“That I be so transformed in your beauty that we may be alike in beauty, and both behold ourselves in your beauty, possessing then your very beauty; this, in such a way that each looking at the other may see in the other their own beauty, since both are your beauty alone.” —John of the Cross (1542-1591)[1]
Does this quote from John of the Cross resonate in your heart? Would it resonate in the hearts of your fellow congregational members? Are they passionate about transformation?
We agree that the mission of the church, and the mission of God in our lives, is to make (beautiful) disciples of Jesus. We also agree that discipling is a maturation process; believers are supposed to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).[2] Another way of saying this is that we are partnering with God to help people follow Jesus and join his mission. All our doctrines, practices, and congregational lives are anchored in these ideas.
Why We Need a Working Definition of a Maturing Disciple
But in order to pursue this discipling process, do we not need to know what a maturing disciple of Jesus looks like? How do we know if we are traveling on the road of maturity unless we know what the road looks like? In other words, how can we honor God’s mission unless we have a coherent and balanced biblical picture of a growing disciple? More specifically, how can we design sermons, small groups, adult education curriculum, children’s programs, etc., unless we have a clear picture of a maturing disciple? If a congregation has conflicting conceptions of a maturing disciple, their efforts will be confusing.
This highlights the need for long, careful study of Scripture on the part of everyone involved in drafting a definition. Below, for your consideration, is a 27-line definition of a maturing disciple. This is a working definition we can apply to ourselves and our ministries, so it is moderately detailed. We need more details than just phrases such as “be like Christ,” but we also don’t want to get lost in too many details; we could list hundreds of ideas related to growing as a disciple of Jesus.
Please note that I am not suggesting every association of believers should have the same definition, but each association should have a consensus on a coherent definition of a maturing disciple if they want to be effective in making disciples.
“But in order to pursue this discipling process, do we not need to know what a maturing disciple of Jesus looks like?”
Sadly, today we see many congregations prioritizing activities that have a low relevance to producing disciples of Jesus. This could be remedied by adopting a balanced biblical definition of a maturing disciple. Denominations would especially benefit from a definition of disciple they could promote among their congregations. This would help congregations develop cultures and ministries that would truly transform the members. It would also allow local or regional overseers to evaluate the effectiveness of congregations’ disciple making.
God’s Big Picture
Before we present a working definition, it will be helpful to take a step back and recall God’s big picture. God created Adam and Eve in his image, a truth which has numerous ramifications. He called humans to be fruitful, be united, be innocent, lead the planet, expand God’s paradise kingdom, multiply, enjoy pleasure, abide in God, be innocent, and live forever. Except for multiplying, all of these callings were critically injured in the Fall.
The Bible is a narrative of God’s mission to restore his image so that humans can fulfill their Edenic callings. At his incarnation, God the Son began the restoration of Eden, his kingdom. He became human so we could see what a human looks like when the image of God is restored. Through his death and resurrection, the Son enabled humans to receive a new self (a new Adam) “created to be like God” (Ephesians 4:24). Christ supplies grace to the “new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10).
Through this new birth and the process of maturity (which I like to refer to as Christformation), believers can now begin to fulfill their original callings. We can even fulfill our Edenic calling to “multiply” by bringing the lost into this new life. Yet, we cannot complete our callings until Jesus returns and ushers in the second phase of the restoration of his kingdom on a New Earth. Then we will live a “normal” Edenic life in God’s community, but we will be incorruptible. We will fulfill our original callings.
“Through this new birth and the process of maturity (which I like to refer to as Christformation), believers can now begin to fulfill their original callings.”
In disciple making we follow the example of Paul, who was “admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:28-29). Our goal is that God’s children will be fruitful in this age and the next. We lead others to be “joyful in hope” (Romans 12:12) that “when Christ appears, we shall be like him” (1 John 3:2) and enjoy God forever in the New Eden (Revelation 21, 22). John summarized this Christformation mindset: “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).
And our highest motivation for maturing as a disciple is our love for God and the Bridegroom. We make every effort that our “love may abound more and more…[that we] may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10). We pursue holiness so we can be pure on our wedding day (see Ephesians 5:25-27), when our love will be consummated and we can reunite with God in Christ. This is our highest destiny and happiness. Then we will begin our married life in the perfect community of love with God’s people.
