Marks of Discipleship
Marks of Discipleship are six emphases that we lift up as members of St. John’s to help each of us grow in faith. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting a journey of faith with Christ, or if you have been walking with Him your whole life, these six marks will assist your spiritual growth. They are not to be taken legalistically, but rather seen as tools that God provides for our benefit. Let us help you discover these marks for your life.
Prayer ~ Worship ~ Reading Scripture ~ Service ~ Relationships ~ Generosity
Pray Daily – Prayer is a conversation with our Heavenly Father. We share our heart with Him knowing that He has promised to hear us.
Philippians 4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
1Timothy 2:Instructions concerning Prayer8 I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray…
If you would like to share a prayer request that will be given to our prayer warriors please click here
Worship Weekly – The proper response to knowing God, is to worship Him. The Bible tells us how and when this should happen.
Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
Martin Luther’s Small Catechism: What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that we do not neglect his Word and the preaching of it, but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it.
To learn more about our worship times and services, please click here
Reading God’s Word (Reading the Bible daily) – The Bible is God’s “love letter” to His children. It is a gift that we should use every day.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
Matthew 4:4 …One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Psalm 1:1-3 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
To follow our daily devotions as we read the bible together, click here
Service – We follow the example of Jesus who came to serve, not to be served. We serve in the church and outside the church in the community.
Mark 10:43-45 But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Relationships – Relationships with other Christians help us to stand strong in the faith and challenge us to grow spiritually. Relationships are a place that gives us opportunities to live our faith.
We don’t make friends in order to get them to God. That’s spiritual manipulation. But when we have a good friend, it is only natural that we would want to share the deepest parts of ourselves. Faith is certainly at the core of our being as disciples of Jesus. …Friendship is a spiritual trust from God. (P. 98, Real Faith, Michael W. Foss, 2004 Augsburg)
Throughout the centuries, Christians have gathered in large assemblies for worship and in small groups for personal sharing and caring. (ibid p 102)
Generous Giving – It has been said that no one can out give God. Out of the abundance of what we have received from God, we give generously to His work.
This is the call to reflect the heart of God in our discipline of generosity. We have been created in the image of God. That means, in part, that every human being has within herself or himself a need to give. But sin, which separates us from God and clings to self, has turned our giving spirit into an attitude of “gimme.” (P. 112, Real Faith, Michael W. Foss, 2004 Augsburg)
Marks of Discipleship
Marks of Discipleship are six emphases that we lift up as members of St. John’s to help each of us grow in faith. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting a journey of faith with Christ, or if you have been walking with Him your whole life, these six marks will assist your spiritual growth. They are not to be taken legalistically, but rather seen as tools that God provides for our benefit. Let us help you discover these marks for your life.
Prayer ~ Worship ~ Reading Scripture ~ Service ~ Relationships ~ Generosity
Pray Daily – Prayer is a conversation with our Heavenly Father. We share our heart with Him knowing that He has promised to hear us.
Philippians 4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
1Timothy 2:Instructions concerning Prayer8 I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray…
If you would like to share a prayer request that will be given to our prayer warriors please click here
Worship Weekly – The proper response to knowing God, is to worship Him. The Bible tells us how and when this should happen.
Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
Martin Luther’s Small Catechism: What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that we do not neglect his Word and the preaching of it, but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it.
To learn more about our worship times and services, please click here
Reading God’s Word (Reading the Bible daily) – The Bible is God’s “love letter” to His children. It is a gift that we should use every day.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
Matthew 4:4 …One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Psalm 1:1-3 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
To follow our daily devotions as we read the bible together, click here
Service – We follow the example of Jesus who came to serve, not to be served. We serve in the church and outside the church in the community.
Mark 10:43-45 But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Relationships – Relationships with other Christians help us to stand strong in the faith and challenge us to grow spiritually. Relationships are a place that gives us opportunities to live our faith.
We don’t make friends in order to get them to God. That’s spiritual manipulation. But when we have a good friend, it is only natural that we would want to share the deepest parts of ourselves. Faith is certainly at the core of our being as disciples of Jesus. …Friendship is a spiritual trust from God. (P. 98, Real Faith, Michael W. Foss, 2004 Augsburg)
Throughout the centuries, Christians have gathered in large assemblies for worship and in small groups for personal sharing and caring. (ibid p 102)
Generous Giving – It has been said that no one can out give God. Out of the abundance of what we have received from God, we give generously to His work.
This is the call to reflect the heart of God in our discipline of generosity. We have been created in the image of God. That means, in part, that every human being has within herself or himself a need to give. But sin, which separates us from God and clings to self, has turned our giving spirit into an attitude of “gimme.” (P. 112, Real Faith, Michael W. Foss, 2004 Augsburg)