It isn’t enough to be a disciple– we also have to make them. How are you personally living out the command that Jesus gave us to make disciples? One of the big mistakes we make is focusing on our own relationship with God without helping others with theirs. But if we are disciples, we should be making disciples. How can we go about doing that?
Come along on a journey of thinking through the ways in which being a disciple is intertwined with making other disciples. You might be surprised at some of the connections. Reflect on what Jesus said it means to be his disciple and what he expected his disciples to do. Gather with others to discuss the implications by working through the Disciplemaking guide together—it’s part of the whole Dimensions of Discipleship series.
The five-week guide on Disciplemaking takes you through these areas:
- Engaging in spiritual conversations with those who are not yet followers of Jesus
- Explaining the good news and the way of Jesus
- Establishing new believers in a discipleship process
- Connecting people with a faith community
- Helping new followers make more followers
Each section includes thoughts on the topic, relevant scripture passages, practical ideas and exercises, coaching questions, and application. No homework required except living out the concepts.
Check out these sample sections:
As we are sent out into the world to make disciples, we need to engage in numerous conversations along the course of a relationship. It’s not one high-stakes meeting where we need to make all the points we want to make. It’s a series of conversations where we ask questions and really listen to the answers. And in real conversations, we recognize that not everyone always agrees with us. That’s natural. We need to respect the differences and not engage in coercion or cut off the relationship because of disagreements. We can share our perspectives, but we need to recognize that not everyone will agree with us. That’s okay– God is still at work in ways we don’t understand. Our part is simply to remain faithful in continuing to engage in faith conversations marked by respect.
- Psalm 34:8
- Colossians 4:3-4
Discipleship questions:
- How curious are you about the beliefs of others?
- Describe the last time you asked questions about someone’s spiritual journey and listened without injecting your own opinion?
- What are the challenges of listening?
- How have people responded when you have listened?
- Where have you sensed the Holy Spirit at work as they’ve talked?
Exercise: Think of an image
Images– or word pictures– are used throughout scripture. A small seed growing into a large tree. An old wineskin breaking when filled with new wine. A vast field of wheat waiting to be harvested. When you consider the story of the gospel from within your own cultural context, what images come to mind? Choose one and write a paragraph about it.
To purchase this downloadable 20-page Disciplemaking guide, click here. The Spanish version can be found here.
Click here to browse all of the discipleship guides.