Exploring Identity in the Disciple Maker Pathway
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Kansas City Underground Podcast, we explore the theme of identity within the Disciple Maker Pathway. Join us as we dig into the concept of 'holy discontent' and discuss how it propels individuals to become more like Jesus.
Key Themes & Takeaways
1. A New Lens for the Disciple Maker Pathway: Identity
Past episodes focused on what to do in each phase; this series asks:
Who are you in this phase? (the mirror)
Who are you looking for? (the window)
These questions help practitioners discern:
How they are being formed
Who God might be bringing alongside them
What identity is needed to step into the next phase of the pathway
2. Identity in a Cultural Moment of Confusion
The word identity triggers defensiveness in today’s climate.
Scripture shows identity tension starting in the garden—humans wrestling with the question: Who should I be?
God’s mission through the biblical story is a restoration of our true identity as image bearers.
Identity isn’t just a personal journey; it’s a discipleship journey.
3. A Disciple Is Someone Becoming the Kind of Person Who Would Do What Jesus Did
The Dallas Willard definition becomes a central anchor:
A disciple of Jesus is someone becoming the type of person who would do the things Jesus did.
This reframes discipleship from knowledge acquisition to formation and imitation.
It leads to practical questions:
How would Jesus live if He was me—my job, family, neighborhood, margin?
Am I spending time in the kinds of places He did?
Am I becoming the sort of person who naturally acts like Him?
4. The Role of Holy Discontent
Before Phase 1 (“Start with Extraordinary Prayer”), there’s a pre-phase identity:
Holy discontent—an internal stirring that “there must be more.”This is not cynicism or bitterness. It is:
A Spirit-led yearning
A desire for renewal
A dissatisfaction with the status quo that reflects God's own heart
Jesus Himself embodied this discontent—disrupting systems, pursuing the hurting, confronting hypocrisy, and restoring what was lost.
5. Mirror & Window: Finding People on the Same Journey
Mirror: Where am I being stirred, disrupted, awakened?
Window: Who around me is experiencing similar holy discontent?
People longing for deeper formation
People wrestling with church as usual
People hungry for mission
People who aren’t angry cynics, but passionate seekers
These are the ones ready to be invited into deeper discipleship and missional living.
6. Deconstruction, Disruption & an Invitation to Something Better
Many are deconstructing faith—not Jesus, but religious systems and structures.
There is a healthy kind of deconstruction that frees people to join Jesus more fully.
The Disciple Maker Pathway becomes a roadmap for rebuilding—joining Jesus in the places He is already moving.
A Wake-Up Call to the Church in Kansas City
The early fruit of KC Underground came from people already experiencing holy discontent.
Many of those early disciples have now been mobilized; new ones must be awakened.
The invitation:
Wake up
Lean in
Reorient your life around becoming like Jesus
Invite others who are stirring to journey with you
Final Thoughts
This episode lays the foundation for a new season of disciple-making by reframing everything around identity—not just what we do, but who we’re becoming. Holy discontent isn’t a flaw; it’s often the beginning of calling. Jesus meets us in the tension between what is and what should be, shaping us into people who can join Him where He is already at work.
Movement begins not with strategy, but with people whose lives are being transformed—and who are courageous enough to invite others along.
