Discipleship is not just a New Testament concept—it has been central to God’s plan from the very beginning. Long before Jesus called His first disciples to “follow Me,” the call to live a life wholly devoted to God was already being formed and passed down. One of the clearest and most foundational expressions of this is found in Deuteronomy 6:4–9, a passage known as the Shema.

In this ancient text, we see the essence of discipleship laid out for the people of God—not just in what they believe, but in how they live, what they love, and what they practice. It calls God’s people to love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength—and then shows how that love must be carried into daily life, relationships, and rhythms. And it is a life that transforms us over time to become more like Him (Leviticus 19:2, 20:7; 20:26; Matthew 5:48; 1 Peter 1:16).

What’s striking is how deeply this passage resonates with the Practicing the Way framework for discipleship today. The Shema doesn’t just teach that we should love God—it shows how we become more and more like Him; that love is formed and embodied through the mind, heart, and body: Renew the Mind, Transform the Heart, Train the Body

What follows is a reflection on how this ancient blueprint still shapes the way of Jesus today—and how the formation God called for in Deuteronomy is the same formation Jesus invites us into now.

1. Renew the Mind > “Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.”

The forehead represents the seat of the mind—our thoughts, worldview, and understanding. God’s command is clear: keep truth constantly before your mind’s eye. This is the foundation of mental renewal (Romans 12:2). The Shema tells Israel to “hear”—to pay attention, to internalize, to reflect. This is intellectual discipleship: a life where God’s Word reshapes how we think.

In Practicing the Way, to renew your mind is to intentionally expose your thinking to God’s truth until it begins to rewire your internal narratives. Scripture, meditation, and reflection help shift us from lies and fear to truth and freedom.

Discipleship starts by filling your thoughts with what’s true about God and who you are in Him.

2. Transform the Heart > “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul… These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.”

The heart in Hebrew thought is not just emotional—it’s the center of desire, will, and motive. God isn’t calling for dry obedience, but a transformed inner life that flows with love for Him. This is why the commandments are to be on the heart—embedded in our affections and identity.

In Practicing the Way, transforming the heart involves spiritual formation that reaches deeper than behavior. Through silence, solitude, worship, confession, and community, the Spirit works in the deepest places—healing wounds, reshaping desires, and aligning the will with God’s.

You are not just formed by what you know—but by what you love. The heart must be shaped, not just informed.

3. Train the Body > “Talk about them… when you walk… when you lie down… when you get up… Write them on the doorframes… on your gates…”

Discipleship in Deuteronomy is not abstract—it’s embedded in daily rhythms and physical habits. Talking, walking, lying down, rising up—God’s way is to train His people through bodily repetition in everyday life. This is where love for God gets practical.

In Practicing the Way, to train the body means forming spiritual habits that shape your body and environment toward devotion: keeping Sabbath, fasting, rising for morning prayer, memorizing Scripture, using your hands to serve. It’s a holistic practice where your actual life and calendar bear witness to your apprenticeship.

Formation happens through repetition. Your body must be trained to live in alignment with your love for God.

Final Reflection: Whole-Person Discipleship

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 is not just a theological declaration—it’s a formation blueprint. It calls for whole-person discipleship: loving God with all your heart (inner transformation), all your soul (devoted identity), and all your strength (embodied practice).

And that’s the very structure Practicing the Way affirms:

Deuteronomy 6 Theme > Become Like Jesus > What It Forms

• "Bind it on your forehead" > Renew the Mind > Thought patterns, perspective, worldview

• "On your hearts, love with your heart" > Transform the Heart > Desires, emotions, motives, character

• "Talk, walk, lie down, rise up" > Train the Body > Habits, rhythms, muscle memory of love

True apprenticeship to Jesus touches every part of us—mind, heart, and body—so that we love God not only in belief, but in the way we live, move, and breathe, becoming more and more like Him.