LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Disciple Making Plan
Submitted to Dr. Sulfridge
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 500 B07
Discipleship Ministries
by
Mauricio Guerra
October 2, 2021, 2021
Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................1-2
Passages........................................................................................................................................2-3
Principles......................................................................................................................................4-5
Philosophy....................................................................................................................................5-6
Practices........................................................................................................................................6-7
Proof.................................................................................................................................................7
Conclussion....................................................................................................................................8-
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................
ii
1
Introduction
The purpose of the church that Jesus Christ came to establish is the same as it was when
Jesus said, therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and the Son and the 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. Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
From this Scripture one understands that the calling is for every believer, but someone has to be
able to lead everyone in a manner that will be empower, teach, instruct, and lead the manner in
which the church will be able to bear good and lasting fruit. This discipleship and leadership
begin when leaders are willing to obey, trust, and believe in Jesus’ calling to action. This calling
to action has to do with a believer becoming a good disciple and a good leader. “Leadership
begins with who we are and our walk with God.”1 It is in this walk with God that we learn from
Jesus’ example how to multiply in more disciples that will in turn multiply in more disciples.
Jesus Christ’s examples as to how to build a Disciple-Making-Plan began with Scripture,
Then He showed His disciples the basic principles that will build upon Scripture. Jesus also
taught His disciples how to develop a solid Attitude (Philosophy) that He expected His church to
have, in addition to that, Jesus also showed His disciples what practices His church was to have
to show the unbeliever that there is a clear difference between the church and the rest of the
world. Lastly, Jesus told His disciples that by doing church in that order the proof to present a
living, loving, all mighty God will manifest in the multiplication of new disciples.
Today, everyone can see the proof as for almost two-thousand years the church has
followed that foundation and it has multiplied generations after generations. Today is my turn to
embrace the vision, the calling, and the purpose for our Christian evangelical church to follow
1 Jim Putman, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your
Church to Make Disciples (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013).
2
the steps of the five “P’s” which are: Passages, Principles, Philosophy, Practices, and Proof and
build on that foundation and keep multiplying into as many disciples as God will allow us to.
Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts
of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
As a youth pastor, having read this five “P’s” of ministry has open a new way of looking
at ministry. There is so much work to do, so many changes to do. “Christ calls us to blessedness,
credible sacredness. A Christian head is an individual of impact. The person in question pursues
God’s vision for one’s life and impacts others to pursue God’s arrangement for their lives.2 My
desire is to be one who will impact others as I embrace God’s vision. I must be careful though, to
ensure that my Sr. Pastor is aware and that he welcomes the changes I feel we must do as a
church. I understand that it will be hard to make all the changes as my church is going through a
culture change. It started as a Spanish speaking church with mostly people from south of the
border. By now, however, we have a Spanish and an English church. I lead the English-speaking
congregation, but I am under my Sr. Pastor’s guidance. Changes are not something that is
welcome in my church. “If it isn’t broken, don’t change it” type of attitude. Nevertheless, I
understand that even if I am not allowed to make changes right now, it is my responsibility to
develop a plan for disciple making. It is Jesus Christ the Head of the Church that is calling on
His disciples to be equipped and ready to multiply into more disciples.
Building a Disciple Making Program begins with having a solid Bible Scripture.
Passage
In our English congregation I have used as the main Scripture [Passage] Matthew 22:37
(KJV) Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind. This Scripture is the foundational Passage that will start my Disciple
2 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is... (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2013)
3
Making Plan. It brings the believer to the main objective of every believer. It brings us into a
vertical relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. From that starting
point the new disciple can understand the importance of what the purpose of discipleship is all
about. Jesus Christ said that He did not come to do His will but the will of the Father. I believe
that the best way to start is to start by understanding that we are so in love with God that all we
desire to do is to do His will.
The second Passage I use is verse 39. And the second is like it: ‘love your neighbor as
yourself.’ From this verse we understand that as we are vertically aligned to God and move onto
the horizontal position, we will be able to love people not as we would love them but as we
understand God loves us.
This, I believe is the best way to start putting together a plan to build new strong and
empowered disciples that will be prepared to go out and multiply into as many disciples as God
will allow us to multiply by. This starting point, I trust will be the foundation for us to follow our
Master’s instruction, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...” Matthew 28:19 (NIV)
This is a clear vision that is simple and precise to understand. One vison that must be
accomplished by mature disciples that are willing to develop more mature disciples to ensure that
Jesus’s church remains growing until He comes for His church. The goal here is to “help people
come to know Christ, grow in Christ, and produce fruit (other disciples) who will reach the world
with the good news of the gospel.”3
As the first foundation [vision] is laid, The Main Passage Matthew 22:37-39 [The New
Commandment] A second layer may be place on top of the passage. That will be the principals of
the vision.
