Practical Theology: Method of Christ Assignment
De’Borah J. Fontenot
THEO 530: Systematic Theology II
April 2024
ii
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1
Defining a Disciple........................................................................................................................ 2
The Call to Discipleship ................................................................................................................ 3
Evangelism and Discipleship ........................................................................................................ 4
The Cost of Discipleship ............................................................................................................... 6
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 8
1
Introduction
Welcome everyone to the Saturday Night Live Young Adults Meeting! I am so excited to
see that so many of you could join us tonight. I know there are many other ways you could be
spending your time. I pray that what the Lord has placed on my heart to teach tonight, will have
a real and lasting impact on each and every one of your lives. Tonight, I will be teaching on a
subject that is near and dear to my heart - discipleship.
First, I want to start by sharing a little bit of my personal testimony when I got saved over
thirty-five years ago. I received Jesus Christ into my life as my Lord and Savior at a repass after
the sudden death of my best friend’s mother. Although I had Christian friends, no one had ever
taken the time to present the gospel to me. Yet on that particular day, at that particular time, I
knew that I knew that God was real, and that I needed a Savior. About a year after I accepted
Christ into my life, I joined a church (for the first time ever!) and was baptized. I stayed at that
local church for about a year. I learned some very important truths from the Bible; but I did not
learn how important it was for me to read/study the Bible for myself. After finding another
church home, I not only learned how important it was to read my Bible, but also the importance
of prayer and communion with God and fellowship with other Believers. During this time
(although I was growing spiritually) I felt like I needed someone to personally walk with me
through this new life I was experiencing. Because I did not grow up in the church or in a
Christian family or environment, I had so much to learn. Even though I was only twenty-four
years old at the time (the same age as many of you) I felt so far behind. I was in desperate need
of someone to take me under their wings, so to speak, and disciple me. Looking back, I think that
my Christian friends (most of whom were around my age) just did not feel equipped or qualified
to guide me in the things of the Lord. As a result of my experience, as soon as I was equipped
2
and ready, I began discipling as many other young women as I could. Since then, discipleship
has been (and continues to be!) an integral part of my Christian life.
As I teach this lesson tonight, please pray for me that I can properly communicate God’s
truth concerning the importance and impact of discipleship in the life of a Believer. It is my
prayer for you that your heart be open and sensitive to receive God’s Holy Word in regards to the
meaning and purpose of discipleship.
Defining a Disciple
I want to start out by saying before we can “make disciples” we first need to “be
disciples.” In light of that, I want to begin my teaching by defining what a disciple is; this will
help us to understand what a disciple looks like. We cannot create God-honoring disciples
without this understanding. We will be examining various Scripture verses, as well as consider
the characteristics of a disciple. Oftentimes, churches (and Christians) try to make disciples, but
they do not have a clear understanding of what a disciple actually looks like. Proverbs 4:7
proclaims, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get
understanding” (KJV). Today, we will try to gain both wisdom and understanding in this matter;
thus we will be able to be fruitful in the disciple-making process.
1
The word disciple can be found throughout the New Testament. Jesus often talked about
what it means to be a disciple. As students of the Word, we need to start by examining what the
Lord had to say about disciple making. Some variation of the word “disciple” appears 266 times
in the New Testament (with most occurring in the Gospels). Being a disciple in those contexts
1
Early and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence,
21–22.
3
generally meant, “abandoning the things of the world, and following Jesus.” Additionally, being
a disciple requires that an individual be “disciplined in spiritual habits and purpose.”
2
Disciples are developed in the context of a body of Believers; the epistles emphasize a
relational community. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also
am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Disciples used their spiritual gifts to serve and love one
another as well as nonbelievers. They also obeyed the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:37;
the New Commandment in John 13:34, along with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19. In
so doing, the disciples became the hands, feet, and voice for Jesus Christ in their world. 1
Corinthians 12:27 tells us, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” As the
body of Christ on earth today, we must not ignore the clear call of Jesus to come and follow
him.
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The Call to Discipleship
Please turn with me to Mark 2:14. Speaking of Jesus it says, “And as he passed by, he
saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And
he arose and followed him.” It is Jesus himself who calls one to discipleship (not as a role model,
or teacher, but as the Christ, the Son of God). Because he is the Christ, Jesus has authority to
call, and to demand obedience to his word.
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The call to discipleship is solely a commitment to
the person of Jesus Christ. A doctrinal system, an “idea” about Christ, a general religious
recognition of forgiveness of our sins or grace, does not require discipleship.
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In Dietrich
2
Ibid., 22.
3
Ibid.
4
Bonhoeffer et al., Discipleship: Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 4, 57.
5
Ibid., 59.
4
Bonhoeffer’s book, Discipleship, he states, “Christianity without the living Jesus Christ remains
necessarily a Christianity without discipleship; and a Christianity without discipleship is always
a Christianity without Jesus Christ. It is an idea, a myth.”
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Discipleship is the right relation to
Jesus because he is the mediator. Whenever discipleship is spoken of, there Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, the mediator, is intended. Only Jesus Christ can call to discipleship.
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Because Jesus loves each and every one of us, he desires for us to follow him
wholeheartedly. In Mark 10:21 (Jesus is speaking to the rich young ruler) it states, “Then Jesus
beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever
thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the
cross, and follow me.” As we read verse 22 we see that the man’s riches meant more to him than
following Christ. “And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great
possessions.” As disciples of Christ we need to make ourselves available to him. Although we
reserve the right to set our own conditions; it is obvious that, at that moment, discipleship ceases
to be discipleship. Instead, it becomes a human program.
