Threshingfloor Basics – Part 2 – The Disciple

This is the second post in the Threshingfloor Basics series. Read the rest here:

1. The Mission
2. The Disciple
3. Discipleship
4. The Four Spaces
5. Our Passion

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In the first post of the Threshingfloor Basics series we talked about our mission of spreading the fame of Jesus by multiplying disciples. In this second edition of I want to define what a disciple is by tracing several key themes through the scriptures. The terms disciple and discipleship have grown in popularity in the evangelical world over the last several years and as a term becomes more widely used it’s important to make sure that it’s clearly defined. In this post we will do a brief examination of what/who a disciples is, and in my next post I will delve into what exactly discipleship is.

A disciple is a learner

The Greek word used for “disciple” throughout the New Testament is the word mathetes, which, according to Strong’s lexicon means, “disciple, student, follower, a committed learner and follower.” A disciple is someone learning from their master; sitting under a master’s teaching to learn what the master knows.

Here in the 21st century we think of a student as someone who attends classes and lectures, reads books, takes tests, writes papers, and spends their time on the school campus.That, however, is thoroughly modern version of learning. Though modern disciples of Jesus certainly should spend time  studying the Word, listening to wise and experienced men, and perhaps writing out their thoughts, these were not the main tasks that a “learner” in Jesus’ day would have had. A more accurate picture of a first century Jewish disciple would be that of an apprentice working alongside his or her master and learning by observing and doing. As Mike Breen notes in his excellent book Leading Kingdom Movements, the Apostle Paul begins using the illustration of a father apprenticing his son in the family trade as a means of communicating the concept behind Hebrew discipleship.  A disciple is someone who learns from their master through life-study; through teaching and observation.

A disciple is a follower

Closely tied with being learners, disciples are followers of their master. In order to learn from him they must follow him closely and observe how he deals with the varied situations and struggles that their profession entails. Just as Jesus’ chosen twelve followed him day and night for three years, so the modern disciple must follow Christ’s call. We have no record of Jesus telling his disciples to take a break and return home for a sabbatical or weekend off. For three years, through conflict and victory, through long days of ministry, through agonizing nights of prayer Jesus’ disciples followed him.

If we are to be disciples of Christ we don’t get to have certain days for ourselves. We don’t get vacations and time off of following. His example and his call are clear. When we choose to be his disciple we leave everything behind (Matthew 10:37-38) and are his followers night and day for the rest of our lives. Anything less is not being a disciple in the Biblical sense of the word.

A disciple is a lover

The disciple doesn’t follow out of obligation or duty. While there may be times where following requires determination and willpower, the main motive of disciples is love for their master. Jesus applies the great commandment to his disciples in John 14 when he tells them, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The disciples who love Jesus are the ones who learn from him, follow him, and do as he has commanded.

This is the core of being a disciple. When we love our master we will inevitably do as he commanded, and will take delight in learning from and following him. For the disciple of Jesus, love for God is the motive, and it naturally flows outward as love for others.

A disciple is a disciple-maker

This love for others, flowing from the fountain of love for God, makes every disciple a natural disciple-maker. They delight in their master and are eager for others to know him as they do. Just like Philip couldn’t resist telling Nathanael, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45) after only a few hours with Jesus, so our awe of and love for Jesus makes us disciple-makers. As we learn from, follow, and grow in love for our master we bring others to him for him to disciple.

As we look back over the history of the church, particularly the Spirit-inspired Biblical accounts such as the Gospels and the book of Acts, we see the massive power of a group of disciples. With his core twelve followers and a mere 500 or so more, empowered by the Spirit, Jesus launched a movement that has lasted over 2000 years, transformed the lives of billions, and radically shaped the cultures of the western world. The power of committed disciples is unstoppable. Our prayer for Threshingfloor is that we would create communities that create raise up disciple who truly follow Jesus as he commands. We believe that as that happens, the Lord will do amazing things in and through his people to glorify his name.