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The Real Deal

Becoming a Genuine Disciple of Jesus

 

We live in an age in which people like to invent their own definitions of what it means to be a "Christian." To some, it simply means a nice person. To others it means someone who never misses a church service. To still others, it means someone who is pious and never commits a sin. Though certainly a biblical term, with such a wide variation of uses today, the term "Christian" has become too watered down in our culture to offer a clear definition of what it means to be a real follower of Jesus.

The Bible never records Jesus as having used the word "Christian". In fact, Jesus referred to his followers as disciples and taught them what being his disciple required. Jesus final instructions to his followers were for them to go into all the world and make disciples. A disciple is one who adheres to the teachings of a mentor, teacher or leader. Being a disciple means more than just simply knowing all the teachings. A disciple incorporates the teachings of his leader into his life and lives by them. You could say that the disciple's heart is changed such that his heart is concerned for all the things that his mentor/leader's heart is concerned for.

Jesus says that true disciples are made into fishers of people (Matthew 4:19). He defines a disciple as a person who knows and follows him, who is constantly being changed and who is committed to his mission. By definition disciples make other disciples.

While every disciple is a believer, not all believers are necessarily disciples. Our mission is to provide an environment and resources where those who believe in Christ are encouraged to grow into genuine disciples of Jesus Christ. We would be happy to study with you out of your own Bible and see how you can become a genuine disciple of Jesus.

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