Discipleship Making Plan
Beth Buster
DSMN 500: Discipleship Ministries
March 5, 2023
Contents
Passages for Discipleship.............................................................................................................2
Principles for Disciples................................................................................................................4
Philosophy for Making Disciples................................................................................................6
The Role of the Church........................................................................................................6
The Role of the Pastor.........................................................................................................7
The Role of Leadership.......................................................................................................7
Practices for Developing Disciples..............................................................................................8
Church Organizational Structure.........................................................................................8
Small Groups and the Impact on Discipleship....................................................................9
Proof of Disciples........................................................................................................................10
Authentically Worshiping God..........................................................................................11
Authentically Honoring God Through Community...........................................................11
Authentically Proclaiming the Gospel...............................................................................12
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................13
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................14
ii
1
Perhaps the most vital area of good stewardship for a believer is the area of
making disciples. Disciple-making is one of the last and clearest commands given by our Lord
Jesus Christ. God set a pattern through Jesus Christ, therefore Christians must follow suit and
take seriously the necessity to be much more than soul-winners. It is pertinent for believers to be
purposeful and intentional in being disciple makers. This process must begin with an
understanding of the biblical teachings of what it means to be a disciple and to make disciples. It
must then grasp the steady and timeless principles which are derived from this biblical
understanding. These principles may then be developed into a philosophy of disciple-making
within the context of the specific individual, ministry, or church. Ultimately, the passages,
principles, and philosophy are useless without the development of practical and actional steps to
implement an overall and comprehensive disciple-making strategy. Finally, any good plan must
have a way of measuring the outcomes to evaluate whether the end results are desirable and to
adjust to improve the overall plan and process. Throughout this process it must always be kept in
mind that the ultimate purpose is to “make disciples…teaching them to observe all that [Jesus]
commanded” (Matt 28:19-20, NASB), fulfilling the purpose of God in being “conformed to the
image of His Son” (Rom 8:29), “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2
Cor 3:18).
In the context of the church, it is “essential for the leadership to have a unified
understanding of their goal and purpose as a church” as well as “a unified methodology to
accomplish that goal” with “everyone on the same page.”1 This begins with a common
understanding of what is meant by “disciple.” If we understand a disciple in the context of the
church to be a follower of Jesus, this is “a person who has trusted Christ for salvation and has
1 Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples
Who Make Disciples (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 44.
2
surrendered completely to Him. He or she is committed to practicing the spiritual disciplines in
community and developing their full potential for Christ and His mission.”2 It is the one who
recognizes and accepts “who Jesus is as Lord, leader, and master” of his or her life.3
Passages for Discipleship
The foundation and framework for any strategy within the context of Christian living and
the church must begin and end with the Bible. As Paul reminded his protégé Timothy, “All
Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training
in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2
Tim 3:16-17). God has set the Bible to be the means by which He communicates truth to
humanity and is, therefore, the standard by which any discipleship effort must be derived. The
necessity of Scripture is requisite for knowledge of the gospel, for maintaining spiritual life, and
for certain knowledge of God’s will.4 The Baptist Faith and Message recognizes that the Bible “is
a perfect treasure of divine instruction…and the supreme standard by which all human conduct,
creeds, and religious opinions should be tried.”5
There is substantial biblical support for the people of God to make disciples. It is
essential to the life of a believer and the church. The author defines a disciple as gospel centered
(1 Cor. 15:3-4), discipleship driven (Matt. 28:19-20), and family focused (Deut. 6:4-9). The
passion of the author is to mentor and disciple families and children; to come alongside parents
2 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion
and Confidence (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2013), 28.
3 Putman and Harrington, DiscipleShift, 46.
4 Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1999), 54
5 Southern Baptist Convention, “The Scriptures,” Baptist Faith and Message 2000, accessed December 10,
2020, https://bfm.sbc.net/bfm2000/.
3
of all ages and give them the courage, tools, and confidence to disciple their children to become
true, missional disciples.
No longer should the teaching of children be left to the church. Taken out of context, this
sentence could seem inflammatory, yet it is actually the appropriate sentiment for raising
children. God set the parent to be the teacher and raiser of children, both physically and
spiritually. In modern culture, the church has become the substitute teacher to children of the
ways of the Lord instead of the parents whom God admonished to teach them. In speaking to the
nation of Israel just prior to moving into the land of Canaan, God admonished the people
concerning his commandment and teachings to “teach them diligently to your sons and…talk of
them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and
when you rise up” (Deut 6:7). The family unit should be at the center of growing and mentoring
disciples of Jesus. Parents should be leading the way in the discipleship of their children with the
church furthering the lessons and concepts being taught in the home. The church is not central to
the furthering of the gospel, it is the individual and the family.
