Oh man, it feels so good to be back behind this
mic. It's been, what, five weeks? Every now and
then, I get a message or text from one of you
saying, hey man, when's season two coming out?
When's the next episode dropping? And honestly,
every single time, it just made my day. It's
such a good feeling to know you're out there,
not just listening, but actually looking forward
to what's coming next. It reminds me that this
isn't just me talking into a mic by myself. This
is a real conversation, a real community. hearing
from you like that? Man, it means more than I
can even explain. I missed this. I missed you.
I missed the late night recording sessions, the
deep conversations, and the Holy Spirit -led
moments that sometimes even takes me by surprise.
Season one was such a gift, full of stories,
lessons, and a whole lot of God's grace. And
I honestly needed those five weeks to rest, pray,
and listen. But man, I've been itching to hit
record again. These past five weeks, I've been
playing, dreaming, and asking God, okay, what's
next? How do we go deeper? How do we stay unfiltered?
But also keep pointing people towards the hope
we have in Christ. So whether you're listening
in your car, at the gym, folding laundry, or
hiding from your responsibilities, no judgment
by the way, I'm so glad you're here. Season two
starts now. Before we get into today's conversation,
I want to take a moment to talk about something
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Now let's get into today's episode and see what
God has for us. Hey everyone, my name is Austin
and welcome back to another episode of the Unfiltered
Faith Podcast. If this is your first time tuning
in, I'm so glad you're here. And if you've been
here before, welcome back. Today we're going
to be talking about how to be a disciple and
not just a churchgoer. So if you'd like to take
notes, I encourage it. And while you're at it,
have your Bibles out because we're going to be
looking at several passages of scripture that'll
help us through our discussion today. Let's be
honest, a lot of us have settled for Sunday attendance
when Jesus called us to daily obedience. In Western
culture especially, it's incredibly easy to check
the Christian box. But Jesus didn't say, go to
church every Sunday and you're good. He said,
follow me. There's a big difference between sitting
in a pew and carrying a cross. Somewhere along
the way, the label Christian became more of a
cultural identity than a surrendered life. But
following Jesus was never supposed to be convenient.
You can show up to church on Sundays. You might
have a fish sticker on your car. You can wear
a cross necklace and nobody bats an eye. Maybe
you even volunteer or post a few Jesus quotes
on Instagram. But here's the thing, you can go
to church your entire life and never actually
follow Jesus. That's the church go a trap. Comfort
breeds complacency. A faith that costs nothing
eventually means nothing. If you wear a cross
around your neck, but your life doesn't look
like the man that hung from it, then you probably
shouldn't be wearing it. Think of a gym membership
you never use. Monthly drafts, zero muscle. Same
with church attendance minus discipleship. Automatic
withdrawals, no spiritual muscle. So here's the
question we're wrestling with today. Are you
a disciple or just a churchgoer? Now there's
a reason I'm emphasizing disciple and not Christian
Did you know that the term Christian was originally
used as a derogatory term in biblical times?
The term was coined by pagans in Antioch circa
37 through 40 AD It's not until about 200 years
later that we find the followers of Christ Applying
it to themselves in a positive way and it's only
ever mentioned three times in the New Testament
I want you all to pull out a journal or the notes
app on your phone, jot down these questions,
and next to these questions, I want you to write
out the number 1 through 5, like 1, 2, 3, 4,
5. You know what I mean. So 1 being never and
5 being always. Do I open my Bible on any other
day outside of Sunday? Do I pray conversationally
throughout the week? When faced with a decision,
do I first ask, what would honor Jesus? Do I
have confessional sharpening relationships? Do
I actively seek the lost or just hang out with
the found? The sad reality behind all of this
is that if your answers hang around the one spot,
but your church attendance is high, you might
be cruising in churchgoer mode. You may not find
these in a discipleship textbook, but they're
everywhere, in today's churches. I don't say
this to mock anyone. I say it to wake us up.
Because if you're more shaped by church culture
than by Christ himself, You might just be a churchgoer,
not a disciple. Let's break down the profiles.
Number one, we have the language pro. This is
the believer who speaks fluent Christianese,
can drop a hedge of protection in a group prayer
with flawless timing. They'll say, Lord willing,
before every plan, but haven't actually asked
the Lord in weeks. Phrases like, God's got this,
I'm blessed and highly favored, and it's the
season, roll off their tongue. But they haven't
surrendered anything since 2008. What is the
risk of this person? They know the language,
but do they know the lamb? Jesus warns us in
Matthew 15 8, these people honor me with their
lives, but their hearts are far from me. Let's
be real, talk is cheap. Heaven isn't impressed
by vocabulary. Heaven responds to obedience.
