Discipleship

Most of us are familiar with the Great Commandment, to love God and our neighbours, and the Great Commission, to make disciples of Christ. Rev Edmund Chan’s book, A Certain Kind, showed me that the Great Commission is the outworking of the Great Commandment. Out of our love for God, we desire to love others. And out of our love for others, we desire to see them follow Christ and mature towards Christlikeness. ​

So, where do I begin? I realised that my challenge was not in obeying the call to “make disciples,” but the call to be a lifelong disciple myself. As I continued reading A Certain Kind, I was struck by how unfamiliar I was with being discipled. The book convicted me that I must be a “certain kind” of disciple in order to disciple others. ​

I have always tended to handle things independently, especially when faced with life’s difficulties or personal struggles. In the past, opening up to my mentor about my struggles was incredibly hard. I was afraid to share because I did not want anyone to speak life or difficult truths into those areas. This reluctance made me realise how unwilling I was to let God into those parts of my life. I resisted allowing the restorative healing power of Christ into those spaces. I feared working through issues with others because trusting in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit felt too distant. As D. L. Moody says “The Bible​ was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.” Real-life change only happens when we allow others to journey through life with us, beyond just church and worship services.​

Despite my hesitations, God continued to bless me with wise and godly mentors in various seasons of my life who have patiently walked with me, never giving up on me no matter how many times I tried to run away. In my current season of being discipled, I am learning to persevere in these relationships and be honest about the difficulties I face. God has shown me that having a mature Christian for accountability, guidance, and prayer is His way of blessing me as I work through all areas of my life. It is not a means of judgment or punishment. ​

Through the holistic care and love my mentors have invested in me, I have come to experience a deeper sense of God’s love. This has also taught me how to disciple others with both love and truth, trusting in God’s work in their lives. As I continue to grow in my walk with God, I gain the confidence to walk alongside others who need the life-giving, restorative power of Christ and the Holy Spirit to permeate every area of their lives. The quote, “You can only take others as far as you have gone,” challenges me to ask, “How much am I willing to love God and others? How far am I willing to go and grow?” I encourage all of us to seek godly mentors and disciplers in every season, even as we learn to obey God’s call to reach out to and walk alongside others in following Christ.​

By sister Pang Xin Xian​