Turnover: Being Discipled by Noah Woodruff

Turnover:

1, a delicious pastry treat, typically filled with apples or cherries.

2. when I turnover my blog to someone in our church family who has some thoughts or experiences to share on topics that relate to our church's vision statement.

Being Discipled, by Noah Woodruff

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. – Ezra 7:10

Seek, do, and teach. I see discipleship as a component of Christianity that reflects the example of Ezra and fulfills one of Christ’s commands. Christ’s last words on earth to believers contain the charge to “go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19-20) As a young Christian man I see a responsibility to passionately pursue discipleship relationships that provoke my spiritual growth and lay a foundation for future kingdom work.

Last winter my parents encouraged me to look into having an older man from Faith Church disciple me. I approached Dave Perry who was teaching our Financial Peace University class and he enthusiastically agreed to serve as a mentor.

As our schedules permit we meet every couple weeks, a typical dialogue lasting about an hour. Mr. Perry and I may begin our conversation talking about business marketing and end with an analysis of Dietrich Bonheoffer’s ministry; at other times we have spent the entire time discussing a book of mutual familiarity.

One of the greatest assets that DNA groups provide you with is the opportunity to craft a spiritual fitness and nutrition plan that targets specific areas for growth. Discipleship establishes a challenging but safe environment where you know that someone who has your best interest at heart will provide sound counsel that encourages you to pursue Christ and avoid the pitfalls of the world; someone willing to pray with and for you to be successfully in living out your faith.

In the short term, discipleship focuses on personal growth via the addition of knowledge and experience; in the long run, discipleship lays a foundation for widespread growth via multiplication as you become a vessel by which truth is distributed to others. By the grace of our God, we have a have the honorable duty to advance the His Kingdom across the battlefields of our culture. Discipleship cannot be a weapon that sits idle in the armory. Go on the offensive—seek, do, and teach the Scriptures that give our lives purpose and meaning.

Interested in submitting an article for consideration? Here are a few guidelines:

1. Looking for articles that clearly relate to our church's vision statement or a current sermon series.

2. The best articles would be those of a personal experience or testimony.

3. Keep word count to under 350.

4. Please note, submitting an article does not guarantee that it will be posted.

5. Feel free to submit photos or videos along with your article.

6. Submit your article to me at ssiepel@faithchurch.net. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.