WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? CONSIDER THE FOUR L’S! The mission statement of the Newtown United Methodist Church is “Helping Christians Grow and Growing New Christians.” This statement raises a very important question: What does it mean to be a Christian? Arriving at a shared understanding of what makes a Christian a Christian is crucial for us at NUMC if we’re going to fulfill our mission! One understanding of what it means to be a Christian is that a Christian is a disciple of Jesus. The word “disciple” is based on a word which means “a pupil of a teacher” or, simply, “a learner.” Jesus said that we are to be making disciples (see Matthew 28:16-20). Another understanding of what it means to be a Christian is that a Christian is one who follows Jesus. Jesus also said that we are meant to follow him (see Matthew 16:24-26). Another understanding is that a Christian is a miniature version of Jesus or “a little...