Discipleship

Fall in Michigan is certainly different than fall in California. One of the things I am looking forward to most about returning to the Midwest is the beauty of the autumn colors. In California, autumn is very much like summer, but hopefully a little cooler. There is nothing major that marks the changing of seasons like the changing colors of leaves blanketing the ground.

New seasons can be both exciting and uncertain. They are always a time for growth! My role as the Discipleship Minister at Bangor Church of Christ is to help all of us as a church family grow as disciples. Over the next few months, I would like to take the time to remind us all what it means to be a disciple of Christ that is living out the Kingdom of God.

When we think of disciples, we often think of twelve ragamuffins who followed Jesus around. Simply put a disciple is a student, but what a disciple looks like is drastically different than sitting in a classroom for a few hours every day. A rabbi would only chose disciples who he believed held the potential to be like him and were the best of the best. He would then invite that disciple to “Come. Follow me.” The disciple would then spend every minute of every day following the rabbi everywhere he went attempting to do everything the rabbi does just like the rabbi does. A good disciple looked just like his rabbi in how he lived, spoke, and taught.

Jesus approaches his twelve disciples and says “Come. Follow me.” In that simple statement he is telling them he believes they are good enough, the best of the best, even if they have already been passed over by other rabbis. Jesus is asking all of us to come and follow Him. He believes we can be transformed into greater reflections of Him. The invitation has been extended. Will you join me as together we strive to follow our rabbi in all things and try to live like Jesus?