Discipleship: No Secret Handshakes, Just Life with Jesus

Orderly Podcast

Being a disciple of Jesus means learning from Him and staying close to Him. But let’s be real: the term “disciple” or “making disciples” can feel a bit fuzzy. Is it a Bible study? A church program? A secret handshake club? Let’s clear things up—and have some fun while we’re at it.

What Discipleship Is (And What It’s Not)

There’s so much confusion about this word. Some people think discipleship is just going to Bible studies. Others think it’s a fancy church program, like Christianity 101 but with potlucks. Then there’s the whole “habits and practices” angle, which is helpful but can feel a bit like Christian self-help if you’re not careful. Here’s the truth: discipleship isn’t about content; it’s about relationship. It’s not a checklist or a workbook—it’s a way of life.

I saw a meme that nailed it: “Discipleship is not content.” Boom. That’s it. It’s about being in relationship with Jesus and with others, usually in small groups, living life together. So, spoiler alert: we’re not actually doing discipleship on this podcast. We’re just talking about it. Sorry to disappoint.

A Three-Part Discipleship Series

Here’s the game plan for this series:

1. How Jesus disciples us (that’s today!)

2. How others help disciple us

3. Our turn to go and make disciples

The Bible’s First Discipleship Program: Rabbi & Talmid

Back in the day, being a disciple (or talmid) was serious business. You didn’t just show up to a weekly study. You literally lived with your rabbi. Ate with him. Walked like him. Talked like him. Basically, you became his clone. The idea was to absorb every single thing he did so you could do it too.

But Jesus flipped the script. Most rabbis waited for students to come begging. Not Jesus. He called His disciples straight out of their day jobs. Fishermen, tax collectors—you name it. They weren’t the valedictorians of the rabbi pipeline. And that’s the point: Jesus doesn’t care about our qualifications. He sees our potential and says, “You. Come with Me.” (Cue the heart eyes.)

Discipleship Means Closeness

John Mark Comer’s book Practicing the Way breaks it down into three steps:

1. Be with Jesus

2. Become like Jesus

3. Do as Jesus did

It all starts with being with Jesus. Closeness is key. You can’t be discipled by someone you’re not spending time with. And yeah, there’s a cost. Mark 8:34 talks about denying ourselves and taking up our cross. Sounds intense, but it’s worth it. Trust me.

How Jesus Modeled Discipleship

Let’s take a closer look at how Jesus rolled:

• He lived, traveled, and ate meals with His disciples.

• They cooked together (and probably argued over who’d do the dishes).

• They went to synagogue, visited friends, and partied (yes, Jesus went to parties!).

• They grieved together during hard times.

• Jesus shared vulnerable moments, like in the Garden of Gethsemane.

• He explained His actions and broke things down when the disciples were confused (which was often).

• They did ministry together—teaching, healing, serving.

Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples what to do; He showed them. Every moment was a teaching moment.

Practical Takeaways

Here’s the deal: letting Jesus be your Rabbi means inviting Him into your everyday life. Ask yourself:

• Are there areas of your life you’re keeping off-limits?

• What habits, relationships, or sins might He be asking you to hand over?

This week, take a few quiet moments (or noisy ones—Jesus doesn’t mind) to sit with Him. Ask Him how He wants to disciple you. And remember: it all starts with being with Him. The rest? He’ll take care of that. Let the adventure begin.

For more faith-filled resources, visit beckycrawley.com and stephaniehillberry.com.