Discipleship
"I (Paul)...beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.’ The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ."
(Ephesians 4: 1-8, 11-13)
What is Discipleship?
Discipleship is the ministry of all the baptized. Through our baptism, we are called into a mature realization of our faith through which we engage in spiritual growth, discernment of God's call in our lives, and the desire to share God's gifts with all people to pattern our lives after Jesus and his teachings. While our discipleship journeys are unique, we are all formed through faith and are called to share our gifts of ministry within and outside of our congregations. One simple way to describe basic Christian practice is: Pray, Learn, Serve, Connect. This isn’t an original insight, but rather a model that’s been around, in various forms, for centuries.
Christians who take discipleship seriously pray and worship regularly. They are always learning more about the faith, especially through immersing themselves in the Bible and seeking ways in which to enrich their faith. They serve and advocate for the vulnerable, both through various ministries of the Church and in daily life in their families, workplaces, and communities. And they connect with others: with fellow Christians, the vulnerable, and all people, wherever they may be.
We all tend to gravitate to some practices over others. Learning may come easily, but serving often feels less natural, for example. But, as Paul reminds us, God gave us different gifts to equip us all for ministry to build up the body of Christ. It is when we embrace our gifts, in community with others, that we will be more likely to experience God’s abundant grace in our lives.
The School of Discipleship
The School of Discipleship in the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma seeks to support the ministry of all the baptized by offering opportunities for discernment, formation, and encouragement for the ways in which God calls each of us into ministry.
Learn more about our School of Discipleship HERE.
We are the Episcopal Church in Oklahoma.