'The risen Lord is still calling, sending and multiplying disciples today’, writes Bristol Baptist College Principal Peter Morden in the opening piece of this edition. ‘In fact, he wants all of us to respond freshly to his life-giving, revolutionary invitation to ‘follow him’. If we do, the impact is potentially just as transformative now as it was 2000 years ago.’

Peter is the author of a well-regarded book on Christian discipleship, and is one of several Baptists to train their focus on this most important aspect of the Christian faith. In May former Baptist Union President Ken Benjamin spearheaded the release of a resource - Vital Signs - to aid churches in their disciple making. The resource grew from the ‘Where do we grow from here?’ question Ken asked in his presidential year, when a recurring response was a greater emphasis on whole-life discipleship. Following Jesus was always meant to impact all of our lives, he explains.

Chrissy Remsberg, who leads the Beacon Church in Stafford and co-leads the Firestarters Network, reflects on why the latter’s latest book is all about empowering ordinary churches to become disciple-making communities.

Israel Olofinjana, the director of the One People Commission of the Evangelical Alliance, brings a global perspective: his recent book explored the subject of discipleship and suffering, and what we can learn from the experiences and theologies of Majority World contexts.

The intentional discipleship of women ministers formed one of the Project Violet research reports. It informed several requests for change now being considered across our Union as a result of this major study into women’s experience of ministry.

Many of our churches are exploring what discipleship means in their context.

There’s much more, all seeking to respond to the question ‘What does it mean to follow Jesus faithfully today?’ Our prayer is the reflections and stories you encounter in these pages will aid your own understanding of what it means to respond to Jesus’s invitation to “Come, follow me.”  


The main articles in the magazine are featured below: