We hear the word ‘discipleship’ a lot within our faith. You may have heard it yourself at a church gathering, Bible study, or just in conversation. What does this really mean? What is discipleship, and how do we be disciples?
Discipleship is more than a theological concept, or complicated academic thought. It is to follow Jesus’ message and the lessons he shares with us. It is the actions we take in our lives. Though deeply personal, discipleship does not have to be done alone. Coming together in community to learn, teach, and encourage each other in learning about faith is at the heart of discipleship. Our communities can be found everywhere; in our churches, our SCM communities, and amongst our friends. It is the people who support us in growing in our faith, who will pray with us, and who will put their faith into action with us.
Putting our faith into action is an important part of understanding what our discipleship looks like. It challenges us to think broadly about the actions which we take, and what is important to us. These actions can be part of large, existing campaigns, or they can be an everyday smaller action which we do all the time. Faith into action does not mean we have to be out on protest marches every weekend, or meeting with our local MP often, even though this is what it can mean for some. It can be using a reusable cup for our cup of tea when we’re out and about, or shopping at a local charity shop instead of a high street retailer. Our actions can also be joyful. They can celebrate the joy of being ourselves, expressing our identities authentically, and sharing the joy of our community. Our actions reflect what we care about, and the lives we live. Our faith has inspired us to act and make public our discipleship.
Our discipleship can be found in our everyday lives. It is the actions we take, the community we have with others, the way we express our faith. Our expression of our joy and celebrations of our communities in all their diversity is an expression of the message of Jesus. Our love and care for each other brings us closer to the Kingdom of God. To welcome everyone into our communities, and to take action for what we care about is to be a disciple in the world.
Over Lent, we will be sharing the thoughts and reflections of SCM members on discipleship; what it means to them, and how they live it. Follow us on social media to keep up with our latest blogs!