“Called to Disciple All People...”

Discipleship lies at the core of our Mission Statement, defining our calling from God. While San Diego Fil-Am primarily consists of Filipino-Americans, as a church family, we believe in the universal call to "disciple all people," irrespective of color, ethnicity, or social status, echoing the mandate for all Kingdom-born individuals (Matthew 28:19). As Ellen White aptly expressed, "Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. The receiver becomes a giver..." (DA 195).

But what does discipleship entail?

While a comprehensive Biblical definition may be a work in progress, discipleship fundamentally involves growth in Jesus Christ, a commitment to lifelong learning and following Him. It encompasses a dynamic relationship, devotion, journey, a new perspective, abiding, and a "Spirit-imbued life," leading to transformation (Ephesians 4:13 NKJV). This intentional inward formation should manifest in a life bearing witness, translated into discipling others for the kingdom—an insight we'll explore further in our Small Group process launching on January 27, 2024.

Wayne Knowles underscores the value of a discipleship process modeled after Jesus. Encouragingly, he notes, "When we look at Jesus’ model of discipleship, He created an environment fostering maximum growth for each disciple, transforming fishermen into incredible fishers of men." Adopting Jesus' disciple-making model allows every individual in our congregations, both youth and adults, to mature as disciples in Christ [Making Disciples Like Jesus Did: Creating the Environment for Making Mature Members]

—Pastor Lim.