Our journey on the disciple “ship”

Have you been on a journey recently? It is fun to ride on the Shinkansen or airplane to your holiday destination. One year in autumn, my family rented an RV and drove to Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture. We stayed inside the RV as we drove long distances, and it was a great experience for the family. Along the way, we saw lots of beautiful autumn foliage and thought, “The vacation is not just about the destination; it is about the journey as well.”

Similarly, our life as Jesus’s disciples is an exciting journey. As Christians, we have the wonderful privilege of spending eternity in heaven, but the Christian life is much more than that. It is living the abundant life as disciples of Jesus Christ. But first, what is a disciple? In simple terms, a disciple is a follower of Christ. Discipleship, then, would be the journey that we take as followers of Christ.

We know that the Christian life is important. How do we convey the importance of discipleship to the Japanese church? Discipleship is a word often used in English-speaking churches, but to some Japanese Christians, the same word in Japanese (弟子訓練 deshi kunren) conveys images of long, tedious training seminars. It is unfortunate that this word carries such connotations, and we should stress that while discipleship includes Bible teaching, it is not only that. It is a whole lot more. Discipleship is not a series of events but an exciting journey of spiritual growth as followers of Christ.

I like to think of discipleship as the ship that disciples are on—we take a journey together as followers of Jesus Christ, hence “deshi-ship” (弟子シップ, deshi meaning “disciple”). The Japanese can relate to that expression as they are familiar with words such as “friendship,” “partnership,” and “skin-ship”(a Japanese word for physical contact, not an English word)!

In the case of deshi-ship, we as disciples of Christ are in the boat together seeking Christ on life’s journey. A Japanese pastor once told me a great definition of discipleship: it is “aiming to be Christlike together”(イエス様に似ることを共に目指す). My personal definition is “seeking Christ together for life”(一緒に一生キリストを求める). Discipleship is a continual journey toward Christlikeness that carries on beyond conversion or baptism.

Jesus’s disciples encountered Jesus many times on a boat. The disciples witnessed Jesus perform miracles (such as catching many fish in Luke 5:1–11), saw firsthand his power over nature (Luke 8:22–25), and one even stepped out onto the water in faith (Matt. 14:22–33). All these incidents were vital in their discipleship process. We, too, will encounter Christ in our own special way as disciples of Christ. It may not be like the miracles we read in the Bible, but God speaks to us in our prayers, helps us in our troubles, and gives us boldness in living out the empowered Christian life.

Discipleship includes seeking Christ by cultivating a daily relationship with God, reading the Bible and taking time to be still before the Lord in solitude and prayer, especially in the busyness of Japanese society. We should be intentional in developing a biblical worldview that addresses various social and cultural issues (e.g., ancestor worship, secular work practices, purpose of life). We should also assure one another of our eternal salvation and abundant blessings in Christ.

Discipleship is not smooth sailing (pun not intended), but it is what we are called to do as disciples of Jesus Christ. A ship is safest in harbor, but that is not what ships are made for. A ship is made for the purpose of journeying into open seas often beset with storms. Similarly, a disciple is called to brave life’s challenges as they follow Jesus. Therefore, let us encourage one another, especially our Japanese Christian friends, to be strong, take courage, and wait for the Lord (Ps. 27:14).

Whether we were baptized last week or have been a Christian for decades, discipleship is the same. The Christian life is hard, yet it is an exciting adventure. More importantly, we know that Christ is always with us, and we have our brothers and sisters in Christ to journey with us. We are on the same boat! Let us ride together on the deshi-ship!