Number two, the sermon collector. This person
has 17 podcasts queued up and listens to sermons
on two times speed while doing laundry. They
can quote John Mark Homer and Tim Keller like
a seminary student. They consume content about
Jesus all day long. But here's the problem. They're
fed, but not formed. Informed, but not transformed.
James 1 .22 hits them square in the heart. Be
doers of the word and not hearers only. Deceiving
others. The risk? Spiritual deception. They think
they're growing because they're learning. But
growth comes from application. and not just absorption.
Number three, the Instagram evangelists. Their
bio says, Jesus first, coffee lover, Romans 828.
They post aesthetically filtered pics of their
own open Bible and cold brew, captioned, quiet
time vibes. The verse of the day is always on
their story, but do you know what's never on
their? Conviction, holiness, repentance. And
if you scroll down to the DMs, let's just say
Jesus ain't in there. The risk? Created holiness,
hidden hypocrisy. They've learned to market a
relationship with God they haven't actually cultivated.
It's all surface -level spirituality and no secret
place to render. Jesus called out this exact
same thing in Matthew 23. He said, you clean
the outside of the cup, but inside you're full
of greed and self -indulgence. Let me be clear,
posting about Jesus isn't the problem. The problem
lies when you're performing for approval while
avoiding personal repentance. Number four, the
comfort curator. This one hits hardest. This
person treats churches like Netflix categories.
I like the worship at that place, but the sermon
was kind of long. Oh, this one has a coffee bar
and doesn't talk about sin. Bet. They want spiritual
vibes, not spiritual accountability. They choose
churches the same way people choose brunch spots.
But discipleship isn't customizable. Jesus doesn't
come a la carte. The risk? They treat the bride
of Christ like DoorDash. Here's what Paul said
in 2 Timothy 4 .3. For the time will come when
people will not endure sound teaching, but will
gather around them teachers who say what their
itching ears want to hear. If you only attend
a church that agrees with your lifestyle, your
politics, your plans, and your comfort, you're
not being discipled. You're being affirmed. And
listen, I've been there. I've church hopped for
comfort. I've avoided conviction. But I promise
you, you will never grow in a place that's afraid
to tell you the truth. So which one are you?
We all have a little bit of each of these in
us, if we're being honest. But Jesus didn't die
so we could perform for each other. He didn't
rise so we could listen to sermons and stay unchanged.
He didn't call us to a curated faith. He called
us to carry a cross. Now that we've exposed some
of the cultural counterfeits, let's talk about
the real thing. Not what your denomination said.
Not what Instagram said. Not what your youth
pastor growing up implied. Let's go straight
to the mouth of Jesus. What does Jesus say makes
someone his disciple? Because here's the thing.
Jesus never said, go and make Christians. He
said, go and make disciples. Matthew 28, 19.
So let's define the word disciple. and then we'll
let scripture speak for itself. In Greek, the
word for disciple is methodes, which means a
learner, apprentice, or student under a teacher.
But not in the classroom kind of way. It's learning
from Jesus, becoming like Jesus, living for Jesus.
But here's the thing, every disciple was a believer,
but not every believer is a disciple. Number
one, a disciple follows Jesus unconditionally.
Luke 923 says, if anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself, take up his cross daily,
and follow me. Jesus didn't say, if anyone wants
a better life, or if anyone wants good vibes
and free grace. No, he said, if you want me,
you've got to die to you. Deny yourself. That
means your will, your timeline, your preferences,
your vision of truth. Take up your cross. The
cross wasn't decorative in the first century.
It was a death sentence. You can't follow Jesus
and carry your ego. You can't follow Jesus and
cling to your idols. This isn't a half in half
out arrangement. Discipleship is all or nothing.
Number two, a disciple learns and obeys. John
8, 31 -32 says, if you abide in my word, you
are truly my disciple. Then you will know the
truth and the truth will set you free. Now here,
I want you to notice the sequence. First, abide.
remained well in his word. Prove you're his disciple.
Know the truth. Experience freedom. Some of us
are trying to walk in freedom without abiding
in the word. We're binging TikTok and reading
a verse a week and wondering why we're confused.
