What is your assignment as a Disciple?

From the Pastor's Desk

In the sermon "The Job Description of a Disciple," I shared one of my favorite Christian practices: listening to, reading, and watching great Christian testimonies. I consider this a spiritual practice because it stirs my faith to hear how my brothers and sisters in Christ have gone before me, setting excellent examples of laying down their lives for Jesus. 

Here is a list of testimonies and resources that could keep you reading, listening, and watching for years to come!

I referenced the video about Nikolas Ludwig Von Zinzendorf: The Rich Young Ruler Who Said Yes. I first heard of Zinzendorf on this Remnant Radio episode called "The Life of Count Zinzendorf."

Testimony Podcasts that I listen to:
  1. The Unseen Story (Miguel Valle's testimony is here, and I recorded one with them a week ago)
  2. Delafe Testimonies
  3. Compelled Podcast
  4. Voice of the Martyrs
Testimony Books:
  1. Foxe's Book of Martyrs by John Foxe
  2. Seeking Allah Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi
  3. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
  4. God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew
  5. The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson
  6. The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun
  7. Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger
  8. Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef
Of course, there are many more resources of this sort in the world. If you have a great testimony movie, book, or video that you think others should hear, post the link in the comments!

Sermon Notes




What We Believe: 
  1. A Disciple is someone who is a diligent student (of something)
  2. Disciple appears as a noun 269 times & a verb as 4 times. 
  3. Job description of a disciple: 
    1. Believe and be baptized
    2. Grow in knowledge of the word and live by it. (Learn the commands of God, commit to follow them, and then follow them.)
    3. Renounce/Disown all you have. ("Living a life daily of dying to yourself")
    4. Daily prioritizing Jesus and laying down your own life. 
    5. Love like Jesus loved. 
  4. How to make disciples? The preaching of the Gospel takes people from NOT being disciples to BEING disciples. 
  5. Simply believing facts about God doesn't make you a disciple. You must abide in Jesus' words. 
  6. You're not in a one-to-one relationship with others to learn about Jesus to BECOME a Disciple. You are in it because you ARE a Disciple. 
  7. Being a disciple means renouncing all you have. Renouncing in this context means you give up your right to own. Whatever you are allowed to keep... is as a steward, not as an owner. 
    1. Renouncing all you have means renouncing: 
      1. Your time
      2. Your comfort
      3. Your perception in the minds of others
      4. Your money
  8. A Disciple prioritizes Jesus over all things, all people, and even themselves. This means being prepared to die for Christ and daily sacrificial living for Jesus. 
  9. Being a Disciple means loving other disciples as Jesus loves us. You need to lay down your life for others. Before you can love like Jesus, you will have to lay down your life. There's no other way to love like Jesus because that's how He loved us. 
  10. Loving Jesus requires community. We cannot love others if we are in isolation. 
How to Obey: 
  1. Say yes to the general call of discipleship; it will help you say yes to your specific call to discipleship. 
  2. Ask yourself this question often: What is my personal, individual responsibility in following the Great Commission to "make disciples of all nations"?
  3. Make a list of things you own, including comforts, possessions, time, etc. 
    1. Pray, "Lord, I renounce these things. What would you like me to do with them? 
  4. Resources to encourage you to lay your life down: 
    1. Listen to testimonies from other Christians who give up everything for Jesus. 
    2. Listen to fellow believers in small group
    3. Listen to the Voice of the Martyrs podcast
    4. Read Foxe's Book of Martyrs
    5. Read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
    6. Read Seeking Allah Finding Jesus
  5. Pray a simple/dangerous prayer: 
    1. "Heavenly Father, today I renounce all that I have, even my own life. Please give me an assignment to say yes to." 
  6. Pray: "Heavenly Father, how can I love like Jesus today?" 
How to Walk Intimately with God: 
  1. Watch the documentary "The Rich Young Ruler Who Said Yes" on YouTube,
  2. Ask the Lord in prayer, "Is there anything I haven't surrendered to you?"
  3. Ask the Lord in prayer, "Is there anything you want me to lead and grow about You?"
  4. Ask the Lord in prayer, How can I love my neighbors? How can I love strangers? How can I love my family? 

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