I sipped a large latte at my favorite local coffee shop and asked myself what I was getting into. Across the table from me sat wisdom and knowledge embodied in the form of Connie Faber—a 31-year Christian Leader staff member with 21 years of experience as magazine editor, and my predecessor. Talk about shoes to fill.
What do you ask someone with decades of experience, who has walked the road you are about to walk? How do you even begin to scratch the surface on what’s important, what’s not and the gray in-between? Honestly, I wanted to know if I could download her brain to an external hard drive, but that seemed a tad desperate for a first meeting.
While I chugged caffeine and frantically scribbled notes on multiple sheets of paper, Connie slowly sipped a cool lemonade and tried to explain to me the details of everything she had seamlessly done for the last two decades—from managing three to four issues simultaneously to juggling dozens of writers and looming deadlines. While sweat started to form on my brow, Connie shared a gentle smile and said with conviction, “It’s all going to be OK. You’ll figure it out.”
How I desperately needed that comfort along with the counsel. And to me, that’s where discipling someone shines brilliantly—the intersection of kindness and truth. When the teacher is patient and the student is willing.
In this issue, we explore the many facets of discipleship, uncovering how it started and how it can show up today:
- Sometimes, it’s capitalizing on the small moments that Michele Fiester writes about on page 10 to encourage someone on their journey with Jesus.
- Other times, it’s pointing a friend to the origins of discipleship and the manner in which the first disciples took on the initiative God set before them, as Tim Geddert describes on page 12.
- For me, discipleship is also a daily call to lead my children on the path that leads to Jesus, similar to the heart Crystal Nachtigall shares on page 14.
It might feel like discipleship is for others—not for you. Who could you lead, anyway? I think you’d be surprised, as I was, when you start to look around and consider how you are being led and also leading others already. May we ask the Lord to open our eyes to those standing right in front of us or to bring someone into our lives who needs the support and counsel we can give. When we ask, he answers.
Let’s not let excuses or feelings of inadequacy keep us from this calling to live and lead others into a closer walk with Jesus.
And if you start to sweat, don’t forget Connie’s wise words (maybe while drinking some cold lemonade): It’s going to be OK.
With the help of the Lord, we’ll figure it out!
Lacey joined the Christian Leader staff as editor in July 2025. She has more than two decades of experience in editorial writing and strategic communications, creating and editing content for newspaper, magazines, websites and email campaigns. Lacey, her husband and their two girls live in Wichita, Kansas, and attend Ridgepoint Church.
