Christ Presbyterian Church

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If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." -Jesus (Luke 9:23)

What does it mean to Become at CPC?

Just as God meets us where we are at, He also doesn't want us to stay there. While we are called to just Be with God, that being changes us. Jesus calls us to, "Come, follow me." Jesus bids us to draw near to Him. As we draw closer to Jesus, we are transformed into His likeness and we become like Jesus. This is the life of a disciple--becoming like Jesus. However, discipleship is not just about personal transformation.

Discipleship is about responding to a call and servingthe Lord. Being a disciple of Jesus literally means being His student. Jesus' great commission to his students was to go and make more students of Him. We are to lead people and walk with them into a transformational relationship with Jesus.

A Philosophy of Discipleship

At CPC we are striving to be a place that cultivates and trains disciples. Our job isto expand the Kingdom of God not just in our building, but in our homes, in our workplace, in our communities, in the world. Discipleship happens in relationship. Life on life. People not programs. Sunday School, bible studies or programs are not the primary location where discipleship occurs. Although they help supplement the life of a disciple.

We want to help facilitate and equip people to not just believe in the Lord but to be His disciples, and go and make disciples. The programs and activities that we offer are meant to facilitate your entering into mentoring relationships (discipleship) inside and outside the walls of this church. Discipleship happens in every moment of life.

Discipleship is. . .¹

. . . Intentional

Discipleship is intentional in that we make disciples, we are following the example of Jesus in reaching out to people taking initiative toward individuals who might become his disciples. Disciple making involves more than rubbing shoulders with friends--it is intentionally and actively helping them live on the growing edge of their faith.

. . . Individualized

Discipleship is individualized because no two people learn, change or grow in exactly the same way. Jesus sees us unique individuals. He invites us, not to a philosophy or a program, but toa unique relationship with himself. Effective discipleship-making is suited to that uniqueness. It does not come with a prefabricated formula. The process of disciple-making is inductive; it develops and grows as we learn our friends needs and interests.

. . . Inspired

Discipleship is inspired. We cannot make be effective disciple-makers if the Spirit of God is not at work in our lives and in the lives of those we disciple. Disciple-making is difficult, but is rewarding. The reward is that of the soldier fighting a battle, the athlete running the race or the farmer working hard to harvesta crop (2 Tim. 2:3-6). If we are not inspired to be disciple-makers, we will not be able to do the job.

¹Frying, Alice. Disciple-makers' Handbook ©1987