Believer Or Disciple?

Believer Or Disciple?

From First Baptist Joplin by First Baptist Church of Joplin, Missouri

April 12, 2026 · 29 min

About this episode

This episode explores the distinction between being a believer and a disciple of Jesus, emphasizing the commitment and humility required to truly follow Him.

John Swadley | Luke 5:4-11 This powerful message takes us deep into the world of first-century discipleship, revealing what it truly means to follow Jesus rather than simply believe in Him. Through the story of Peter's call in Luke 5, we discover that being a disciple is fundamentally different from being a mere believer. We learn three essential lessons: our goal is to become like Jesus, not just learn about Him; deep humility is the prerequisite for following Him; and we must be willing to leave everything behind. The beautiful truth is that Jesus still chooses people who feel unworthy, inviting us to be covered in the dust of our Rabbi as we walk so closely behind Him that His way of life becomes ours.

People in this episode

Host: John Swadley

Topics covered

  • discipleship
  • following Jesus
  • faith
  • humility
  • Christian teachings
  • first-century context

Keywords

  • discipleship
  • believer
  • Jesus
  • humility
  • first-century
  • faith
  • Peter
  • call
  • Christianity

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Luke 5:4-11

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