Discipleship Models

Nurturing Faithful Disciples

Compiled by Evan Burns and Ron Marrs June 2, 2021

Developed Strategies

3DM (http://weare3dm.com/)

3DM trains churches and Christian leaders to do discipleship and mission in an

increasingly post-Christian world. The book to read for an understanding of this strategy
is Building a Discipling Culture by Mike Breen, 2011. The foundation of the strategy is
the huddle: a group of 4-10 people led by a person who is the leader. In this model the
five-fold ministries is a key concept which argues for every believer having a ministry in
the likeness of one of the five groups of people listed in Ephesians 4:11.

Choose the Life (http://www.billhull.net/)

This approach is championed by Bill Hull. Bill’s passion is to help the church return to
its disciple making roots and he considers himself a discipleship evangelist. This God-
given desire has manifested itself in 20 of pastoring and the authorship of many books.
Two of his more important books, Jesus Christ Disciple Maker, and The Disciple Making
Pastor, have both celebrated 20 years in print. Add his third in the popular trilogy, The
Disciple Making Church , and you have a new paradigm for disciple making. The book
to read first is The Complete Book of Discipleship, 2006.

Center for Church-Based Training (http://ccbt.org)

This group helps local churches develop to maturity. Uses an apprenticeship on-the-job
approach for leadership training.

DisciplePath (http://tnetwork.com/north-america)

Since 1991, DisciplePath Church Training (formerly T-Net) has helped thousands of
churches created an intentional process for disciplemaking that has resulted in growth for
their church. Founded by Bill Hull, DisciplePath is recognized for its vision and passion
in whole church disciplemaking that transforms both individuals and congregations.

Men’s Fraternity (http://www.mensfraternity.com/)

Men’s Fraternity Classic is the original video series authored by Dr. Robert Lewis
(Western Seminary graduate) that helped launch the Authentic Manhood movement. The
series consists of three volumes:

 The Quest for Authentic Manhood (24 sessions)

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  Winning at Work and Home (16 sessions)
 The Great Adventure (20 sessions)

More than just a rally or a Bible study, Men's Fraternity provides men with an
encouraging process that teaches them how to live lives of authentic manhood as
modeled by Jesus Christ and directed by the Word of God.

Multiplying Movements (https://multmove.net/)/ Disciple Making

Movements
These strategies are connected with the Church Planting Movement and the T4T (Training for Trainers)
strategy. Details can be found in the book T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution by Smith and Kai or at the
link above. Starting point for research on Disciple Making Movements: https://discipleship.org/bobbys-
blog/disciple-making-movements-part-1/
A critique of the Disciplemaking Movement can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=xYTmxd6k_JM&list=PL5CUMajXYVBskHeHkA7ITm6IDnztjEYJi&index=5&t=196s. This is a
message from Radius International.

Navigators 2:7 Series (http://2-7series.com/)

The 2:7 Series is a discipleship training curriculum done in small discussion groups. 
Each of its three workbooks is an 11-week course led by a qualified leader/facilitator. 
The three training courses are: 

1. Growing Strong in God’s Family

2. Deepening Your Roots in God’s Family
3. Bearing Fruit in God’s Family

Porterbrook Learning
(http://www.porterbrooknetwork.org/porterbrook-learning/)

Porterbrook Learning is a theological training course equipping Christians for ministry in

the local church and church planting. It connects the heart and mission to the Bible story.
This has been endorsed by a Western Seminary student, Charlie Shaw.

Razor’s Edge (http://www.ccefc.org)

This is a leadership development plan developed by Christ Community Evangelical Free

Church in Leawood, Kansas. The pastor, Tom Nelson, has done some good work on a
theology of work.

Real Life Ministries, Post Falls Idaho

(http://www.reallifeministries.com/)

A church-based approach to discipleship in Post Falls, ID.

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Saddleback (S.H.A.P.E) (https://store.pastors.com/)

Book 1 contents: Finding and fulfilling your unique S.H.A.P.E., or unique blend of
Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences, has never been easier with
this new six-week small group study. This small group study which accompanies the
book, will help you, your church staff, and your congregation unlock your God-given
potential, uncover your specific purpose, and apply it in ways that bring confidence,
freedom, clarity, and significance.

Saturate (https://saturatetheworld.com/resources/)
In this course, you will read the book Saturate by Jeff Vanderstelt. There are many more
resources that you may be interested in examining at the link above. Jeff has been
associated with the Soma church network and you could spend some time examining that
ministry simultaneously if you would lie.

Son Life
This ministry started as a youth ministry discipleship strategy but has gone farebeyond
that. They have a number of resources that include 4 Chair Discipling, Walk Like Jesus,
and Live Like Jesus. They have leaders in the Portland area who would provide a great
interview possibility. Contact Ron Marrs about these people. More information at
https://www.sonlife.com//

Tumi.org (https://www.tumistore.org/

Resources for discipleship. Their tag line: Equipping leaders . . . Empowering

Movements. Contact Evan Burns for more information: (eburns@westernseminary.edu).

Books which describe a theology/philosophy of discipleship

These are more for resources for future reference.

If you choose one of these books to evaluate you need to discuss it with the
process prior to reading. Some of these do not have a sufficient amount of
information to do an adequate assessment.

Adsit, Christopher. Personal Disciplemaking, 1996.

Breen, Mike. Building a Discipleship Culture, 2011.

Clem, Bill. Disciple: Getting your identity from Jesus, 2011.

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Frazee, The Connecting Church, 2001.

Gallaty, Robby. Rediscovering Discipleship: Making Jesus’ Final Words our First Work.
2015.

Horton, Michael. The Gospel Commission. 2011.

Hull, Bill, The Complete Book of Discipleship , 2006.

Lunde, Jonathn. Following Jesus, the Servant King: A Biblical Theology of Covenantal
Discipleship, 2010.

Packer, J.I., and Gary Parrett. Grounded in the Gospel, 2010.

Platt, David. Follow Me, 2013.

Stanley, Andy. Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend,
2012.

Vanhoozer, Kevin J. Hearers and Doers: A Pastors Guide to Making Disciples through
Scripture and Doctrine, 2019.

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