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Not long ago, I attended a student conference in Dallas, Texas. The theme was “Three Chairs,” and it revolved around discipleship. 

The “Three Chairs” illustration is perhaps the best word picture I have ever seen for implementing Jesus’ command to engage in discipleship.

The idea is really simple: You sit in the middle chair, and there is always someone on both sides of you – one pouring into you and one that you are pouring into.

It’s a powerful picture of a lifelong lifestyle of discipleship. No matter how much we have grown, we still need people discipling us. And, simultaneously, no matter how young we are in the faith, we have a responsibility to disciple others. Whether our resources are great or small, the Great Commission calls us to be faithful to give what has been invested in us to others.

It’s all a part of the discipleship community that should be taking place in every church where we all pour into one another through authentic community. And, as we all grow together, we mutually increase in our ability to encourage one another. Again, it’s all a part of God’s plan for discipleship.

That’s what we shared with seventh to twelfth grade students at the conference and encouraged them to be intentional about sharing their lives with others. So sit in that middle chair and make sure someone is occupying the seat to your right and the seat to your left.

It’s a simple matter of obedience and the least we can do for the cause of Christ.

Please pray that God will ignite discipleship communities in churches across our country.

Copyright © 2021 by Scott Attebery @  https://scottattebery.com/discipleship/three-chairs/No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org.