At times, it seems like the word “discipleship” can become kind of faddish, losing its power, significance and meaning. Yet, in Jesus’ day it was a way of life built on relationship.

The identifying mark of the early disciples was that they “had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Disciple-making in the early church was about establishing a relationship with Jesus. The identifying mark of our disciple-making today, for any denomination, is not the cause we undertake, the standards we pursue, the seminars we teach, or the worship services we create. The identifying mark of discipleship has not changed; can people tell that we have “been with Jesus?” Is our relationship with Jesus evident and obvious to those who surround us in our daily lives?

The Apostle Paul continues to reinforce this theme that discipleship is about relationship. In Philippians 3:8-10 he says: “Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ . . . that I may know him and the power of his resurrection.”

True disciple-making is all about building a relationship – “that I may know Him.” It is not about self-realization, independence, or personal spirituality. It is all about Jesus and what Jesus chooses to do in me, with me and through me. We can only pass on what we’ve got.

Disciple-making is not primarily learned in a classroom, in a book or is automatically a part of our lives because our denomination emphasizes it or uses it in a tag line. It is learned in relationship with Jesus and with people as we serve. The identifying mark of a disciple-maker is when people are compelled to say: “Wow, there is someone who has been with Jesus!” Imagine the impact of an entire denomination committed to being with and becoming more like Jesus – and replicating Him in everyone around them!