Dimensions of Discipleship

True discipleship is holistic: we can’t be content to be growing in some areas and lacking in other areas.

Jesus engaged with people expecting that their discipleship would touch all aspects of their life, relationships, and even society as a whole.

As we’ve considered the nature of discipleship, we created a diagram to represent the 8 dimensions of a disciple. As Jesus became incarnate and lived among us, these are the ways we see him living.

Tree-of-Discipleship-1000

Here’s a look at what we mean by each of these 8 dimensions of discipleship:
experiencing-God Experiencing God: Intentionally and consistently engaging with God in such a way that you open yourself to a deeper understanding of him and deeper relationship with him.
spiritual-responsiveness Spiritual Responsiveness: Actively listening to the Holy Spirit and taking action according to what you are hearing.
sacrificial-service Sacrificial Service: Doing good works even when it’s costly, inconvenient or challenging.
generous-living Generous Living: Faithfully stewarding what God has given you so you can contribute toward the advancement of the Kingdom.
disciple-making Disciplemaking: Living in obedience to the great commission given by Jesus, which entails making more and better followers of Christ.
personal-transformation Personal Transformation: Changing your attitudes and behaviors in positive ways as a result of your relationship with God and others.
authentic-relationships Authentic Relationships: Engaging with other people in ways that reflect the heart of God toward them.
community-transformation Community Transformation: Personal involvement with others to facilitate positive change where you live and beyond.

If you’d like to learn more, check out The Discipleship Difference, my latest book coauthored with Dr. Charles R. Ridley. There we look at processes for holistic discipleship that allow for individual differences and listening to the Holy Spirit.

If you’re ready to dive in and evaluate your own life, check out the Discipleship Assessment. This 360 online evaluation allows others to speak into your life as well… for we never really travel alone on the journey of allowing God to work in our lives.