Following Christ
Together as a Community of Disciples
“Come to me,
all who are weary and heavy laden, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn from me; for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light.”
(Matthew
11:28–30)
In This Issue
What is the essence of being a Christian? It is
certainly more than doctrine, precepts, and
commandments. It is first and foremost a
relationship - a relationship of trust, affection,
commitment, loyalty, faithfulness, kindness,
compassion, mercy, encouragement, support,
strength, protection, and so many other qualities
that bind people together in mutual love and unity
as brothers and sisters in Christ.
God offers us the greatest of relationships -
union of heart, mind, and spirit with himself, the
very author and source of love (1 John 4:8,16) and
with his people who have been redeemed in Christ
who shed his blood for us on the cross and rose
again to give us abundant new life now and
forever.
The Lord Jesus calls all who believe in him to
follow as his disciples. Discipleship is not
optional but an integral part of being a
Christian. This issue explores what discipleship
entails and how we can grow and be renewed in this
call in living together as a community of
disciples on mission.
Dan
Keating in his new book, The Adventure
of Discipleship, writes:
To hear and believe the good news of
Jesus Christ (the Gospel) is to set out on the
costly adventure of discipleship. “Being a
Christian” or “becoming a Christian” involves
much more than staking a claim to a religious
identity. It means more than taking on a set of
practices or attending services – though
practices and services are essential. When Jesus
says, “Come, follow me,” he is inviting us to
become his disciples. When we respond to this
call, we leave behind our own plans and enter
into an adventure not of our own making. This
adventure of discipleship is costly – it
requires the cost of our lives.
[Read his article
in this issue here.]
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer in his book, Discipleship,
probes what it means for Christians today to
hear the Lord's call and joyfully entrust their
lives and future into his hands - both
individually and together as a brothers and
sisters in Christ. He writes:
Where will the call to discipleship
lead those who follow it? What decisions and
painful separations will it entail? We must take
this question to him who alone knows the answer.
Only Jesus Christ, who bids us follow him, knows
where the path will lead. But we know that it
will be a path full of mercy beyond measure.
Discipleship is joy.
Steve
Clark in his article
explains both the costs and rewards in choosing
to live a life of discipleship.
If you want to deepen
your love for God and grow in discipleship,
let this issue be a source of rich spiritual food,
wisdom, and encouragement for you, and also aid in
your preparation for the upcoming season of the Forty
Days of Lent which begins in March.
Sincerely in Christ,
Don Schwager
editor
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