The Discipleship Framework
A Spiritual Health-Check for Followers of Jesus

A disciple is simply a follower or an apprentice. If we think of modern apprentices, they learn on the job, in the context of relationship, and it was the same for ancient disciples. We are called to be disciples (or apprentices) of Jesus.

When Jesus first began calling His disciples, He said, “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” Their response was to immediately get up and follow Him. Their entire lives from then on were radically transformed, as they shadowed Jesus everywhere He went, learnt to become like Him, and gradually began to do the things He did.

We too have decided to follow Jesus, but unlike the first disciples, we aren’t on a Galilean shore being called by a flesh-and-blood Jewish rabbi who we can literally follow down the road! So how do we live in such a way that we prioritise being with Jesus, becoming like Him, and doing what He did? How can we position ourselves so we know where He is going, what He is saying, and what He is doing?

If we look at the New Testament, we can see how Jesus and His disciples shaped their lives, and use them as a model to build our day-to-day lives upon. It’s essential to state that even though we live out our following of Jesus in practical ways, we don’t do any of it to earn God’s love! As the apostle Paul tells us, “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by words, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV). The ways of Jesus bring rest to our weary and burdened souls as we “learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:30 MSG).

The Discipleship Framework is a model we have developed to help us arrange our lives around Jesus and His call. It is based on three facets of discipleship - three intertwined elements that are designed to work in synchronicity with each other. They are:

  • Heart to Heaven: These are the practices in our lives that direct our hearts to Heaven. They are all about our relationship with God, our devotion, and our intimacy. This includes prayer, Scripture, worship, resting in God, fasting, and communion.

  • Face to Face: This facet is all about our relationships with people. It captures anything that builds our connections with others, and cultivates our ability to love our neighbour. This includes community, fellowship, accountability, and family.

  • Beyond Myself: We are called to live out our love for God and people by being outwardly focused, pouring ourselves out for others. This includes serving, generous living, sharing the Gospel, ministering in the power of the Spirit, hospitality, caring for the world God has made, and even our work.

This three-part framework can function as a helpful discipleship health-check. Ask yourself: How are these facets working together in my life right now? Sometimes we can get “off-balance”, but this tool can help us to course-correct so we can keep focused on the main things.

If we have Heart to Heaven and Face to Face happening but neglect Beyond Myself, we can easily become "consumer Christians" who are unfruitful, self-centred, or even bored with faith. 

If we prioritise Heart to Heaven and Beyond Myself but not Face to Face, we often feel isolated and lonely, or can become unaccountable or bitter.

If we have Face to Face and Beyond Myself happening, but we don’t prioritise Heart to Heaven, we can set ourselves up to feel dry, distant from God, or at risk of burnout. We can lose touch with the very One that we're following!