Acts 11:25-26 ESV
“So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”

Something gets me in my spirit when I read this passage. These new believers were not just saved, they were discipled. If we are not training people after salvation we are setting them up to fail.

We don’t use the word discipleship much anymore in the church realm for the most part, because leaders decided it sounds too stringent, confining, old fashion.

I don’t care what you call it, every new believer needs to be discipled. These at Antioch received a full year of discipleship. They didn’t have a manual or even the New Testament to go by. I’m sure Paul had some notes somewhere, he was a writer, but I’m sure most of the gospel and discipleship was locked into his memory, he too was discipled well!

What is discipleship? Three key characteristics of a discipleship: 

1) Follow Jesus wholeheartedly, in actions, words, deeds and mindset.

2) Allow Jesus to change the old self into a new creation daily, which is essentially sanctification. (Sanctification is a cleansing work from the sinful nature and giving us the right attitude, mindset and character of Jesus, holy and acceptable to God.)

3) Be committed to the mission of Jesus Christ. Testify, encourage, strengthen one another, lead others to Him.

Prayer:
Lord, never let me lead others to you and then walk away. Everyone deserves the benefits of discipleship.