INTRODUCTION
Christian
Discipleship
Though discipleship
has been a topic of interest to Christians for centuries, for
the first followers of Jesus discipleship was so much more than
just that. For them, discipleship was the experience of
following the Lord Jesus. At its core, discipleship was a
relationship, one that was transforming, liberating, and
empowering. And, as it was for them, so must it be for us.
A disciple is a
person who has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, committed
himself or herself to a growing relationship with God, and by
the Holy Spirit is integrating the Lordship of Jesus into every
area of daily life. Disciples are committed to being responsible
members of the church through active and consistent
participation in mission, and they are moved by the internal
motivation of God's Spirit.
Discipleship can be viewed
from varying perspectives. First, it can be examined with
respect to the historical situation in which the Master and His
disciples interacted. Second, it can be judged from the
viewpoint of the nature of the Christian life. In order for us
to grasp the character and meaning of Christian discipleship,
both these approaches must be captured.
The theme Christian
discipleship implies a discipleship different from others.
Though the first century had many disciple-gathering teachers
who were revered and whose styles of instruction were venerated,
Christian discipleship speaks to a specific mode of
discipleship. Because a Christian is an imitator of Jesus, and
because a disciple is a follower, Christian discipleship is,
then, the kind of discipleship that involves following, even
imitating, Jesus.
Discipleship also
can be viewed from two different levels: (1) that of the first
disciples of Jesus, and (2) that of His subsequent ones.
When one thinks of
discipleship as it relates to Jesus and His followers, several
questions arise. What must it have been like to have Jesus call,
teach, and train you for discipleship? What must it have been
like to watch Jesus in action and to learn from His example?
On the other hand,
and in some ways more relevant to us now, what does discipleship
entail for Christians living so many centuries removed from the
time when Jesus lived and taught? What does discipleship entail
for Christ's disciples in the twenty-first century? What does
discipleship involve for people who live in a society radically
different from where Jesus and His first disciples lived?
In this quarter's
Bible study guide, we will look at discipleship as an experience
between Jesus and those He called to apprenticeship with Him. We
will explore what is involved in discipleship and who is truly a
disciple. We will also examine the process of becoming a
disciple and the major characteristics of discipleship. We will
compare Jesus' discipleship with that of other
disciple-gathering teachers. Additionally, we will look at such
questions as would-be disciples, gender and discipleship,
ethnicity and discipleship, instructions for discipleship, and
discipleship under pressure. In short, we will consider what we
need to be modern-day disciples living in what we believe is
close to the second coming of Jesus.
Betram Melbourne,
our principal contributor, is a native of Jamaica. At the time
of this writing, he was interim dean of the Howard University
School of Divinity in Washington, DC. He is married and has
three grown children.
Contents: (all
lessons may not be posted)
Giardina Sabbath School Study Helps
Jerry Giardina of
Pecos, Texas, assisted by his wife, Cheryl, prepares a series of
helps to accompany the Sabbath School lesson. He includes all
related scripture and most EGW quotations. Jerry has chosen the
"New King James Version" of the scriptures this quarter. It is
used with permission. The study helps are provided in three
wordprocessing versions
Wordperfect;
Microsoft Word; RTF
for our MAC friends (this is now a zip file); and
HTML (Web Pages).
Last updated on
November 30, 2007
Editorial Office:
12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904.
|
Principal
Contributor
Bertram Melbourne
Editor
Clifford R. Goldstein
Associate Editor
Soraya Homayouni Parish
Publication Specialist
Lea Alexander Greve |
Editorial
Assistants
Tresa Beard
Larie S. Gray
Jean Kellner
Pacific Press Coordinator
Paul A. Hey
Art and Design
Lars Justinen
Concept Design
Dever Design |
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Study Guide, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. All
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