Over the last 20 years, pastors have been wrestling with many questions about the Great Commission and how to make disciples. There have been discussions about discipleship definitions, pathways, and communities.
Let’s explore some of these questions and consider some answers.
Matthew 28:18-20 says,
“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.”
When Jesus said, “Go and make disciples,” He gave the church a clear mandate to spread the gospel and bring people into the Kingdom. In order to do that, we should first understand what it means to become a disciple.
What is Christian discipleship?
For me, being a disciple of Jesus has 3 primary components:
- Discipleship is the process of walking with Jesus as your Lord and being transformed into His image.
- Discipleship is walking with believers in a community of faith.
- Discipleship is revealing Jesus to our community.
Here are what leading Christian thinkers describe it as.
“Discipleship is not an option. Jesus says that if anyone would come after me, he must follow me.”
“The Christian life is the discipled life and the discipling life.”
“To be a disciple is to be committed to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and committed to following Him every day…to be disciplined in our bodies, minds, and souls.”
“Christian discipleship is a decision to walk in his ways, steadily and firmly, and then finding that the way integrates all our interests, passions, and gifts, our human needs and eternal aspirations. It is the way of life we were created for.”
Eugene H. Peterson
What is the C.O.R.E. of discipleship?
When church leaders ask me about Christian discipleship, I talk to them about a method of equipping called C.O.R.E.
Chaos
This process involves people, meaning it is never tidy or clean. If you want to disciple people, then you must embrace the chaos and the mess.
If you think about the mentorship needs of a teenager compared to a young mum compared to a businessperson compared to a pensioner compared to an engaged couple. Their needs are all different and that is why it is chaotic discipling a church.
Organic
Most church leaders have tried to organize a pathway which primarily ends up as courses.
In this process, church leaders discover that disciple-making is organically non-linear. It is a tangled web of connections, experiences, and transformations. It happens best in real life as we walk alongside one another and experience life together like Timothy and Paul.
Relationships
I see relationships as the essence of what it means to be a disciple. Without active relationships with Jesus and His community of faith, we will never be discipled. The discipleship process is meant to be done face-to-face in the context of mentorship.
Encounters
My good friend Jim Yap took my COR framework and added encounter. Change comes through supernatural encounters with the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is the C.O.R.E. of discipleship.
What was Jesus’ approach to making disciples?
Jesus’ approach included insightful teaching, relational closeness, accountability, coaching, and empowerment. He was never afraid to challenge and rebuke.
His approach was typical of first-century rabbinical methods which shows us the key principles rather than a methodology to be adopted.
Can you create discipleship pathways?
Pathways produce clarity but I think there’s a limitation to their usefulness around discipleship. I think they are superb for assimilating new people, connecting people into small groups, mobilizing people to serve, and moving people into mission.
Savvy church leaders are helping grow healthy churches by thoughtfully outlining the next steps for their church members.
Churches are creating clear pathways into the church, into leadership, and a Bible study.
However, if you reduce the complex process of life change to a uniform pathway, you can be seduced into thinking, ah we are working out the Great Commission now.
The brutal reality I discovered is that I was just trying to get people into courses. Pathways have limited effectiveness in discipleship.
What is the discipleship journey?
I believe a primary task for church leaders in the journey is creating spaces for it to occur.
These spaces are rows and circles.
In your weekend services, people are in rows, worshipping, singing, hearing God’s Word, connecting, giving, listening to 8 announcements, and drinking bad coffee! Just kidding about those last two but maybe not!
In your small group gatherings, people are in circles.
They are face to face, around a table, or in a family room. Interaction is central as people talk, discuss, share, pray, and love one another, fostering deep spiritual growth and commitment.
Pastors are called to create effective living spaces, rows, and circles.
In these spaces, life change happens in organic and chaotic ways, as the unique combination of the Word, Spirit, and God’s love transform people.
How does Scripture say to make disciples?
A word study analyzing the use of the word “disciple” in the NIV NT is a fascinating study.
I ran a couple of social media polls and the results are fascinating.
“Disciple” appears 31 times in the gospels and Acts.
“Disciples” appears 266 times in the gospels and Acts.
Discipleship does not appear in the NT.
And none of these words appear after Acts. They do not appear in any of the letters of Paul.
Paul prefers “holy people” (saints) and “believers,” which appear 60 times.
I ran a couple of social media polls and the results are fascinating.
Why does the word disciple evaporate from the New Testament scripture?
We can only speculate so let me add my speculation.
- Maybe Paul wants us to focus on who we are in Christ (saints, holy people, believers) rather than who is our teacher.
- Maybe Paul did not want us to get too hung up about the concept and rather focus on the journey of walking with Christ and His people.
- Maybe Paul switches to reach Gentiles to whom the concept of this process was foreign.
- Maybe Paul is endeavoring to avoid the pitfalls of excessive control of people in a teacher/disciple relationship.
Another interesting highlight is that “disciples” is used 9x more than “disciple”. It occurs in the context of relationships within a community of faith, investing in the lives of others.
And this is my big takeaway, ultimately, relationships are the central essence of discipleship. We were meant to do this alongside others.
What are some practical keys?
If you are not sure where to start, some practical ways include intentional focus, strong Bible connection, genuine worship, coaching, Holy Spirit moments, accountability, and fostering a community that stimulates spiritual growth.
Here are 8 keys I utilized to make disciples:
- Intentional Focus – I believe church leaders must intentionally focus on creating those living spaces for their church. It is often in the mundane repetition of everyday church life that formation happens.
- Small groups – my conviction is that a church without small groups will fail at discipleship.
- Solid Bible connection – sermons that lack a strong element of the Scriptures will not produce followers of Christ.
- Worship songs – songs that focus on my needs must be balanced out with songs of high praise that focus on magnifying God. Every generation grapples with the challenge of getting this balance right.
- Mentoring relationships – everyone getting married in our church was partnered with an older couple for 2 years in a mentoring relationship.
- Accountability – we grow when we are in genuine relationships where we answer, and ask tough questions.
- Encounter moments – I think it is vital to make space in our gatherings for the Holy Spirit to apply the Word and speak to people. Slow down. Create space. Encourage encounters.
- Empower others – create space for this to be a church-wide experience.
What is the goal of discipling?
The goal is to nurture those who walk with Christ as Lord, apply biblical teachings, and share the gospel with others through evangelism. This is true discipleship and is achieved within a Christian community, focused on the Word of God, and striving to become more like Jesus every day.
Is today’s church creating disciples who follow Jesus?
Yes, we are.
I think most churches are doing better at this than they often realize. I see many churches providing spaces every week for people to follow Christ and know Him.
Can we do it better? I think that’s an unhelpful question. Here’s a better one – what’s one thing we could improve this month as we make disciples?
What’s your answer?
