Some great thoughts on discipleship from Dan Ledwith here. Blessings and enjoy!

Have you ever wondered why Paul kept putting so much time and effort into the Corinthian church? Why didn’t he just move on in the face of so many problems, headaches, and heartaches? Why did he—time and time again—take the time to explain why they should hold to his yoke and way of life, when they kept listening to people who were so clearly trying to take advantage of them?

I submit that it was because Paul really, deeply, and truly loved them. He had so personally invested himself in them, with them, and for them, that he could not—indeed would not—let them go. His discipleship of the people of Corinth was no casual relationship simply for the sake of delivering the gospel, it was part of it. As loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind and loving your neighbor as yourself are not two but one commandment, the gospel preached and the love it calls us to, are also one.

Discipleship is relational. It is personal. It is life-on-life. You cannot disciple in a biblical sense from a distance. It is up close and personal. It is relational because love is relational. Love is not a concept to be understood but a relational commitment to be lived out.

I have been learning that love takes time. Paul spent upwards of two years with the Corinthians. Two years with the Apostle Paul and they were still this messed up! But Paul was not giving up. He was willing to put in the time. Jesus spent three years with the disciples teaching them what loving one another looked like. Love takes time. It is not learned in a few weeks, or even a few months. It takes years to get any good at it, and after that there is always room to grow…..Read the rest of the post here: Discipleship only works if you do this…