What We've Forgotten About Following Jesus: Lessons in discipleship from the early church to today
About this episode
The episode explores lessons in discipleship from the early church to today, emphasizing a deeper way of following Jesus.
What does it actually mean to follow Jesus—and what can Christians today learn from those who followed Him centuries before us? In this conversation, Dr. Gerald Sittser, professor emeritus at Whitworth University and author of Water from a Deep Well , takes us on a journey through Christian history, from the early martyrs and desert fathers to monasteries, mystics, and missionaries. We explore why early Christians developed rigorous processes for discipleship, what a Rule of Life can teach us today, and how learning to "inhabit time" through rhythms of prayer, work, silence, and stillness can reshape our lives with God. But this conversation isn't simply about looking backward. It's about recovering something we desperately need today: a deeper, more embodied way of becoming like Jesus. Dr. Sittser explains the Christian understanding of union with God, the difference between relationship and absorption, and why serious discipleship ultimately moves us outward into mission. Following Jesus isn't merely about believing the right things; it's about closing the gap between who we are in Christ and how we actually live, trusting that grace is present from beginning to end. Learn more…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Carol Peters-Tanksley
Guest: Dr. Gerald Sittser
Topics covered
- discipleship
- Christian history
- early church
- spirituality
- union with God
- mission
Keywords
- following Jesus
- discipleship
- Christianity
- early martyrs
- spiritual practices
- Rule of Life
- grace
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Whitworth University
Books & works: Water from a Deep Well
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