Discipleship in Christianity and Its Five Stages

Introduction

Discipleship is a core element of Christianity and it enables believers to start their journey in the companionship of Christ. Nonetheless, before embarking on a journey someone needs to be aware of his/her current location in relation to his/her destination. In this scenario, discipleship will be addressed as a journey from the beginning to the end. In addition, this paper will show that without knowing his/her stage of the journey, it is easy for a disciple to be lost altogether. The paper will begin by summarizing and analyzing the five stages and four spheres of discipleship. Furthermore, the paper will offer a reflection of the stage of discipleship that I am currently in and analyze this position scholarly and biblically. Finally, the essay will focus on what it takes to be in complete submission to the Christian faith.

Five Stages of Discipleship

The first stage of discipleship involves being spiritually dead whereby an individual has not yet accepted the fellowship of Christ. In the first stage of discipleship, individuals are supposed to be raised, as they are spiritually dead due to their lack of companionship with God the giver of life¹. Therefore, in this stage individuals fail to recognize their sins and transgressions. Individuals might choose to remain in this stage when they deny the supremacy of God, refer to themselves as spiritual beings, continue to seek God in their own ways, and consider themselves to be Christians even though they do not exhibit the fruits of the holy spirit ². Having the fruits of the Holy Spirit is the only ticket from the first stage of discipleship.

The second stage of discipleship involves being a spiritual infant and this level covers new believers or individuals whose faith has failed to mature. In the Epistles, Peter equates newly initiated Christians to babies who need spiritual guidance just as babies need milk³. Nevertheless, individuals who are in the second stage of discipleship have some spiritual fire in them but they need to graduate from infancy. This graduation involves familiarizing oneself with advanced teachings of the Christian faith. It is important to note that individuals in this stage are well equipped but they only require practice for them to graduate to the next level of discipleship. However, in this second stage, individuals are vulnerable and they might be harmed by various outside influences.

In the third stage of discipleship, one is a child who has moved from being born and he/she is done with infancy. In addition, it is possible for individuals in the higher stages to slip back to the child level. The most important activity for third-level disciples is to pursue activities that lead to growth. This stage also calls for individuals to start establishing spiritual relationships with other believers and not just with Christ. One of the important factors to note during this stage is that “it is not the amount of time that passes that marks the difference between the mature and immature; it is what has happened or not happened in a relational discipleship process during that time”⁴.

The fourth stage of discipleship is that of a Young Adult and it marks the combative level of growth. The people who are in level four have ideally adopted spirituality and triumphed over evil. In this level, one progresses “from being self-centered to being God-centered and starts practicing the word of God”⁵. Furthermore, believers begin realizing their life purpose during the fourth stage and they harness their God-given gifts to accomplish their functions. Some of the needs that individuals have in this stage include learning how to serve and having spiritual mentors.

The final stage of discipleship is being a parent whereby an individual has become a mentor to other disciples. Essentially, mentoring is the hallmark of individuals who have achieved level five because at this stage individuals must begin to reproduce⁶. Failure to reproduce relegates individuals to the level of young adults as evident from Timothy 2:1-2. Achieving stage five of discipleship does not necessarily indicate that an individual has become perfect. However, at this level of growth an individual is able to react and cope with the various elements of discipleship. As parents, individuals should also be able to help other disciples in their spiritual journeys.

The Four Spheres of Discipleship

The first sphere of discipleship is the centrality of relationship with God and it signifies that individuals are called to serve under Christ. This sphere is responsible for linking an individual to the other spheres⁷. Furthermore, this sphere motivates individuals to act in a manner that indicates that they are in fellowship with Christ. The second sphere of discipleship is involved with being in a God’s family or the connection between an individual and the church. In the Epistles, Paul stresses on the importance of belonging to the body of Christ⁸. Therefore, if the first sphere is fellowship with Christ, it is only logical for the second one to involve relationships with others. The importance of the second sphere relationship is elaborated by Bonhoeffer who tracks the journey of Christ by noting that “He became human, was crucified, and is risen therefore Christians do not form the world with their own mind; instead it is Christ forming us into His image”⁹.