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Evangelism and Discipleship
Now let us take a moment and talk a little bit about evangelism and discipleship. In Dr.
Christopher Moody’s book, Disciple-Making Disciples, he states, “If disciple-making is the
process of discipling non-disciples to disciple others, then a practical theology of the church
must address the practicalities of reaching the lost.”
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The biblical model of disciple making
6
Ibid.
7
Ibid.
8
Ibid., 61.
9
Moody, Disciple-Making Disciples, 115.
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includes the action of evangelism. Our immediate and extended family members are a great
place to start. Besides our families, there are so many people in our neighborhoods, our
workplaces, our schools (our areas of influence) that are not followers of Christ. These are all
good places to begin.
10
The Bible teaches about reaching out to the lost world through the process of disciple-
making. Daniel chapter 4 outlines the conversion experience of King Nebuchadnezzar. Even
though Daniel was captive in a foreign (pagan) land, God granted him influence in the king’s
life. The book of Daniel foreshadows being a disciple of Christ in an unbelieving culture; this
text models faith as it relates to us today. As Christians in an unbelieving culture, at times we
may find ourselves (figuratively or literally!) thrown into a lion’s den, or a fiery furnace.
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During these times, we must remember the words of our Lord in Matthew 28:20, “… and, lo, I
am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” God is truly faithful! He is sending
the Good News of Jesus Christ to the nations; just as he did to King Nebuchadnezzar and
Babylon through men like Daniel.
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I want to share one of the most important things to remember as a disciple-maker; that is
to intentionally make as many friendships as possible with nonbelievers. In doing so, it will keep
you reminded of the mission at hand. It will also spur you to prayer. Additionally, it will place
you in their life to help in a time of need (by sharing the hope that you have in the Lord Jesus
Christ). Trust me in this, inevitably, someone in your circle of influence will hit the wall of
10
Ibid.
11
Ibid., 116.
12
Ibid., 117.
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bankruptcy, the wall of disease, the wall of a lost job, the wall of adultery. As a disciple-maker,
you will be there for them. You will be ready to share the Good News of our Risen Lord!
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The Cost of Discipleship
Now that we have talked about evangelism and discipleship, I want to talk to you about
the cost of discipleship. Before you can evangelize and make disciples, first you will need to
make the very important personal decision to answer the call of discipleship. The call to
discipleship is not boring, routine, stuffy, or dull; instead, it is an invitation to an awesome
adventure in Christ! It is a breathless, adrenaline-laced attempt to keep up with a reckless Christ.
Becoming a disciple of Jesus means more than just surrendering to him, we also must develop
our walk with him. In Matthew 4:19 Jesus proclaims, “… Follow me, and I will make you fishers
of men.” The Lord did not say, “Follow a series of rituals” or “Follow a set of rules.” Instead, he
said “Follow me.” The reason being is that discipleship is an extremely personal pursuit. It is
more than adding a new set of “things to do” to an already busy lifestyle. Being Jesus’s disciple
is first and foremost a response to passionately pursue him. The call “Follow me” involves daily
growth and development (at the expense of personal comfort). It is a formal challenge to live
with, study under, and learn from the Master Teacher! It is a divine call to obey his teachings,
walk the same road he walked, and take the same path he takes; a call to be close to him at all
costs. In order to pursue Jesus fully, it demands absolute abandonment.
14
There is a cost of following Jesus Christ; not everyone wants to pay the price. The choice
to forsake other things is essential in the decision to follow Jesus. Every disciple of Christ has his
13
Ibid., 119.
14
Early and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence,
95-96.
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or her own price to pay. When we follow the Lord, we need to realize that we abandon
everything to him and develop for him. A very wise man of God once said, “The great word to
Jesus’s disciples is Abandon.”
15
That was true of Jesus’s disciples during biblical times, and it
stands true for us today as followers of Christ. “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man
as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of
the Lord endureth for ever…” (1 Peter 1:24-25).
Conclusion
As I bring my message to a close today, I pray that the Holy Spirit has truly impressed
upon each and every one of your hearts, the will of the Father as it pertains to discipleship. It is
God’s desire, not only for you to receive salvation, but that you become a true disciple of Christ.
He also desires that as a disciple, you grow and mature in the faith, so that you can become a
disciple-maker. You do not have to worry about whether or not you are equipped for the task at
hand. If you are a born-again Believer then God has already provided everything that you need to
be an effective disciple-maker. Always remember, “God does not call the equipped, he equips
the called.”
Last but certainly not least, if you are here tonight, and you want to begin your personal
journey of being a disciple of Christ (yet you have not received Jesus into your life as your Lord
and Savior) we extend an invitation to you to “Confess with your mouth, the Lord Jesus, and
believe in your heart, that God raised him up from the dead” and according to Romans 10:9 you
shall be saved. If this is truly the confession of your heart, our altars are open to pray with you,
and our hearts are open to receive you as a new member of the body of Christ – please come!
15
Ibid., 97.
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Bibliography
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, John Godsey, Barbara Green, Geffrey Kelly, and Reinhard Krauss.
Discipleship: Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 4. New edition. Minneapolis, MN:
Fortress Press, 2003.
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is . . .: How to Live the Great Commission
with Passion and Confidence. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2013.
Moody, Christopher. Disciple-Making Disciples. Franklin, TN: Carpenter’s Son, 2021.