The psalmist says, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare
Your might acts” (Ps 145:4). These concepts come under the same understanding as what we see
taught from a new testament perspective. While it is not just a parent that can raise up disciples,
the demographic this author is focused upon is the young adult family. As parents, it is
imperative to “pass on to [the child] what was most important and what had also been passed on
to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and He was raised from
the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Jesus was clear that His
followers would attest to the world His person and works (see Acts 1:8) and that they must
“make disciples” according to His teachings (Matt 28:19-20).
4
A Christian parent must understand their role as a steward of the
children God bestowed them and seek only for the glory of God through the
discipleship of their children. It is the reminder, “if you do not really love
Jesus, then you will not truly love the people you lead. Nothing but the love
of Christ will compel you to go cheerfully through the difficulties and
discouragements you experience as a leader.”6 Parenting in the context of
discipleship mirrors Jesus to wash feet (John 13:1-17), to lay down one’s own
life (John 15:13), to “deny himself, and take up his cross and follow” Jesus
(Matt 16:24). Only in following Jesus can a parent truly lead their family to
God.
Principles for Disciples
Paul also instructed Timothy that he should, “guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells
in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you” (2 Tim 1:14). This exhortation should be at
the forefront of any ministry and discipleship model as those who are imparting the truth of God
to other disciples are forwarding the great treasury of “the revelation of the mystery which has
been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets,
according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made know to all the nations,
leading to obedience of faith” (Rom 11:25-26). Stating the core values of a ministry can help
guard the principal purposes and keep the focus on the things that are of primary importance.
The overarching principle of discipleship is spiritual formation, “the process of
transformation that occurs as a believer becomes more and more like Jesus.”7 However,
6 Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges, Lead Like Jesus (Nashville: Thomas Nelson,2005), 178.
7 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Spiritual Formation Is…: How to Grow in Jesus with Passion and
Confidence (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2018), 28.
5
establishing identifiable principles and core values requires more precise and definable
benchmarks which are easily understood by all those involved in the ministry of discipleship. At
the forefront of this concept is the reminder that “if you are to succeed as a team [ministry,
congregation], you must create a common language—using the same words and the same
definitions.”8 The author identifies three basic principles to guide the ministry.
The first and final authority for making disciples are the Scriptures. Though multiple
passages substantiate the Bible as the authoritative word of God, 2 Timothy 3:14-17 provides the
most succinct and definable reasoning for the authority of Scripture. “The authority of Scripture
means that all the words in Scripture are God’s words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey
any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.”9 That is to say that the Bible speaks
directly from God to His people and to obedience or disobedience to the Scriptures is to obey or
disobey God.
Also essential to making disciples is submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Paul was
quick to remind the Corinthians believers that it is the work of God that brings spiritual
transformation in any person (1 Cor. 3:6). Furthermore, he reminded the believers in Colossae
that it is Jesus who is the sustainment of spiritual growth (Col. 2:6-7).
Lastly, involvement in the Christian community is necessary for discipleship. Jesus
declared that He would build His church, “and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matt
16:18). Paul established that “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that
He might sanctify her” (Eph 5:25 -26). Paul also spoke of the relationship between Christ and the
church, that all things were placed “in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all
things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph 1:22-23).
8 Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples
Who Make Disciples (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 220.
9 Grudem, Bible Doctrine, 33.
6
Jesus was the builder of the Church, he died for the Church, and has become the head of the
Church. It is only appropriate then to be discipled in the image of Christ as among the
community which He established.
Philosophy for Making Disciples
Philosophy helps define the lens by which every aspect of life and ministry is identified
and established. A key component of understanding how discipleship is perceived and pursued as
a ministry or church is to clarify terminology and ideology of key aspects of the pursuit.
The Role of the Church
“The Church represents the one people of God. The unity must be seen in relation to
spiritual unity, not an institutional unity.”10 The Church is identified as the body of Christ and is
commissioned to glorify God and declare the good news of salvation to all the nations. This unity
is brought the grace of God as he has commissioned the various offices of the church “for the
equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we
all attain to the unity of the faith” (Eph 4:11-13). It is through this commissioning that
evangelism and discipleship are rightly practiced, as “when the scripture is rightly preached, and
the gospel is cherished, there is the church.”11 The Church should be equipping the body to
boldly proclaim the gospel and make disciples in their homes and communities.
The Role of the Pastor
Discipleship in the context of a local congregation is the most appropriate atmosphere.
