We Must Keep Discovering and Developing Disciple Makers!

Hal Perkins’ in Walk with Me insists: “To make Christlike disciples, we must help our disciples make disciple makers.” Fostering and developing disciple makers should be ongoing for healthy, growing Christ-followers. Every Christian should be able to answer these questions: Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling?”

 

An Example from Nigeria

A young Nigerian man became born again, a new person, in his final term of university and soon started attending Bible studies and discipleship sessions. He wrote to former girlfriends asking for forgiveness for previous encounters and invited them to share his new faith. After almost a year, a job opportunity opened up, but it would require giving a bribe to the human resources supervisor. He replied, “I need a job but I cannot give a bribe because I would offend my Lord, who has asked me to walk in integrity.” A few months later, he got a job with an international oil company. 

 

Through this job, he became successful in the international business world. His uncle and family decided to follow the Lord Jesus, who had caused a transformation in this young man. As a disciple maker, he reared his children to exhibit the marks of discipleship, and they are now following his godly footsteps. It was not just the call to salvation but also the commitment to discipleship and disciple making that transformed this young man’s life and created a family legacy of righteousness, holiness, and service to God. 

 

A disciple of Jesus Christ is someone who follows Him, receives His teachings, His forgiveness, His values, His worldview, His way of life, and obeys Him. Christ not only wants us to be disciples but He wants us to help others want to become His disciples as well.  

 

“Disciple” and “Christian” Are Not Quite the Same

Jesus was very specific about the cost of following Him. Discipleship requires a totally committed life: “So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own” (Luke 14:33). “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me’” (Matthew 16:24). Not all of Jesus’ followers were willing to make such a commitment. “At this point many of His disciples turned away and deserted Him” (John 6:66). Every disciple of Jesus is a Christian, but not every person who claims to be a Christian is a disciple. God wants all Christians to be disciples. Christian discipleship is more than being a “Christian” – it is about being a follower!

 

What Does the Bible Say about Discipleship?

Jesus spent three years making disciples – teaching and training His chosen 12 and other followers.

Jesus trained these ordinary people to follow Him as He established God’s Kingdom on earth. He taught them through personal relationship. They learned from His example. Jesus shared His life with them. They learned from His teaching. They watched how He related to people, how He loved them, how He had compassion for their needs, and how He healed them. He coached and mentored them to make other disciples and transform their society. After letting them see Him preach and heal, He sent them out to do the same (Luke 9:1-2). He also “chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them in pairs to all the towns and places He planned to visit” (Luke 10:1). The disciple maker spends time with disciples in a personal relationship and teaches them with the goal of spiritual maturity. Then, the disciple maker eventually sends them out to make more disciples. 

 

Discipleship is Grace, Not Duty

Why did the disciples leave everything behind to follow Jesus? It is remarkable when you think about it.  They hung up their fishing nets, said goodbye to their families, and left everything behind. Matthew left his tax collection business that had made him prosperous. These men saw something very compelling in Jesus. They felt his love. They realized He could give purpose and direction to their lives. They were honored to be chosen by the Messiah. In Jesus Christ they experienced grace, the undeserved favor of God.

 

Why did the disciples leave all to follow Jesus? It was not because of a sense of duty or obedience to the law. Discipleship is a relationship, a relationship of love. We are saved by the sheer grace of God, and we become disciples out of love and gratitude. We are attracted to Christ and we want to follow Him and become like Him. After listing all his accomplishments, the apostle Paul wrote, “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him” (Philippians 3:7-9).

 

What Are Some Marks of a True Disciple Maker of Jesus Christ? 

The Church does not have enough disciple makers. Perhaps it is because not many Christians have been nurtured themselves as disciples of Jesus Christ. Too often people who become Christians do not realize they are called to grow as disciples. Discipleship is not something you just learn from a book. Discipleship is the result of a nurturing process when one person pours his or her life into another person. It is a process that can transform church attenders into vibrant disciples of Jesus Christ.  The call to the Church is to make disciple makers.

 

A disciple maker is a person who has been a disciple of Jesus.

A true disciple maker lives a life of holiness.

A true disciple maker puts Christ first in all things. 

A true disciple maker is a servant, not the boss. 

A true disciple maker is filled with the Holy Spirit. 

A true disciple maker bears fruit.

A true disciple maker loves others.

 

What Was Jesus’ Final Commission to His Followers? 

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). We make disciples by bringing people to Jesus, getting them to focus on Him, and helping them to experience His grace and forgiveness. When we exhibit the characteristics of disciple makers, and when we have counted the cost which through love we have decided to pay, the benefits are eternal. 

 

All Christians are called to be disciple makers. The church should concentrate on helping people to be disciples and to make disciples of Jesus Christ. The church is called to influence society by concentrating on making disciples. A disciple maker is one who knows Jesus, lives for Him, and imitates Him. He or she is a model that others should follow, even as he or she follows Christ.  Disciple making is a holy but costly task. Through love, the disciple maker is willing to pay the cost even as he or she partners with God. As someone who wants a faith legacy, invest in disciple making. By so doing, your life as a Christian will be remembered even after you have left this life. 

 

Take Time to Be Discipled and Be a Disciple Maker

Would you share with others some ways you are making disciples in your context? Please send some of your responses to me at dstanton@nazarene.org.

 

Daryll Stanton, Global Resourcing Coordinator, Nazarene Discipleship