If You Want to Make Disciples, Focus on These Six Key Areas

In Hebrew culture children would start school to learn under a Rabbi (a Jewish teacher) at around the age of six. By the age of twelve they would have the entire Torah memorized. Let that sink in. It was a cultural expectation for what is equivalent today to sixth or seventh grade students to have committed all of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy to memory. At about that time most of them would then exit the education system to focus on their family's trade and build their future. But the best students would continue their studies, focusing on the writings of prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. After a few more years of instruction only the best of the best of these students would then hope to be chosen by a traveling Rabbi and become his disciple, spending a few years following him on their way to become Rabbis themselves. It's likely that, in some way, this is the process that Jesus went through from childhood.

In Matthew 4, we meet four fisherman: Simon, Andrew, James, and John. All of them were Hebrews, meaning as children they had learned the Torah and then left to lead a life of fishing. In other words, they didn't make the cut. So when the Rabbi, Jesus, invited them to follow Him, they immediately dropped everything and did. Perhaps because they thought He was making a big mistake and they wanted to capitalize on it.

To be a disciple means to be a disciplined-learner. That's the beauty of following Jesus. Your knowledge and experience is not what qualifies you to follow Him. Your desire to learn does. Salvation comes for free, but discipleship comes at a cost. Jesus said as much in Luke 9:23.

THE WORD

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

Not only are we ALL called to be disciples, we are ALL called to make disciples. How do we do that? Well, Jesus said by teaching people to follow what He commanded. Now I know you're probably thinking, "Is that supposed to sound simple?"

The longer you've been in church, perhaps the more unrealistic this sounds. To attempt to communicate and teach everything you've learned about the Bible to others can feel overwhelming. As a result the western church has largely relegated the responsibility of making disciples to Pastors and others in a five-fold office. But the call to make disciples is FOR disciples.

Over the years I've given a lot of thought not just to how I go about discipling people but also to how I can equip people to disciple people. Originally I was going to title this blog, "Disciple-Making Made Simple" but the reality is, there is no simple way to methodize this process. It can be messy because every person comes with different needs, desires, and baggage. So please don't mistake this for some "step program" or shortcut solution. I simply want to equip you as a believer to walk with individuals through their spiritual growth as you give priority to your own.

Drawing from my own discipleship experience (which will continue until the day that I die) and from a few years of intentional disciple-making, I've narrowed down what I feel are the six key areas of spiritual formation.

The Six Key Areas of Discipleship

1. Remaining in Him

The DEVOTIONAL Life

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

The fruit you bear in life is entirely dependent upon the tree you're connected to. Discipleship is less about learning how to be loving, joyful, peaceful, kind, etc. and more about remaining connected to the one who brings about those things in your life. This area focuses on developing daily habits that include:

- Time in Prayer

- Time in the Word

- Time in Worship

2. Relating to Others

The COMMUNAL Life

"The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 2:18

God created man in such a way that we cannot live a good life in isolation. We need others. The writer of Hebrews echoes this sentiment when he urges the readers to "not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing." If you're going to be in Christ, you must be in His body. We say all the time at Breezewood that "community is commitment to unity." We do not become unified passively or accidentally. We must help people see that a commitment to Christ is also:

- Commitment to their spouse and children (marriage and family)

- Commitment to the local and global Church (membership)

- Commitment to being discipled and making disciples (ministry)

3. Resisting Temptation

The HOLY Life

"But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:15-16

The life of someone who has embraced the call to holiness is not marked by an absence of sin but rather a conviction of sin. We fall short, but we don't live short. We are to abstain from the pleasures of the world where they dishonor God and defy His Word. This area of discipleship focuses on the importance of:

- Cultivating a pure heart, pure thoughts, and therefore pure motives

- Cultivating a life that rejects sin

- Cultivating perseverance in trials and suffering

4. Relieving the Needy

The SERVANT Life

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

Jesus turned the definition of leadership on its head. By default we tend to think of a leader as someone who is seen and served by the people under them. But Jesus defined leadership, rather, as a person who sees and serves the people under them instead. A life renewed by Christ is a life infused with serving whoever is in front of us. This is to include giving, tithing, serving, and leading. This area of discipleship focuses on:

- Meeting the needs of the less fortunate (the homeless, impoverished, widowed, and orphaned)

- Meeting the needs of our neighbors (those whose paths we cross)

- Meeting the needs of our brothers and sisters (those within the Church)

5. Responding to the Holy Spirit

The EMPOWERED Life

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

A life in Christ is also marked by power. Power not only to abstain from the ways of this world but to also walk in supernatural connection with God. When we receive His Spirit we receive His gifts which are for the edification of the individual and of the Church. The Spirit is also for the witness of the world. This area of discipleship focuses on:

- Knowing God's voice (when and how He speaks)

- Knowing your gifting (the ways in which He has equipped you)

- Knowing proper doctrine (more than just reading the Word, but actually understanding it so as to defend it)

6. Reaching the Lost

The EVANGELISTIC Life

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

The simple truth of the gospel and its power to totally transform lives must be our driving motivation from day to day. If we truly believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life then to keep this gospel from those around us is to cosign on their destruction. Growing as a disciple inevitably means growing as an evangelist. This area focuses on:

- Communicating your testimony

- Communicating the Gospel

- Communicating Bible truths on relevant issues

CONCLUSION You might be asking, "What can I do with this?" Maybe you've had a desire to lead a Bible study or a small group at your church, or you know someone who is fairly young in Christ and you want to come alongside them. Choose a person or people to begin meeting with weekly. Pick one of these areas and objectives to discuss each time you gather and explore what the scriptures have to say about that topic together. Making disciples is not simple but it doesn't have to be overly complicated either. I recommend you evaluate your own spiritual formation in each of these areas. What do you need to give more of your attention to? Don't do it alone. Hopefully this helps to equip you in some way to begin stepping out and fulfilling the great commission. We can do this. We MUST do this!