LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Submitted to Dr. Dave Early
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 500-B07
Disciple-Making Plan Assignment
by
Julia M. Amspacher
March 7, 2021
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Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………….…………….1
Passages…………………………………………………………………………………………...1
Principles……………………………………………………………………………...…………...3
Philosophy………………………………………………………………………………………...4
Practices…………………………………………………………………………………………...7
Proof……………………………………………………………………………………………….9
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………….…11
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………..12
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Introduction
My ultimate mission is to serve Jesus Christ in all that I do. My plan in ministry is to
develop disciples in a local church. Jesus has commanded me as His child, to go out and make
disciples. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of 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.”
My desire is to fulfill that commandment and to live it out everywhere I go. A healthy church is
important to carry out the will of God. The church needs to function together as one body to lift
each other up and further the Kingdom. “The church must be intentional in developing all of
God’s children to reach their full potential.”1 God calls us to be the hands and feet of Jesus and
He will take care of the “heart stuff.” It is our main duty to love God and love others. As we
allow to pick up our cross and follow Jesus daily, He will continue to use us to reach others in
our lives. Reaching people who are lost and in the dark and bringing them into God’s glorious
light takes an obedient heart and the work of the Holy Spirit. Keeping those believers and then
helping them form spiritually is a result of a church that is centered around Christ with a well-
developed vision, mission, and core values. I will be talking about my disciple making plan and
how I will use that going forward to further the Kingdom for God’s glory only.
Passages
A few passages of Scripture that I will base my mission off of and keep with me while
discipling are Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Luke 14:33, and John 13:35. These
verses are based off of the fact that we are put on this earth to glorify God and fulfill His mission
for us. Passages of Scripture are extremely important in disciple-making. We must first know
God and what He says in His Word before we go out and make disciples. We must have a
1 Early and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is, p. 41.
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personal relationship with Jesus in our own lives before we can pour His love out into others’
lives. The more we spend time mediation on the Word, the more we will become like Him and
we won’t have to force people to know who God is, they will be able to see it in our image.
Scripture can help bring about a vision for the church. In God’s word it says, “Where there is no
prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” My vision for
discipleship is “Staying in obedience with Christ by keeping Him at the center of our lives.” This
general statement is simple yet complex. When you look at the words “staying in obedience with
Christ” this term has many umbrellas attached to it. Staying in obedience to Christ means so
many things but especially fulfilling His greatest commandment for us by going out and making
disciples and the only way we can do this is if we genuinely have Jesus at the very center of our
lives. Just a few examples of obedience to Christ would be loving people who are hard to love,
serving those around us, keeping God’s commands laid out in Scripture, making sure our
intentions are pure and right, etc. Obeying God is showing Him that we love Him. Staying in
obedience with Christ cannot happen without having Him at the center of our lives. Ultimately
when we are making disciples we must never forget our vision because it is only through Christ
alone that we are able to bring the lost and lead them into the light. “The Great commission and
the commands of Jesus are indeed, “battle cries” to be obeyed.”2
Principles
Along with the mission and vision of disciple making, there should also be principles set
so everyone can follow them and be on the same page of how to grow together, even though
many people are on different stages. Having principles set are a guide to help people in their
spiritual lives. The principles that go along with my vision are to pray, meditate on the Word of
God, meet with other believers at church, go out and spread the Gospel, and love God and one
2 Ibid., 52.
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another deeply. There are many principles a Christian can have to follow but these are the ones
that I have decided to put at the core. These principles guide the main vision of staying in
obedience with Christ by keeping Him at the center of our lives. As we seek to follow the core
principles, it shows our obedience to Christ and what He desires from us which in the end shows
God how much we love Him and care to be in a relationship with Him. It all starts with us before
we want to help be an asset of bringing people to Jesus. Once we are able to follow these
principles ourselves is when we will be able to inspire others around us to follow them as well.