The third sphere of discipleship applies to a person’s familial relationships. This sphere is central to the teachings of Paul when he talks about the pecking order in a Christian family. Therefore, it is important for “husbands to love their wives, wives to respect their husbands, and children to honor their parents”¹⁰. The point of the third sphere is to ensure that family relationships are not sacrificed at the expense of the ministry of Christ. The fourth sphere of discipleship involves a believer and his/her relationship with the world. A believer who is in a working relationship with Christ should be able to represent his/her master in a certain way when he/she is out in world. For instance, remaining humble and transparent in our activities and intentions is the right way to represent Christ to the rest of the world. When all spheres of discipleship converge, individuals can become effective in their services to the ministry of Christ.

Current Stage of Discipleship

After a brief assessment of my journey, I reckon that I am at the parent stage of discipleship. Nevertheless, there are times I find myself acting in the ways of spiritually young adults. For example, acting with bravado in times of spiritual turmoil is something a parent-disciple should not do but I sometimes react in this manner. As a final level disciple, I should know that “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength”¹¹. Therefore, my own strength does not matter in the course of my discipleship.

Submitting to the Centrality of the Cross

According to Bonhoeffer, all believers should be aware that the cross that they bear has its origins in the suffering of Christ¹². Therefore, it is important for us to endure suffering and at the same time recognize that it is for our own benefit. In this regard, I need to factor out the element of material and social success in the course of my discipleship. Most modern Christians, (myself included) are susceptible to forming connections between their journeys and their worldly fortunes. However, as Bonhoeffer has pointed out each person bears a custom-made cross and not each of us goes through unique tribulations. Overall, the only thing I should concentrate on is having a teachable spirit.

Conclusion

Salvation is not a simple fact of life or a destination but it is a journey that dedicated Christians embark on as evident through the concept of discipleship. Therefore, submitting to Christ should align with the teachings of Apostle Paul when he said that every individual who is called by Christ has a specific mission and purpose¹³. Becoming saved does not mean that a destination has been acquired but it indicates that a journey has started. Good Christians should enjoy the journey of salvation from infancy to parenthood.

Jim Putnam’s five stages of discipleship show that an adequate Christian has the ability to transform “from being a self-centered agent to God-centered living and by applying Putnam’s four spheres of life we understand the importance of oneness with Christ, relationships, encouraging one another, and bearing each other’s burdens”¹⁴. Submitting to Christ does not only entail giving into the pleasures of life but also to its difficulties. Therefore, Christians should not take up the ministry with the view of escaping the toils of life but for the purpose of making sense out of these difficulties. This sentiment is found in the book of James where these words appear: “consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”¹⁵.

Bibliography

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works Vol 4. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2003.

Bruce, Frederick F. The international Bible commentary: with the new international version. New York, NY: Marshall Pickering, 1986.

Falwell, Jerry. Building Dynamic Faith. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2007.

Putman, Jim, Bobby William Harrington, and Robert Coleman. DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples. London: Zondervan, 2013.

The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.

Whitney, Donald S. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2014.

Footnotes

1. Jim Putman, Bobby William Harrington, and Robert Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples (London: Zondervan, 2013), 23.
2. Ibid., 45.
3. Peter 2:2-3 (NIV).
4. Jim Putman, Bobby William Harrington, and Robert Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples (London: Zondervan, 2013), 23.
5. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works Vol 4 (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2003), 45.
6. Jim Putman, Bobby William Harrington, and Robert Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples (London: Zondervan, 2013), 31.
7. Donald S Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2014), 34.
8. Frederick F Bruce, The international Bible commentary: with the new international version (New York, NY: Marshall Pickering, 1986), 98.
9. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works Vol 4 (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2003), 55.
10. Ibid., 48.
11. Philippians 4:13 (NIV).
12. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works Vol 4 (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2003), 57.
13. Jerry Falwell, Building Dynamic Faith (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2007), 18.
14. Jim Putman, Bobby William Harrington, and Robert Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples (London: Zondervan, 2013), 31.
15. James 1:2-4 (NIV).