"Deep" Disciples

Have you ever noticed how different people have their own ideas of what a disciple is? When most people talk about “making disciples” what they really mean is you should be more like them and what their definition of a disciple is.

In truth, discipleship takes on many forms and expresses itself in many different ways. God never intends for us to produce cookie-cutter Christians who all parrot religious phrases (as a sign of discipleship) but rather to “flesh out” our walk with Christ according to our unique situations.

Let me give you a few examples of what a “deep” disciple looks like at PCC:

• DEEP is the single mother who holds a full-time job, raises her children by herself, and yet finds time to serve here at PCC every weekend
  
  
• DEEP is the man who works the graveyard shift on Saturday night and then comes to church on Sunday morning to worship and to serve without having slept a wink all night long
  
  
• DEEP is the lady who took an interest in a elementary aged girl and started bringing her to this church, and continued to do so for many years, mentoring her along the way, investing a number of years into her life. Now that very same little girl is a young woman, a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ, has become an emerging leader, and serves in the ministry of this church. THAT’S DEEP!!!!
  
  
• DEEP is the teenager who refused to give up on her friend, kept inviting her to church, gave her a Bible, was available to answer questions, and as a result her friend received Christ
  
  
• DEEP are the parents who are watching their teenage child stray from the path, yet they continue to hope and remain faithful to God
  
  
• DEEP is the brand new widow, in her 30s, who “encourages herself in the Lord” and remains faithful to God, her church, and place of service
  
  
• DEEP is family whose bedridden son & brother is dying with cancer, yet they provide sacrificial care for him every day until the end comes
  
  
• DEEP is the family who brings their physically challenged child to church each week rather than staying home, which would be easier
  
  
• DEEP is staying planted in the church where God has placed you and working your way through the tough stuff with other people instead of changing churches every 18 months
  
  
• DEEP is the family that is willing to adopt two small children to rescue them from an uncertain future, at great personal sacrifice

• DEEP are our small group leaders who sacrificially serve, teach and shepherd their groups

• DEEP is obeying the Greatest Commandment, loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40)
  
  
• DEEP is not just what you believe; it’s how you behave
  
  
• DEEP is DRAPING A TOWEL OVER YOUR ARM and doing stuff

There are hundreds and hundreds of stories like this at PCC. I could go on and on. One thing I am fully convinced of – this church is full of some of the most committed disciples I have ever seen. Are they all bookworms? No. But they ARE fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ and their commitment is expressed in a myriad of ways.