“Spiritual formation requires personal attention, disciplined focus, and helpful, Christ-honoring
accountability.”3
Philosophy
Developing a clear philosophy is essential for the church. Having a stated philosophy can
clear any questions someone might have about your church. Each denomination can be run
different, and it is essential to know who your pastors and leaders are in the church. There are
many different key terms within a ministry and I am going to talk about my perspective on them.
The term “church” is a term that often gets misconstrued. When people think of church,
they think of a building. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that we don’t just go to church but we
as Christians are the church. In the Bible, the word church is referred to people and not a place.
The church is a body of believers that live out what God says in His word and are the hands and
feet of Jesus. Although church is also a term for the physical building itself, we must not forget
the real meaning of it. Romans 12:4-5 says, “For as in one body we have many members, and the
members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and
individual members of one another. “
3 Dempsey and Early, Spiritual Formation Is, p. 188.
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The term “Pastor” is a person who is in charge of a congregation. God calls everyone to
spread the Gospel but He does not call everyone to be a pastor. Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “And he
gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints
for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” The pastor is responsibility for their
church as a whole. The past sets in place the vision and mission of the church that God has put
under them. This role must be spirit led.
The term “Saints” are people who are set apart to do what God has called them to do.
Every follower of Jesus Christ is a saint. Revelation 14:12 says, “Here is a call for the endurance
of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” As saints, we
are called to fulfill the great commission of making disciples. It is the main will that God has put
us on the earth to do.
The term “Gospel” is the good news of Jesus Christ. It can be referred to the entire text of
the Bible as well. When sharing the gospel with people, you are going to want to share it in such
a way that the person you are telling understands. The gospel is the same message always, but it
is good to cater it towards your audience, depending on the level of maturity. Mark 16:15 says,
“And he said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” The
gospel involves sharing the bad news first how we are sinners are doomed to hell, and sharing
that because of God sending Jesus to die on the cross for us then we can spend eternity with Him
in heaven in we invite Him into our hearts and live for Him.
The term “Evangelism” means to go out into the public and spread the gospel.
Evangelism is what Jesus talks about in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. 2
Corinthians 5:20 says, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal
through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. Determining the success
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of evangelism is not by how many people that got saved but by how many people you were able
to reach. It is not our job to stir up people’s hearts and convict and plead them to follow God but
to just be obedient to what the Holy Spirit asks us to share about Jesus and allowing Him to do
the work of their hearts. Isaiah 43:11 says, “I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no saviour.”
Jesus does the saving and we do the talking.
The term “Disciple” means a follower of Jesus Christ and “Discipleship” is modeling and
guiding others towards the cross. “Discipleship is the process of learning the Scriptures,
internalizing them to shape one’s belief system, and then applying them to change one’s life. It is
the church’s role to be actively involved in following the command given in the Great
commission.”4 Discipleship in a church is vital because we should be constantly growing every
day to become more like Jesus. Laying down our lives to follow Him isn’t always easy, so it is
essential to be in a community of believers who are committed to Christ to help keep each other
accountable and aligned with God’s will. Luke 14:27 says, “Whoever does not bear his own
cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
The term “leader” is anyone who has influence and “leadership” is the actual act of
influencing others. Christian leadership is essential especially in a world that is so broken.
Christian leadership must embody Christ. “Truth is one of the most valuable characteristics a
leader can possess, both Christian and non-Christian.”5 As a Christian leader influencing others
to follow Jesus, Jesus must first reside in them. God has appointed people in the church to
become leaders. Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word
of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” “Leaders of groups
will seek to help people grow and learn the ways of Jesus. A leader will help those who are more
4 Burggraff, 2015.
5 Jones, Murray and Warren, 2018.
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mature invest in those who are just beginning or struggling in their walk with God. The leader
knows where each person needs to get to and seeks to guide the entire group to maturity. In the
meantime, he or she is looking to see who God might be calling to become the apprentice of the
group and eventually a leader. The leader will watch to see if someone starts to drift, and he will
seek out the strays and draw them back into fellowship with the group. He will help each person
in the group figure out how God made them and then help them get connected to a place to serve
in the larger body. Some will have a passion for kids and others for missions, but every mature
leader knows that each person has been saved for a purpose, and he desires to help them live out
that purpose.”6
Practices
Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey explain the four main models that make up the different
structures of a church. There is the tradition church, the attractional church, the hybrid church,
and the organic church. The traditional church is one that is led by a single pastor and most
events happen within the church. The pastor appoints leaders and there is not a whole lot of staff.
