8 Core Values Of A Disciple

Discipleship, the ongoing process of loving God and loving others, knowing Jesus and making Him Known, applying God’s Word in your daily life and walking in the Holy Spirit, is based on your relationship with God and others.

What does a “fully-developed follower of Christ” - a spiritually mature disciple - actually look like according to the Bible? Here are eight characteristics from God’s Word. These are the result of a lifetime pursuit of growing in grace and truth.

1. A disciple rests in God:
A disciple lives in the constant awareness of what it means to be a child of God. A disciple rests in the knowledge that he or she does not need to do anything for God, but has learned to work in partnership with God. Looking at Ephesians 1, a disciple knows that he or she is: 1) Accepted; 2) Adopted; 3) Blameless; 4) Chosen; 5) Forgiven; 6) Predestined; and 7) Sealed with the Holy Spirit. As a result, he or she makes every effort to live above reproach in all things, private and public.

2. A disciple worships God:
The mature disciple needs no specific day, time, or place to worship God for they know that they themselves are presented to God as living sacrifices daily to God. A disciple: 1) Knows the purpose for worship; 2) Worships in spirit; 3) Worships in truth; 4) Worships regularly with other believers; and 5) Worships as a lifestyle.

3. A disciple is a student:
A disciple embraces God’s Word as authoritative and inerrant and all his beliefs, attitudes, and actions are conformed to its standard and not this world system. As a lifetime student, a disciple: 1) Spends time in God’s Word daily; 2) Memorizes God’s Word; 3) Mediates on God’s Word; 4) Follows God’s Word; and 5) Obeys God’s Word.

4. A disciple prays:
A disciple knows that just as there cannot be vital and vibrant human relationships without consistent and deep communication, the same is true with his/her relationship with God. To enrich and deepen that relationship, a disciple: 1) Spends regular time in prayer with God; 2) Prays with an attitude of dependence on God; 3) Lifts up the needs of others to God; 4) Includes prayer in every part of life; and 5) Is prepared for spiritual warfare through prayer.

5. A disciple is a servant:
A disciple knows he/she is no longer his/her own, but has been bought with a price. He/she has learned to renounce self as the authority and focus of life. He/she now lives to serve God and serve others. As a servant: 1) Lives to serve God; 2) Strives to put Christ first in everything; 3) Strives to separate self from sin; 4) Lives to serve others; 5) Serves those within the local church; and 6) Serves those outside the local church.

6. A disciple is a giver:
He/she has discovered the great privilege, honor, and joy of giving. Giving is cheerful and a disciple is a responsible steward of what he/she knows is rightfully God's and uses everything that has been entrusted in ways that bring glory and honor to God. As a giver, a disciple: 1) Regularly honors God by giving to the local church; 2) Honors God with his/her money outside the church; and 3) Honors God through lifestyle choices - not living opulently - but living a simple, modest lifestyle so as to be a blessing to others in need. The greatest witness is compassionate giving motivated by love.

7. A disciple builds relationally:
A disciple walks in love, maintaining right relationships with God and man. He/she is dedicated to keeping all relationships in God’s love and unity and prefers other’s interests to their own. They are known by their love. In relating to others: 1) Reflects Christ's love in attitudes and actions toward all people; 2) Regularly practices the "one another’s" found in God’s Word toward believers and unbelievers (John 13:34; Rom. 12:10,16; 14:13; 15:14,17; 16:16; 1 Cor. 1:10; Gal. 5:13; Eph. 4:2,32; 5:19,21; Col. 3:13,16; Heb. 3:13; 10:24,25; James 4:11; 1 Pet. 3:8; 4:9; 5:5; 1 John 1:7)

8. A disciple makes disciples:
A disciple is actively involved in sharing the Good News and committed to the Great Commission – going, baptizing, and teaching others to observe all that Jesus commanded. A disciple has learned that discipleship is not the enterprise relegated to paid church staff, the gifted, or theologians, but is the responsibility and privilege of every born-again believer. A disciple: 1) Is obedient to God’s Word (John 8:31); 2) Loving (John 13:35); 3) Fruitful (John 15:8); 4) Always prepared to share the hope of life in Christ; and 5) Lives the Gospel.

The bottom line is this: these Eight Core values should serve as the foundation for every believer’s decisions, beliefs, and attitudes. If we are to build according to the Master’s plan for discipleship, we must be intentional in bringing people to full spiritual maturity in Christ Jesus by using Christ’s proven discipleship processes – to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded (Mth. 28:19,20).

It is no exaggeration that until Christians around the world are trained to be faithful disciples, the Great Commission of making disciples in all nations will not be fulfilled. An intentional, comprehensive, and global effort must be initiated to train people to make disciples as Jesus modeled and commanded. This begins right where you are today.

Go. Make Disciples. Baptize. Teach them to obey all that Jesus commanded...

Live Christ Deliberately!

Doug Morrell