Real disciples don't snack on scripture. They
feast. And it's not just head knowledge. James
1 22 says, be doers of the word, not hearers
only. If the word says forgive, we forgive. If
the word says serve, we serve. If the word says
wait, we wait. Even when it's hard, even when
it's slow, even when it hurts. Number three,
a disciple loves like Jesus. John 13, 34 to 35
says, a new command I give you, love one another
as I have loved you. By this, all people will
know that you are my disciples if you love one
another. This is where it gets uncomfortable.
Because Jesus didn't say they'll know your disciple
by your theology, your voting record, your worship
playlists, your tattoos or your lack of tattoos.
He said the evidence of discipleship is love
and not just mushy fluffy love, cross shaped
love. Love that forgives when people don't say
sorry. Love that welcomes the outcast and rebukes
the religious. Love that sacrifices comfort,
convenience and control. You can't fake this
kind of love. It has to flow from the Spirit
of God in you. Number four, a disciple lives
in community. Acts 2, 42 through 47 paints the
picture. They devoted themselves to the apostles,
teaching fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
Discipleship was never meant to be solo. Jesus
didn't call 12 individuals. He built a community.
If you're trying to follow Jesus alone, You're
walking into battle with no armor. Disciples
need correction, encouragement, confession, and
celebration. Hebrews 10 .25 says, do not neglect
meeting together, but encourage one another all
the more as the day draws near. Number five,
a disciple bears fruit. John 15 .8 says, by this
my father is glorified that you bear much fruit
and so prove to be my disciples. What kind of
fruit is John talking about? He's talking about
Galatians 5. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self
-control. The kind that blesses others and glorifies
God. Here's the reality. If you've followed Jesus
for five years, but your life looks no different,
something's off. Disciples grow, not perfectly,
not linearly, but consistently. The closer we
get to Jesus, the more we should look like Him.
So let me ask you, are you following Jesus or
just admiring Him? Are you obeying Him or just
explaining Him away? Are you in community or
isolated in your faith? Are you bearing fruit
or faking it? This isn't about shame, it's about
clarity. Because here's the truth, Jesus is not
looking for crowds, He's calling disciples. Not
people who show up for the miracles believe when
he mentions the cross. Not fans. Not cultural
Christians. Not people looking for a feel -good
faith. He's looking for people willing to go
where he goes. Even to a hill called Calvary.
You don't have to be perfect to be a disciple.
You just have to be surrendered. I hope you guys
are still with me, because we've uncovered some
pretty hard truths. We're about to go even deeper.
And I won't lie to you, this next part it might
- be the most uncomfortable truth you've faced
so far. But lean in. Because sometimes the hardest
truths are the ones that lead to the greatest
freedom. Discipleship is a great oxymoron. Because
it's something that will cost you everything,
but in return you'll gain everything. I'm not
talking about money. I'm talking about something
even more valuable. A deep personal relationship
with God. Costs, a word we don't always associate
with faith. We like the words grace, peace, hope,
blessing, but cost? That's a word we avoid. And
yet, Jesus never avoided it. In fact, he made
it explicit. If anyone would come after me, let
him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and
follow me. Luke 9 .23 Let's be honest, that doesn't
sound like the invitation to a comfy life. That
sounds like a funeral invitation for your ego,
your plans, your preferences. But what if the
cost of discipleship is actually the pathway
to the life you were made for? Number one, discipleship
will cost you something. Let's name the cost.
Comfort. Jesus never promised convenience. He
didn't die to make you safe. He died to make
you holy. Disciples walk into hard conversations.
Serve when no one applauds. Forgive when it feels
impossible. If your faith has never made you
uncomfortable, you're probably not following
Jesus. You're following your preferences in His
name. Number two, you'll have to lose control.
Discipleship is surrender. It's letting Jesus
mess with your schedule, your dating life, your
dreams. It means praying prayers like, not my
will, but yours be done. You can't invite Jesus
to be your savior and keep yourself as Lord.
Number three thing that it might cost you is
your reputation people will misunderstand you
Culture won't always get you you might get labeled
religious judgmental or even hateful for simply
choosing obedience Jesus said in Matthew 10 22
you will be hated by everyone because of me if
everyone likes Your version of Christianity you
might not be following the real Jesus number
four you might lose control of your possessions
You might be called to give generously, sacrificially,
maybe even painfully. Jesus told the rich young
ruler to sell everything. Why? Because wealth
was his true God. We're not all called to empty
our bank accounts, but we are all called to ask,
is there anything I wouldn't give up if Jesus
asked me to? Cheap Christianity is killing us.
Let's talk about it. We've built churches where
attendance equals discipleship. Agreement equals
obedience and emotion equals surrender. But you
can cry in church and still walk in rebellion.