Principals
3 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is... (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2013)
4
It is important to have the core values of the Disciple Making Plan clearly stated and
presented to the disciple making church. As we embrace the New Commandment to love God
[be vertically connected] and love one another [be horizontally connected] we will automatically
be in love with the mission and would want to go out and share the Good News and welcome all
the new potential disciples. That is what the Great Commission is all about. Jesus’s last
instruction was for His disciples to love God, love one another and to go out and share that love
with others. “The final words of Jesus were given to obey. Today we call the final statement the
Great Commission.”4
Early and Dempsey wrote about the importance to have a solid leader foundation to obey
the Great Commission and to be work passionately in the ministry. According to their book
Disciple Making Is... the disciple turns into a great leader when he begins to “influence other
through solid character.... a leader will persuade or influence other people to follow either their
example of follow the stated vision by their character.”5 Another point they make is that the
disciple must lead with a clear vision “seeing the road and knowing the path is critical to being a
leader.”6 The road leads into making new disciples, baptize them and teach them so that they may
one day be able to multiply themselves.
As the second layer has been placed in order, the third layer must be laid down. The
Philosophy of the Disciple Making Plan.
Philosophy
On the presentation Putting Together a Disciple Making Ministry Plan Dr. Putman said
that it is important to identify the definition of the language used to define the views that the
4 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Spiritual Formation Is... (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2018)
5 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is... (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2013)
6 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is... (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2013)
5
leadership group has. If the disciple is not able to define their leader’s views on Disciple Making
Ministry than he will not be able to embrace the whole concept of what is the objective.7 As a
clear definition is presented to the disciple, he will be able to understand the whole calling for the
church to fulfil. The Church is not only a building, ministries, doctrinal views, or programs, but
the view of the church must also be one where everyone understands that we are called to one
body working together to reach out to the ends of the world. It is key for everyone to embrace the
order in which this program of disciple making is to move forward. The pastor must be the one
shepherding and leading the flock. “In the New Testament Jesus Picks up on this imagery and
uses it about himself, emphasizing specifically his leadership (John 10:1-6, 27). Then others such
as Luke (Acts 20:28-29) and Peter (1 Peter 5:1-4) use it of the leaders in the church. These
passages emphasize the role of the shepherd-leader as protector, overseer, and example to the
flock.”8 As the pastor becomes the main leader of the church, he will move on to assign others to
leader positions. These leaders must be working in complete unity with the pastor to teach others
the proper way of fulfilling the Great Commission, the saints are to work in unity with the
leaders to protect, and help the pastor lead the whole church into greener pastures. Everyone
doing their responsibility so that the head of the Church, Jesus Christ can continue to add all
those who would be added to the church. 1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV) says it the best. Just as the
body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
Once the philosophy has been understood by all and the core values and vision has been
embraced by everyone in the Disciple Making Plan there must be a vehicle, a medium by which
to drive the calling to its destination, that is, making new disciples.
7 Rod Dempsey, Putting Together a Disciple Making Ministry Plan, [Course Video]
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/167749/pages/watch-putting-together-a-disciple-making-ministry-plan?
module_item_id=14696688
8 Aubrey Malphurs, Strategic Disciple Making: A Practical Tool for Successful Ministry, (Grand Rapids:
Baker Books, 2009).
6
Practice
The objective is to have a kind of church that will be best suited to accomplished Jesus’s
command to go out and make disciples in the right way. This has to do with the kind of people
that makes up our church. This is where my biggest challenge is. As I had stated in another
assignment, my Sr. Pastor’s way of doing church is to have a Traditional Church where the
discipleship is done from the pulpit. The spiritual formation is done at church only and the
philosophy is for the saints to be co-dependent in the leadership. There is really no Disciple
Making Plan in place and multiplication attitude is not a drive for the saints to embrace.
The church is now made up of younger members who want to do more for the church,
they do not want to simply come in, watch and pay. This new generation wants to have a bigger
impact in their community. Our church is now made up of the Spanish congregation which is the
one that insists on keeping everything as it is and the English congregation that I lead that is
asking for a new way of doing ministry. I pray that my Sr. Pastor will allow us to move forward
with the vision to implement this Disciple Making Plan.
The vehicle that will enable our ministry to accomplish the mission will be a combination
of traditional church: one pastor leading and empowering a group of leaders to help the pastor
mentor the new disciples. There will be an organic side to it: small groups-learning and
mentoring, and all gifts are needed to be in action. In addition, the growth engine will be organic
in the sense that it will be Mission/Discipleship driven. Spiritual Formation will be intentional
targeted to mentor the community.
The last layer of this foundation has to do with the proof that there is good fruit coming
out of the work done by the entire body of Christ.
Proof
7
From the Pastor presenting the Vision taken out from Scripture. Presenting the Core
Values in a clear manner and allowing everyone to practice the way by which the Great
Commission will impact the community then one is expecting to have a healthy and strong body
that has a strong drive to multiply itself.
