What is our calling and purpose?

Hi and welcome to the first article in our Practical Discipleship series. In this article, we are going to build some key foundations for the rest of the program. We will explore three important issues for the life of discipleship. First, what is our calling and purpose as Christians? Second, what does discipleship look like? And third, how can we grow as disciples?

Our Christian calling and purpose

Having a clear sense of purpose

Having a clear sense of purpose in life is not just important for our faith, it is vital for our health. Across our planet are five regions called blue zones. These blue zones – in Japan, Costa Rica, the US, Greece and Italy - are places that have a higher proportion of people living into their 90s and 100s than anywhere else in the world. Researchers have studied these people to try and find out the reason why they live such long and healthy lives. What is one of the key factors that they have found that is linked to living so long? A strong sense of purpose. A reason for getting up in the morning. Having a strong sense of purpose is clearly good for us.

As Christians, our goal is not to be the healthiest people on the planet or to live past 100. But we believe that we have a God-given purpose. And that purpose gives our lives richness and direction and meaning. No matter how long we live or how healthy we are.

But sometimes it can be hard to pin that purpose down. We use words such as glorifying God. Or we break it down into the many commands that we find in the Bible. Sometimes it can seem too big to bring down to earth or so small that we can get caught in the detail. Life doesn’t always seem to be filled with the richness that finding and living out our God-given purpose should.

Is there a way that we can discover or rediscover our purpose as Christians in a way that gives us clear and practical direction for how we should live? But without getting lost in the detail? And is there a way that answering that question can lead us to the full and abundant life that Jesus promised to those who follow him (John 10:10)?

What is calling all about?

To help answer these questions, we will explore the word calling. For a Christian, the words purpose and calling mean almost the same thing. But we use the word calling to show that our purpose is not just about us and what we want out of life. We believe that our purpose in life is from God. As a loving God, he calls and invites us to a life that has a clear purpose and direction. Our job is to uncover what that purpose is. That is what we shall explore.

To help understand what our calling is, we will first look at the word calling itself. Calling of course is not just a word that Christians use. In the world around us, many people will say that their profession or work is their calling or vocation. However, the use of the word calling or vocation in the community around us usually has nothing to do with God. It often ignores an important fact. If you use the word calling, it suggests that someone must be doing the calling.

As Christians, we believe that God is the one who calls us. But what does God call us to? Often, it is used in the sense of a call to a particular type of Christian service or work. For example, someone may say that they felt that God called them to be a missionary or to full-time ministry. Or someone may say they felt called to be a teacher or a nurse. This may give the idea that calling is about a certain task or type of work. But is that what Christian calling is all about? Let’s dig a bit into what the Bible says to answer this question.

What is our calling?

When we explore the Bible, it is true that there are references to God calling people directly for a specific task. For example, the young boy Samuel heard God’s call as a voice speaking his name in the middle of the night (1 Samuel 3). And the apostle Paul also talked about a sense that God was calling him to a specific task. Paul saw a vision of a man calling him to go to the country of Macedonia and sensed that this vision was a call from God (Acts 16:6-10). But stories of God calling like this are not common. These are two of the few times in the Bible that we read about God calling someone directly to a specific task. So, although it happens in the Bible, being called by hearing voices or seeing visions is rare.

On the other hand, the Bible uses the word called many times. But in a different sense. The word is used when Jesus called people to him. The Bible talks about Jesus calling the first disciples (Matt 4:21; Mark 1:20) and the righteous (Matt 9:13; Luke 5:32) and the labourers (Matt 20:8) to come to him and to follow him. And believers are referred to as those who are called by God (Romans 8;30, Romans 9:24; 1 Corinthians 7:17-24; Galatians 1:6; Galatians 5:8; Ephesians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; Hebrews 5:4; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 11:8; 1 Peter 1:15). And our calling is one of peace (1 Corinthians 7:15; Colossians 3:15) and freedom (Galatians 5:13) and hope (Ephesians 4:4).

So, whatever views we have about God calling people to a specific task, the more important and more common matter that the Bible talks about is the calling to all of us. That calling is our invitation to follow Jesus. As we have just seen, Jesus invited people to follow him. And today is no different. Jesus makes the same call and invitation to us. As we follow Jesus, we are living out the call that God makes to each one of us, the invitation to come into a relationship with Him (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Calling - bringing it all together

The question then becomes, what does it look like to follow Jesus? That may have been very clear for the first disciples – they literally left their boats and walked alongside him. But it may not be so clear for us living and working in the 21st century. Can we dig down any further into exactly what that calling looks like?

One way to do that is through the Bible. The Bible has instructions that equip us and train us (2 Timothy 3:16-17) for the life that we are called to. For example, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). He also commanded the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19,20). So, even though the word calling may not be used, these and other commands are part of living out our calling to follow Jesus.

The difficulty in approaching our calling from this point of view is that our calling becomes chiefly about what we should do. We may do our best to keep all these commands. But even if we manage to keep them, following Jesus can be reduced to keeping lots of rules. And then it can sometimes be hard to experience the peace, freedom and joy that we are told our calling should like.

