LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Disciple Making Plan
Submitted to Dr. Rod Dempsey
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 500-B01 LUO
Discipleship Ministries
by
Rick Morris
2
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 3
Body............................................................................................................................................... 3
Vision......................................................................................................................................... 8
Values....................................................................................................................................... 10
Views........................................................................................................................................ 12
Vehicles.................................................................................................................................... 13
Verifiers....................................................................................................................................14
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................... 15
Bibliography................................................................................................................................. 17
3
Introduction
The Great Commission states that all believers are to go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:16-
20, NIV). Luke writes in the book of Acts 1:8 that the believer will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth (NIV). Ed Stetzer stated, “Making disciples is the essence of the
Great Commission.”1 Dave Early and Rod Dempsey start their book, Disciple Making Is…How
to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence, with the following quote from Bill
Hull in his book, The Disciple-Making Pastor, “The Great Commission has been worshipped,
but not obeyed. The church has tried to get world evangelization without disciple making.”2 The
concept of making disciples is not something we have to do it is something we get to do and in
that process the church becomes the physical aspect of Jesus by reaching out, meeting the
spiritual need and inspiring others to reciprocate, to go out and make disciples themselves.
Body
Discipleship making is a process. It is important to note that not every process will be the
exact same. The way in which one person is evangelized and brought to Christ may be
completely different than another person. The same holds true with discipleship. A person may
respond differently depending on their past, what they have encountered in their life or the life
they currently live. The person’s environment has a lot to do with it, too. If a person was brought
up in a home that never talked about God, nor had any desire to worship God then the person
will have a different response than one who was born and raised in the church. Demographics
1 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is… How to Live the Great Commission with
Passion and Confidence, (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2013), no page number.
2 Ibid., 1.
4
also impact the person. If a person lives in an urban or rural setting it will impact how one is
reached. What would work for one person may not work for another.
One thing remains, the method may change depending on who they are, where they are
from, the life they lived and the beliefs taught in the home but the structure can be common. The
five V’s of ministry help by defining each step and a great way to evaluate the various stages a
person may be in as well as developing a set of outlines to be the guiding force in all that is said
and done as it relates to discipleship ministry. Some would argue that discipleship is something
you do, in fact it has nothing to do with what a person does rather it is the outpouring of the work
of God in the life of the believer. The more that a person is allowing Christ to live His life
through them the more evidence that can be seen in the life of a person that is also disciplining
other people. It becomes a natural part of who the person is.
In each of the five V’s it is important to define what they are. Vision is the first V. Much
like any ministry, or even a business, the vision is important. The vision is what helps guide the
ministry and a way to gauge the effectiveness. The vision is something that can change from time
to time but the important aspect is that the vision remains the central point that all other
ministries are following. The vision asks several questions as a way to define the ministry. The
vision will ask the question of focus. When developing the vision who is being reached,
understanding the demographics, which group or groups of people to reach, what are the ages
being reached. Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington urge the process of bringing together the
leaders God has sent, to look to his Word in order to develop his big picture for the church in
your area.3 A vital part of the development of a biblical vision, according to Putman and
Harrinngton, is that when discovering his view in Scripture together, start living it out as a
3 Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington, Discipleshift: Five Steps that Help your Church to Make
Disciples Who Make Disciples, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 216.
5
leadership team.4 The importance being developed in such a concept is that the vision is not just
something that is talked about; if no one lives it no one will embrace it. Putman and Harrington
made another statement, “you achieve consensus on vision, as vision comes from the Word.”5
Such a simple statement but one of the most important statements that can be made about vision,
it must all start with God. Putman and Harrington have some very pointed things to say that
relate to vision, “A vision statement is not just something you throw on your wall and leave
there. Your vision statement is something you pursue fervently over the long haul.”6 A key aspect
of creating a vision is that it does not change course very often. The vision is something that is
cast and despite the various struggles or leadership changes is the one thing that remains
constant. New ideas will come and go but even the new ideas that get implemented must be a
part of the vision, otherwise the idea is just that, a thought.
