ABCs of Discipleship
1. Discipleship – definitions
a. Disciple = Mathetes = a student or a learner. In ancient learning
students sought out masters (Rabbi) to live with them and learn from
them by their words and life. Matt 5:1-2
b. Disciple = a disciplined learner & follower of Jesus Christ. Discipleship
is the process of learning and following Jesus.
2. Discipleship – Jesus’ Mission & Method – Matt 4:19
a. Jesus’ top priority was calling and training the 12. Along with the
cross, it was his primary mission.
b. Jesus’ method was building people who would build the Kingdom. He
invested in people.
3. Discipleship – Jesus’ Last Command. Matt 28:18-20; 10:1
a. Jesus’ mission & method would become the church’s
b. Discipleship was Jesus’ top priority and needs to be the church’s.
4. Discipleship – How to do it. Matt 28:18-20; 7:24-29; 11:28-30
a. Learn/Teach Jesus’ Word for Obedience.
b. Teach from the Word. Teach what Jesus taught.
c. Learn from the Word. Learn to obey Jesus.
d. Learn/Teach from the Word & life shared.
5. Discipleship – Qualities of a Disciple
a. Teachable & Good Listener (Matt 11:5,29)
b. Humble (Matt 18:3)
c. Spiritual Hunger (Matt 5:6)
d. Availability & Radical Commitment– (Matt 4:19-20; 16:24-28)
e. Faithful & Loyal – (Matt 5:33-37; 7:21-23; 10:17-25, 37-39)
5 PRIMARY TASKS OF DISCIPLESHIP
1. INSTRUCTION
a. Teaching on the Principle & Task of Discipleship
b. Teaching on character and the attitudes of the heart from Scripture (spiritual formation)
c. Teaching on our mission, vision, call and purpose from Scripture
d. Teaching on spiritual gifts and skills for service
e. Teach and practice spiritual parenting or one to one discipleship
f. Modeling – Christian life and ministry
 I do – You Watch> I do – You Assist> You do – I Assist> You do – I Watch
 Model prayer, teaching, ushering, outreach, laying on of hands, visitation etc.
2. CARE
a. Small Group Roles – phone minister, letter /email writer, transporter, resource person for
food, clothes and other needs, prayer leader, counselor, visitation, treasurer, apprentice
b. Every member of the small group takes on a role and ministers it on a weekly basis
3. FELLOWSHIP
a. Enjoy the fellowship of the saints
b. Love each other and build each other up
4. ACCOUNTABILITY
a. One to one and small group. Assign one to one partners.
b. Take time to hold each other accountable to spiritual disciplines
c. Hold each other accountable to church mission, vision, order, values, purpose & ministry
d. Use the Language of Encouragement
5. IMPARTATION
a. Life to life transference. Be a giver.
b. Spend time together outside of church and church business
c. Retreat together
d. Recreational and rest time together
e. Life together outside of church
f. These occasions provide for effective bonding (glue events)
BECOMING A DISCIPLE-MAKING CHURCH
1. MODELS OF THE CHURCH
 Business/Marketing
 Social Service Agency
 Social Club
 Institution
 Family-Discipleship Model:
oikos/family language. (Eph 2:11-22; 1 Peter 2)
- Charismatic community (body) – Charis is both grace for salvation and gift
for service. Grace constituted body; a Spirit-filled body for salvation and
service; Gift-based ministry.
2. SPIRITUAL PARENTING
a. The Jethro Principle – Ex 18 & Num 11:16-29
b. The Elijah Principle – 1 Kings 19:19-21 & 2 Kings 2
c. Jesus’ Master Plan – Selection, Modeling, Delegating, Evaluating, &
Celebrating:
d. Paul & Timothy – 1 Cor 4; 11:1; Phil 1:1-7; 2:22; 3:17; 1 Thess 1:6;
2:11,14; 1 Tim 1:2; 2; 2 Tim 1:2
e. E4-12 method of ministry. Eph 4:12
f. Each one disciple one (at least). From leaders to second tier of leaders
to every lay person.
g. Reproducible leaders and discipleship relationships
h. Discipleship relationships as the nucleus of every cell in the church
3. DISCIPLESHIP STRUCTURES
 Early House Church
 Catechetical Relationships with spiritual parent
 Monastic Orders
 Collegia Pietatis: small groups for holiness among Lutheran pietists
 Wesley & Methodist: class (discipline), bands (confession & prayer), select bands
(entire sanctification & maturity)
4. IMPLEMENTING DISCIPLESHIP STRUCTURES
a. One to One, One to Two or Three
b. Small Groups
c. For Different Purposes:
- New Believers - (informational, support, accountability, prep for baptism
and membership)
- Maturing Believers – (doctrine, practical living, service, spiritual disciplines)
- Leadership Development – (ideological training, character training, call,
giftedness, people skills, and mission)
- Ministry Groups – (mission, vision, service, skills, gifts etc)
a. Tasks: Instruction, Modeling, Accountability, Life to Life transference.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
1. SELECTIVITY: recruitment and selection of leaders

