Some genuine questions about discipleship...

So I am reading a great eBook about the status of discipleship in churches in America.  As I read, I am curious about a couple things.  And I would love your input on some questions.  This doesn't need to be super philosophical or deep. Just please give me your thoughts on 3 questions:

1.  What is Discipleship?

2.  What is a Disciple?

3.  What is Spiritual Maturity?

PLEASE give me your thoughts...

Prayer serves no purpose...

Isn't this how we see prayer?  Let's be honest, I have even been dragged into conversations with non-believers over this very issue.  If God knows what we need before we ask, then why pray?  If He is a good God then He should either give it to us without us having to ask, or He should take the desire away from us in the first place.  What kind of God would be so cruel?

Well, I have some thoughts...

First, prayer is not a shopping list.  Whether or not God gives us what we pray for is so NOT the point of prayer.  Praying is a conversation with God.  It is an opportunity to get to know God Himself.  It is how relationship is developed. God longs for us to know Him and His goodness.  Prayer makes that relationship deep.  How can you have relationship with anyone if you won't talk to them?

Second, do you see how inherently selfish this perspective on prayer is?  Pray for something... what am I praying for?  What I want?  What I think someone else wants?  Why does there need to be a want?  Why can't we just praise God for His goodness without requiring that He delivers a present once again?

So, theoretically, God is cruel and prayer serves no purpose - but only if the hypothesis that prayer is about asking God for something is at its core purpose.

Perhaps, there is a better way to think about prayer... Prayer is a vehicle through which we get to know and love the creator and sustainer of the universe.  In prayer He strengthens us, give us hope, renews our spirits, focuses our energy, and lights our path.

Maybe God isn't cruel at all.  Maybe God is an amazing generous God who loves to give people the best gifts that life can bring.  And maybe He knows that filling a shopping list isn't that.  Maybe, prayer serves a profound purpose in us getting to know just how good God is.  And how deep and how wide and how far is the love of God...