Elsie Duininck

Professor Spader

December 13, 2022

Essentials of Disciple Making

I would define Discipleship as the command Jesus gave to his disciples before He

ascended into Heaven. “All authority in Heaven and Earth has been given to me… Therefore, go

make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and 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” (English Standard Version, Mat 28.8). Go and tell of me is basically

what Jesus said moments before His ascension, but He expounded upon this idea of discipleship

in many other verses throughout scripture.

Jesus has sent his disciples into the world and He sends us. We must live a “sent life”,

rooted in the treasure of the salvation we hold, we are sent to go share this good news. Heather

and Ashley Holleman co-authored a book titled: Sent (Living a Life that Invites Others to Jesus).

I read their book this semester while simultaneously taking our course in Discipleship. Their

book, Sent, added to and reiterated what I was already pondering regarding disciple making. This

core call and ensuing identity Jesus has articled in scripture has shaped the way I view

discipleship.

What does Discipleship look like? It is important for disciple makers to be aware of the

different stages someone grows to know Christ and serve Christ. Ultimately, we can forget what

it is like to be new to faith after many years growing in Christ. A tool professor Spader shared

with us was the “Four Chairs of Discipling”. Chair one is titled “Come and See”. Individuals in
this chair would be described as lost and not yet saved. They may be confused about things

related to faith and deal with constant unbelief. Exposure is a first step for people in this chair.

Chair two is titled “Follow Me”. Individuals in this chair would be described as newer,

younger believers. They may know how to feed themselves spiritually through God’s word and

clean themselves (understanding right from wrong and confessing their sins). A key feature of

those in this chair is their dependency. They do not stand on their own fully yet. They are

learning and need figures to support and direct them spiritually. Education and further learning of

Jesus, the Bible, and living out faith is important for people in this stage.

Chair three embodies a big shift. Chair three is titled “follow me to go fish for people”.

Individuals in this chair are ready to pour into younger believers. They are called to tell others

the story of God (the gospel) and feed others who are lost. They must depend on Holy Spirit

power.

Chair four is titled “Go bear fruit”. In this chair you are considered a spiritual

father/parent. You are a disciple maker, you are focused on who God has called you to disciple

and to multiply. You are dependable and mature, but need encouragement, endurance,

accountability, and commitment to a God-honoring lifestyle in all you do.

I wanted to touch on the ground work that is already happening behind the scenes of

discipleship in order for those to be open to the gospel and accept Christ as their Lord and

Savior. Even though these elements do not address the disciple makers work, these elements are

essential to remember. Ultimately it is the Holy Spirit that will move in the hearts of those who

are being discipled. These truths are important to remember.

Christ has set the desire of eternity in the hearts of men (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We are his

ambassadors. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us”
(English Standard Version, 2 Cor 5.20). We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to

God. But John 6:44 reminds us as Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who

sent me draws them.”

As I transition from key elements to consider about disciple making to how I can apply

the concepts on this course to my future ministry context, I think a key element in disciple

making is to remember what is your “Why” for Discipleship? Why do we disciple others? I

provide four reasons below.

As Christians, one of our ultimate desires on this earth should be for other humans made

in God’s image to have a relationship with the Creator and His promised deliverance from

eternal destruction (1 Thessalonians 1). Because of this desire for all to know Jesus it is the

primary function of the people of God. We are not left alone, but instead given tools in how to

build up the church (the Bible) (book of Acts) all inspired by God, useful for teaching, correcting

and training in righteousness. Thanksgiving will abound as God’s grace is shared. This in turn

glorifies God’s name (2 Corinthians 4:15). Christ models a heart for lost sheep (Luke 15:1-18).

In conclusion, I would like to consider my strengths and weaknesses as I reflect on

applying these principles of discipleship to my own future ministry efforts. A strength I have

when it comes to disciple-making is loyalty. When I choose to commit to someone, which

includes discipleship, I will be loyal to that intention. I see this as a really positive trait for

someone eager to hear about Jesus and needing a figure in their life who is reliable. Another

concept that we discussed in class that relates to a strength of mine is being non-compromising

with the truth I am sharing. An orientation some people can have is a cheerleader mentality, just

praising anything someone you disciple does. A God-honoring disciple will call out sin and

direct one to a God-honoring life.

 In addition to celebrating my strengths, I also want to be aware of what I often stumble

on. If I could sum up in one sentence what this might be, I would say I wait to obey until I feel

equipped. We read some very convicting writing from Dietrich Bonhoeffer in, The Cost of

Discipleship, that speaks to this very tendency. In Bonhoeffer’s calls to action, he states the

following.

First obey, perform the external work, renounce your attachments, give up the

obstacles which separate you from the will of God. Do not say you have not got

faith. You will not have it so long as you persist in disobedience and refuse to take

the first step. Neither must you say that you have faith, and therefore there is no

need for you to take the first step. You have not got faith so long as and because

you will not take the first step but become hardened in your unbelief under the

guise of humble faith (Bonhoeffer).

Bonhoeffer goes on to say, “No one wants to know about your faith or unbelief. Your

orders are to perform the act of obedience on the spot” (Bonhoeffer). Bonhoeffer drives home the

fact that we should expect the call of absolute obedience to God when we ask and wonder what

His will is for us.

A second stumbling block I could foresee in my future ministry context would be the

feeling of inadequacy and under qualification for x,y, or z work God asks of me. Bonhoeffer has

a single line in his book, The Cost of Discipleship that feels impossible to argue with.

Bonhoeefer says, “doubt and reflection take the place of spontaneous obedience” (Bonhoeffer).

After reading this, it is hard to justify any disinterest, concern or doubt in a call God has made

clear to me. I think it is biblical to pray before we make a decision regarding how to respond to a

call from the Lord, but if it seems clear it is from the Lord, doubt could very well be the enemy
creeping in. As Bonhoeffer states, “keep posing problems and you will escape the necessity of

obedience” (Bonhoeffer).

Bibliography

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. SCM Press, 1959.

The Holy Bible. English Standard Version, Crossway, 2001.