In practice, how can I disciple other Christians?

Join a church.

Arrive early at church gatherings and stay late.

Practice hospitality with members of your church.

Ask God for strategic friendships.

If possible, include a line-item in your family or pastoral budget for weekly time with fellow Christians. Discuss this matter with your spouse. If possible, provide such a budget line for your spouse as well.

Schedule regular breakfasts, lunches, or some other culturally-acceptable social engagement with teachable individuals (of the same sex). Depending on the person, you may decide to meet once, indefinitely, or for a set number of times (say, five). If you and the individual share a pastime, look for ways to share that pastime together.

Ask them about themselves. Ask them about their parents, spouse, children, testimony, job, walk with Christ, and so on. In asking questions, however, do so in a manner that’s appropriate for your cultural context (don’t scare them!).

Share about yourself.

Look for ways to have spiritual conversations. Maybe decide to read the Bible or some other Christian literature together.

Consider their physical or material needs. Would they benefit from your help?

Pray with them.

Depending on your home situation, invite the person to drop by your house or spend time with your family. Let them watch you live life.

Look for ways to pray for the person throughout the week by yourself and/or with your spouse.

Taken from here

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In Principle, How Does Discipleship Work?

Discipleship works most essentially through instruction and imitation. Discipleship works best throughlove. As we lovingly instruct younger believers in the way of godliness and live commendable lives, they grow in Christlikeness by imitating our life and doctrine (see 1 Tim. 4:16).

Instruction: The Bible calls pastors and parents to instruct those given to their charge (Proverbs; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 6:4; 1 Thess. 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:18, 6:3; 2 Tim. 2:25; 4:2). It also calls all believers to instruct one another (Rom. 15:14).

Imitation: Christians are imitators, first of God, then of each other. We grow in God’s grace by listening and imitating. Consider the following passages:

• “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1);
• “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7);
• “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:9);
• “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings” (2 Tim. 3:10);
• “Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good” (3 John 11).

Love: People will imitate your life even when you don’t love them. But a leader who leads with love presents the best picture of Christ, and people will follow you best when you love them.

Friendship: In a sense, discipleship is simply friendship, but friendship with a Christ-ward direction. What do friends do? They imitate one another. In discipleship, we befriend others to grow in Christlikeness and to help them grow in Christlikeness.

How to be a disciple? (i) Listen and watch how older Christians work, rest, raise a family, deal with conflict, evangelize their neighbors, persevere through trials, serve in the church, or fight against sin. (ii) Imitate them!

Taken from IX Marks “Answers for Church Members” here

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This is a short and helpful video on a biblical mark of the church.  I pray that my Church Boones Creek Baptist Church will be serious and intentional about this as we move towards learning to be discipling and being discipled.

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