Discipleship and Mission

“So, what do you do?” Within moments of meeting a stranger, this question is likely to be asked. Our culture makes one’s job tantamount to identity. What you do is what you are.

The words vocation and avocation describe activities that shape individualities. Typically, the former refers to career, the way one earns a living. The latter usually describes side interests—activities that are enjoyed but are not central.

This unit turns this usage on its head. For the believer, one’s true calling has nothing to do with earning a living. Careers are avocations while our true vocation is following Jesus.

Whom We Study

Our true vocation begins when we heed the call of Jesus to be a disciple, the issue of our first unit this quarter. A disciple is a learner. To be successful in our ultimate calling, we must be shaped, trained, and changed in the College of Christ.

Education sometimes breeds conceit. Those who know a little bit more become know-it-alls! But the more we study from our master, the less we feed our egos and dismiss others. The longer we follow the less we look to climbing the corporate ladder or placing our security in money alone.

As we progress toward Graduation Day when we are in our teacher’s presence for eternity, we pass Humility 101, learn the advanced economics of the kingdom of Heaven, and invite others into his classroom and into the life he offers.

How We Serve

In putting our study into practice, our discipleship goes through stages. We move from on-the-job-training to accepting the master’s values and vision before venturing out on missions to advance the master’s interests. The second unit in this quarter moves from education to practice this way.

We continue to learn from Jesus as we venture forth for him. There will always be various reasons and excuses to delay venturing. Yet we must venture out of our cloister and begin making a difference in the real world.

Like the fishermen on the shores of Galilee, we learn to venture where the master’s voice leads. We pledge to count the cost of our choices and give up our lives to him. Our values continue to be shaped as we do Jesus’ work, until our voice is his voice and the song of his resurrection is the sound track of our lives. We don’t work on commission—we are commissioned, placing everything of our own into the cause of Christ.

Who Will Carry On

At some point, someone will take the job we perform. Great companies build continuity. They stay directed and driven toward success as they plan for a new generation to take the helm. The third unit in this quarter is a case study of how the apostle Paul moved toward such a transition.

Paul had not founded the church at Rome as he had founded churches throughout Asia and Europe. He knew just a few believers there, yet he wrote his most doctrinally heavy training manual for them! The book of Romans allows successive generations to keep the church doctrinally pure so it could continue to accomplish the work to which Paul himself had dedicated his life.

Paul taught others to deal with the big issues of the Christian vocation: How to play good defense as well as good offense. How to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. How to do right, etc.

This quarter encourages true life change. When someone asks, “What do you do?” may all vocational believers—all disciples—be prepared to give the right answer!

by Jim Eichenberger

Unit 1: Call to Discipleship

Date	Title	Bible Text
3 March	Called To Serve	Luke 14:7–14
10 March	Called To Sacrifice	Mark 1:16-20
17 March	Called To Return	Luke 15:11-24
24 March	Called To Repent	Luke 19:1-10
31 March	Called To Follow	Matthew 4:12-22

Unit 2: Call to Ministry

Date	Title	Bible Text
7 April	Called To Mission	Matthew 10:1-15
14 April	Called To Remember	Matthew 26:1-13
21 April	Called To Believe The Resurrection	Matthew 28:1-15
28 April	Called To Make Disciples	Matthew 28:16-20

Unit 3: Who to Life in Christ

Date	Title	Bible Text
5 May	Called To Righteousness	Romans 3:21-31
12 May	Called To Life In the Spirit	Romans 8:1-14
19 May	Called To Mutual Acceptance	Romans 11:11-24
26 May	Called To Be Transformed	Romans 12:1-8