Jesus commands his followers to “make disciples of all nations”, yet most of us struggle with where to even start. We’ll discover that reproducing the Kingdom begins with simply learning to create an intentional plan and trusting the Spirit to do His good work.
OBJECTIVE
Explore the biblical mandate Jesus has for investing in the lives of others and its practical implications. Identify what it means to be a disciple of Jesus who makes disciples who make disciples. Over the course of this lesson you will…
- Learn how the Kingdom expands through Jesus’ command of discipleship.
- Develop your own personal “why-how- what” manifesto about disciple-making.
- Process your Mini-Manifesto with your growth partner.
- Think about who God has placed in your life that He may be asking you to intentionally share life with and develop.
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”
2 TIMOTHY 2:2 (NIV)
UNDERSTAND
Discipleship is spiritual on-the-job training. Whether it’s Jesus’ last words before his ascension, or Paul’s final letter he penned, Scripture is clear that God’s primary way of building his Kingdom would be through an army of Spirit-empowered people in the process of being transformed and investing in others through intimate life-on-life grace and truth relationships.
Beliefs and behaviors are not formed out of thin air. We are all being formed by something and someone. If we, as followers of Jesus, do not engage in intentional formation and discipleship toward the Kingdom, the culture will certainly form us. In the media industry alone, billions of dollars are spent every year to shape us into believing we need some product or service, and it works.
The formation we naturally fall under in this world manipulates our sense of self and worth. The messages of the world distort our search for meaning, identity, purpose, and belonging. There is little possibility for us to grow more and more like Jesus through our natural inclinations and default patterns in life. To continually grow as spiritual leaders, it requires engaging in intentional Kingdom formation. This formation takes place in discipleship and disciple-making.
Discipleship is about becoming more and more like Jesus, the One who loves you. Every believer in Jesus is a disciple and no one ever ceases being a disciple, the difference is stepping into full obedience to His voice.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
MATTHEW 28:18-20 (NIV)
PRACTICE | Why? How? What?
Often, when people get intentional about being discipled and making disciples, the conversation is about WHAT to do. In our time, we have, in many instances, reduced the discipleship process to a passive act of being taught intellectually about Jesus and spiritual disciplines. The problem is that what we call discipleship today is nothing like how Jesus discipled and modeled discipleship.
To cultivate the WHY behind every follower of Jesus engaging in ongoing rhythms of making disciples who make disciples, read the Spiritual Addition vs. Spiritual Multiplication article. Search for the article name at cru.org.
To cultivate the HOW of disciple-making, watch Why Information is Not Enough for Discipleship by Jo Saxton. Journal about some of the honest reasons you may or may not engage in being and/or making disciples as Jesus commanded. (Video can be found at youtube.com)
Cultivate the WHAT: Discipleship is spiritual formation. We see in the New Testament, Paul with his “son in the faith” Timothy mentoring him and challenging him to maximize the potential that Paul and the other church leaders confirmed in him “with the laying on of hands.” While discipleship occurs in many different relationships, in the New Testament era and today, we see it most common in the church. The church’s mission involves discipleship. If the opportunity exists to disciple someone at your local church, it is important to learn and be guided by their best practices so the person you’re discipling experiences a synergistic experience.
As you consider all these simple, yet important perspectives to spark your thinking, make a list of how you would apprentice other people in your life, as God moves you to live out the Great Commission.
Make a Mini Manifesto on WHY you would do it, HOW you would do it, & WHAT you would do.
Think through this as if someone comes up to you in a month and asks you to disciple them (despite the reality that you will likely have to initiate). Use Scripture and Jesus’ model to help develop your thinking:
What motivates you? Where might you be motivated merely by obligation?
In short, what has God in His grace given you that He’s inviting you to give away?
PROCESS
The most effective disciple-makers are those who are continual humble learners. Learn from each other’s thoughts as you consider joining God in building the Kingdom by making disciples who make disciples.
- Encourage and challenge each other’s thoughts in your why-how- what “manifestos.”
Often we battle with false beliefs that we have nothing to offer. As you discuss, listen for those lies and expose them for one another. - Is there anyone with whom God is prompting you to initiate?
Discipleship can happen in either an informal or a formal way. Who is in your life that Jesus is asking you to intentionally disciple in a way that flows with your natural patterns of friendships? Who is in your life that you might want to invite to commit to meeting with you consistently to seek God together in a discipleship relationship? (Jesus was very intentional in His interaction with Peter, James and John; and in how he chose His 12 disciples.) Discuss how you would go about having those conversations. - What honestly keeps you from being a disciple who makes disciples?
Awkwardness in initiating? Fear of failure? Not knowing what to do? Perfectionism? How would Jesus speak to your barriers? - How would the world be different if people in your generation were passionate about being disciples who make disciples?
Share and pray for people with whom God may want you to initiate.
ACT
Who has God Placed Around You? Do you know someone who God may be prompting you to initiate an intentional relationship with that could lead to discipleship? How could you explore a discipleship relationship with this person?
If no one comes to mind, ask God to put someone in your path.
Pray for God to provide someone with whom I can have a discipleship relationship.
WANT MORE?
Influence is a part of the Leadership Development Guide.