Episode 6 - Pastor Jonny Wright (Studio Dreams, Pastoral Callings and Safe Harbours)

Incredible.

And you've been an associate pastor

at NBC for nine years now, is that right? And you were many hocks at NBC.

You're coordinating worship, you're obviously pastoral, and you're on the preaching team as well.

That constant pouring into people, pouring into discipleship, pouring into worship team, it's incredible how God has given you such a spirit for us to lead us in that way.

But What does true discipleship really look like?

It's

a huge question.

I like what John Mark Comer says in his book Practicing the Way.

He says the essence of discipleship is being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and then doing as he did.

I think that's as good an explanation as anybody could give.

being with Jesus and then becoming like him as you spend time in his presence and then practicing the way, doing what Jesus did.

Recently, we've been on a journey as a church where we've really tried to define what I call our discipleship pathway.

So the larger your church gets, the more you need to really communicate well the next step in the journey for people.

So the way we communicate those kind of three movements, as we say, Being a disciple of Jesus is a journey of knowing Jesus, so in becoming committed to Christ.

It's also a journey of growing in Jesus and becoming committed to maturity.

It's a journey of serving, discovering your spiritual gifts and using them in the church and the world so that you're committed to ministry.

And then a journey of going, moving outside of your comfort zone and often outside of your geography.

in such a way that you're committed to mission and then bringing people in.

And that, I suppose, personally for each one of us, we should be looking at our life through that lens.

Am I increasingly coming to know Jesus? Has there been a point in my life where I've really put my faith and trust in Jesus, confess my sin to him.

That's sort of the first step of a lifelong journey of knowing him.

And also, am I growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Do I know more of the Bible this year than I did last year? But also, am I rejoicing in it more? And also, am I doing it? James says, don't be hearers of the word, be doers.

Also, he looks in a mirror, looks at their parents.

And doesn't change anything about it, you know.