At the heart of the discussion about discipleship is the definition of faith. Dietrich Bonhoeffer defined faith as obedience-only the obedient believe and only those those who believe are obedient. The idea that faith is only real in obedience is simple yet profound. It is also an inescapable truth, for obedience is the only evidence that someone has believed. When faith in Christ is taught as discipleship, it becomes a faith that will raise the church from its deathbed. If you think by discipleship I mean participation in a program in a church, then you have a very programmic view of discipleship. We have made small what God meant to be big. The life of discipleship is apprenticeship to Christ for all of our lives. It is about a heart for God, it is a life where we have chosen his life, a life of humility, submission, obedience and sacrifice. Discipleship has languished for years in a theological ghetto, it has been trapped in a world of programs, curriculums, and check-lists. So many people say, ” I have been discipled, I graduated from that and have gone on to deeper things.” You don’t graduate from following Jesus, it is life long and we continue to learn. Faith means to take up our cross daily and follow our leader-if you have lost your edge, if your zeal has waned, it could be that you are a discipleship drop out. Dust yourself off and get back on the path.posted by Bill Hull at
http://blog.bible.org/hull/content/getting-discipleship-out-ghetto
