The Discipleship Profile

Possesses a teachable disposition
One of the marks of a Jesus-centered life is one of humility. Christian maturity can be seen in the life of one who is slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19). We see in scripture that mature followers heed the instruction of those ahead of them in life and in positions of authority over them (Proverbs 1:8). A Jesus-centered person hungers for the truth from those they trust, even when it is hard to hear, because they know it will bless and develop them (Proverbs 27:6).

Reflection:

1. What is something recently that you feel Jesus has convicted you about?
2. Who in your life has permission to give you unfiltered feedback?
3. When was the last time you wanted to learn about yourself, even if it wasn’t pleasant?
4. Consider asking someone who is a more mature follower of Jesus these questions. “Where in my life do you think I need to grow?” and “What do you think is holding me back from growing?”

Leverages relationships to help others take their next steps spiritually
Every single Jesus follower became a Christian because they benefited from the investment of someone in their life. God’s primary method for reaching people is people (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Because of this, a person leading a Jesus-centered life is one that wisely and intentionally leverages their relationships for Jesus-centered purposes (Ephesians 5:15–17).

Reflection:

1. Other than your children or spouse, who are you helping to take their next step?
2. If you were to honestly assess yourself, on a scale of 1-10, how intentional and how faithful are you in living this out? Why did you rate yourself this way? How can you improve?
3. Who is someone who you think lives this out well? List out a few examples of things they do that make them good at this.
4. Who is someone in your life that you need to be more intentional to help them take their next step?

Lives in biblical community
Christian faith is personal, but it is not private. Following Jesus is an invitation into the family of God (Ephesians 1:5). In fact, our life in this biblical community is a litmus test for the health of our relationship with God (John 13:34–35). This is the kind of life where we receive and provide encouragement (Hebrews 10:25), fellowship (1 John 1:7), service (Galatians 5:13), kindness (Ephesians 4:32), tolerance (Colossians 3:13), love (1 Peter 4:8), inspiration (Hebrews 1:24), challenge (Colossians 3:16), forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32), and much more. There is no Christianity apart from biblical Christian community.

Reflection:

1. Who are Christians in your life that you receive encouragement, support, and/or challenges from? How do they provide these things?
2. Who are Christians in your life you’re able to give back to (such as serving, discipling, loving, etc.)?
3. How do you provide these things?
4. What is one way you bring value to the Biblical community of others?
5. What is one biblical community need that you can pray to God for?

Dispenses forgiveness quickly
One key character trait of anyone living a Jesus-centered life is genuine and prompt forgiveness. The way that a Christian extends forgiveness is often an informative metric of the quality of his/her relationships with others (Luke 7:47). Jesus makes it clear that how we forgive others is a perfect illustration of how we view our forgiveness (Matthew 18:21–35)!

Reflection:

1. Do you have any unforgiveness that you are holding on to?
2. When was the last time you asked for forgiveness from another Christian?
3. Spend time this week praying for them and asking God to help you to forgive.

Practices spiritual disciplines
A Jesus-centered person is someone who regularly connects with God through spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading (Psalm 119:16), prayer (Matthew 6:1-15), fasting (Matthew 6:16-18), worship (Acts 16:25), journaling (Romans 12:3), solitude (Luke 5:16), giving (Matthew 6:1–4), meditation (Psalm 119:97,99), confession (1 John 1:9), and accountability (James 5:16).

Reflection:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how discipled are you spiritually? Why did you rate yourself this way? How can you improve?
2. What’s a next step you can take this week to improve practicing a spiritual discipline?
3. Who is someone who you think practices their spiritual disciplines well that you can ask to learn from?
4. This week, schedule a time for the near future where you can learn from them.

Submits to the authority of Scripture
One of the most significant marks of a Jesus-centered life is a life grounded in the authority of scripture. Mature Christians recognize that everything they need for life and godliness is found in and through the truth of scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). Through the work of the Holy Spirit, God uses scripture to convict us of sin, lead us to righteousness, and understand ourselves rightly (Hebrews 4:12–13).

Reflection:

1. When was the last time you didn’t like something in the Bible, but you submitted to it even when you didn’t want to?
2. If you were being totally honest with yourself, what areas of your life have chosen not to submit to the authority of scripture?
3. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where you need to submit to what He has put on your heart or revealed in Scripture.
4. What are the excuses you usually give yourself for not submitting?
5. This week, ask a mature Christian in your life how they are intentionally submitting to scripture.

Takes sin and its effects seriously
The mature Jesus follower recognizes the danger of sin in the world and in his own life (Genesis 4:7). They are motivated by a desire to honor God with their life because their life was purchased with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross (1 Corinthians 6:20). A Jesus-centered person humbly recognizes the ongoing struggle of his sin nature (Romans 7:21–24) and has an urgent desire to pursue obedience and holiness. He grieves the effects of sin in the world, starting with the sin in his own life (1 Timothy 1:16).

Reflection:

1. Do you have any unconfessed sin in your life?
   Where is an area in your life where you genuinely desire holiness?
2. On a scale of 1-10, how much grief do you feel over the sin in your life? Why did you rate yourself this way? How can you improve?
3. Do you tend to feel more guilty about getting caught or more convicted about doing what is right?
4. This week confess your sin to God. If you have a close friend who is a Christian confess to them.

Rests in the sovereignty of God, especially amidst trial
A Jesus-centered life is one of confidence, even amidst loss, injustice, and trial (Philippians 1:6). A Jesus-centered person recognizes that God uses the bad for our good (Romans 8:28 & Genesis 50:20), so we should anticipate trials with resolve and not with surprise (1 Peter 4:12).

Reflection:

1. What are one or two areas in your life that you are waiting on God for right now?
2. Can you think of any examples of bad things that have happened that God has used for your good?
3. Are you avoiding any challenges or trials that God is allowing you to experience?
4. Pray this week for strength to wait on God and trust that he will use what is bad and hard for your good.

Owns the local church
A Jesus-centered man or woman does not sit passively as a consumer in the local church. Instead, they passionately participate in the work of God by contributing to and prioritizing their presence at the church (Hebrews 10:23-25). They diligently explore how they have been gifted by the Holy Spirit with the purpose of building up the church (1 Corinthians 14:12).

Reflection:

1. If everyone who calls Grace home owned the church like you owned the church how healthy would our church be? How would inviting, giving, and serving be going?
2. What excuses do you often give yourself for now owning the local church like you know you should?
3. Do you have any obligations such as giving, serving, or attending that you have drifted from?
4. Come up with a plan on how to re-engage and ask someone in your life to keep you accountable.

Motivated by a sense of gospel urgency
A mature Christian lives his life with eternity in mind (Philippians 3:14). Everything is leveraged for the hope of the gospel (​​1 Corinthians 7:29–31), while simultaneously understanding the burdens that come with the daily carrying of one’s cross.

Reflection:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your external and eternal eyes? Why did you rate yourself this way? How can you improve?
2. When was the last time you shared the gospel? (Think 3 Circles Conversation)
3. Who is someone in your life that you need to schedule time to invest in them so you can share the gospel?
4. Have you stopped using the 2 @ 2 alarm on your phone?
5. Reach out to one of your Two this week and put something on the calendar.