Is there some way that helps us to see our calling in a way that covers each aspect of our calling to follow Jesus and yet keeps bringing us back to the main point that we are called to a relationship, not just obedience to a set of rules.

What does discipleship look like?

Four key aspects of discipleship

In this program, we will explore a way that hopefully helps us to do this is by identifying four key parts to our calling to follow Jesus.

The first and most important part of our calling is what we have just explored - that we are called to a relationship with God - to know God (Colossians 1:9-10). That doesn’t mean learning lots of facts about God and storing them away in our heads. It is not that kind of knowing. It means knowing and experiencing God deeply and intimately – understanding and experiencing his love, his goodness, his mercy and everything else about who God is and the way God that relates to us. Knowledge of this sort will not just fill our minds but fill our hearts.

The second key part of discipleship is that we are called to transformation (Romans 12:1-2) – to grow in Christlikeness (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). The promise is that as we grow in our relationship with God and as we follow Jesus, he lives in us (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 13:5). And the Holy Spirit works in us to bear fruit - fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and all the other fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23). So, in following Jesus, we are urged and empowered to be like him (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:1-2).

The third key part of discipleship is that we are called to ministry. As we know and experience God’s love and as we change and grow in love ourselves, we express that love to others (John 13:34‭‭; Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭14‬). Like Jesus, we are called to serve those around us (2 Corinthians 4:5; Mark 10:45). And in doing that we are to shine out in the world (Matthew 5:14-16). In fact, this love is to be so remarkable and so distinctive that it is the way that people will know that we are Jesus’ disciples (John 13:35).

The fourth key part of discipleship that we will explore is that we are called to mission. Jesus sent out his disciples into the world on mission (Matthew 28:16-20) and we also share in that mission. We are Christ’s ambassadors to take his message of reconciliation to all people (2 Corinthians 5:17-20). The message that we have been entrusted with is good news of healing (Colossians 1:12-13) and freedom (Luke 4:16-21) and fullness of life both now (John 10:10) and for eternity (John 3:16). When we understand God’s love for us and when we have a sense of the goodness of that news, mission becomes an overflow of our relationship with God.

So, in summary, we will break down our calling to follow Jesus, into four key parts: a relationship with God (knowing); transformation (growing in Christlikeness); ministry; and mission. These four key parts form the spokes of a wheel illustration that we will use throughout the program to explore the life of discipleship.

This wheel forms a structure and a framework for what we will cover. The focus of the first two spokes in our discipleship wheel are the being part of discipleship – knowing God in a way that flows over into a changed life that is growing and becoming more like Jesus. And the focus of the second two spokes is the doing part of discipleship – knowing God in a way that overflows into the doing of ministry and mission.

Called to intentional discipleship

These then are the four key parts to discipleship that we will explore. What else does this discipleship look like?

The first thing to say is that this discipleship is intentional. Calling is about a clear goal and sense of purpose. Our overall calling and purpose is to glorify God. But we can break that down by seeing that we glorify God in the way that we know Him, enjoy Him and worship Him, we glorify God in the way that we grow into Christlikeness and reflect his image in the world, we glorify God in the way that we lovingly and sacrificially serve others and we glorify Him as we take the good news of his love through how we live and what we do and say. And if we are intentional, we have a strategy and are prepared to do whatever we can to help achieve it.

Called to wholehearted discipleship

The second thing to say is that our discipleship is not just intentional but also wholehearted. Jesus set the bar for following him very high. He urged his followers to be committed. He said that we are to love God with all our heart and to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). That means not just being clear on what following Jesus looks like, but being passionate in seeking it with all our heart. So passionate that, like the apostle Paul, everything else feels like garbage compared with knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7-10). And so committed that we are prepared to pay any cost and give up anything to follow Jesus (Luke 9:23).

Called to wholistic discipleship

The third thing is that our discipleship is wholistic. Wholistic means that we pay attention to all the parts of discipleship. All of them are important and interrelated. Knowing God in a way that is deep and vital is the foundation to all that we do. It fuels and enlivens our mission and ministry. It is key to being transformed in Christlikeness. And our Christlikeness empowers and authenticates our service and outreach. And when we engage in ministry and mission, we grow in dependence and trust in God and our character and maturity are deepened further. Each part feeds and strengthens each other part. When we follow Jesus with all the parts working together, our discipleship is rich and deep and effective.

Growing in discipleship

What does growth look like?

The last idea that we will explore in this article is that part of our calling is to not just to be disciples but to grow as disciples. The Bible is full of the concept of growth. It talks of those who have a relationship with God as trees planted by streams of water (Psalm 1). Paul’s prayers are full of desire for those in the early churches to grow in maturity (Colossians 1:28) – to grow in knowledge (Colossians 1:10) and love (Philippians 1:9). In fact, Paul’s desire for those in the churches to grow was so strong that he gave everything he could to see that happen. He says how he worked at it with all the energy that Christ gave him (Colossians 1:29).