Within that context pastoral oversight and participation of discipleship is crucial. The pastor
10 R. Albert Mohler, Jr., The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2019), 157.
11 Ibid., 158.
7
serves to “shepherd the flock of God” wherever they may serve, “exercising oversight…
according to the will of God…proving to be examples to the flock” (1 Pet 5:2-3). The pastor
serves to provide an example to the church in evangelistic and discipleship efforts, as well as
guide the flock and oversee the discipleship methods and mission to maintain biblical standards.
The Role of Leadership
In any organization leadership is necessary. In discipleship leadership is
essential as one or more persons takes on the role of mentor in guiding
others toward spiritual growth and maturity. This leadership must by
necessity take on the form of a servant, recognizing that investment in
others for the goal of raising up disciples of Jesus Christ leads to the same
understanding John the Baptist embodied, “He must increase, but I must
decrease” (John 3:30). The Christian leader understands his role as a steward
of the things of God and seeks only for the glory of God and the betterment
of others, willing to decrease in relation to the Lord and others. It is the
reminder, “if you do not really love Jesus, then you will not truly love the
people you lead. Nothing but the love of Christ will compel you to go
cheerfully through the difficulties and discouragements you experience as a
leader.”12 Leadership in the context of discipleship takes on the servant to
wash feet (John 13:1-17), to lay down one’s own life (John 15:13), to “deny
himself, and take up his cross and follow” Jesus (Matt 16:24). Only in
following Jesus can a leader truly lead the people of God.
Practices for Developing Disciples
12 Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges, Lead Like Jesus (Nashville: Thomas Nelson,2005), 178.
8
All the plans and preparation are meaningless however, if a process to
implement the practical is not put into place. Theories are wonderful place to
begin, but never the place to end. This is where “the rubber meets the road.”
This is where necessary steps must be taken to practice the biblical
teachings churches claim to hold close and dear. To appropriately implement
a proper discipleship program within the context of the church,
considerations must be made as to the current structure of the church,
possible changes to the organizational structure, how the method of
discipleship with be carried out in detail, and what training is necessary.
Current and Future Organizational Structure
Countryside Baptist Church, Newalla (CSBC) would currently be
identified as an aging, traditional church. Discipleship efforts have been
primarily pursued through the Sunday morning worship service, Sunday
School, and Sunday evening discipleship classes. Some small groups have
been developed. However, much of the efforts have been geared to
proclamation of information rather and practical equipping of the body of
Christ. Leadership is more identified by a hierarchy of structural
appointments with emphasis more on regular attendance than spiritual
transformation. Through this model the pastor is given extreme oversight of
the programs and ministries of the church13 and acts as the originator of
13 Earley and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is, 28.
9
discipleship. In this way, “discipleship is taught from the pulpit but is limited,
primarily, to that which occurs during the Sunday school hour.”14
Though difficulties in making change are always present, this pastor
has tried to move CSBC to a discipleship model based on accountability,
evangelism, and spiritual transformation through relational interaction and
the emphasis shifted to equipping rather than simply teaching. This
endeavor places the emphasis of discipleship upon the individual and small
group with the pastor and other leadership serving to equip all the saints
within the local congregation to fulfill the calling to make disciples. The
primary role of the pastor is to train the members to become disciples and
then make disciples through spiritual disciplines, evangelism training, and
mentorship approaches with other individual both within the church and in
their own communities. This is a slow process, with the focus needing to
remain on the end goal so as not to get bogged down by the daily struggles
with change.
Small Groups and the Impact on Discipleship
The emphasis for this discipleship model at CSBC will be shifted away
from the congregational meetings to the small group, with greater emphasis
being placed on the growth groups or super small groups, comprised of two
to four people in regular contact for accountability, evangelism, and spiritual
transformation. This model provides greater flexibility in meeting the unique
spiritual needs of each person faces. In this way the members of the small
14 Ibid., 231.
10
group are encouraged and empowered toward involvement in the daily life of
others, providing greater encouragement, opportunity, and accountability for
participation in making disciples. “Christians need other Christians who
speak God’s word to them.”15 These small groups will be challenged to thrive
outside of the regular Sunday gatherings in daily contact, encouragement,
and prayer for and with one another.
Proof: Evaluation, Examination, and Perfection
The church and Christians often shy away from any mention of the
concept of the pursuit of perfection. However, the call to holiness is a call to
perfection. Though the battle between the human will and the will of God
within the Christian does inhibit spiritual progression, the call of Jesus is that
“you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48).
Though it may seem unattainable, the believer should ever strive for the
supreme goal of absolute Christlikeness. Followers of Christ should never
settle for anything less the perfection in line with the calling and
commandments of God. This requires constant evaluation of the process and
methods employed and adaptations to overcome those areas in which the
church does not achieve the desired outcomes.
As discipleship and spiritual growth from a human perspective are less
physical and more philosophical, it becomes difficult to track with objective
data and analysis. However, this does not alleviate the biblical responsibility
for evaluation of the spiritual growth found within the congregation. Jesus
15 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2015), 6.
