Discipleship

“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 28:19-20

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Discipleship

God invites us to the greatest Mission of all time—to make disciples! Discipleship can be casually defined as “Friendship with a Purpose”. It involves coming alongside another believer and walking with him/her and purposefully helping them grow. Jesus’ last words before ascending to Heaven was “to go and make disciples”. So, why don’t more believers do this? Simply because it costs us a lot of time and effort.

What is Discipleship?

A disciple is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, intentionally learns from Him, and strives to live more like Him. Discipleship is a widely-used word to describe a journey of spiritual growth. This growth happens as a person comes alongside another to witness to them, pray with them, study the Bible with them, and fellowship with them.

Why is Discipleship Important?

Jesus told us to go and make disciples as he knew that was how the Good News would be spread to all the nations. And discipleship is how it would be shared from one person to another through relationships.

“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).

Jesus illustrated a simple picture of what it looks like to share his love with others in everyday life. “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).

Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, wrote about how growing in Christ will change our character (2 Peter 1:5-8). The best way to experience this type of growth and life change, while partnering with the Holy Spirit, is through discipleship. We’re called to grow in Christ and help others do the same (1 Corinthians 11:1).

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” John 8:31 (NIV).

SOURCE - Navigators

It’s our prayer that you’ll accept God’s invitation and make disciples!

Scroll down this page for practical resources to help you grow in Christ and help others to grow.

Our Discipleship Story

We both grew up in Christian families whose lives centered around church ministry.  Bob's parents were music ministers and Becky's parents pastored a church.  We both made early commitments to Christ that were later renewed in our late teens. But like most Christians, neither of us was discipled and that was a factor in our inconsistent walk with Christ while growing up. 

Discipleship “Flunkies”

When Bob committed his life to Christ at age 17, he was blessed to have his Bible study leader mentor him, laying a good groundwork for his faith to genuinely grow.  During college, Bob got involved with the Navigators discipleship ministry and was exposed to a lot of great tools such as scripture memory and the Bridge Illustration.  But he considered himself a discipleship "flunky" because he wasn't fully engaged in all that they were doing. 

Becky decided to make Christ the Lord of her life during college when a fellow student, Susan, had the courage to share the 3 Circle Illustration with her. Susan subsequently took the time to show Becky how to fellowship with the Lord by meditating on His Word and responding through prayer.  This one simple investment of Susan's was a game changer for Becky!  Susan also offered discipleship, but Becky thought she knew a lot and politely declined. Another discipleship "flunky"!

A New Passion!

Over time, it became clear that God was calling Bob into ministry, and he soon became an associate pastor with a myriad of responsibilities, none of which allowed much room for disciple making.  Like many other pastors, Bob was caught in the grind of busy church events and maintenance.  Becky worked alongside Bob in the youth ministry and periodically met casually with girls but really didn't know how to disciple them strategically.  

Eventually realizing that he needed more training as a pastor, Bob entered seminary, but unfortunately, no courses were taught in evangelism or discipleship. However, it was during this time, that Bob read Johnny's story in The Lost Art of Disciplemaking (Leroy Eims) and was radically convinced of the necessity of disciple making.  With God's help, he determined to learn how to disciple.  Over the next several years, we used various resources and purposefully worked with leaders, equipping and training them to invest in others. Making disciples continues to be our lifelong passion!

Perhaps, you have a story too! Even if you have never been discipled or have been a discipleship “flunky” like we were, God can change that and transform you into a reproducing Christian for His glory! So why not take the plunge today! The resources we share here will help you along the way, and you can always contact us if you have questions.