Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV
It makes sense. You can’t make disciples if you aren’t a disciple.
When Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ,” it might sound bold or even arrogant at first. But that’s the way we truly become disciples – through relationship. Jesus came in the flesh to connect us to God. Learning to follow Jesus is lived visibly, not just explained verbally. Successfully helping another person follow Jesus is more about imitation than instruction.
It is not about becoming loyal to a person. Paul was not telling them to make him their hero. He knew that discipleship is more about modeling than messages. God’s people had centuries of prophets telling them about God, but only when Jesus came in person did everything change. People are always shaped less by what leaders say than what they do. We are formed by what our leaders consistently love, prioritize, tolerate, and practice. Paul said, “Follow me” because he had aligned his life by faithfully following Jesus, and those around him could see it. The minute a person’s life is no longer aligned around being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing as He did, that person is no longer worthy to be followed.
This is how disciples multiply. Jesus formed the disciples as they lived in close relationship. The disciples then formed people to follow Jesus as they followed. Disciples exploded all through the culture as faith spread person to person, life to life, with one-to-one imitation of living with and like Jesus. That’s still the way it happens. Faithful followers of Jesus grow to maturity and are living examples of forgiveness, generosity, courage, repentance, love, prayer – every characteristic of Jesus.
Many, if not most of us, are more comfortable and willing to say, “Here’s what I believe.” Fewer are willing to say, “If you want to follow Jesus, pattern your life after me.” Yet that IS what making disciples is about. True disciple-making is a life of integrity and relationship where we make certain our private lives match our public faith.
Paul did not make disciples through letters and sermons. He was making disciples by walking closely enough with them that they could see Jesus reflected in his ordinary life, serving, working, suffering, worshiping, loving, remaining faithful. His life validated his verbal and written message.
- Being a disciple and making disciples is being with Jesus, becoming like Him, and helping others do the same.