Arise to Mission Devotional

David Moore

Abiding in Christ Takes Intentional Discipleship

The theme for Men’s Ministries and Royal Rangers this year is “24/7 Men – Being Intentional in 2024”. In John 15:5, Jesus tells us that, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” We have to be intentional in our personal discipleship process and make sure that we abide in Him, everything depends upon it.

The late Dan Erickson would use this example when talking about intentional discipleship; He would say just expecting someone to become a disciple without an intentional plan is like putting a bunch of automobile parts in a box, then shaking it up and expecting a car to fall out. It simply will not happen. In the same way, we must be intentional about making disciples.

Paul compares our discipleship journey to a race, a race that requires our full attention and effort to successfully complete. “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 ESV. We cannot allow any distractions, past or present to make us take our eyes off the prize that waits ahead for us.

We are called to be intentional about our personal discipleship and to be intentional in helping others on their discipleship journey. I have heard and used this saying in Royal Rangers – you cannot teach what you do not know, you cannot lead where you will not go, what you do not have, you cannot give, you cannot share a life you do not live. Spending time with and living our lives in front of our boys is one of the best ways we can mentor and be intentional about their discipleship journey. 

Abide in Christ – stay connected to Him!