When you hear the word disciple, you may envision people who spend all day praying and converting the masses. Or individuals who have a natural holiness deep inside. The truth is, being a follower of Jesus isn’t a job for the perfect or the Christian elite—it’s something anyone can and should be. (And even the original twelve disciples were far from perfect!) This thirty-day devotional looks at the traits real, very human disciples have, using Scripture, first-person comments from teens, and questions that help you think about your own disciple experiences.
When you think of Peter, John, Matthew, and even Paul, they seem to be heroes for Jesus—the ones we’re supposed to emulate and be more like. After all, Jesus handpicked them to be his followers and ambassadors on earth, and trusted them with everything when he left, so they must have been really holy men, right?
But if you read the Gospels and Acts closely, you’ll notice the men Jesus called into his ministry were often clueless, selfish, afraid, and brash, and made a lot of mistakes during their time as disciples. In other words, they were very human. Just like you. This 30-day devotional peels back the holy veneer and explores the character traits that mark all disciples—things like fear, boldness, doubt, laziness, weakness, sensitivity, brokenness, alienation, hunger, immaturity, strength, and preparedness—and uses Scripture, real-world examples, and questions with space to journal to help you see these “negative” qualities actually qualify you to follow Jesus. Because discipleship isn’t something from the first century, and Jesus is calling you to follow him today.
You Don't Have to Be Perfect to Follow Jesus:
- can be used for personal study or in a group setting
- is ideal for teens and young adults
- contains short readings, with full Scripture passages included, that you can take with you anywhere
- breaks down the real truth behind Scripture to show how it applies to your life today
Mike Yaconelli is the author of bestselling books Dangerous Wonder and Messy Spirituality. He was the senior editor for the Wittenburg Door (1971-1996), a satirical religious magazine noted for its irreverent humor, in-depth interviews, and commitment to reforming the evangelical church. He was the cofounder of Youth Specialties, an international organization devoted to equipping youth workers through training and resources. Mike was a prophetic voice in the church-at-large and was a devoted husband and father until his death in 2003.
