Gains in the Gym and in Christ

There are all sorts of people at the gym.  Overweight, skinny, jacked, athletic, old, and young.  Everyone is different and in a different place in their journey in the gym. I look around at each of the people sometimes and wonder where they are in their journey.  Are they in the beginning?  I see some pretty big folks talking to what I think is their personal trainers about where they will be if they stick with it.  And some slim folks as well about how their whole lives will change once they get that six pack they’re looking for.  I also wonder if they have a plan for their workout to achieve the goals they want. I wonder if they have a training regiment they adhere to or if they are just going from random machine to random machine just trying to figure out what to do. In the end though I just say to myself, “I’m glad they’re here. They just want to be healthier people.”

That mentality has made me think much of the church and how we function.  Those thoughts have me thinking about discipleship and christian living. Those who I see in the church my mind should be pondering the questions I asked above.  “Where are they on their spiritual journey?” “Do they have a plan to get where they want to be (or rather where they are supposed to be?)”  However, this illustration does fall apart when in the gym I would just say “I’m glad they are here.”  In the church and our walk in faith we cannot simply say that.  Jesus calls us to make disciples (Matt 28).  So we must find out the answers to  these questions among the community in the church.  But we must ask ourselves these questions first.  “Do I know where I stand in my relationship with Christ?” Then “Do I have a plan on how to look like Jesus more and more everyday?” 

These two questions are important.  The first establishes the course or direction we should go and the second is our plan of action to get there. Unless they were lucky no one has made significant progress or change without knowing where they were, where they were going, and a plan to get there. This is essentially discipleship.  Discipleship establishes who you are, where you’re going and how to get there in your relationship with Christ.  

I encourage and exhort you to ask these questions of yourself.  But it doesn’t end there.

The discipleship relationship is two fold.  We are to be in one (by asking yourself the questions) but we are also to be discipling (asking these questions of others) someone.  If you have asked yourself these questions and you are satisfied with where you are with them then ask this next question.  “Am I able to know where someone is in their walk (by the way they answer the first question “where am I at in my journey with Christ?”) and do I know how to help them live like Jesus (a plan to take them where they need to go). If you can’t honestly answer yes to these questions then seek out discipleship. In that relationship you learn how to do this.  If you can honestly answer yes to these questions then another question I must ask.  Are you doing it?  Are you discipling someone?  Are you showing someone how to live like Jesus?  If the answer is yes then Glory to God! If the answer is no, I have one final question.  Why not?

Just like at the gym where there are many ways to train various muscles that get the gains you desire there are many ways to do discipleship.  If you would like to utilize the tool I practice click HERE.  It is a simple 6 step process that goes through the basics of the faith with the ability to go as deep or as simple as you desire.  Discipleship is important, so delay no further. Let's get started now!