Bill Clem - Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus

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Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus

Copyright 2011 by Bill Clem

Published by Crossway

1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Patrick Mahoney of The Mahoney Design Team

Cover photo: Patrick Mahoney

First printing 2011

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-2349-6
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-2350-2
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-2351-9
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-2352-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Clem, Bill, 1955

Disciple : getting your identity from Jesus / Bill Clem ; foreword by Mark Driscoll.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4335-2349-6 (tp) ISBN 978-1-4335-2350-2 (pdf)

ISBN 978-1-4335-2352-6 (ePub)

ISBN 978-1-4335-2351-9 (mobipocket)

1. Spiritual formation. I. Title.

BV4511.C54 2011

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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Listen to the wise words of a seasoned pastor who knows that being a disciple of Jesus is much more than developing biblical literacy and theological knowledge. Learn how grace embeds your little story in the larger story of redemption and transforms your heart in the process.

Paul David Tripp, President, Paul Tripp Ministries; author, What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage

Bill has been one the most influential pastors shaping my thinking on discipleship. He brings a holistic, gospel-centered, Jesus-exalting approach to the ongoing formation of the redeemed people of God. I thank God for Bills impact on my life and I trust that you will as well after reading this book.

Jeff Vanderstelt, Vice President, Acts 29; Pastor, Soma Communities, Tacoma, Washington

Bill Clem uses his powerful storytelling ability, theological insights, and personal journey to speak straight to the heart of discipleship. Reading this book was like having a cup of coffee with one of the most influential thinkers and ministry leaders of our day.

David Livermore, President, Cultural Intelligence Center; author, Serving with Eyes Wide Open

Through both his writing and his life, Bill Clem has given us an inspiring vision of what it looks like to live out our identity as disciples of Jesus.

Pete Kelley, Lead Pastor, Doxology, Corvallis, Oregon

Bill Clem shattered all of my preconceptions of discipleship, but in so doing he masterfully painted a beautiful portrait of what a disciple is and what discipleship looks like. A must-read for anyone serious about making gospel-centered disciples.

Carlos Montoya, Lead Pastor, Blaze Christian Fellowship, Santa Fe, New Mexico

In all my ministry years I have never met anyone who is more adept and passionate about the subject and lifestyle of discipleship. This book will not be one you half read and then set aside for the next garage sale; it will be part of your permanent library, used to equip yourself and others for years to come. In fact, I wager you will read and reread this. Its that good! Disciple challenges us all to dig deeper so that we might learn what it means to be a true follower of Jesus and to help others to do the same.

Mike Love, founder, director, Extreme Dream Ministries

Disciple connects the relational community of the triune God to his image bearers in the greatest nonfiction story of allthe story of God. The privilege of playing our part in his story is masterfully told by Clem. Not only is Disciple a great read; it is a must-study.

Mark A. Hoeffner, Executive Director, CB Northwest; Lead Elder, Grace Baptist Church, White Salmon, Washington

Among Jesuss final words to usbefore he returned to heaven after completing his salvation missionwas the command to make disciples. Subsequently, this is the delight and duty of the Christian church until he returns.

What, though, is a disciple? Whom and how do they worship? What is their identity? Where is their community? What is their mission?

The word disciple has been used so often that arguably few people actually spend much time thinking on it deeply and understanding it practically.

Thankfully, our friend and fellow Mars Hill pastor Bill Clem does a masterful job of answering these and other questions about what Jesus intended when he told us to make disciples. His wisdom comes from living as a disciple of Jesus Christ for decades. He has taught literally tens of thousands of leaders of all ages around the nation and world, helped run one of the largest student ministry organizations, led the nations largest college ministry, served as both a senior and an associate pastor, taught at seminaries, planted a church, and now serves as the campus pastor at our largest Mars Hill campus. He also buried a wife after a long battle with cancer, raised adult children who all love and serve Jesus, and is now a happy grandpa loving a new wife in a new season of life that includes the occasional cigar.

Those of us who know him best will tell you that when the Bible speaks of a loving shepherd, it was referring to Pastor Bill. We respect him, appreciate him, and enjoy him. He is humble toward other leaders, faithful with Scripture, loving with people, courageous in leadership, flexible in method, and filled with the Holy Spirit.

So, when it came to writing the book on discipleship, we needed him to write it. His work contained in this book serves as the foundation for all of our discipleship at Mars Hill Church and has made a profound difference in peoples lives. We are thrilled to share our friend and his wisdom with you.

Mark Driscoll, Senior Pastor,

Mars Hill Church, Seattle

If you were God, how would you tell a human who you are? How would you make it plain to people? How would you reveal yourself to your own creation? Would you skywrite bullet points such as: