LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Spheres and Stages of Discipleship
Submitted to Dr.
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 500
Discipleship Ministries
by
xxxxxx
April 24, 2021
Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
Stages and Spheres.........................................................................................................................1
Application.....................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................10
Bibliography.................................................................................................................................12
1
Introduction
Believers have been called to go and make disciples to all nations. The issue with that
statement is that for anyone, even with experience, this can be challenging and very intimidating.
Not only that brings the question of what that really means, but also how does that practically
work in today’s world. The first thing believers must realize is that the word “called” is in that
sentence. That means that if God called them, He had also equipped them to do it. However,
there is a process the believer must go through to prepare for the calling. All the heroes of faith
went through it. Jacob had to wrestle with God to be humbled, Joseph experienced hardship
before the palace, and David waited fifteen years before the throne. This paper will attempt to
explain the different stages and spheres of discipleship, reveal the discipleship stage that the
writer of this paper is currently in, and identify what spheres must work on to be centered in
Christ, according to Bonhoeffer’s call to the cross.
Stages and Spheres
The word “stages,” refers to categorizing people into spiritual developmental levels.1 And
although that may sound a bit judgmental, it is completely the opposite. To judge means to issue
a final verdict on someone, but by placing believers in spiritual development levels or stages, it
gives them an opportunity for further knowledge and growth.2 Understanding these stages and
recognizing the needs and basic characteristics of each stage is beneficial for the believer as it
identifies their current stage of spiritual growth.3 This is what Jesus meant when he said, “you
1 Jim Putman, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your
Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples, Grand Rapids (Zondervan, 2013), 55.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid, 56.
2
will recognize them by their fruits” (Matt 7:16, ESV).4 In other words, people’s actions, words
and character traits, will reveal where they are in their Christian walk.5 Therefore, this process of
spiritual assessment is completely biblical.6
These spiritual stages are also crucial for making the right decision when it comes to
delegating or promoting someone in the church. Many church leaders make the mistake of
promoting someone, assuming things based on how long a person has been a Christian, titles or
positions they currently hold, have hold in the past, or how long they have been attending the
church.7 Where in reality, these assumptions do not reveal the believer’s state of Christian
maturity or where he is or should be in his Christian walk, to qualify him for the responsibility at
hand.8
There are five primary stages of spiritual growth and the first one is called “spiritually
dead.”9 Spiritually dead is the stage where those who have not accepted Jesus as their LORD and
Savior, are. People in this stage are not considered “saved,” and could be rejecting or seeking
God.10 They may call themselves “spiritual,” Christians, or even claim to know God, but there is
no fruit in their lives to show for. They may even say they know Jesus, but the Holy Spirit is not
4 Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the English Standard Version (Crossway
Bibles, 2007)
5 Jim Putman, Real-Life Discipleship Building Churches That Make Disciples, Colorado Springs, CO
(NavPress, 2010), 30.
6 Putman, Harrington, and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps…, 57.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid., 60
10 Putman, Real-Life Discipleship, 52.
3
with them. This stage is called “dead” because just as one will not expect much from someone
who is dead, a spiritually dead person is dead in their transgressions and sin (Eph 2:1-5).11
It is crucial for believers to understand, have compassion, and set appropriate
expectations for those who are spiritually dead. Some would like to argue, but it’s been proven
that no one can be argued into faith.12 If one understands the nature of a thing, its behavior will
never surprise you. For example, a dog barks, a cat meow, a rooster crows, and a person who is
dead spiritually will not have fruit of the spirit to show. They cannot behave any other way but
out of their flesh, until they are made alive in Christ. Jesus told Nicodemus, a Pharisee, ruler of
the Jews, “unless one is born again… …of water and the Spirit,” “he cannot see the kingdom of
God” (Jn 3:3-5). In other words, until they believe in Jesus and accept Him as their Savior, they
will not have the life of Jesus within them. Saved Christians are to love and reach out to the
spiritually dead. They need to be the salt and light Jesus command them to be and show what it
means to have Spiritual fruit.13 Also, believers must turn on the light and tell others about Jesus,
otherwise unbelievers will continue in darkness. Additionally, they must be ready to answer
questions about the Bible, God, Jesus, religion and Christianity. Furthermore, believers in Christ
must be ready to explain the gospel and to lead them in prayer to accept Jesus as LORD.
The second spiritual level is the infant stage. People at this stage are spiritually alive
because they decided to accept and follow Jesus. This level applies to new believers, or to
longtime “Christians” who became distant or inactive in their faith and decided to recommit. In
this stage, Christians lack knowledge of Jesus, what He taught, and what the Scripture says.14
11 Putman, Harrington, and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps…, 61.
12 Putman, Real-Life Discipleship, 54.
13 Putman, Harrington, and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps…, 62.
14 Putman, Harrington, and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps…, 63.
4
They may also be living a hybrid life, because what the world has taught them until now is being
mixed with the new knowledge of Scripture, creating false truth. Like an infant, they are in much
need of attention, protection, guidance, mentoring, and the truths of the Christian faith. Also,
they are unaware of what they need to change and that the Holy Spirit will help them grow and
mature in Christ.15 This is a very vulnerable stage of discipleship and one in which the devil often
attacks the believers often, trying to lead them astray with distractions, deceptions, and
enticements.16
The third level of spiritual development is the child stage. This is the stage the apostle
John talked about on 1 John 2:12. Believers in this stage are growing in their relationship with
God and with other Christians. They have learned enough of Jesus teachings and the Bible to
have a conversation with other believers, and they are starting to walk their spiritual journey by
applying God’s Word into their lives.17 However, although they are growing spiritually, most of
their focus remains mainly on themselves, living mainly a self-centered life. Just as in the
previous stage, this stage can include a new or long time Christian. The difference between
mature or immature Christians is not defined by length of time, but by how the believer has
allowed the Holy Spirit to bring change into their life and grow closer to the image of Christ.18
What the believer in this stage needs the most is a strong and close relationship with a mature
believer who by way of example, helps them switch the focus from themselves, towards God and
the kingdom, and from dependency to self-sufficiency.
15 Ibid., 64.
16 Ibid.
17 Ibid., 65.
18 Ibid.
5
The fourth level of spiritual development is the young adult stage. A Bible description of
spiritual young adults can be found in 1 John 2:13-14. The key concept with spiritual adults
involves orienting their lives around God and His perspective.19 Spiritual young adults are in the
process of crossing from being self-centered, to God- and other-centered.20 They are starting to
understand the calling to serve, placing the needs of others first, and being doers of the Word.
Young adults are beginning to comprehend that they have been created by God with purpose and
are learning to use their gifts and skills to help God’s kingdom. Spiritual young adults need a few
things to learn and grow. First, they need a place to learn how to serve. They need a spiritual
mentor for guidance, people who will make them accountable and encourage them, help them
with boundaries, help them with skills training, and help them with identifying their spiritual
gifts. And lastly, as they get hurt, they need to learn to process the pain to avoid becoming
disillusioned and cynical.21
The fifth level of spiritual development is the parent stage. This stage is described in 2
Timothy 2:1-2 as people who are strong in the grace of Jesus Christ.22 These are reliable, grown
mature disciples who are ready to teach others. They have a strong understanding of the Word, an
intimate relation with the LORD and a desire to raise up disciples. Spiritual parents depend on
God as they are intentional when it comes to building their relationship with God and disciple
making. The key concept of the spiritual parent is their awareness for the needs of less mature
believers. On the other side of that coin, spiritual parents also have needs. The crucial need for
spiritual parents is to build and have close relationships with other spiritual parents for the
19 Putman, Harrington, and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps…, 68.
20 Ibid., 67.
21 Ibid., 68.
22 Ibid., 68.
6
purpose of encouragement.23 How to delegate responsibilities is a must for spiritual parents, so
they can rest and avoid burning out. Another very important need for spiritual parents is the
freedom and encouragement from the church leadership to make disciples and develop them into
spiritual maturity. When church leaders do not recognize these individuals within their
congregation, they fail to create a culture of discipleship. Mainly because as spiritual parents do
not feel they have a place or part to play in the church, they will remain anonymous and will not
take on their leadership roles.24
There are also four spheres where disciples will experience relationships and mature in
their faith. The four spheres of life are relational environments that the disciple cannot avoid in
their spiritual formation. These are: 1) In his relationship with God; 2) In his relationship with
God’s family, the church; 3) In his home life; and 4) In his relationship to the world.25
The first sphere is the centrality of a relationship with God.26 Following the apostle Paul’s
example of discipleship, chapters one and two of Ephesians, reminds believers who they are in
Christ and their relationship with God the Father, and the Son Jesus Christ. This sphere, the
relationship with Jesus, is the core which unites all other spheres together. Jesus said in John 15
that to bear fruit, the believer must abide in Him (v. 4).
The second sphere is the relationship with the family of God; the church. In chapter four
of Ephesians, Paul continues to remind believers that their relationship with Christ will have an
effect on their relationship with other believers. This sphere relates to the growth of the church as
the body of Christ. As believers are born again, they start a process of sanctification. The word
23 Putman, Harrington, and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps…, 71.
24 Ibid.
25 Ibid., 84.
26 Ibid.
7
sanctification means “to be set apart.” Which means that the newborn believer is placed
spiritually with other believers, for God’s special use.27 They are now part of the family of God,
with other brothers and sisters and God, as their spiritual Father. Therefore, the relationship with
God and other believers, is connected. As a family, the church works together encouraging,
challenging and loving each other.28 They are committed to one another and they sacrifice their
own needs, by using the gifts God has given them to the service of others.
The third sphere is the relationship at home. In Ephesians, chapters five and six, Paul
explains how the home of a believer should be like, what is the role of the husband, what is the
role of the wife, their responsibilities as parents and how children should be with their parents.29
It is of utmost importance for the believer to understand that knowing and understanding the
gospel but not applying them, especially at home, can have devastating consequences. Their first
ministry should be at home, as family is the first priority in discipleship. It starts with the home,
as believers must become examples of what a godly family looks like, sparking an interest in
others that will make them want to follow.30
The fourth and last sphere is the relationship with the world. Paul addresses the believer’s
relationship with the world in Ephesians chapter six, and what this principle means as believers
interact with the world. When Paul wrote this epistle, their world consisted of faith, family, and
work. And today it can be applied to a multiple range of day-to-day life events, but the same
principles still apply because of the interaction with unbelievers.31 Today, just like then, believers
27 Eugene E. Carpenter, and Philip W. Comfort, Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words, Nashville, TN
(B&H Publishing Group, 2003)
28 Putman, Harrington, and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps…, 86.
29 Ibid., 87.
30 Ibid.
31 Putman, Harrington, and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps…, 87.
8
in the world represent Christ and although they have jobs that pay them a salary, they also work
for the LORD. Therefore, whatever they do, as God’s representatives, they affect how people see
God and what they think about Christianity. Believers are to understand that their relationship
with Jesus directly affects how they live in the world. They need to be ethical, consistent, hard
workers, sincere and gracious, even with those who are not that way in return.32 They are to live
life in such a way that even if they are ever accused of doing wrong, unbelievers can see who
they really are in Christ, by their good deeds, which brings glory to God (Matt 5:16).
Application
As I read and absorbed all the different stages, I was able to identify my walk with the
LORD. I remember when I was spiritually dead, when I became born again, and my walk as an
infant. I remember how incorrect I was about God, the Scripture and what was expected of me.
Then as a child, how I was still placing my life, my needs and my time, more on me than on God
and others. Fortunate for me, with the help of the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26), I grew pretty fast into a
young adult. I was mentored by a deacon in the church and with a passion for serving I became a
servant of God in the church and outside. One person at a time, God brought the hurt and the in
need of spiritual help to my store. What it should have been a quick ten-minute transaction at
work, would turned sometimes into an hour. Little I knew that the LORD was given me the
opportunity to serve Him, helping those He was sending my way. Being an ear who listened to
their hurt, showing them what God’s Word said about their situation, telling them about Jesus
and the good news of the gospel, and sharing my testimony as well. For we overcome by the
Blood of Jesus and the word of our testimony (Rev 12:11).
32 Ibid.
9
Finally, not too long ago, I entered into the parent stage, where I find myself today. By
the love and grace of the LORD, mentorship from other spiritual parents, and what I have
learned the past 4 years at Liberty University, I have been able to reach this point and now I try
to help others grow (2 Tim 2:15). However, I still need help in certain areas and still continue to
learn to be a good mentor, or should say parent, to others. Among other things, I purposely try to
keep God first, spend time with Him, study His Word, fellowship with other believers, serve
others in any capacity I can, evangelize at every opportunity and help other disciples grow (1 Cor
11:1; Matt 28:19-20).