The second V is values. In developing any ministry not only is the vision important but
also the values in which to operate. Another way to say it is the development of core values. The
core values of the ministry will be the principles in which it operates. When developing the
values it is important to ask several questions. One question will be what is the importance of the
ministry? Asking such a question may be a bit awkward because all ministries are important.
How will others know the church through the ministry? A core value is the heart of who the
church is. Maybe, the core value is who the church desires to be. Core values can be seen as the
beliefs that the church has and is set to be the guiding principles. It can be said that one aspect of
the core values will be how the church will behave. Some examples of core values; dependable,
reliable, loyal, committed, honest, efficient, loving, nurturing and respectful. To sum up the
4 Ibid., 217.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid., 218.
6
value, a true core value is one that is active and has influence over those who are a part of the
church but also impacts those being served.
The third V is views. The view asks the questions that help develop the most important
ministry perspective. Another aspect of the views is defining the key terms deeply held within a
ministry. Each area of ministry held within the church is not clearly understood or defined, some
ministry positions or concepts need to have a central understanding and not left for subjective
defining. By understanding the various terms within the church it is easier to move forward and
begin to apply the values and vision. The definitions of the various terms will be something that
can be utilized when developing such a discipleship making plan to help in the disciple making
process. Not everyone in the church or outside the church understands all the various roles in the
church or some of the church language being used. Within the views is also the process that each
aspect of the ministries will function. The importance of developing a process can be viewed as
the playbook in which to operate.7 The process will only be as good if it can be completely
understood. If the process is too complex then it will stand no chance to be achieved. After all, if
there is a process created would it not make sense to follow it?
The vehicle, the fourth V, is the means in which the disciple making process will be
implemented. Defining the various methods being used to be a driving force behind the disciple
making plan is vital to the practicality of implementing the plan. To help develop the methods
one aspect of the how is defined in the church structure and the various systems it will take to
accomplish the vision. As before, with the views, defining the various roles and key terms is
important and now developing the methods of each will be the means in which the ministry will
be propelled forward. The vehicle not only is the catalyst for the ministries but it also helps
provide the structure to accomplish the vision with things like budget, events and curriculum not
7 Ibid., 222.
7
just defining the who or what. Another way to say this V, vehicle, is this step is a way to live out
the vision. The vehicle is the implementation phase.8 Structure is the key term in this step.
Developing a structure will help be the guiding force for all ministries to operate despite the
leader. It does not mean putting so many restrictions in place that the leader does not have any
autonomy. Instead, it means that the leader has something to follow instead of creating
something new every time. One of the key aspects in the structure will help with any division.
Every ministry leader is required to be working toward a common goal, the vision. If one leader
does not support or is not working toward that one goal then the structure and integrity is in
question. To have success everyone must be working toward the same common goal.
The last V is verifiers. A verifier is the means in which to track and measure the success
of the disciple making plan. The evaluation of the plan will include various forms of evidence.
Information gathering is not something that is done and then never evaluated. The question
should be asked in regards to what to do with the information once it is gathered, what
information should be gathered and why is it being evaluated? One of the most common forms of
measurement is numbers. In generations prior to 2015 the only form of measurement that seemed
to matter is the number of people. Church effectiveness was judged by the number of people who
walked through the door on a Sunday morning. If attendance declined then the effectiveness of
the leaders were called into question. If the attendance was increasing then that would be a clear
sign of the effectiveness of its leaders. Today, number gathering is a lost art. The various forms
of the church model have quickly redefined the scope. The way in which effectiveness should be
understood today is not on the increase or decrease of attendance, though that can be a part of the
process but not the end all be all answer. Instead, the verification of effectiveness should be in
the number of people whose lives have been impacted in some way. The process in which a
8 Ibid., 225.
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ministry evaluates how effective it is should be looking at how many new groups have been
created, are lives being transformed and how many people are now discipline others. What is
done once the evaluation is complete? It is not just reviewing the ministry but it is also making
any changes needed. Change is not always a negative thing. If something is working evaluate
what is working and ask if there is a way to improve upon it. The inverse is also true, if
something is not being effective then there must be a point in time that the process will need to
change.
Vision
The vision for the ministry is very simplistic, to create an atmosphere that is inclusive for
people from all walks of life. The point of such a vision is to not be so narrow focused that any
demographic is excluded. The downside to such a vague statement is that it can be too broad that
it lacks focus. What will be defined more in depth is what it means to create an inclusive
atmosphere. Sondra Matthaei said, “the necessity for congregations is to be hospitable, open to
others or strangers, and creating a place of belonging through authentic community.”9 It is
important to define who is being reached and why.
The church has had a hard time keeping up with the changing of culture. No longer is the
modernist mindset the prevailing thought process. Previous generations proved that it was the
norm to attend church; almost it was weird if someone did not attend a church service. The key
factor in making such a bold statement is that it does not speak to the heart of the individual.
Attending church meant nothing to the way in which a person lived within Godly biblical
9 Kristin Phillips, “Formation in Faith: The Congregational Ministry of Making Disciples,”
Christian Education Journal, last modified Spring 2015, accessed July 1, 2015, http://p2048-
www.liberty.edu.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/1671123286?accountid=12085.
9
principles. The worldview did not have to be affected or even altered. Many would go through
the motions of attendance as if it was a requirement to be a person. Not only was attending
church the norm but it also was a place where the phrase was developed about wearing the
Sunday best. People would dress up in clothes that gave the appearance of being all together. No
one seemed to project a real image of what was going on in their personal life. People tended to
keep hidden the struggles of life. Smiles and handshakes were the only acceptable forms of
social interaction.
For many years the postmodern movement has been reshaping the way in which the
church operates and functions. Many who have rejected such a movement has found them
misunderstanding the fundamental point of such a move. Not only does the church need to make
adjustments but it needs to not be so fearful of changing its methods. Part of the postmodern
movement is a desire for authenticity. It has been a long time coming where people are tired of
being putting on a fake smile and pretending to not be hurting. People are hurting and Scripture
is very clear about sharing our burdens. The Christian life is not one to be lived in isolation rather
it is supposed to be lived with true community.
The vision of creating an environment of inclusiveness will focus on people who are
unsaved, searching and unchurched. What is so great about such a statement is that the three
groups being identified are not the only groups that this vision will have direct impact with. In
fact, the statement is generalized in such a way that new Christians and the saints in the church
will also be impacted. No one group will be excluded even though the desire is to create disciples
by going out and reaching people for Christ, those in the church, Christian, will be involved in
such a way that they, too, will be changed and grow in their spiritual maturity.
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Values
Values of a ministry are so vital that it can be compared to the heartbeat of a person. The
values are the lifeblood of the ministry as they are the structure in which the vision will be
upheld. The creation of core values can be seen in the DNA of a person, or group of people,
defining them. Each person has something they are passionate about and desire for others to
embrace. No one set of core values is any more important than another; all have their reason and
place. Creating too many core values is detrimental and so is having to few. The values of this
disciple making plan will focus on the three R’s; Real, Relational and Relevant. The three R’s
taken alone are good but together have more impact and focus. The core values of the three R’s
cannot be taken by themselves, in this regard. In the three R’s it is impossible to be real without
being relational or relevant. To be relevant a person must be relational. Each of the three R’s has
hooks in to one another.
Real, what does it mean? One of the most important aspects of being real can be
summarized in two words, honest vulnerability. People today no longer want the fake smiles and
obligated handshakes. People are longing for others to show who they really are. If someone is
hurting they want to see that. If a person is struggling they want to see that. People are hungering
for authenticity and without it the other person will struggle to accept anything. Being real does
not mean full disclosure, in fact it has nothing to do with that at all. Open and honest about what
a person knows, authentic concern and integrity are vital. A phrase that has been used, “People
do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” It is very difficult to be
real without being caring. Today, people can spot phonies pretty easily.
Relational, what is the point? People are longing for a place to belong. The Celtic way of
evangelism is a great example for ministries to follow. The Celtic way of evangelism uses the
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three B systems, belong, believe and behave. This concept is counter what has traditionally been
done in churches, and many today embrace a completely different perspective. The way that was
traditionally held is that a person must believe, and then behave before they are able to belong.
For some, that model works but that way is quickly killing off churches. Within the relational
aspect it does not mean developing intimate relationships, though that would be a very good
thing. In fact, relational means building a relationship such that provides the avenue to meet the
spiritual needs of a person. Kathleen Beagles supports the view, “As the disciples grow and
mature, they become brothers and sisters (see 1 Thess 1:6-10 and 2:13-16), that is, peers,
standing "shoulder to shoulder.”10
Relevant, is this really required? Some would answer the question with a yes and others
would say no. The core values being developed with the disciple making plan is one that
supports being relevant. Defining the term would provide some context in which to understand.
As a way to help define being relevant it may be beneficial to address what being relevant is not.
Being relevant is not sugar coating the truth. Being relevant is not looking past the sin of a
person and accepting it. Relevant is not speaking in a way that is contradicting Christian values.
In fact, being relevant is simply speaking in a way that the other person will accept you for who
you are. It is not speaking over a person with Bible facts and disregarding who they are as a
person. Being relevant should be about building the relationship for true authentic, being real, for
the desired outcome of open communication and an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with
someone.
10 Kathleen Beagles, “Growing Disciples in Community,” Christian Education Journal 9.1, last
modified 2012, accessed July 1, 2015, http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE
%7CA289360002&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=3cd066920ea11d25560af3ebc9f
1a69f.
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Views
The development of the views is vital for an overall understanding. Many times people in
the church speak a different language that it requires time to fully grasp what is being said. One
aspect of the ministry development is the defining of the various ministries and the role each
serves.
One of the terms uses often is church. What does that really mean? The church can be
viewed a couple of different ways. The church can mean the physical location of an established
gathering place. Church can mean the people that make up the organization. Another term that
seems to be used more today is defining the church as a label for the people independent of any
location. Being a Christian would classify a person with being the church. The church is also
made up of many different parts. Like a body, each part serves different purposes and not one
part is any more important than the other.
Pastor is a person who holds a leadership position within the organization and most
people understand what this means. What some people may not realize is that the role of the
pastor is not one of a “janitor.” The pastor is the one person who is designated to do everything
in the church. It is impossible for a pastor to perform all the various function in the church and
have any effectiveness. The pastor is one who leads but also develops leaders to come along side
and serve together. The pastor is one who will provide council to others and proclaim the Gospel
through thorough preaching and teaching.
Another term used in the Christian circle is the word Saints. A saint is one in the church
who is a Christian. The term is often used as a way of elevating people in various roles that
would not be labeled as a pastor or deacon, though each one of these certainly could be viewed
as a Saint.
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The term Gospel is word that means good news. To properly understand the word it is
important to understand the context in which the word is used. Many people have a solid
understanding of sharing the Gospel and what it means. To the non-Christian it is just another
confusing church word with little meaning. The easiest way to understand the term Gospel is
share the stories of Jesus. Providing insight to the life and ministry of Jesus by emphasizing the
redemptive work and regenerating power will bring a person to proper understanding of the term
Gospel. Barry Brundell said, “Tony Doherty writes of the task of proclaiming the Good News in
everyday contexts and reminds us that there are many ways of telling the story of Jesus.”11
All people are called to evangelism. Evangelism is simply the intentional reaching out to
people who have a need to meet Jesus. Some confuse the term evangelism with missions. You
can do missions and not evangelize. But you cannot evangelize without being missional. The key
word in evangelism is being intentional about reaching people with the love of Jesus and
presenting them with the Gospel.
Disciple and discipleship is a must in any church. The disciple is one who is a Christian.
Discipleship is the act of being a Christian, coming alongside another and growing together in
Spiritual maturity. Both terms are not something you do it is the outpouring of who a person is in
Christ.
Vehicles
The church has at its disposal a lot of different ways to “Go and make disciples.” The
church organization as it sits with no changes or additional programs provides an attractional
11 Barry Brundell, “Make Disciples,” Compass, last modified winter 2008, accessed July 1,
2015, http://p2048-www.liberty.edu.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/229984676?accountid=12085
14
model for invitation. Simply through inviting people to church is a start in the disciple making
process.
Within the church structure are many other means that is possible. The creation of new
groups or programs aimed at certain demographics is one way. Creating a chemical dependency
class is one outlet of reaching out to a certain group. Creating a small group aimed at going
deeper in one’s faith is another. Various outreach events is one of the easiest ways to reach out
into the community to connect the church with the community.
A new movement that seems to be taking off from an ancient tradition is the organic
church model. The organic church model is one that is limitless with no specific organizational
structure. The organic church can mean a simple gathering of people meeting for breakfast
systematically with no real purpose other than to love on them. An organic model could mean
joining a sports team with the purpose of developing lasting relationships with the hopes of
intentional evangelism. The point being made is there is no way of classifying the organic church
model as anything is possible.
How one provides details and communicates to the community is a vital aspect of the
vehicle in which to share what is happening and how to participate. Using social media is one of
the best mediums to date. Creating social media groups and inviting others to share the
information is as simple as influencing the close circle of influence each person already has
established.
Verifiers
In the every changing culture in which the world lives today is harder than ever to
provide feedback and verification of effectiveness. No longer is it possible to take attendance
Sunday morning to gauge the complete effectiveness of any ministry. It is true that attendance
15
should increase as people are being reached and lives are changed but that is not the point.
Today, churches look different than they did five, ten or twenty years ago. Church today can be
the gathering of friends on a Friday night to share a meal, fellowship and enjoy each other’s
company. How do you “count” the number of attenders to provide an accurate attendance count?
The way in which we evaluate and track growth has to change with the shifting of culture. The
numbers can say anything we want them to say. What need to be emphasis are the actual work
being accomplished and the number of lives being impacted. Is it possible to have devout
Christians who never attend church? The answer to the question is not so easy. What does that
actually mean?
A way to track whether or not to continue with any ministry is difficult to assess. A
traditional method of taking attendance is something that will still get done and has value;
however, if that is all we do to verify the effectiveness then we are failing. A non-traditional
ministry that looks so different will pose a challenge to any type of verification. Take for instance
a ministry to local bands looking for a venue to play concerts. If a venue is set-up and bands
bring their fans, play their music and go home was anything accomplished? Some would answer
no. Others would not be certain and a few would only have hope until empirical evidence is seen.
The scenario presented above is one that has been done and after several years had impacted
thousands of people. Many families lives have been reached and now serving God in real and
tangible ways. To use some type of verifier too early in the process would have yielded no
results. In the end not only were band members reached for Christ but so have their families.
Conclusion
In conclusion, developing a disciple making plan is vital for any church to continue to
reach more people for Christ. The work is too much for one person or one church. Today, the
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church in America is declining and has been declining for a long time. The mission field is ripe
for the harvest and it requires men and women to grab a hold of the calling and get to work.
Discipleship making is not something we do it is an active part of who we are. The more we are
found in Jesus the more Jesus is found in us. As believers the work of discipleship is the work of
the Spirit in us. Scripture states that the power of the Holy Spirit will come upon us (Acts 1:8).
Each of the five V’s provides a clear structure in which to develop a disciple making plan.
Learning what each V means and the implications of each will help provide clarity as each
believer progresses through the various stages of spiritual growth. The final thought is that the
work being done is not the work of the believer but of Jesus.
17
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