Real Relationships

Everyone was surprised when Dan announced he was leaving his wife of twenty years for another woman. He had been meeting with the same group of men for five years. In all that time, Dan never mentioned that he and his wife were having problems. One fellow commented, “I thought we were brothers, but it turns out that we didn’t even know each other.” They had discussed politics and sports repeatedly, but they did not have real relationships, nor had they grown as disciples. No one led the group any deeper than small talk. It’s a true story, and a tragic one at that. How could this happen?

Real relationships are an essential part of God’s plan. The world’s need for relationships is God’s opportunity to build disciples. But these personal relationships cannot happen from a distance or in a crowd. Disciples are made in relationship with other disciples. Remember, a relational environment is the vehicle best suited for discipleship. It allows strangers and acquaintances to become a discipleship family.

Jim Putman et al., Real-Life Discipleship Training Manual: Equipping Disciples Who Make Disciples (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2010), 93.