LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
SPHERES AND STAGES OF DISCIPLESHIP
SUBMITTED TO DR. HIGLEY,
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
DSMN 500-B08 LUO
DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES
BY
JOHN PITTMAN
FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Discipleship is key when it comes to producing Christ-like individuals. A disciple
is one who professes to have learned certain principles from another and maintains them
on that other’s authority.1 This means that those who claim to be a disciple of Jesus are
acting on his authority. That is a heavy claim that should not be taken lightly. Jesus was
the teacher or master to his disciples and someone who wants to produce disciples must
take on the same role as a teacher.2 To have a better understanding on the discipleship
process we will look at the five levels and four spheres of discipleship that Putman gives.
Putman uses these levels and spheres at Real Life Ministries.3 Discipleship needs forward
progress so that one is able to grow and this is why we can learn a lot from these five
levels and four spheres.
Level One- This discipleship stage is entitled spiritually dead. In this stage individuals
have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This may look different from person to
person because they may be going though rejecting God, seeking God, considering their
selves spiritual, or may call themselves a Christian.4 For the ones who claim to be a
Christian in this stage they have no fruit and they lack the Holy Spirit living in them.
Putman goes on to make the point that when someone is physically dead they do nothing
and will decompose over time and this is true for the spiritually dead people as well.5
When believers interact with those who do not believe or who are living a life of
rebellion they are spiritually dead to God. This means we as believers should not be
1 Unger, Merrill Federick 1909-. Unger's Bible Dictionary. Chicago: Moody Press, 1966. 265.
2 Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2001. 235.
3 Putman, Jim, Bobby Harrington, and Robert Emerson Coleman. DiscipleShift Five Steps That Help Your
Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013. 59.
4 Ibid., 61.
5 Ibid.
surprised when the spiritually dead live a life that is not the way God intended them to
live. These individuals will not come to “life” until they have been made alive in Jesus.
Putman suggest a few statements that a spiritually dead person may say. These are
important so one can recognize whom they are talking with. Some of these statements
are: I don’t believe there is a God, religion is crutch for the weak, there are many ways
for a person to get to God, and I’m spiritual but I don’t connect with one specific
religion.6 This is not a tool to use to judge another person but just to see where they are.
Level Two: This is the stage known as infant. In this stage an individual is spiritually
alive and have decided to follow Jesus.7 But, that’s it. This stage contains new believers
but it may also include Christians who been believers for a long time but have remained
stagnant in their faith. The spiritual infants are not unintelligent but rather they lack
knowledge on what Jesus taught. During this stage the Holy Spirit is at work. But with
the individual being a spiritual infant they are not always receptive. Often times in this
stage the individual is concentrated on their self and tend to have a consumer mind when
it comes to the church. Anyone who has been around an infant knows they tend to be loud
and demanding so this should not be a surprise when dealing with anyone in this stage.
Patience is the key word when interacting with those in this level. Some things to listen to
when interaction takes place with those in this stage include: I didn’t know the bible said
that, tithing? What’s that? and I don’t need anyone else because it’s just Jesus and me.8
The mature Christian dealing with the spiritual infant needs to care and feed this person
so they can grow strong in their faith.
6 Ibid., 62.
7 Ibid., 63.
8 Ibid., 64.
Level Three: This level is entitled child. During this stage an individual will continue in
their faith as well as grow in their relationships with other Christians.9 To grow in these
relationships the “child” begins to use Christian words and is capable of talking with
others about their faith. Individuals who fit into this stage may still deal with some of
their infant tendencies such as looking to meet their needs first. But the good news is they
are they still growing in their spiritual journey. This stage includes newer believers but
also older Christians who have kept in this stage since they became a believer. This
means it does not matter on how long you have been a Christian but rather what has
happened or not happened during the relational discipleship process.10 Here are some
things a person may say when they are in this stage: don’t branch my small group into
two because then I won’t get to be with my friends, I didn’t like the music in church
today they should play more contemporary stuff, and I wasn’t fed at all by that sermon
today.11 When it comes to the spiritual needs of an individual in this stage they need is for
a strong relational connection with a mature believer.12
Level four- this stage is known as young adult. During this stage there is a shift from self-
centered to God-centered and other-centered.13 Instead of looking at life and taking all the
time they switch and realize God has called them to be a sacrificial person who is part of
the body of Christ. By this stage one may be ministering to others, as they become doers
9 Ibid., 65.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid., 66.
12 Ibid., 67.
13 Ibid.
of the Word.14 People in this stage will be driven to serve with joy, zeal, and energy
through the Spirit. Judgmental thoughts begin to decline as one grows in their faith. A
person in this level will begin to understand that they have been given responsibilities and
take them seriously.15 Some things you may hear one say in this stage include: I really
want to go to Uganda on a mission trip this summer and look how many are at church
today-it’s awesome.16
Level five- this level is referred to as parent. Putman makes it clear that God is the one
who is the one who gives a spiritual birth to someone not man.17 This parent title is more
for one to understand that they are in the concept of spiritually reproducing others.
