From Follower to World-Changer: The Journey of a True Disciple

A disciple is a follower of Jesus, being changed by Jesus, is on mission with Jesus.

We all understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus. This initial step into the way of Jesus often starts from a point of need or unsolvable problem in our lives. This is followed by confession of sin, and an invitation for Jesus to live in us and make us the person He intended us to be. 

After becoming a follower of Jesus the very real and necessary work of transformation begins. Every true follower of Jesus desires to be changed by Jesus. Sermons, bible studies, personal devotional times, prayer, and input from other Jesus followers are all part of the process that transitions a follower of Jesus to a follower that is being changed by Jesus. 

The next step in being a disciple is to be on mission with Jesus. This is a little more complex. Our natural self-centeredness, fear of what other people will think of us, and not knowing how to get on mission with Jesus become stumbling blocks. New Jesus followers are often very passionate about being on mission but they don't know what to do and the early enthusiasm to influence others begins to wain. Jesus had a solution that transformed a rag tag group of early followers into a dynamic force that "turned the world upside down." 

First, Jesus chose people from the working class. He did not recruit from the religious elite like Pharisees or Sadducees. From this we learn there is a place for ordinary people to have a significant role in the mission of Jesus. 

Jesus' next step was mentorship, or we could call it discipleship. The first disciples came from their former ways of life with their life skills, personalities, beliefs, prejudices, and sincerely held beliefs. Many times they found themselves relying on their past experiences and beliefs which were often in contrast to what Jesus thought and  did. They got to see how Jesus did ministry by observation and they were transformed by these experiences and by listening to him teach. 

After some time He sent them out in pairs on short term missions trips to put into practice what they had learned from him and what they had seen him do. Even with all of this personal attention and practical experience they did not fully understand what being on mission with Jesus really meant. It took the death of their dreams, when Jesus was crucified, and the rebirth of their call to be on mission, after his resurrection, for them to finally get aligned with being on mission with Jesus.