DISCIPLE-MAKING - IMITATION
How do we make disciples? Where do we look?
We look to Jesus!
He didn’t just give us a command to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)...He showed us how to do it. We have no less than four accounts of Jesus's disciple-making process; A "highlight reel" that He wants us to imitate.
Here are some things we can notice about how Jesus made disciples (adapted from Coleman's The Master Plan of Evangelism)...
In order to reach the world, Jesus focused on a few.
“Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve...” (Mark 3:13–14a CSB17)
After significant prayer and much time together, he identified the specific people with whom He would focus His disciple-making efforts. These people were nothing special--just interested, available and teachable.
Who, specifically, has God brought into your life that you can intentionally choose to help become more like Jesus?
Jesus selflessly gave His time to being with His disciples.
“He appointed twelve...to be with him...” (Mark 3:14 CSB17)
When Jesus said, "Follow me," He was inviting His disciples into intimate life together with Him. They would both minister together publicly and reflect together privately. It was not a once-per-week lesson, but a togetherness over all of life.
How can you spend as much time as possible over a variety of activities with those whom you are helping become more like Jesus?
Jesus lived the way He was calling His disciples to live in front of their very eyes.
“...I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.” (John 13:15 CSB17)
In the presence of His disciples, Jesus prayed, applied Scripture, served the hurting, preached the Gospel. His life was His training manual, so His disciples learned by imitating Him and learning from His instruction.
How are you living like Jesus in everyday circumstances and instructing as you go those whom you are helping become more like Jesus?
Jesus trained His disciples that they would train others.
“...As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” (John 20:21 CSB17)
Starting with simple tasks and working toward complete replication, Jesus delegated His work to His disciples, so that His ministry would multiply throughout the world. He gave clear instructions on what He expected and Helped them even after they were sent out.
How are you making sure that your disciple-making mission is passed on to those whom you are helping become more like Jesus?
DISCIPLE-MAKING - INSTRUCTION
We can learn from Jesus’s methods of disciple-making (above) and commit to imitating Him, but our context is very different from His. (Jesus was an itinerate rabbi with some hard-working women supporting His ministry, and He was training full-time students who left their livelihoods to learn from Him all-day-every-day. That is not us!)
In our time-limited contexts we can greatly benefit from Biblically-based discipleship material that helps us focus on key areas of becoming like Jesus—the stuff that every disciple needs to learn.
We think the best place to look for the critical components of well-rounded discipleship material is in Jesus's actual command to make disciples in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.”
In this command, we see three main subcategories that can form a framework for our disciple-making plans: Communion, Commands, and Commission.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.”
Disciples should learn and practice how to be in communion with God.
What steps can you take toward nurturing your communion (relationship) with God and helping others to do the same?
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.”
Disciples should learn and practice how to do what God commands.
What steps can you take toward more faithfully obeying what God commands and helping others to do the same?
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.”
Disciples should learn and practice how to go on God's commission.
What steps can you take toward accomplishing God’s commission (calling) and helping others do the same?
Our primary teacher for disciples-making is Jesus, through His Holy Spirit. The following resources are not perfect like Him, but developed by discerning and gifted followers of Jesus who care deeply about making disciples of all nations.
Our primary textbooks for disciple-making are the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the whole Bible is our final authority on all things. The following resources are based on content found in the Bible and may help supplement our training to become like Jesus.
WORKBOOK (by Greg Ogden)
Jesus' own pattern of disciple-making was to be intimately involved with others and allow life to rub against life. By gathering in twos or threes to study the Bible and encourage one another, we most closely follow Jesus' example with the twelve disciples.
COMMUNION ⭐️⭐️⭐️
COMMANDS ⭐️⭐️⭐️
COMMISSION ⭐️⭐️
COURSE (by Zúme Training)
An on-line and in-life learning experience designed for small groups who follow Jesus to learn how to obey His Great Commission and make disciples who multiply.
COMMUNION ⭐️⭐️
COMMANDS ⭐️⭐️
COMMISSION ⭐️⭐️⭐️
COURSE (by Lesli and Lisa)
Learn the art of spiritual conversations, how to engage in disciple-making movements, and how to become a disciple-making community.
COMMUNION ⭐️⭐️
COMMANDS ⭐️⭐️
COMMISSION ⭐️⭐️⭐️
BOOK (by Richard Foster)
Explores the "classic disciplines," or central spiritual practices, of the Christian faith. Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual growth can be found.
COMMUNION ⭐️⭐️⭐️
COMMANDS ⭐️⭐️
COMMISSION ⭐️
WORKBOOK (by Joe Holm)
Follow 52 is a spiritual exercise in following the 52 commands Jesus gave as recorded in the gospels. Each week one command is taught with application given for living it out in a practical, life-changing way.
COMMUNION ⭐️
COMMANDS ⭐️⭐️⭐️
COMMISSION ⭐️
BOOK (by John Ortberg)
Offers modern perspectives on the ancient path of the spiritual disciplines. But it is more than just a book about things to do to be a good Christian. It's a road map toward true transformation that starts not with the individual but with the person at the journey's end--Jesus Christ.
COMMUNION ⭐️⭐️⭐️
COMMANDS ⭐️⭐️
COMMISSION ⭐️
BOOK (by Tom Blackaby)
This is not a book of rules to follow. This is a book of insights on how to show your love for Christ by intentionally modeling your life after His and following His expectations for you...Blackaby correlates Christ's expectations with His commands---specific instructions recorded in the Gospels.
COMMUNION ⭐️⭐️
COMMANDS ⭐️⭐️⭐️
COMMISSION ⭐️
COURSE (by John Mark Comer)
The Practicing the Way Course is an on-ramp to spiritual formation, exploring what it means to follow Jesus and laying the foundation for a life of apprenticeship to him.
COMMUNION ⭐️⭐️⭐️
COMMANDS ⭐️⭐️
COMMISSION ⭐️
