A good model for discipleship needs to be a simple, reproducible method that helps guide a person toward becoming an obedient follower and disciplemaker. Whatever model you use, you must build in reproducibility. A few good models are outlined below: just choose one and implement it, forming disciplemaking communities based on it.
- The Tree of Discipleship: an 360 degree assessment-based process that provides data for an individual in each of the eight main areas of discipleship, then provides study guides for each of those areas. Can be implemented in a church-wide roll-out. (Tree of Discipleship coming online soon!)
- Life Transformation Groups: simple, reproducible groups of 2 to 4 people focused on scripture reading, prayer, and accountability questions. This downloadable handout gives you everything you need to know to implement LTGs.
- Training for Trainers: T4T’s focuses on training believers who can train others in a very simple yet effective method of evangelism and discipleship. The goal of the training is to establish rapidly reproducing churches and groups of disciples across relationship networks.
- Journey Together Now guides:The JTN guides lay out a clear grid that defines what a disciple ought to be and do within the context of a missional community, along with content, scripture and questions to help people move in that direction.
- Bible Storying: is a method of orally communicating portions of the Bible by telling its stories aloud to listeners in chronological order. For people who are illiterate, or members of pre-literate societies, Bible storying presents the Bible as oral literature in a narrative format in an attempt to make it easier to understand and remember.
- Discovery Bible Study: Also known as Inductive Bible Study. You read a scripture passage, paraphrase it in your own words, write the steps you need to take to obey it, share it with other believers for accountability, and discuss it with nonbelievers.
- SOAP: The SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) is a conversation between 2-4 people geared toward working on character formation: the participants ask each other question to help facilitate discipleship using this process: engage with God, ask questions of one another, and respond to God’s leading.