Discipleship has lost traction in our fragmented society. Once upon a time we had been discipled simply by exposure to the gospel both in teaching and in practice several times a week. Now, however, packed schedules and enticing alternatives to the classical Christian community have left us searching for ways to make disciples in the modern world where even professing Christians seem to have left their faith behind when it comes to everyday living.
We face the same challenge here in the Yucatán. The taste for Christian activities and the informal discipleship structure that they promote seems to be dwindling. Where Christian maturity was once on display several times a week to serve as a model for the younger or less mature, many are beginning to ask, “What does a mature Christian look like?” and “How do I become one?”
Fortunately, resources are out there for us to help answer these questions. Recently, El Centro Cristiano Gólgota has begun an intentional discipleship program based on materials offered for free by Global University. We’ve been blessed to be a part of team working to adapt the individual studies to a group format. Meeting once a week, we’re going step by step through the process of Christian growth with the goal of making discipleship a tangible, achievable process. The picture above is of one of those sessions.
How about you? Have you’ve been wondering lately about discipleship? Have you heard someone asking aloud what mature Christianity should look like? What steps have you or your church taken to make discipleship an intentional process?