Ethos is the disposition of a community. It is the underlying sentiment that forms the beliefs, customs or practices of a group. There is a certain essence or ethos associated with every church. Disciple One is the ethos of Cornerstone Church in Chillicothe, Missouri. Jesus calls you and me to be his disciple. A disciple is one who is becoming a spiritually mature zealot for Christ. A zealot is one who shows earnest and diligent enthusiasm for a cause. Discipleship is the path we have chosen to follow. Disciple One is a map to guide us and to measure our progress.
Disciple One means that first I am one. We pray first. We put God's word first place in our life. We make fellowship a priority in our lives. We make a commitment to outreach. Disciple One means that I am helping one other person become a disciple also. Helping one other person is as easy as befriending a new person, inviting them to us in activities, then begin including them in the inner circle of our life.
The call to discipleship is a call to die. Jesus said that it is necessary for a seed to fall into the earth and die that is might bear much fruit. The cost of discipleship is death, "take up your cross daily and follow me." A cross is an instrument of death. Following Jesus requires the loss of personal identity and desire. The reward is righteousness and the inexplicable joy associated with spiritual growth and maturity.
Westminster Catechism of AD 1647 question #1 is, "What is the chief end of man?" The answer is, "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever." Allow Disciple One to become the ethos of your life. Glorify God and enjoy him forever.
Peace,
Stan
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