians 13). Love is not only essential but extremely
necessary since it is a part of the kingdom of God, which is eternal (1 John, 3 John).
Encouragement
Encouragement is another way of expressing to build someone up in life, and no one
wants to hear how horrible their life is. God does not want to see us discouraged, either. Jesus
said words of encouragement. He said, “Be of good cheer” (John 16:33). Jesus also said, “Let
your heart not be troubled” (John 14:1). He knows that there will be trials and tribulations and
difficulties we must go through in life. Being encouraged is essential in a disciple’s life and to
others who may not know or have a relationship with Jesus Christ. John Comly says, “As iron
sharpens iron, so does the countenance of a man his friend.” 7
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6 Daniel Bourguet and Bob Ekblad: Becoming A Disciple. (Eugene, OR. Cascade Books 2016), 90.
7 John Comly, and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Reyberg, Phila 1803)
7
This sharpening, or encouragement, is an effect of that pure friendship and love, which the
Creator dispenses to his children.” The Bible tells us that it is far greater to place one another in
higher regard than what we do for our own lives. Essential to believers is the respect of showing
Godly compassion and help to all who need it (Philippians 2:3). It is necessary for believers and
disciples to show respect and Godly compassion and assistance to all who need it. The Lord Jesus
uses the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37). Some people are too good or in a hurry
to stop and help someone in need. As opposed to the one who truly takes the time out of his or
her day to help someone unable to go any further, or worse yet, is ready to give up on life. God
calls us to be this type of person as disciples and believers in Jesus. In the book of Acts, the early
church gave their talents for the churches and others’ sake. God uses the disciples, believers, and
people to help build up someone else, and our stories, words, or acts of kindness are exactly what
God wants us to do through us to accomplish His will.
Leadership
Being a disciple of God leads to places of leadership in churches and ministries. Disciples
and believers are people whose character demonstrates a level of maturity that makes them
models for others to follow (1 Corinthians 11: 1; 1 Timothy 3: 1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5;
Hebrews 13:17). The servant leader and disciple develop a vision for what God is doing in the
lives of others and enjoy helping them reach their potential. Disciples and leaders model, teach,
train, and develop new leaders and disciples.
8
Leaders and disciples in Christ serve people by assisting them to move from self-centered to
others-centered and to focus on Christ-centered. They involve healing the wounded, maturing the
healing, and releasing the maturing.8
Ministry
Ministry and discipleship go together. It is the idea that when someone becomes a
disciple, they think about church, fellowship, Bible reading, praying, worshipping, altar calls,
singing, honoring friends, family, and sacrifice. Discipleship and leadership in ministry prepare
every church member to render to the Lord in service, not only to the church but to the
community and worldwide. It is all about God in our daily lives. As disciples and leaders of
Jesus, we know that we serve the Lord (Colossians 3: 23-24). The spiritual life as a disciple and
leader of Jesus becomes a continuous series of daily responses to the Lord’s promptings in our
lives. The greatest treasure a disciple and leader of God can ever know is to increase the intimacy
with the Lord of all creation. The Lord calls us to ministry as believers in Him (Ephesians 4: 11-
13; 2 Timothy 2:15).
Conclusion
God will leave His light upon us as we go through life. This light He leaves on us will
only allow us to grow closer to Him in love, faith, peace, encouragement, worship, leadership,
ministry, and discipleship.
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8 Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image. Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation. Grand Rapids,
MI (Zondervan) 2001. 443.
9
This will further develop His kingdom until He calls us home with Him forever. Disciples of
Jesus long to please God and others. God’s Spirit is placed into the hearts of every believer and
disciple. The evidence of the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23). These eight
examples are essential to the believer who calls himself or herself a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Bibliography 10
Boa Kenneth, Conformed to His Image. Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual
Formation. Grand Rapids, MI (Zondervan) 2001. 443.
Bourguet Daniel and Bob Ekblad: Becoming A Disciple. (Eugene, OR. Cascade Books 2016), 90.
Bush Daniel, Noel S. Due, and Steve Brown. Embracing God as Father: Christian Identity in the
Family of God. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014), 19
Comly John and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Reyberg,
Phila 1803)
Haykins Michael, The God Who Draws Near. An Introduction to Biblical Spiritually. (Webster,
NY: Evangelical Press 2017), 17.
Hull Bill, The Complete Book of Discipleship: One Being and Making Followers of Christ.
(Denver, CO: NavPress Publishing Group, 2006), Accessed July 14, 2023. ProQuest
eBooks Central. 145. HH
Murrey Andrew, Humility: The Beauty of Holiness. (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House 2001),
33.
Wood O George, Fearless: How Jesus Changes Everything. (Nashville, TN: Vital Resources,
2015) Accessed July 15, 2023. ProQuest e-book Central. 138.