There are normally no small groups present. The attractional church is led by a single elder and
their main source of community is small groups. They focus a lot more on evangelism and going
outside of their typical church building. There are more leaders to build programs and a staff that
is hired. The hybrid church has some of the other practices of the church mixed in it. They have
an extensive paid staff and they are most likely a church plant with other buildings ‘ satellite
campuses. The organic church is spirit heavy and relies on small groups for their community as
well. Their church is very well active and equips leadership to their full potential.7
6 Putnam, 2013.
7 TAHO chart.
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I will develop a church structure that doesn’t hinder the work of the Holy Spirit. Anything
that is too structured hinders the power of God, I believe. I will have a well versed staff that can
implement all kinds of programs to bring people into the church. There will be leaders who are
equipped to run small groups every week. The “Is” small group structure will be applied because
I believe that going outside of the usual church building is a way to make more disciples.8 I also
believe that the gifts of the Spirit are a good way to help grow in relationship to God. There will
be a usual church service on Sunday mornings that caters to a larger group, kids services that
cater to each age level of maturity, along with community groups accessible to anyone who
would like to belong. 1 Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “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.” The spiritual climate of each
church is different. Depending on the spiritual need of the church, I believe those issues should
be addressed at the pulpit and in small groups. “Based on the needs, small groups have been used
for different purposes, such as teaching the Word of God, discipleship, discipline, fostering holy
living, supporting each other, fellowship, discussion, and accountability.”9 Something that I
believe is huge in gaining new believers are events that are being held at the church once to a
few times a year. For youth ministry, having a discipleship event for a weekend that allows
students to bring their friends from school is a great way to bring non-believers and bring them
in to hear the gospel message through things like, improv, worship, teaching, and breakout
sessions. I remember attending events like these when I was in the youth group and they were
always life changing. Having events that are fun to show that life with Jesus can be fun and is
fun is a great opportunity to lead smaller kids to Christ.
8 WITH OF IS Small Groups Chart.
9 Mikaelian, 2018.
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Proof
I believe that measuring success in ministry can be tough. It is hard to measure how many
people actually get saved. Not everyone raises their hand on a Sunday saying that they
committed their life to Jesus and the attendance of people at church doesn’t show ones growing
holiness or spiritual formation. Success is not always visible to the human eye. “The biblical fact
is that there are no successful churches. There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered
before God week after week in towns and villages all over the world. The Holy Spirit gathers
them and does his work in them.”10 Even though success is not always measure accurately there
are still ways to track the progress of the people at your church. God says you will know
someone by the fruit that they bear. Matthew 7:15-20 says, “Beware of false prophets, who come
to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their
fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears
good fruits, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear fruit, nor can a
diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into
the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” Numbers of a church do not show the how
successful the relationships are in your church. They only show how many people are checking
in and out on a Sunday morning. Attendance is an indicator of maybe good marketing but not
spiritual health. A good way to keep progress of the success of the church is to check in with the
leaders and the staff who lead small groups and events. This is a way in which they can have a
face to face talk about the spiritual health of their students. Each leader can be assigned to a
small group so that they are checking in with the students each week seeing how they are
growing in their own personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The leaders should check in each
week with their students to see how they are doing spiritually and mark it down so that the