You can raise your hands on Sunday and still
raise your ego the rest of the week. Dietrich
Bonhoeffer, the German theologian who literally
died resisting the Nazis, said this. When Christ
calls a man, he bids him to come and die. He
also warned against cheap grace. grace that demands
nothing and changes no one we want salvation
without sacrifice resurrection without crucifixion
crown without cross but cheap faith doesn't satisfy
it looks good on the outside but it leaves you
empty number three why the cost is actually good
news how is this good news let me tell you the
cost of discipleship is high but the cost of
not following jesus is even higher Matthew 16
25 says whoever would have saved his life will
lose it But whoever loses his life for my sake
will find it Let that sink in lose your life
and you'll find it. That's the paradox of the
kingdom Jesus isn't trying to ruin your life.
He's trying to rescue it He's not asking you
to lay down your identity because he wants to
erase it. He wants to redeem it He's not asking
you to give up your plans because He wants to
crush them. He wants to align them with something
eternal. The cost leads to freedom from sin,
peace and suffering, joy that outlasts emotions,
and purpose that transcends comfort. And best
of all, the cost leads to closeness with Christ.
You cannot walk closely with Christ if you're
still walking closely with your idols. But you
know what the real tragedy is? It's not the person
who gave up comfort to follow Jesus. It's the
person who gave up Jesus to stay comfortable.
You will never regret surrendering something
to Christ. But you will regret the things you
clung to that held you back from a deeper intimacy
with Him. So we've talked about how easy it is
to fall into the church grower trap. We've unpacked
what a real disciple is according to Jesus, not
just culture. And we just read it and we just
wrestled with the cost of following it. But now
we ask, what does it look like to actually live
this out today? Like not in Bible times, not
in monastery, not in mountaintop, but in 2025,
in a digital distracted post -Christian culture
with smartphones, side hustles, TikTok algorithms,
and all the noise. Let's talk about the marks
of the modern day disciple. because this world
does not need more religious people. It needs
resurrected people alive in Christ and serious
about the kingdom. I just wanted to put a little
disclaimer out there that this isn't a checklist
to impress God, that this is evidence of walking
with him. Jesus said, you'll know a tree by its
fruits. Matthew 7 16. So here's the fruit. Number
one, radical obedience over casual agreement.
A real disciple doesn't just agree with Jesus,
they obey Him. Obedience is inconvenient, unpopular,
costly, but that's where the power is. Forgiving
your ex? Obedience. Tithing even when it's tight?
Obedience. Confessing sin when hiding is easier?
Obedience. Saying no to that situationship you
know is toxic? Obedience. Obedience is the love
language of heaven. Jesus said, if you love me,
Keep my commandments. Number two, anchored in
scripture, not trends. TikTok theology is not
going to hold you when your world falls apart.
A disciple doesn't just quote the Bible, they're
formed by it. In 2025, everyone has an opinion.
Everyone has a platform. If you're not in the
word, you're vulnerable to whatever is loudest.
You'll end up with a stitched together faith.
That's just a match up of vibes. Number three,
Devoted to prayer, not just productivity. In
a hustle culture, silence feels like a waste
of time. But for disciples, silence is sacred
space. If the Son of God needed quiet time with
the Father, how much more do we? Prayer isn't
a checklist. It's a lifeline. It's not talking
to God. It's walking with Him. Modern disciples
don't just post praying for you. They actually
pray. Deeply. Daily. Dependently. Number four,
intentional community over individual faith.
Discipleship is never a solo sport. Modern disciples
confess sins to each other, carry burdens for
each other, correct each other in love, celebrate
with each other. You weren't made to grow in
isolation. If your faith is private, shallow,
and disconnected, it's also unprotected. Number
five, mission -minded over self -focused. Disciples
don't just attend church, they are the church.
Jesus said, go make disciples, not go build your
own platform. Modern day disciples share the
gospel boldly. You're not saved to sit, you're
saved to send. And listen, your mission field
might not be across the ocean, it might be across
the break room, or across the street, or across
your own kitchen table. You don't need a stage
to be sent, you need to be surrendered. Number
six, quick to repent, not just quick to justify.
Disciples aren't perfect, but they're quick to
repent. In a culture that teaches you to justify
everything, disciples choose to crucify the flesh.
Modern day repentance looks like logging off
Instagram when it fuels pride, texting someone
you ghosted and apologizing, saying I was wrong
without defending yourself. Repentance is refreshing.