I believe that as we grow in our vertical relationship with God, and we strengthen our
horizontal relationships with one another the evidence of unity and drive to accomplish Jesus’s
order to go out and multiply us will bear good fruit. Having the mind-set of Christ (Phil. 2:2-5)
gives the body of Christ the proof that is growing in a healthy manner. The goal of every healthy
church is to fulfill what is demanded of it. To multiply with mature individual who are growing
spiritually and desire to empower others with the same love and dedication and humility to
accomplish the goal of genuine discipleship. “In Philippians 2, Paul deploys his description of
Christ’s mind in order to illustrate the kinds of qualities and actions that a church living ‘in a
manner worthy of the gospel of Christ’ will display.”9
Conclusion
The main objective is to build a church that our Lord Jesus Christ came to set up. A
church that through many years and different cultures has been able to multiply in a manner that
no government or company has ever been able to accomplish. Everyone is needed. Everyone
must be driven in the same direction to accomplish Jesus’s calling for His beloved church. Pastor
must be aware, and he must be willing to lead in the effort. Other leaders must be trusted and
empowered to help lead the cause. “Even the most outstanding leaders cannot accomplish
significant tasks apart from the capable effort of others.”10 As the Pastor leads the team with the
power of God’s Word [Passage] he is now ready to move on with the core values [Principles]
9 Keith Johnson, Theology As Discipleship. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2015.)
10 Henry T. Blackaby, and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda.
(Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2011)
8
[God. Family. Community.] that will motivate his leaders to go and teach it to others. Leaders
who are driven by their belief in the core values given are capable of influencing people around
them. “Christian leaders are servants with the credibility and capabilities to influence people in a
particular context to pursue their God-given direction.”11 The first two steps have been taken to
be able to move to the third foundational layer.
The philosophy [View] of the Disciple Making Plan must be clearly understood for the
first two steps to make a difference. The Pastor’s, the leaders, and saints’ responsibilities are to
be precisely understood. “You must direct your people to things that make the biggest impact”12
There is no time to be wasted and no resource is to be neglected. “The reality is that many
ministries within a church exist without any clear, overall sense of purpose. They operate in
isolation and don’t end up reproducing people who are committed to the Lord and know how to
make disciples.”13 That is why emphasis on the philosophy of the Disciple Making Plan must be
fully understood. As far as the Practices that are to be implemented to allow multiplication to
happen changes are needed in the way we have been doing church in the last years. The
methodology must be more in tune with what the saints are willing to do for the church. They
want small groups where they can branch out into multiple groups moving at the same time, with
the same purpose goal in mind. To spread the Good News everywhere they go. They are willing
to work in a new church structure where there is a discipleship that is real, honest, and
empowering. “A growing movement of churches is offering people a refreshing, relational, and
11 Aubrey Malphurs, Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. (Grand Rapids. Baker Books.
2003).
12 Jim Putman, and Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman, DiscipleShift, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2013)
13 Jim Putman, and Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman, DiscipleShift, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2013)
9
relevant church experience. Because of their ability to attract large numbers of people to their
places of worship...”14 That is what the body of Christ is longing for in my local church. Having
said that, I understand that nothing will happen if my Sr. Pastor does not give me the blessing to
pursue this calling.
Lastly, the Proof of the work done lies on the fact that the teachings and the spiritual
investment has produced a healthy, united, and driven body. Everyone involved is playing its
individual responsibility to ensure that mature disciples are ready to teach and help others
become healthy and mature disciples. “Church members have been calling out of the audience to
become players on the stage. Everyone has a part in this play. Every believer is a necessary part
of the drama God is producing, the drama of salvation history”15 Healthy minds, healthy spirits,
healthy bodies are the proof that the Disciple Making Ministry is doing what is supposed to be
doing. And That is the type of church is coming back for. The church that is united vertically
connected to God. Horizontally connected with one another driving towards the one goal to
produce as many disciples as possible to hear one day from our Master, “well done”
Aubrey Malphurs puts it best when she wrote “Do you want to know if your church is
effective [if there is proof] look for disciples! While the Great Commission includes pastoral
care, it’s much broader than that.”16 That is the proof I long to see one day, mature disciples
multiplying with new mature disciples.
14 Billy Hornsby, The Attractional Church: Growth Through a Refreshing, Relational, and Relevant
Church Experience, (Nashville: Hachette Book Group, 2011), 1.
15 Greg Ogden, Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2010), Kindle location 355-359.
16 Aubrey Malphurs, Strategic Disciple Making: A Practical Tool for Successful Ministry (Grand Rapids:
Baker, 2009), 157.
10
Bibliography
Blackaby, Henry and Blackaby, Richard. Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s
Agenda. Nashville, TN: B&H. 2001.
Dempsey, Rod. Putting Together a Disciple Making Ministry Plan.
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/167749/pages/watch-putting-together-a-disciple-
making-ministry-plan?module_item_id=14696688
Earley, Dave and Dempsey, Rod. Disciple Making Is... Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Academic.
2013.
Hornsby, Billy. The Attractional Church: Growth Through a Refreshing, Relational, and
Relevant Church Experience Nashville: Hachette Book Group, 2011.
Johnson, Keith Theology As Discipleship. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2015.
11
Malphurs, Aubrey. Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids.
Baker Books. 2003.
Malphrus, Aubrey. Strategic Disciple Making: A Practical Tool for Successful Ministry, Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 2009.
Ogden, Greg. Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2010. Kindle location 355-359.
Putman, Jim, and Harrington, Bod and Coleman, Robert E. DiscipleShift. Five Steps That Help
Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan. 2013.
