4 Biblical Principles to Help Define What is a Disciple

The word “disciple” is talked about a lot at your local church and YWAM Salem. But what is a disciple? And what does it mean to follow Jesus Christ in practice as well as through preaching?

At YWAM Salem, our discipleship training school enables you to become an efficient Christian disciple who answers Jesus' invitation to serve and share God's love with Christ's followers and others without hesitation.

But if we don’t know what a disciple is, how are we able to make them? 

Because the word "disciple" is so often associated with the New Testament Gospels and the 12 disciples, we miss the fact that we are called to be disciples in today's world too! Jesus commanded us, as his followers, to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”(Matthew 28:18-19)

Here at YWAM Salem, we base our disciple-making program on the following 4 biblical principles that help define what a disciple is and how to live that out in your DTS and beyond!

Curious about DTS and already familiar with the concept of making disciples? Check out our DTS FAQ to learn everything you need to know about our Christian discipleship training experience.

The 4 Biblical Principles of Discipleship

1. A Disciple Believes in Jesus’ Teachings (Matt.10:24)

The word disciple comes from the Greek word mathetes which translates to “a learner” in English.

For us to be a disciple, we need to be learners; students of Jesus and all that he taught. The most amazing part about this is that we don’t have to look very far to find what he taught! The Gospels are full of Jesus’ teachings we are able to follow and look to when we need guidance and direction.

2. A Disciple Understands the Weight of the Cross

Jesus died on the cross because God loved the world and everyone in it so much that he gave his son to die for us (John 3:16) and pay the ultimate price with his life to conquer sin and death.

To be a disciple of Jesus, we need to understand the weight of the cross and recognize that if we choose to follow him we agree to carry our own cross and chase after him with our lives (Luke 14:27-33). This means we have to believe that what he did on the cross happened, that he did rise from his grave three days later, and that we now take part in his suffering.

Feeling the weight of what Jesus gave allows us to partake in his suffering and be more aware of how we should live our lives in the context of it. It is the cost we get to count, but He is so worthy of it.

3. A Disciple Acknowledges the Holy Spirit

In John 14:26, Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit as the helper who is being sent in Jesus’ name to teach all things and to help us remember everything Jesus has said and done for us.

God knew that as humans, we needed help to remember, and because of that, He sent the Holy Spirit. Being a disciple of Jesus means we need to acknowledge the fact that the Holy Spirit is present with us and intends to help us as we navigate what Jesus taught and how to live as He did.

4. A Disciple Imitates the Life Jesus Lived on Earth

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church he writes,: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) to encourage them to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, so they would bring glory to God in everything they do. Imitating Jesus is a part of being a disciple because it enables us to put actions to what we have learned from him - to move in a direction of growth rather than just head knowledge.

The life of Jesus should move us to action: to love others without condition, to serve those around us, and to welcome others into the Kingdom of God without needing to receive something in return. He lived a selfless life that changed the world for the better.

Do a YWAM DTS to Become a Powerful Disciple

Being a disciple doesn’t have to be hard. It requires a heart to learn from Jesus and His life, to understand the impact of the cross, and the importance of the Holy Spirit encouraging us towards a life lived like Jesus.’ The best part about it is we don’t have to rely on our own strength to do it because right after He commands us to go and make disciples, He leaves us with a promise that He will be with us always (Matt. 28:20).

Just as Jesus called the 12 disciples into a lifetime of missions, YWAM Salem's DTS calls you to take control of your life and minister to communities across the world. If you are interested in furthering your missions capabilities, our Discipleship Training School could be the perfect place to start!

Our 6-month experience encourages learning and growing in your Christian life with other disciples, and then going to the Nations to share the love of Jesus.

Apply for DTS today!