Repentance keeps us soft. The minute repentance
feels optional, we've stopped following Jesus.
Number seven, marked by sacrificial love. Not
love that's easy. Not love that's convenient.
Cross -shaped, uncomfortable, radical love. Love
that forgives even when they don't change. Love
that sees people as souls, not projects. Love
that walks with the messy, the broken, the inconvenient.
Love that costs something. And in 2025, that
kind of love will stand out like never before
because hate is trending. The division is profitable
and ego is currency. But disciples, they love
like Jesus. That's how the world will know who
you are. So far, we've looked at the difference
between churchgoers and disciples, the cost and
the call. But how do we actually shift from just
attending church to becoming someone who loves?
who lives, walks, and breathes like Jesus. Let's
go back to the early church for a moment. The
book of Acts, short for Acts of the Apostles,
is our first glimpse into what happened after
Jesus rose and ascended. It's the birthplace
of the church and what we see in Acts isn't a
group of people just sitting around and singing
songs once a week. We see a radical community,
bold obedience, miraculous power, lives fully
surrendered in Christ. The Book of Acts is not
a story about churchgoers. It's a record of disciples.
And so using the same name, Acts, I want to give
you a simple framework to move from passive faith
to active discipleship. It's not exhaustive,
but it's a powerful starting point. So the A
in Acts stands for acknowledge where your faith
has been shallow. Before revival can begin in
your life, honesty has to happen. Have you been
coasting? Have you been showing up on Sunday,
but not showing up in your own soul? Psalms 51
-6 says, you desire truth in the inward being.
God's not looking for perfection. He's looking
for people who are willing to get real. The C
in X stands for commit to pursue Jesus daily.
Discipleship isn't a one -time prayer. It's a
lifetime pursuit. Luke 9 23 says whoever wants
to be my disciple must deny themselves take up
the cross daily and follow me That means time
in the word that means choosing surrender when
the world offers shortcuts It means showing up
even when you don't feel like it and the T in
acts stands for train like a disciple Faith isn't
just a feeling. It's a muscle first Timothy 4
says train yourself for godliness that could
look like joining a Bible study serving consistently,
being mentored, or better yet, mentoring someone
else. Training builds endurance and deepens roots.
And finally, the S in X stands for surrender
your will. At the heart of discipleship is this,
not my will, but yours be done. Jesus modeled
that in the garden. He didn't run from the cost.
He submitted it to the Father. And as his followers,
we do the same daily. Discipleship is not a spiritual
to -do list. It's a relationship marked by love,
growth, and transformation. And just like in
the book of Acts, when we say yes to Jesus in
every area of our lives, the Holy Spirit moves
in ways we can't even imagine. Remember, discipleship
is not a destination. It's a direction. It's
a lifestyle of becoming more and more like Jesus.
So are you ready to stop going to church and
start being the church? Before we wrap up today,
I want to leave you with this. You don't have
to be famous, perfect, or even ordained to be
a disciple. You just have to be available. This
world does not need another Christian label.
It needs bold, surrendered followers of Jesus
right where they are. And how do we do that?
Well, number one, we have to start where we are.
You don't need to wait until you're ready. Discipleship
starts with saying, Jesus, I'm yours. Use me
here. Use me now. So today, pray before you scroll.
Invite Jesus into your next decision. Choose
holiness when compromise is easier. That's how
movement begins. One act of obedience at a time.
Number two, build a discipleship habit. Pick
one daily habit this week that keeps you anchored
as a disciple. It could be 10 minutes in scripture
before your phone, a walk and talk prayer each
day, or one hard obedience step like forgiving
or fasting. Disciples aren't made by hype. They're
forged in daily decisions. Number three, find
one person you'll disciple or walk with. Disciples
make disciples. You don't need a Bible degree.
Just a willing heart. Ask someone. Want to grow
in Jesus together this summer? Meet weekly. Read
the Gospel of Luke. Be real. Be intentional.
You're not just following Jesus. You're inviting
others to do the same. Share what you're learning,
whether it's on social media, in your small group,
or with a coworker. Let people see what it looks
like to follow Jesus in 2025. Use your voice.
Your life is someone else's permission slip to
go deeper. The church Jesus is building, it's
not flashy, it's faithful, it's costly, it's
powerful, and it's made up of ordinary people
like you living like disciples, not just attendees.
So go be the real thing, and let's change the
world one surrendered step at a time. Thank you
for joining me on today's episode of the Unfiltered
Faith Podcast. If something today spoke to you,
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