Here are some discipleship quotes from “Living Life Boldly” by Ted Roberts, which, I think, capture the heart of discipleship. Don’t get me wrong here, I still believe discipleship is a systematic process that involves discipline, but without the right heart, the process can do more harm than good.

“God is passionate about loving us. If we don’t realize that fact, a pure-hearted discipleship will never make any sense to us, or, worse, it will be turned into a spiritual growth program. This is ultimately not about us. It’s about God’s furious love toward us.”

“Discipleship is not a question of our doing; it is a matter of making room for God so that He can live in us.”

“The focus in discipleship has to be on Christ’s work in you.”

“Discipleship is ultimately about Christ’s outrageous love for us, not a plan or methodology.”

“Discipleship—as God created it to be—is a head-out-of-the-cockpit, rip-roaring experience of the heart. Yet, sadly, today we frequently present it as a head-down, learn-the-doctrine, watch-the-instruments head-trip. It is perceived as an ordered, grinding, skill-acquisition, character-building experience.”

“Discipleship is indeed the marvelous, romantic adventure of following passionately after Christ; however, our growth in that relationship can be observed and evaluated at the same time. It is not a totally mystical experience.”

“The truths of discipleship are never learned by sitting in a classroom listening to some sermon or lecture. These truths are relational and are learned primarily in the struggles and victories of daily life. That is the way Jesus taught the disciples—very little lecture and lots of personal experience.”