What does growth look like? Is it someone who knows their Bible back to front? Is it someone who is always careful to do what is right? Is it someone who has a huge impact through their ministry? Is it someone who is used to lead others into a relationship with God?

Someone who has a deep spiritual maturity may have any or all these things. But there is one thing that the Bible continually tells us is the end result and mark of growth above all else. That is love. Love is the goal and outcome of our growth as disciples (Ephesians 4:11-16). If there is one characteristic that should mark us as a disciple more than anything else, it is love (John 13:34-35). If there is one thing that should both drive and mark our ministry, it is love (1 John 4:11-12). And if there is one thing that we take to the world above all else, it is the good news of God’s love for them (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:14).

So, as we seek to grow in the life of discipleship, this becomes our measure and test. We can always come back to this one question. As I follow Jesus, am I growing and deepening not just in knowledge and practice, but in love?

How do we grow?

We are called then not just to become disciples but to grow as disciples. And disciples above all are marked by love. But it still leaves the question - how do we get there? How do we grow?

To answer that question, the Bible makes it clear that there are two parts to our growth. First and importantly, growth is God’s work. When we follow Jesus, he comes to live in us, and we become a new person (Galatians 2:20). The Holy Spirit works in us to transform us into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

But even though growth is God’s work, the Bible doesn’t leave it there. We are also told to do our bit. We are encouraged to make every effort (2 Peter 3:14 and 5:17). And to train ourselves in godliness (1 Timothy 4:7-8). It is also our work.

How do we do that? God has given us the means of growth. For example, we have the Bible (Psalm 1:1-3) and each other (Hebrews 10:24-25). But again, they don’t magically make us grow. We are urged to do things - to be doers of the word and not hearers only (James 1:22). And to meet and encourage each other (Hebrews 10:24-25). Therefore, growth in Christlikeness and spiritual maturity is God’s work. But it is also up to us. And it is intensely practical.

The best of Christian tradition has always recognised this balance of God’s work and our work in growth and transformation. A recognition of the power and grace of God for change. And a keenness to do all we can to use the means that God has given for the Holy Spirit to work in us. When believers do those things, we see a church where God’s Spirit is alive and active and working powerfully. So, if we want to thrive as a disciple and if we want to be part of a church that is alive and flourishing, the best chance of that happening is by being intentional in doing all we can to grow.

Practices

What can we do to grow? Right from the time of the early church, Jesus’ followers have been encouraged to engage in spiritual practices. Spiritual practices are transformative. They are God’s means for our growth. If we want to grow, it is not just about knowing but doing.

In saying that, there are warning lights going off in my head as there may be in yours. There is a danger that our discipleship becomes about doing. We can measure ourselves by what we do. We can become self-righteous and proud and judgmental. I know. I am guilty of all of those. And doing can just about being obedient. We do the right thing. But there is little joy or love in what we do. Again, I know because I have been there.

That means that whenever we talk about doing, please always keep in mind that our relationship with God is one of grace (Ephesians 2:8,9). What we do does not make us more acceptable to God. And we all have our own gifts and capacity that again are given by God through grace. What we do doesn’t make us better than anyone else.

And lastly, doing is best when it comes from the heart. This program is built on the idea that a rich life of discipleship depends on not just knowing and doing the right thing. It is also about feeling. That means that the aim of the spiritual practices we will look at don’t just teach us about God but deepen our love for God and draw us closer. And that means that the practices of mission and ministry that we will look at are not just acts of dutiful obedience but are an overflow of our love for God that spills over in love to others.

The program then looks at two different types of practice. The first two spokes of the wheel – knowing and growing – are linked to four foundational spiritual practices that enable and foster a deepening relationship with God. This relationship overflows in the fruit of a changed life. The focus is on what we are becoming. We will explore ways to make these practices sustainable, enjoyable and life giving amid a busy life. And to explore other practices that you may not have considered to help keep them alive over the long haul and go further in deepening our relationship with God.

The second two spokes of the wheel – ministry and mission – are also about practice. The focus is on what we do as disciples. It doesn’t matter whether you are just starting to follow Jesus or many years down the track. We will take a fresh look at what ministry and mission are all about. And we will look at how we can serve God and the people around us in a way that makes the most of the gifts, abilities and opportunities that we have been given.

Wrapping up

To wrap up this article then, we have looked at our primary calling - to follow Jesus. And that calling has four key parts – our calling to a vital relationship with God, a calling to transformation and growth in Christlikeness, and a calling to ministry and mission. And we also looked at how we are called not just to be disciples but to grow as disciples. That happens as we live a life of discipleship that is wholehearted, wholistic and practical.

In the next nine articles, we will spend time digging down in more detail exploring each of these four aspects of our calling. Most importantly we will look at practical ways to grow in each of these areas.

Our next article starts by exploring the first spoke in our wheel – knowing. And it looks at our first practice – engaging with the Bible. This means engaging in a way that is not just about learning facts or what we should do. But in a way that deepens and develops a relationship with God that is close, personal and life giving - the sort of relationship that overflows into a changed life.