In John 14:6 (ESV), Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
If being a disciple means that you follow Christ, then truth is a necessary and foundational part of any discipleship movement.
Here at Life on Life, we want to push discipleship groups to go further, and to more closely follow the model that Jesus used while on earth. We use an acronym to describe the 5 key elements of a transformational discipleship, and that acronym is “T.E.A.M.S.”
The five elements that make up T.E.A.M.S. are Truth, Equipping, Accountability, Mission, and Supplication. In this article, we’re going to dive deep into the topic of Truth. We’ll explore why it is so important, where you can find it, and how you can ensure your discipleship ministry receives a healthy helping of truth.
The truth has always been difficult to discern
About 2,000 years ago, on the night Jesus was betrayed, he stood in trial under the Roman Governor named Pilate. The political leader interviewed Jesus, and in John 18:37-38a (ESV) they have this exchange:
Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
Pilate seemed skeptical of the truth—he knew the Jewish people would say one thing and Jesus would say another. He believed in his gods and they believed in their one God. How could anyone really know the truth?
Today, despite a couple millenia worth of philosophers, scientists, politicians, scholars, and religious thinkers, the truth is still hard for people to find. There are many today who argue for pluralism: what’s right for you is right for you, and what’s right for me is right for me.
And yet, Jesus said something different. He came to bear witness to the truth—not to question if truth was even possible, but to be the very definition of truth.
Truth in the technology age
In many ways, truth is more readily available than ever before. You can research any topic and find answers online within minutes or seconds. You can use calculators or software to solve advanced mathematical problems. You can ask a chatbot questions and get clear, concise answers.
At the same time, we’re also living in the misinformation age. There is so much information available, and some of the false things can seem really convincing. Social media content tends to go viral when it makes people angry, and nothing makes people angrier than completely fabricated news.
People love to name and shame others on social media, and half the time they are shaming something it is not actually true.
At the same time, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is getting more and more advanced. This technology can be a force for good, but many use it to fake images or video, and many others trust the incorrect information they are given by AI. Cybercrime frequently uses AI to fabricate information, taking people’s money and peace of mind through falsified documents and videos.
As the truth becomes harder and harder to grasp, we are fortunate that we have access to eternal truth that does not change: God’s Word.
Our standard of truth: God’s Word
In a world where truth is increasingly difficult to discern, it is really encouraging to know that we have God’s Word. Peter says this about the Bible in 1 Peter 1:24-2:3 (ESV):
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The word of the Lord remains forever—God’s truths are eternal and they do not change. The world may be filled with malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander (all of which stand in opposition to the truth), but we have something better.
He calls us to crave God’s Word the same way a newborn infant longs for milk. It should fill our hearts and minds everyday, and it strengthens us to represent Christ in a dark world that is in desperate need of light.
The standard of truth is outlined in a number of other important verses. Here are a few of them:
Jesus demonstrated His love for and commitment to God’s Word in Matthew 5:17-18: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
In John 1, Jesus is called the Word. He is eternal truth Himself! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The list could go on, but the Bible repeatedly proclaims the importance of truth and points to Jesus and His Word as our standards for truth.
The role of truth in discipleship
Truth was central to the relationship Jesus built and maintained with His disciples. He took great pains to translate the truth for them into a usable form in their lives. Jesus didn’t just preach the truth to large groups either, in fact, more often than not we see Him teaching His closer disciples.
In Matthew 13, Jesus “left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field’” (v. 36). And again in Matthew 15:15, Peter asks, “Explain the parable to us.”
Hearing and learning the Truth is the foundation of spiritual growth, and so our Journey curriculum always begins with Truth. Each member of the discipleship group will spend time reading the truth, and then having the truth explained to them as part of their study. When the group comes together, it provides even more opportunity to discuss the truth and grow in understanding.
As we learn and share the truth with each other, we grow to be more like Christ. Ephesians 3:15-16 explains it this way, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Whenever it’s time to choose your next discipleship curriculum, make sure that curriculum is filled with the truth.
The role of truth in personal worship
Attending a weekly discipleship group is a great place to get exposure to the truth, but it’s not enough. Every day we hear lies, and so we need a daily dose of truth as well.
Truth also plays a major role in personal worship—this is the daily time you spend devoting your attention exclusively to the glory of Christ and receiving the satisfaction He gives. (This is why it is sometimes called “devotions”). The two key activities that comprise personal worship are prayer and Bible study.
Both prayer and Bible study are critical for your spiritual growth, and without them, your spiritual journey will be seriously hampered. Personal worship can happen in all kinds of places and times, but it is important to pray for discernment and to read God’s Truth when you seek the Lord. The more truth you listen to or read His Word, the more your ears and eyes will be tuned to the Truth.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Truth is foundational to spiritual transformation and growth. We are blessed by a God who communicates through the timeless written Word. He could have kept the mystery of His salvation plan hidden, but He chose to reveal it to us through His Word.
Not only was Jesus the Truth, but He taught the Truth and called His disciples to teach others. If you need one more reason to focus on the truth in your discipleship ministry, then this is it. Jesus was the ultimate disciple-maker, and we should follow His example.
Want to learn how to raise the level of truth in your discipleship ministry? If so, then check out our discipleship training cohorts.