Three L's of Discipling

Life, Likeness, Lordship

Most people are clear and confident about the gospel proclamation where we focus on:

the person of Christ (who he is)
the work of Christ (his life, death, and resurrection)
the invitation of Christ (surrendering and following him)

We never finish or stop proclaiming the gospel (see this great article by Sean McGever for more). Our evangelizing doesn't end in order to make room for discipling. We continue talking about the person, work, and invitation of Jesus. But when our students begin following Jesus, our proclamation expands to include discipling. We talk about deeper things as we help kids grow closer to Jesus and become more like him.

These three major themes can help frame the focus of your discipling ministry:

Life in Christ
Likeness of Christ
Lordship of Christ

All three are woven throughout the full biblical narrative.

All three intersect with what some youth ministry experts view as the main concerns of adolescence: identity, purpose, and belonging.

And all three have deep eternal consequences not just for those we disciple but also for our own lives of discipleship.

Life in Christ

We are very good at introducing adolescents to Jesus who offers grace, forgiveness, and new life. But unless we also introduce them to Jesus who calls them to abide in him, we have not proclaimed the full gospel. As we abide in Jesus, we also participate with him by daily dying to ourselves so we can be raised and transformed into new creation.

Life in Christ means not only that in him we live, move, and have our being, but that only in him do we live, move, and have our being. It means that without Christ, we do not have life. It means that Christ — and nothing else — is the source and center of life.

This kind of deep faith doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lifetime. It's the movement from faith being real to faith being personal to faith being central. We never stop pursuing this kind of faith ourselves, and we help start our students on this path as we disciple them.

Likeness of Christ

We are very good at introducing adolescents to a Jesus who rescues and redeems them just as they are. But unless we also introduce them to Jesus who calls them to "come and die" and become more like him in thought, word, and deed, we have not proclaimed the full gospel. Scripture is filled with clarion calls to live like Jesus, love like Jesus, serve like Jesus, obey like Jesus, and surrender like Jesus.

Becoming more like Jesus requires that abiding leads to conforming; that our being with him leads to being like him; that our identification with him leads to imitation of him; and that our new birth through him ushers in new creation with him.

As we become more like Jesus, who was the image of the invisible God, we are also restored to God’s original creation design. We become humans who once again bear and reflect the image of God. Ultimately, spiritual formation and transformation is the work of the Spirit, but it requires our willing participation and surrender.

Lordship of Christ

We are very good at introducing adolescents to Jesus the rescuer, Jesus the forgiver, Jesus the redeemer, and Jesus the close friend. But unless we also introduce them to Jesus the Lord and King, we have not proclaimed the full gospel.

The Good News of Jesus Christ is that the only true King of Kings has arrived to take his rightful place on the throne of God. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that the only true King of Kings invites humans — not one of whom is deserving — to join that Kingdom through redemption and adoption. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that this temporary chaotic world does indeed have a reigning Lord who is always good and always right. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that we can know, follow, love, and serve the King of Kings who ushers us into the presence of our true and eternal Father. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that Jesus is Lord, and because of that, we can live boldly and confidently in his expansive love and mercy.

Our identity is found in Christ: life in Christ.
Our purpose is to become more Christlike: likeness of Christ.
We belong to Christ: Lordship of Christ.

These three themes can help frame your discipling content and conversations with students.

Reflect - Discuss

How might thinking about life-likeness-Lordship help frame your own discipleship and your discipling ministry?
How can you begin expanding your student's understanding of Jesus to include his Lordship — that is his authority over every part of our lives? How does this intersect with his love and grace?
What's one way you can move your own discipleship and your discipling forward in each of these three areas (life in, likeness of, Lordship of)?

For more about abiding and conforming to Jesus, check out the first few lessons in Head-Heart-Hands.