JAMIE VOSS|GUEST

Why do I disciple women? I love seeing God transform lives. It keeps me accountable in my walk with the Lord. I grow by learning from my sisters in the faith, no matter where they are on their journey. (In fact, my FAVORITE people to disciple are new believers—they bring such wonder and excitement to our group.) As the discipleship community kindles genuine and lasting relationships, these women often became my closest friends—in fact all the bridesmaids in my wedding were women I discipled.

I have countless more reasons why I value discipleship, but the simple answer is that I disciple because Jesus discipled, and He commands us to do the same (Matt. 28:18-20). Jesus did not model the ten best ways to reach the world, for He spent the majority of his time with twelve ordinary men whom He prayerfully selected and lived life with.

Our church has a discipleship ministry, and this is how we describe it: “Discipleship is laboring in the lives of a few with the intention of imparting one’s life, God’s word and the gospel, in such a way to see them become mature and equipped followers of Christ committed to do the same in the lives of others.”  Jesus prayerfully selected a few men and poured his life into them, while lovingly equipping them to do the same.

I love the simplicity of Mark 3:14 as Jesus appointed the twelve to be with him that He might send them out to preach. Jesus called these men to be with him for a purpose. There is an intentionality in discipleship, and part of the means is “with-ness.” In Mark 1:17 we see Jesus calling the disciples to follow him, and in so doing He would make them fishers of men. Jesus’ mission was always on His heart. He followed the Father’s plan. If I had been on a mission to impact the world, I would have spent my time traveling around the known world, sharing the gospel, and leading everyone to faith. But that wasn’t his plan. His plan to reach the world was by investing in these twelve men. And the church is what it is today because of that plan.

So how do we live out this kind of life-on-life, 24/7 with-ness today? The principles Jesus modeled are the same, but how we apply those principles may look different. I have discipled in a variety of contexts—college campuses, cross-cultural situations, and different stages of life from youth to singles to marrieds to young moms—and I would say it just gets more challenging the busier life gets. In the busyness of life, it is sometimes hard to prioritize time outside of group but that is the time where the most impact can happen.  Jesus lived life with his disciples and was there using teachable moments, there modeling the Christian life, there showing them how to minister, and there showing them how to walk with God. In those moments he wasn’t following a program, He was just walking in dependence on the Father and intentionally inviting them along.

So how do we make it work? This season I am working full time and am a mom of a 6 and 4-year-old. Just as my rhythms in my walk with Jesus look different as my kids grow and their needs change, how and who I disciple looks different as well. Because I want to live life with my group, I choose people with whom I have natural overlap—whether we work together, have kids in the same school, or live near each other. The other side is being clear up front as to what discipleship is—a commitment (we commit a year at a time) to walk with the Lord, prepare for the group, be authentic (because we all are sinners and need Jesus), protect confidentiality, prioritize group time, and be available to connect outside of our weekly group time.

Discipleship is about your personal intentional growth in the Lord but also about being equipped to disciple others. This is where discipleship is different. By the time they leave my group, I want them to know their gifts and passions and be able to use those to build up God’s kingdom. I realized that as women begin to pour into others the growth and joy in their lives multiply (as well as deep gospel-centered relationships). They are ultimately His disciples—we are just co-laboring with Him as we pray, lead, and love those in our care.

The other unique aspect of discipleship is that it is in a group context. We also have one-on-one mentoring in our church, which is a wonderful ministry, but discipleship looks different. Because we are in community together, we are not only learning from our discipler, but we are learning from each other. We are building relationships. We are hearing how the Lord speaks in His word to others. We are seeing others who have the same struggles and praying together. We are all pointing each other to Jesus. And as we all offer our gifts and passions to the group, we are building each other up.

Discipleship has changed my life and walk with the Lord, not only as a disciple but also as a disciple-maker. I love seeing lives changed by time in God’s word and community with other believers, but also by women understanding grace and living out of their identity in Christ. Discipleship not only changes us but also changes our families, marriages, and how we parent. And to see how lifegiving it is for these women is one of my greatest joys! Those are just a few of the reasons I disciple, and I hope to do so for the rest of my life.

Jamie Voss is on staff with Perimeter Church and Life on Life Ministries which trains on the principles mentioned above.

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