Without this background, disciple making easily goes astray and becomes unsatisfying. This summary also confirms the supreme importance of adopting a working definition of a disciple, that is, someone well-suited for the New Earth. Congregations need to grasp that we are becoming mature disciples in order to fully participate in God’s big picture.
“Congregations need to grasp that we are becoming mature disciples in order to fully participate in God’s big picture.”
A Definition of a Maturing Disciple
Below, for your consideration, is the 27-line definition of a maturing disciple I developed and refined over eight years. I tried to include the highest priorities in Scripture. It is in the form of a declaration and can be used for both congregational recitation and individual devotion. It is designed to challenge and deepen our devotion. It is detailed enough to be used as a guide for planning and evaluating your congregation, even if you belong to a non-creedal tradition. To my knowledge, it is compatible with every Christian tradition. Of course, you may adapt it as desired for your congregation or association; the important thing is to have something in place.
The Christlike Creed
(A definition of a maturing disciple.)
I am a forgiven and loved child of God.
I have been reborn in the image of Christ.
I have the Spirit of God dwelling in me.
I am a member of God’s family.
I have spiritual gifts for blessing this family.
My destiny is the community of love with God and His people.
I need the Father’s Spirit and grace to become Christlike.
I need the support of God’s family in order to grow.
I need to pray and absorb Scripture to follow Jesus.
I commit to loving and trusting God with my whole self.
I commit to setting my mind and heart on Jesus and things above.
I commit to trusting the Bible.
I commit to acknowledging and turning away from my sins.
I commit to loving and forgiving all people, including enemies.
I commit to accepting God’s healing for my shame.
I commit to surrendering to God’s will in all things.
I commit to pursuing honesty, humility, and holiness.
I commit to trusting Jesus even when life is dark or painful.
I commit to being a channel of God’s kingdom coming to earth.
I commit to walking in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.
I commit to blessing those in my care.
I commit to exercising discernment in all matters.
I commit to speaking words of encouragement and blessing.
I commit to building godly friendships.
I joyfully look forward to seeing Jesus in the new creation.
And being completely Christformed and rewarded.
And united in love with God and His people.
Main Features of a Definition
The commitments relate to areas of lifetime growth; we can’t fully master them in this life. Even the doctrinal statements take a lifetime to fully absorb. Congregational culture should foster an attitude of constant growth, especially among leaders; they must model a humble desire for Christformation.
The stanzas are in logical order. The first stanza covers basic truths about our identity as a reborn child of God, indwelt by his Spirit. The second stanza emphasizes our key privileges as God’s children. In the third stanza, we acknowledge our dependence on God to work through his channels of growth if we are to mature in Christ.
In the next five stanzas, we express commitments to God. In the fourth stanza, we focus on our fundamental commitments to God. We commit to deeply loving and trusting God and his words.
In the fifth stanza, we focus on God’s purifying activity in our lives. The commitments to forgiving others and healing shame will go a long way toward healing the widespread emotional damage we find in our people. Many believers are hindered because they have not done deep forgiveness of offenders. Congregations must also learn to heal shame and self-rejection because so many children have been misparented or unloved; disciple making will be greatly handicapped until self-rejection is healed so people believe they can be loved.
“The commitments to forgiving others and healing shame will go a long way toward healing the widespread emotional damage we find in our people.”
In the sixth stanza, we focus on essential Christlike traits, especially obedience, honesty, humility, holiness, and growing through suffering. In the seventh stanza we focus on being a light to others. We seek to be channels of God’s kingdom coming to those around us. In the eighth stanza we focus on living and loving according to God’s wisdom.
In the ninth stanza, we focus on our destiny. We express our longing for our final transformation and the eternal community of love with God and his people.
Regular attention to this sort of declaration will go a long way toward establishing a congregational culture of Christformation. I hope you will consider gathering with your people, agreeing on a definition, then thoroughly applying it to your congregation, as well as to individual members.
American congregations devote immense amounts of time and money to ministry, but the fruit is not proportionate. If we do not galvanize our congregations for effective Christformation, our decline will continue. A working definition of a maturing disciple is an important step in the direction of forming beautiful disciples of Jesus.
[1] John of the Cross, The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, trans. Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez (Washington D.C.: ICS Publications, 1991), 611. Spiritual Canticle, Stanza 36, section 5. (Canticle, 36, 5.)
[2] All Bible quotations are from the NIV translation.
