The Convergence of the Missio Dei and the Imago Dei: A Way to Understand Discipleship

If churches (and thus leaders) would understand discipleship in this way, I believe it would help reframe the insalubrious discipleship practices and programs seen today.

I’ve had many conversations over the years with people affiliated with the church where I’ve asked them, “Are you a Christian?” to which they would respond, “Yes, of course.” Following their admission, I would ask them, “How do you know that you are a Christian?”

This is where it got interesting. Overwhelmingly, the majority of the time people would respond, citing “Christian activity” like baptism, Bible reading, praying, attending church, and tithing.

Here’s the problem: none of these activities make one a Christian. Yet, it seems that the church groomed a generation to think that way—whether intentionally or unintentionally. Therefore, we are now dealing with a Christian generation who understands Christian maturation more as assembly-line activities (or doing) rather than identity-forming understanding (or becoming).

What makes someone a Christian—a believer or follower of Christ–is his or her faith in the Lord Jesus to save them from their sin and to become his or her King. The reason I know that I am a Christian is because of a conscious decision I made around 30 years ago to confess my sins, to turn away from my sin of living life according to Josh, and to turn to Jesus as my Savior and King.

That’s how I know I am a Christian. And it is who I am that now informs and gives shape and formation to what I do (or how I live).

In this first post, I want to share three baselines for helping churches and believers understand a foundation of discipleship and thus hopefully help begin to solve the discipleship crisis in the church.

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