The Draft: the scouting, recruiting and selecting of quality players to meet the
needs, purpose, and goal of the team and fill every position.
2. TRAINING: instruction, teaching, modeling, and accountability

Off season and spring training of the team. They practice, drill, go over plays,
strategies, fundamentals. They exercise and get in shape. They learn to work
together.
3. DELEGATION: Assignment under Supervision

Players are assigned positions relative to the performance, ability, character,
giftedness, and the coach’s discernment.
4. EVALUATION: Evaluate performance, objectives, goals according to Ministry
Description; areas of improvement and corrective tasks; revisioning and adjusting.
5. CELEBRATION: Celebrate, appreciate, encourage; through words, cards, certificates,
banquets, parties and other events

Pop the champagne. Give awards, honor and recognition.
THE MATTHEW MODEL
A FRAMEWORK FOR DISCIPLESHIP
1. OUR PURPOSE: Make Disciples of ALL Nations. Matt 28:16-20
 Disciple = mathetes (Gk) = student, learner, apprentice of Jesus the Master (Rabbi)
 Disciple = a disciplined learner and follower of Jesus Christ
 Discipleship = the process of becoming a disciplined learner and follower of Jesus Christ.
 The Master-Student Model: Jesus>Disciples. To learn from the Master and be like the
Master.
 Disciples were appointed by Jesus – 28:16
 Now, we make disciples by his authority – 28:19
 We are called to make disciples of ALL people – 28:19
 We do this by teaching people God’s Word for the purpose of obedience. Teach people
to obey God’s Word.
2. JESUS IS OUR TEACHER: Jesus is both our Teacher and our Lesson. 11:25-30
 The Truth is hid from the proud. We must be humble to receive. 11:25
 We are called to submit to God’s revelation, the Word 11:25-27
 We submit by becoming like little children. 11:25
 Jesus is both the teacher and the lesson. 11:29
3. THE CHARACTER OF A DISCIPLE: chs 5-7
 The Attitude & Fruit of the Heart – 5:1-16
 Inner attitudes of the heart & practices of life – 5:17-48
 A Perfect Heart – 5:48
 Warnings & Wisdom to the Disciple – 7:1-29
4. THE CALL OF THE DISCIPLE
 Power: to heal, cast out demons, preach – 10:1, 7-8
 Disciplined living – 10:9-10
 Sharing the Word – 10:11-15
 Be Wise & Harmless – 10:16
 Facing opposition – 10:17-36
 The Cost of Discipleship – 10:37-42
 Being with & Serving the poor and the oppressed – ch 25
SPIRITUAL PARENTING & DISCIPLESHIP
The Order of Elijah
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 4:14-17
TERM: Spiritual Parenting (or Fathering) = Spiritual
Mentoring/Discipling
2. Background To Spiritual Mentoring
 Occurred in the biological family
- In ancient cultures, including Israel. Proverbs is a lesson plan for mentoring in
the biological family.
- Occurred with Abraham>Isaac>Jacob>the Twelve Tribes. It was often father to
son instruction and modeling.
- Occurred in the Levitical Priesthood as the office, ministry, anointing, craft,
skills, roles, and teachings of the priesthood were passed down in the family.
- Many cultures have such relationships and structures for this type of
mentoring to occur – in ancient Greece we find this lineage of mentoring:
(Socarates>Plato>Aristotle>Alexander).

