In a world where discipleship often feels like a set of prescribed lessons and spiritual to-dos, Yolanda Solomon’s Discipleship as Holy Collaboration: Helping Others Follow Jesus in Real Life offers a refreshing and profound approach. Solomon’s work is more than just a guide for making disciples—it’s a powerful invitation to join God in His mission through authentic relationships, mutual transformation, and practical, everyday application of faith.
Key Insights from the Framework
1. Active Partnership: Discipleship as Collaboration with God
At the heart of Solomon’s framework is the concept of active partnership with God. Discipleship isn’t merely about passively absorbing teachings from scripture or listening to sermons. It’s about actively participating in God’s work in the world. Solomon writes, “Discipleship is not a one-sided venture. It’s a co-laboring with God in the unfolding story of His kingdom.” This idea is rooted in the biblical truth that believers are co-workers with God (1 Corinthians 3:9) and called to be active participants in God’s redemptive mission.
In this partnership, we are invited not just to follow but to engage with God in transforming lives, both our own and those around us. This shifts the focus from discipleship as an individual pursuit to one that involves a collaborative relationship with both God and fellow believers.
2. Mutual Transformation: Discipleship as a Two-Way Process
One of the most striking aspects of Solomon’s framework is her emphasis on mutual transformation. Discipleship is not a one-way transfer of knowledge from discipler to disciple but a process that transforms both individuals. The discipler is not the expert imparting wisdom from a higher place; rather, they are a fellow traveler on the journey of faith, learning and growing alongside the one they are discipling.
Solomon explains that true discipleship requires vulnerability, humility, and a willingness to grow together in faith. This reflects the biblical understanding that iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), and that both discipler and disciple are shaped more deeply in their relationship with one another and with God.
3. Real-Life Application: Discipleship in the Everyday
Solomon stresses that discipleship must be lived out in real life. It’s not confined to a Bible study or church service but is meant to permeate all areas of life—work, relationships, community, and beyond. She challenges readers to consider how to make Christ’s teachings a part of everyday practices. In Discipleship as Holy Collaboration, she writes, “If our discipleship isn’t reflected in our daily lives, then it’s not truly discipleship—it’s just information gathering.”
The scripture is clear that faith should be lived out in action. As the apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Discipleship, according to Solomon, is about embodying the values of Christ in our actions, relationships, and decision-making each day. It’s about turning the teachings of Jesus into tangible, everyday expressions of love, humility, and service.
4. Missional Focus: Discipleship that Extends Beyond Personal Growth
Finally, Solomon presents a missional focus to discipleship. The goal of following Jesus is not just personal growth or spiritual depth, though these are certainly important. Discipleship is also about being sent into the world to share the gospel and serve others in the name of Jesus. It extends beyond the four walls of the church and into our homes, workplaces, and communities.
Matthew 28:19-20 commissions all believers with the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Discipleship is not a private journey but one that invites us to reach out and make disciples of others. As Solomon puts it, “Discipleship is always outward-facing, always pointing others toward Christ.”
Why I Recommend Discipleship as Holy Collaboration
Yolanda Solomon’s book is not just a theoretical exploration of discipleship—it’s a practical, biblical, and relational guide to what discipleship can look like when we engage with God’s mission in a collaborative, transformative, and real-life way. She helps us see that discipleship is not a solo activity or a classroom-based endeavor but a lived experience in community with others, where we are mutually shaped by the grace of God.
In a time when many are searching for deeper, more authentic ways to follow Jesus, Solomon’s approach provides a compelling and holistic vision of discipleship. Her focus on active partnership with God, mutual transformation, real-life application, and a missional focus gives a fresh perspective on the call to follow Jesus and invites believers to live their faith in every area of life.
As you reflect on your own discipleship journey, I highly recommend diving into this book. It challenges readers to look beyond traditional models of discipleship and to embrace a more collaborative, holistic, and missional way of following Jesus.