Spiritually mature people need to be making or discipling others. If not, they are not a
parent.18 Parents are in a relationship with God that is deep and are living out a life that
reflects God’s word. This does not mean a parent will be perfect but they are in a growing
relationship with Jesus and living a life of intentional discipleship. Parents will normally
know when dealing with others where the person is on their spiritual journey, where they
need to go, and how to get then there.19 Some things a parent may be heard saying are: I
wonder if God is leading me to invest in Bill and help him mature in his faith or I have a
spiritual child in my small group who is causing conflicts; pray that I will have patience
as I lead through this difficult stage.20 The spiritual needs for parents are to have close
14 Ibid.
15 Wilkes, C. Gene. Jesus on Leadership. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1998. 204.
16 Putman, Jim, Bobby Harrington, and Robert Emerson Coleman. DiscipleShift Five Steps That Help
Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013. 68.
17 Ibid., 69.
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid., 70.
20 Ibid.
peer relationships with other spiritual parents who are involved in making disciples for
encouragement.21 The parent is a highly important person when it comes to the
discipleship process and need to be celebrated for whet they do.
Sphere one- this sphere’s central importance is our relationship with God and the core to
hold all the other spheres together.22 It’s not by our works but by the grace of God that we
are saved. Putman explains there are three questions that need to be asked in this sphere:
Head- does the person I am discipling know what Jesus teaches about growing in
relationship to him? Heart- are there visible changes happening in this persons life.
Hands- are they willing to follow Christ in the direction he is leading them.
Sphere two- this deals with relationships within the family of God and the church. In this
sphere we need relationships that will grow the body of Christ. The bible explains that
when we are baptized we have a heavenly father, brothers and sisters in Christ. Yet, it’s
often hard to remember the brother and sisters part. The family that God wants for us
includes these “siblings” and its important that they are so the church can be a relational
family working together. Three questions to ask in this sphere: Head- Does the person I
am discipling know what the bible teaches about the church and the importance of his or
her relationships with other believers? Heart- Are they growing in their love for others in
the body of Christ? Hands- have they developed the relational skills they need in order to
have healthy relationships with other believers?
21 Ibid., 71.
22 Ibid., 85.
Sphere three- this sphere deals with relationships at home. One can learn the concepts of
the gospel yet at home they are not applied. Scripture is clear that a relationship with God
and other believers is highly important but so are the relationships at home. All believers
are called to make disciples and at home this is a highly important area to do this. We are
called to have a godly home and we need to love at home with the love of Jesus.
Sphere four- this sphere deals with the world. No matter where we are in the world
anytime we are in contact with non-believers we are to show the love of Jesus. We
represent Jesus to many people who may not know Jesus or know the correct Jesus so as
believers we are called to go out in the world and show the love of God.
When it comes to my own life and discipleship I feel I am in level five. For
almost two years now I have been discipling four high school students. This is the fourth
group of high school boys I have done this with. I also have three children and a wife that
I am very intentional on discipling at home. The hardest thing I deal with when it comes
to making disciples is sometimes I just don’t feel like doing it. I get lazy at times. When
this happens I turn to other guys I know who disciple me in the past and look for
encouragement. Hebrews 10:23-25 explains, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope
without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one
another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” This
verse often encourages me when I do feel lazy. Another reason I feel I am in this level is I
find myself asking question like Putman shows such as should I invite this or that person
into a discipleship relationship. I do catch myself slipping into other levels at times and of
course I try to avoid that. But it does happen.
Bonheoffer’s call to the cross is a great piece of writing that really hits on the
centrality of Jesus in one’s daily life. No one in the history of the world has denied his or
her self like Jesus. Jesus had to suffer and be rejected so that Scripture would be
fulfilled.23 If we are called to live a life as Jesus did this means we are to deny ourselves
and take up our cross as Jesus did. Jesus’ suffering needed to happen and this is true for
us as well. We will without a doubt suffer on earth and we can look to Jesus when we are
going through this suffering. Even though each case of suffering will be unique it needs
to be established that Jesus calls all believers to die to their self and pick up their own
cross.
To be submitted to Jesus means one is a new person. Gone is their physical birth
and they are reborn spiritually. They are no longer living for their selves but now they are
living a life for Jesus. This means they are not to be self-centered, lazy or hateful to
anyone in the world. This is a daily death so that we may submit to Jesus. When we look
at Putman’s 5 levels of discipleship we can see that it is a process to be in submission to
Christ. It is not a thing that just happens but it is a building process. One must go through
this process to ultimately find their self in submission to Christ. When we are in
submission is when we will have real life. We must die to ourselves so that we will have
an abundant life in Christ. Applying the four spheres of Putman we can see that we are to
be in an oneness with Christ, relationships, and encouraging others. We are to put others
in front of us so that we can have Jesus in the center of our lives. Matthew 6:10 says,
23 Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, Geffrey B. Kelly, and John D. Godsey. Discipleship. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress
Press, 2003. 84.
“Your kingdom come Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Submission to
Christ is realizing that it’s not about a will but about God’s will above all else.
Works Cited
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, Geffrey B. Kelly, and John D. Godsey. Discipleship. Minneapolis,
MN: Fortress Press, 2003.
Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book
House, 2001.
Putman, Jim, Bobby Harrington, and Robert Emerson Coleman. DiscipleShift Five Steps
That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2013.
Unger, Merrill Federick 1909-. Unger's Bible Dictionary. Chicago: Moody Press, 1966.
Wilkes, C. Gene. Jesus on Leadership. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1998.
