What is Discipleship?
Jesus instructed those who followed him to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations," but what does that really mean? Simply put, discipleship means not merely having faith in Jesus, but developing the faith of Jesus.
A good example could be the life of Simon / Peter who was one of Jesus’ initial followers.
Peter was a fisherman from Galilee, near where Jesus grew up. One day, as Jesus was passing by, Jesus called out to Peter and his brother “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Peter responded by dropping his net and following Jesus. Peter demonstrated faith in Jesus.
After spending much time with Jesus, drinking in his teaching, seeing the miracles, and learning about God’s love, Peter’s faith was once again put on display. In the midst of a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus invited Peter to leave the relative safety of the boat and walk on the water, which Peter did. Peter was now demonstrating, in part, the faith of Christ.
Developing the faith of Jesus would change Peter’s entire life. He would become a teacher, leading many thousands to become disciples of Jesus. He would demonstrate the Father’s love to humanity and introduce the Kingdom of God to a generation torn by racism, greed, and spiritual poverty. In short, Peter became a living reflection of Jesus.
Scripture goes on to reveal that for Peter, and for us, discipleship is not instantaneous, rather it is a personal transformation that occurs over a lifetime of following Jesus.
What is Discipleship at Ridgecrest?
At Ridgecrest we believe discipleship is a natural part of following Jesus and being a part of his church. And, as it was for the first believers, discipleship takes many forms:
Biblical preaching during worship services
Weekly small group Bible studies
Men's and Women's groups that explore and apply Jesus' teaching in their own personal lives
One-on-one, relational discipleship with the pastor or other ministry leaders
Opportunities to put personal time and talents to use in purposeful Kingdom work
Fellowship with a community of believers who are each pursuing and developing the faith of Jesus in their own lives
We would love to help you build upon your faith in Jesus, as generations of other believers have. Fill out the form below to find out more.