Dallas Willard once said, “The disciple is one who, intent upon becoming Christlike and so dwelling in his ‘faith and practice,’ systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end.” That’s a mouthful. But it gets to the heart of it: a disciple is someone who’s rearranging their life around Jesus. Not just believing in Him, not just admiring Him from afar, but training to live like Him. Here is Willard’s longer definition of a disciple:

But just there is the problem. Who, among Christians today, is a disciple of Jesus, in any substantive sense of the word “disciple”? A disciple is a learner, a student, an apprentice—a practitioner, even if only a beginner. The New Testament literature, which must be allowed to define our terms if we are ever to get our bearings in the Way with Christ, makes this clear. In that context, disciples of Jesus are people who do not just profess certain views as their own but apply their growing understanding of life in the Kingdom of the Heavens to every aspect of their life on earth.

 In contrast, the governing assumption today, among professing Christians, is that we can be “Christians” forever and never become disciples. Not even in heaven, it seems, for who would need it there? That is the accepted teaching now. Check it out wherever you are. And this (with its various consequences) is the Great Omission from the “Great Commission” in which the Great Disparity is firmly rooted. As long as the Great Omission is permitted or sustained, the Great Disparity will flourish—in individual lives as well as in Christian groups and movements. Conversely, if we cut the root in the Great Omission, the Great Disparity will wither, as it has repeatedly done in times past. No need to fight it. Just stop feeding it. 

Jesus told us explicitly what to do. We have a manual, just like the car owner. He told us, as disciples, to make disciples. Not converts to Christianity, nor to some particular “faith and practice.” He did not tell us to arrange for people to “get in” or “make the cut” after they die, nor to eliminate the various brutal forms of injustice, nor to produce and maintain “successful” churches. These are all good things, and he had something to say about all of them. They will certainly happen if—but only if—we are (his constant apprentices) and do (make constant apprentices) what he told us to be and do. If we just do this, it will little matter what else we do or do not do.[1]

John Mark Comer calls it “being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.” Not as an add-on to life, but as the organizing center of life. Discipleship is apprenticeship to Jesus. We’re not just learning information; we’re learning how to live.

In Disciplemaking Teachers, I defined a disciple as:

• D - Disciplined in his daily devotional life. A disciple’s life is a disciplined life. There is no discipline as important as daily exposure to the word and prayer.
• I - Intimate relationships. Growing disciples are involved in several deep relationships that hold them accountable in Christian discipleship.
• S - Small group. Small groups are important for fellowship, outreach, and teaching.
• C - Corporate worship. Corporate worship is a vital part of the process of creating a mature disciple.
• I - Intimate family life. A disciple is a minister. His first ministry is to serve his family. One of the most important jobs of every Sunday School teacher is to produce stronger families.
• P - Passion for God. This is a somewhat intangible quality. However, much of what it means to be a disciple is a matter of the heart.
• L - Lay ministry. A disciple is involved in ministry in the area of his or her giftedness.
• E - Evangelistic concern. Not everyone has the gift of evangelism. However, everyone should be ready, willing and able to share their faith. The heart of the disciple beats for the lost. They should be interested, open and looking for evangelistic opportunities.
• S - Sacrificial giving. The disciple’s life is a giving life. This means giving of time and money. More than that, it means giving as an attitude of life.

And here’s the surprise: it’s the best life possible.

We live in a world that tells us we’ll be happy if we just get more—more money, more comfort, more followers. But what if it’s not about more? What if it’s about aligning our lives with the One who made us? That’s what discipleship is. And research—mountains of it—backs up what Scripture has said all along: life really is better for those who walk with God.