Eric Geiger:
People have often asked, “Where does discipleship fit into the process?” The question reveals a faulty definition of discipleship because the question is typically about curriculum or learning environments. We have often equated discipleship with information. Discipleship is not about information. It is about transformation. The end result of discipleship is not knowledge but obedience. When you design a process for discipleship, view discipleship as the whole process.Discipleship is the entire mission of Christianity. It’s not a class. It’s not a Bible study. Discipleship is about transforming lives through knowledge.
We are concerned that some church processes end with the church. In other words, the end result of some discipleship processes in the church is the church itself. If your discipleship process sounds like, “Come to our church, get connected, and help us do church better,” you need to repent of too shallow a vision for discipleship. Surely the end result of discipleship is not your church merely doing church better.Eric is spot on here. Our mission isn’t to be a better Church. The Church is the training grounds for believers.