10 Brown, 2013.
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progress can be tracked. This is a way to dive deeper into the students spiritual lives and help
encourage them to keep on moving forward. Another way of determining success is through the
faithfulness of the leaders. Are the leaders faithful in guiding their small groups? Are they being
a part of discipleship? Are they going out and bringing people in to the church to know more
about Jesus? Are they being obedient to the Word and to the Holy Spirit? Another way of looking
at success is having people share their testimonies. This can happen after one of the youth group
events. We can encourage the students to share after a weekend what they learned over the
course of the weekend and talk about how they will apply it to their lives moving forward. This
gives a representation that whoever ked that weekend was successful in preaching the word and
sharing the gospel. Success is not how many people got saved but how many people heard about
the word of God. This is because we are not responsible for that success. It is not our job to save
someone but it is only our job to share with them about Jesus Christ. Another way of determining
success can be through staff meetings at the church. The staff who is hired in the ministry should
all follow the same vision, mission, values, and somewhat of the same goals. Each meeting they
can share what they have accomplished in their specific field. If each staff member is growing
and they are all contributing to the mission of Christ, then I believe that can be measured as some
level of success. Measuring success cannot be accurate in a church because everyone’s faith walk
is different. What can be measured is the progress in each individual person’s life, and what steps
they are taking to keep their relationship growing.
Conclusion
Having a disciple-making plan is a good base of a church that wants to grow spiritually
and fulfill the greatest commission of making disciples. Every day we should be striving to serve
God and serve those around us. This life is not about us but all about Jesus Christ. Anything we
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do in our lives should be for His glory only. He did not make us to live for ourselves and enjoy
the world but He made us to have a relationship with Him and to share the good news of His
gospel so that people may believe, be saved, and therefore have a spot saved in heaven. Bringing
other to Christ happens through evangelism. “Evangelism is the proclamation of salvation in
Christ to those who do not believe in him, calling them to repentance and conversion,
announcing forgiveness of sin, and inviting them to become living members of Christ's earthly
community and to begin a life of service to others in the power of the Holy Spirit.”11 A church
should be able to define the gospel, know what a disciple is, have ways of training people up in
Christ, and have leaders who are equipped to run programs that are helpful in spiritual formation.
Having a though out plan is using God given wisdom to show how important a healthy church is
in the disciple making process. When there is a disciple-making plan, every leader can be on the
same page about what the mission, vision, values, and goals are for the church. This helps
everyone to grow together and know how to help keep each other accountable. Discipleship isn’t
something that just happens on its own. It happens when there is a church that has put
intentionality into a plan that takes people deeper into their faith. Each church will have a
different disciple-making plan and it is important to use one that is based on the level of spiritual
maturity that is in attendance at your church. The New Testament church in the book of Acts is
the ultimate example of what our church can look like as we keep seeking God.
Bibliography
Brown, Lisa. “What Is Success in Youth Ministry?” St Mark’s Review, no. 224 (May 2013): 70–
76
11 Nel, 2015.
12
Burggraff, Andrew. "DEVELOPING DISCIPLESHIP CURRICULUM: APPLYING THE
SYSTEMS APPROACH MODEL FOR DESIGNING INSTRUCTION BY DICK,
CAREY, AND CAREY TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHURCH DISCIPLESHIP
COURSES." Christian Education Journal 12, no. 2 (Fall, 2015): 397-414
Dempsey, Rod; Earley, Dave. Spiritual Formation Is...: How to Grow in Jesus with Passion and
Confidence (Kindle Locations 4542-4580). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is . . . How to Live the Great Commission
with Passion and Confidence. B&H Publishing Group, 2014.
Jones, Janet, Samantha Murray, and Kelly Warren. "CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP IN A
SECULAR WORLD." The Journal of Applied Christian Leadership 12, no. 2 (Fall,
2018): 90-107
Mikaelian, Mariet. "The Transformative Learning Experiences of Southern California Church-
Based Small Group Members." Christian Education Journal 15, no. 2 (08, 2018): 171-88
Nel, Malan. "Imagine-Making Disciples in Youth Ministry ... that Will make Disciples."
Hervormde Teologiese Studies 71, no. 3 (2015): 1-11
Putman, Jim, et al. DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who
Make Disciples. Zondervan, 2013.
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TAHO chart.
WITH OF IS Small Groups Chart
