Have you ever been disciples?

On the flip side, have you ever disciples someone else?

What did that relationship look like?

Was it informal and organic?

Or did you meet on a regular basis?

And what impact, good or bad, did it have on your life long term?

In my interview today, I'm talking with Jonathan Dodson, the founding pastor of City Life Church in Austin, Texas, about what a gospel-centered approach to discipleship actually entails.

He highlights the importance of transparency for everyone involved, why the long view of sanctification is so important for

us to hold on to, and how to move forward when we feel hurt or betrayed by a mentor.

Jonathan is the author of Gospel-centered discipleship from Crossway. Let's get started.

Well, Jonathan, thank you so much for joining me today on the Crossway podcast. Hi, Matt. It's good to be with you. So discipleship is one of those words that we've all

used probably, and we certainly hear a lot in the context of the church. We hear from our pastors.

And yet, I think sometimes people mean different things

by the word.

And so I wonder if you could help us start off

by explaining what you mean when you say the word discipleship.

Discipleship is something that happens all the time.

We're disciples by the social media influences

that we take in. We're

disciples by our mentors, by our community, by the rhythms of our life. We are

shaped and molded. So there's a shaping, discipling influence always at work in our cities,

in our towns, in our homes. And so the concept of

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