A Model for Discipleship on the Back of Some Scrap Paper

When our church recently served a meal for those in need, I struck up a conversation with a man who has been homeless and is trying to get his feet on the ground.  It was fascinating to hear him share about a model of discipleship that he uses in his own faith journey.

He drew this discipleship model on the back of some scrap paper that he saw near us (see above.)  It's pretty simple but powerful!  At the top of this diagram is you.  This assumes that you are seeking to be in growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

The idea is that you find two other people (in this case, John and Bill) to share your faith with them, provide any resources they may need, and encourage them.  You then encourage John and Bill to do the same for another person (in this case, Jim.)  Jim then will do the same for another person or maybe two other people.

Over time, the number of people who are growing as disciples of Jesus Christ increases because the people you help want to do the same for others.  This model also assumes that you will encourage them to share what they have been given with others.

I thanked this man for sharing his thoughts on discipleship with me.  Too often, we keep our faith private, never sharing it with others.  Jesus implemented a similar model of faith sharing by first focusing on just a few people (the twelve disciples) and you can also make the case that it was even fewer (Peter, James, & John.)  But Jesus' purpose wasn't for the good news of God's in-breaking kingdom to stay within the twelve, but to eventually be shared to the ends of the earth.

The other thing that I liked about this man's model is that he used the word, "encourage" a lot.  His was a model of authenticity, compassion, and integrity.  He didn't just want to convert others.  He wanted to share with them and encourage them to do the same with others.

Thank God for this homeless man who taught me a thing or two about how to do discipleship.
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