I have served as a volunteer Guardian Ad Litem for the state of Florida, which allowed
me to advocate for abused, abandoned and neglected children (Matt 18:10; Heb 13:16; Ps 127:3-
5). I became a mentor and an example for young ones from ages two through seventeen, that
either lived in foster homes or juvenile facilities. That platform allowed me to speak truth and
life into their hearts, as I shared the Word of God with them (Prov 22:6; Ps 145:4; Ps 119:130.
Before COVID-19, I also served at church in CARE ministry, helping, supporting and guiding
individuals, couples, and families move into the next level of their walk with Jesus while they
navigated through change in every season of life. Recently, I helped start a new non-profit in
Florida called Camp Victory Resorts for the Homeless and served as Vice President for a short
time. That gave me the opportunity to bring the Word of God to those who are really in need.
Helping the less fortunate, who not only needed food, clothing, and shelter, but more than
anything, they need the LORD Jesus in their lives (Jn 13:34; Lk 6:38; Gal 6:2; Matt 5:16). I
currently have a channel in YouTube where I share teachings of the Bible (Matt 28:19; Mk
16:15-16; Rom 1:6; 2 Tim 4:2; 2 Cor 2:14), and I am also mentoring a 26-year-old disciple, who
is currently making a transition from spiritual child in to young adult (2 Tim 2:2).
10
After reading the spheres I realized I need to put away time to spend it in silence with
Christ alone. I have grown in a relationship with Him throughout the years and have surrendered
my life to the point that I am no longer at the wheel of my life (Rom 8:14), however, due to
work, school and family, my time alone with Christ has been affected. Bonhoeffer explains that
“discipleship is a commitment solely to the person of Jesus Christ.”33 He also said that “God's
Son became human, he is the mediator—that is why discipleship is the right relation to him.”34 In
other words, as a disciple, not only I must break through all of these distractions and make the
time to spend with Him, but I must also go through Him alone.
Conclusion
Submission is the action or the fact of accepting or yielding to a superior force, or to the
will and authority of another person. The biblical idea of submission to Christ is for the believer
to place himself under the complete authority and will of Jesus Christ. By doing this, the believer
gives Jesus Christ total authority and control over his life. The first part of submission to Christ
is accepting Him as the LORD and Savior. Believing He is the Messiah; the Son of God. The
Scripture says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). Salvation is the first step of
God’s will for every person.35 It is God’s will that all believers obey His commandments,
however, Jesus is very clear when He tells His disciples that it is the will of His Father, that
everyone who accepts His Son and believes in Him, will have eternal life (Jn 6:40).36
33 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 4, Minneapolis (First Fortress Press, 2003),
59.
34 Ibid.
35 Dave Earley, and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with
Passion and Confidence, Nashville (B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 16.
11
Submitting to Jesus is also an act of obedience. Bonhoeffer gives the example of the tax
collector, who left everything behind when Jesus called the tax collector to follow Him.37 The tax
collector’s obedience, allowed him to submit to Jesus’ command to follow Him. Submitting to
Jesus is not only being obedient, but in the act of obedience, the believer accepts and does the
will of Christ. Submitting to Jesus is to do what He commands, just as He did what the Father
commanded Him to do. Jesus gives all believers a great example of submission, as He went to
the cross willingly, to please the Father (Jn 10:17). With His example also comes the calling to
follow Him but with one’s own cross. Because submission to Jesus Christ is also to surrender the
direction of one’s life to Jesus. The believer must disregard his own interests as it is written in
Luke 9:23, when Jesus said that anyone who intended to follow Him had to let Him lead.38 That
means that believers are to let Jesus direct their lives, deny themselves, take up their cross daily,
and follow Him.39
Bibliography
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 4. Minneapolis: First Fortress Press,
2003.
Carpenter, Eugene E., and Philip W. Comfort. Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words. Nashville,
TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2003.
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with
Passion and Confidence. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2013.
Eggerichs, Emerson. The 4 Wills of God: The Way He Directs Our Steps and Frees Us to Direct
Our Own. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2018.
36 Emerson Eggerichs, The 4 Wills of God: The Way He Directs Our Steps and Frees Us to Direct Our
Own, Nashville (B&H Publishing Group, 2018), 12.
37 Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, 62.
38 Earley, and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…, 86.
39 Ibid., 95.
12
Putman, Jim, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman. DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help
Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013.
Putman, Jim. Real-Life Discipleship Building Churches That Make Disciples, Colorado Springs,
CO: NavPress, 2010.