Occurred in the spiritual family
- Moses>Joshua: Moses passed his ministry and mantle on to Joshua.
- Elijah>Elisha and the School of the Prophets. They called Elijah their father,
and they received the prophet’s reward of an imparted anointing and office.
Elisha received a double portion and did twice the miracles.
- Eli>Samuel
- Jesus>the Twelve
- Barnabas>Paul> Timothy

What was taught and imparted in biological or spiritual mentoring?
- life lessons, skills, manhood, fatherhood, parenting, roles etc
- character, virtue, responsibility, the tradition, conduct, ritual, purpose etc
- ministry, office, and anointing.
- The Word and ways of God
3. Paul as Spiritual Father to the Church
- Writes to the churches as sons. Timothy was a spiritual son. 1 Cor 4:14-17
- Corinthians had information without relation – 1 Cor 4:15
- Teacher as father or mother is beyond information but interaction,
impartation, and transformation – 1 Cor 4:15
- Disciple is to follow the mentor, meaning he sets a worthy example – 1 Cor
4:16
-
Timothy his spiritual son, followed his mentor and communicated to his
mentees what he was taught (Phil 4:9; 2 Tim 2:2; 3:10)
4. Mentor Imparts unto His/Her Son & Daughters
- Be followers of me as I follow Christ. The person, life and work of Christis
imparted to us by the Holy Spirit even through other people (especially
leaders and teachers).
- Mentoring/Discipling/Spiritual Parenting in the order of Elijah is a way, a
structure, and a relationship by which learning, maturity, growth,
reproduction, blessing, increase of anointing, ministry impartation etc occurs.
- We see this method used in monasticism, among the Pietists, the Moravians,
and the Methodists.
- See 1 Cor 11:1; Phil 1:1-7 & 2:22 & 3:17; 1 Thess 1:6; 2:11&14; 1 Tim1:2 &
2Tim 1:2.
- See The Complete Book of Discipleship – Bill Hull
- See Transforming Discipleship – Greg Ogden
SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
1. Daily Prayer – morning & evening (if possible w/family)
2. Daily Scripture Study – AM & PM (if possible w/family)
3. Daily Repentance & Confession of sin when needed
4. Weekly Church Attendance
5. Regular 10% Tithing (of gross income; start where you can)
6. Holy Communion
7. Fellowship of the Saints
8. Fasting when God Calls
9. Hearing God’s Voice regularly
10.Daily Self Denial (“No” to your will, and “Yes” to God’s will)
11.Daily Renewing the Mind (with the Scriptures)
12.Financial Discipline (Practice living in simplicity)
13.Physical Exercise and Diet (care for your temple)
14.Practicing God’s Order in every area of life
15.Time Management: Holy Use of Time. Serve in a ministry.
16.Discipleship/Small Group Accountability/One to One
Spiritual Exercise Plan
Things to Cut Out of Spiritual Diet
_____ Too much TV, movies, or video games or other excesses
_____ Excessive & Needless Spending
_____ Gossip or Too much Complaining or Talking in General
_____ Addictive Habits
_____ Anger Outbursts
_____ Spiritual Laziness
_____ Unforgiveness
______ Others
Things to Build Up
_____ More Scripture Study (as in at least 15mins. a day)
_____ More Prayer Time (as in at least 30 mins. a day)
_____ Regular Church Attendance
_____ Regular 10% Tithing to your Local Church
_____ Discipleship (one to one or small group)
_____ More Love (family, neighbor, enemy etc)
_____ More Edifying Communication & Appropriate Silence
_____ Renewing my Mind with the Truth
_____ More Family Time
_____ Service in Ministry (serve in my gifted area)