{"id":9293,"date":"2011-08-24T00:14:50","date_gmt":"2011-08-24T00:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/2011\/08\/24\/disciplelooklike\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T23:38:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T23:38:25","slug":"disciplelooklike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/content\/disciplelooklike\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does a Disciple Look Like?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jesus said, “Go and make disciples.” You’ve heard it. You’ve studied it. You’ve preached it. But, have you ever defined it? What, exactly, makes someone a “disciple”?<\/p> \n \n

May I suggest that, for all practical purposes, a “disciple” is synonymous with an “assimilated church member.” Or, at least, it should<\/em> be.<\/p>\n\n

If you agree, then try this exercise with your church leaders: list the qualities of an ideal member<\/em> for your congregation. How would such a person act? What would he say? How would she feel?<\/p>\n\n

Once you have listed the ideal qualities of a disciple, examine your church’s programming to see how—or if—you are helping people reach this ideal. After all, it seems reasonable that church activities are intended to lead people toward some goal.<\/p>\n\n

Here are nine characteristics I would suggest could begin your thinking about the ideal characteristics of your church members.<\/p>\n\n

An assimilated member:<\/h2>\n\n
    \n
  1. \nUnderstands and identifies with the goals<\/strong> of your church.<\/em> Goals are what church leaders have determined to accomplish in the coming year. How many of your members\/attenders could list at least two of your church’s goals for next year? (Perhaps a prior question would be, “Does your church have<\/em> goals?”)<\/li>\n\n
  2. \nAttends worship<\/strong> regularly.<\/em> It’s hard to imagine an assimilated member who is not in church regularly; it’s key to being a part of the body of Christ. And fluctuation in worship attendance has been shown to be the first sign a person will drop out.<\/li>\n \n
  3. \nExperiences spiritual growth<\/strong> and progress.<\/em> The Christian life is like Pilgrim’s Progress<\/em> … journeying toward the ideal of Christlikeness. New believers especially need to be learning, questioning, stretching, and growing in their new faith.<\/li>\n \n
  4. \nHas taken a formal step of affiliation<\/strong> with your church.<\/em> While some churches are moving away from formal membership, there are good reasons for people to make a public commitment to Christ (i.e., baptism) and to his church (i.e., membership).<\/li>\n \n
  5. \nHas friends<\/strong> in your church.<\/em> The typical active, assimilated church member has over seven friends in the church; drop-outs have less than two.<\/li>\n \n
  6. \nIs using his\/her spiritual gift<\/strong>.<\/em> Giving one’s time and talent to the church is even more important than giving one’s money, from an assimilation perspective. Plus, a role or task in the church provides a great opportunity to make friends.<\/li>\n\n
  7. \nIs involved in a fellowship group<\/strong>.<\/em> People in small groups seldom drop out of church. Groups are one of the best ways to build common bonds among members.<\/li>\n \n
  8. \nTithes<\/strong> to your church.<\/em> “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be, also” (Mt. 6:31<\/a>). Assimilated members are financially dedicated to the ministry of Christ’s church through their congregation.<\/li>\n \n
  9. \nParticipates in the Great Commission<\/strong>.<\/em> The disciple-making mandate was given by Christ to every disciple. The equipping process to participate in this command come through the local church.<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>\n\n

    Now what?<\/h2> \n\n

    Here are four suggestions to increase the number of people in your church who develop these discipleship characteristics:<\/p>\n\n

      \n
    1. Create your own list. Discuss with others, pray, and then decide what ideal (and preferably measurable) characteristics you would like to nurture in your members.<\/li>\n \n
    2. Review and redesign your new members class around this definition.<\/li>\n \n
    3. Evaluate your present constituency through the lenses of this definition by charting which characteristics each member shows.<\/li>\n\n
    4. Develop plans for the coming year that will move your members and attenders toward this ideal.<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Jesus said, “Go and make disciples.” You’ve heard it. You’ve studied it. You’ve preached it. But, have you ever defined it? What, exactly, makes someone a “disciple”? May I suggest that, for all practical purposes, a “disciple” is synonymous with an “assimilated church member.” Or, at least, it should be. If you agree, then try Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":64618,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"tax_ctp_authors":[1081],"tax_ctp_books":[],"tax_ctp_categories":[142],"tax_ctp_field_guide_subcategory":[143],"tax_ctp_field_guides":[195],"tax_ctp_format":[148],"tax_ctp_multimedia":[],"tax_ctp_point_editor":[],"tax_publications":[156],"tax_ctp_tags":[3604,3609,3610,3615,3793],"tax_ctp_topics":[],"class_list":["post-9293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tax_ctp_authors-charles-arn","tax_publications-leadership-journal","tax_ctp_tags-church-attendance","tax_ctp_tags-church-growth","tax_ctp_tags-church-health","tax_ctp_tags-church-membership","tax_ctp_tags-discipleship"],"acf":{"scripture_references":null},"yoast_head":"\nWhat Does a Disciple 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