When people ask me about my faith, I don't merely say, "I'm a Christian." The word Christian means so many different things these days. Instead, I say, "I'm a follower of Jesus Christ" because that can mean only one thing.

    What does it mean to follow Jesus Christ? The twelve disciples who followed Him during His ministry on earth left their homes and jobs and sold all that they had. Their love for Christ surpassed their attachment to the things of this world. To follow Jesus completely, we, like the disciples, must place Him above every other priority.

    Too many Christians are content to settle for a minimal belief in Jesus— they have trusted Him for salvation from their sins and know they are going to heaven. Many times, they go no further. As a result, these believers miss out on the amazing joy of being a disciple of Christ.

    The truth is that we all have a specific call upon our life. God has a purpose for each of us. He engineers a special plan for me as a pastor and a unique path for you in your vocation and personal life. We have a responsibility to answer that call by obediently following Him, no matter the consequences.

    He may not call you to the mission field or ask you to sell your possessions—His plan for you is unique—but you can be certain of one thing: He commands all of His followers to share the Gospel message with others.

    The concept of sharing what we have learned about God dates back into Old Testament history. We can see the practice in Job's conversation with his three friends. And certainly Moses explaining the law of the Lord to the Israelites was his way of discipling them.

    In this issue of In Touch, we will look closely at the rich history of discipleship in its varied forms and how it has evolved to our present day. For example: Paul discipled Christians by traveling on foot from one synagogue to another, but today, television and computer equipment have literally revolutionized the pulpit. In this era of unprecedented technological advances, the church building and the classroom extend far beyond physical borders.

Our medium has changed dramatically, but our message remains the same. And the charge from Matthew 28:19—to "go and make disciples of all the nations"—is as relevant to us today as it was to the first disciples.