11
indicated several markers of spiritual health. In the Sermon on the Mount, He
proclaimed, “every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad
fruit…So then, you will know them by their fruits” (Matt 7:17-20). He also
declared that love among the brethren would be a marker of his disciples
(John 13:34). Paul listed characteristics of a person submissive to the Holy
Spirit as one who exhibits “the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23).
These, among many other Scriptures, point out that a person who is an
authentic follower of Christ will exemplify certain characteristics. The health
of the church and its efforts in making disciples according to biblical
teachings must be examined through the lens of these proofs.
Authentically Worshiping God
It was previously mentioned that the greatest commandment found in
the Scriptures is that one should love God above everything else (Matt
22:37-38). In fact, the first four of commandments given by God on the
tablets to Moses concerned themselves with recognition and worship of God
(Ex 20:1-11; Deut 5:6-15). This leads the people of God to recognize that the
primary purpose of the Christian life is to honor and worship God. This also
means that the church, which is healthy and producing disciples according to
the Scriptures, is one “where the Gospel is being proclaimed by word and
deed. Or where believers are being baptized.”16 Proof of spiritual health and
vitality stemming from biblical discipleship is an upward focus through
16 Earley and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is, 212.
12
individual and corporate worship through actions and speech. It has as its
aim the glory of God and the exaltation of His character and person rather
than a focus on individual needs and desires.
Authentically Honoring God Through Community
Continuing from the first proof of worshipping God authentically is the
reality that a biblical church and discipleship model will seek to be a
community that honors God. Sadly, this proof often comes in the form of a
negative where the community of believers is not focused on honoring God
first. Bonhoeffer says of people in this congregation, “They enter the
community of Christians with their demands, set up their own law, and judge
one another and even God accordingly.”17 This type of community easily
becomes draining upon the people, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Therefore, in order to have a healthy church and discipleship model, the
focus must become honoring God through the relationships among the
community of believers and flowing outward to the community at-large. The
focus of the congregation seeking to honor God is one which bears “one
another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill[s] the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2).
Establishing and maintaining the community which honors God is
instrumental in the process of making disciples. Being burden bearers
requires Christians to interact regularly, almost daily. It requires a long-term
commitment to invest oneself in the lives of others. It recognizes that
honoring God in this context requires evangelistic efforts leading to
multiplication of disciples.
17 Bonhoeffer, Life Together, 6.
13
Authentically Proclaiming the Gospel
This leads to the final proof of effective discipleship. Spiritually
maturing Christians will be active participants in the proclamation of the
Gospel regularly, both inside and outside the church. Any church that
professes to be following teachings of Jesus and His commandments, must
be a church filled with people who proclaim the Gospel. After all, “worship is
the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because, in missions,
we simply aim to bring nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s
glory.”18 The members of the CSBC should regularly, both as a congregation
and individually, be seeking to exalt God among the nations through the
declaration of the redemption story. Authentic disciples have a passion and
desire to see others join in the song of the redeemed. They will give not only
financially to this end, but also through personal investments of time to their
own community, friends, and family.
Conclusion
Making disciples is the one of the most authentic ways in which
Christians identify with Jesus. From the first call of people to repentance to
the highest arcs of worship and prayer, the true follower of Christ identifies
with the Lord in a very real way when he declares to the nations—from the
neighbor to the uttermost regions—that God has provided a way of
redemption by his love and grace. From the Christian who cannot recall a day
without the Lord and his church to the newest believer, discipleship provides
18 Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad!, 11.
14
the opportunity for continued growth and maturity in the power of the Holy
Spirit for continued movement toward perfection. This must be purposeful
and intentional to maintain steadfast endurance through the difficult times of
discouragement and humility during the highest points of jubilation. In this
way the Christian truly obeys the greatest commandments, to love God and
love others, through the public worship of God through proclamation of the
gospel and loving others enough to reveal truth and hope.
15
Bibliography
Blanchard, Ken and Phil Hodges. Lead Like Jesus. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2015.
Earley, Dave and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with
Passion and Confidence. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2013.
Earley, Dave and Rod Dempsey. Spiritual Formation Is…: How to Grow in Jesus with Passion
and Confidence. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2018.
Grudem, Wayne. Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1999
Mohler, R. Albert Jr. The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of
Counterfeits. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2019.
Piper, John. Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions. Grand Rapids: Baker
Books, 1993.
Putman, Jim and Bobby Harrington. DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make
Disciples. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015.
Southern Baptist Convention. “The Scriptures.” Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Accessed
February 10, 2023. https://bfm.sbc.net/bfm.2000/.
