Discipleship in Community with Katie Gilbert
Today we have the third episode in our series, “Keeping it Local: Leaning into Discipleship in Your Local Context.” The idea behind this series is to encourage us all to seek out discipleship and learning with women we can spend time with face-to-face. Last week we chatted with Dori Willeman, my pastor’s wife, and today we’re talking to the gal who she’s been discipling for the past 24 years, her daughter, Katie. The insight Katie shared on how we pour into one another in the context of community was gold! Katie is only 23, but she was discipling this almost-32 year old for the entire conversation. I was so challenged by her humility and her desire to be mentored by women in her local context and I know you guys are going to love her as much as I did.
Can you tell us a little about who you are and what you do?
What role has discipleship played in your own walk with the Lord?
What is the importance of being mentored by older women in the faith?
What are you looking for when you’re trying to find a mentor? How do you go about initiating that kind of relationship? How does it vary from person-to-person?
Why should we seek to make disciples as we’re being discipled?
What limitations should we be aware of as younger women seeking to teach and equip others in righteousness?
On the flip side, what should we keep in mind as we’re seeking to learn from older women? How do you practice discernment in what you’re intaking, both from women in your proximity and women who you’re learning from at a distance?
What would you encourage young women to do now to become the kind of mentor that we ourselves are yearning for?
If you could say something to the older women in our lives, what would you say?
What are some ways we can grow in our ability to engage older, more mature sisters with the goal of learning from them?
TWO QUESTIONS WE’RE ASKING EVERY GUEST THIS SEASON
How have you seen yourself grow in your ability to make disciples? What has been the most helpful practice/thing you’ve done to develop this skill?
What’s one question you would encourage women to ask an older woman in their life, maybe even today, after listening to this conversation?
NOTEWORTHY QUOTES
“Discipleship has not always been one singular person who I’m meeting weekly for coffee. It has been far more of a community process.”
“Discipleship is living together, knowing each other’s stories and struggles, and being willing to speak the gospel into each other’s lives.”
“When I look for somebody to be speaking into my life, I’m looking for somebody who is patient, grounded in Scripture that can point me back to the gospel, and someone who will ask questions of you and alongside of you. Someone who is open and honest about their doubts and fears. Someone who is willing to open Scripture and wrestle with it and continually to walk faithfully.”
“Insert yourself in community and connect with the local church.”
“Insert yourself in community no matter how uncomfortable you may feel. That humility, obedience, and willingness to submit yourself to that local church and local group of believers and allowing yourself to belong to them.”
“Have the humility and awareness that we need each other, living in community and living alongside other people.”
“Be willing to participate. Be a full participant in your local church.”
“It’s critical to acknowledge the humanness within discipleship. It’s messy because we are humans and this is life. It’s not about perfection - it’s working out our salvation together. It’s work. It’s vulnerable. But it’s beautiful and life-giving.”
“Your mentor is not your savior.”
“God has so graciously given us his Word to know him.”
“Practice the art of beholding God.”
“Practice taking the first step in relationships. Exercise the muscle of hospitality to others.”
“Perfection is not a prerequisite for the gospel.”
“Cherish the Word of God.”
“Ask someone in your life, ‘will you teach me how to do _____?’ As you’re first meeting someone and they are really good at something, ask them to teach you.”
“Ask the people you disciple to teach you something because they have a lot to teach you as well.”
RESOURCES FOR DISCIPLESHIP
Melissa Kruger on Mentoring Relationships between Women
Growing Together by Melissa Kruger (releasing later this year)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How has your current community encouraged you in your walk with Christ?
Do you find that you cherish the Word of God? Why or why not?
What holds you back from further engaging in relationships in your local context?
If you were to ask someone in your life, “will you teach me how to ___?” What would you ask them to teach you? Who would you ask?
As a disciple of Christ, how you can further engage in your local community to walk in obedience to the call to “go and make disciples?”
SCRIPTURE MEMORY
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:1-2
IMPORTANT NOTE
Journeywomen interviews are intended to serve as a springboard for continued study in the context of your local church. While we carefully select guests each week, interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.
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