LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 2 – SPHERES AND STAGES OF DISCIPLESHIP.
SUBMITTED TO DR. R. A. GOWINS
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE COURSE DSMN 500 LUO-D06
DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
BY
FACULTY OF LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
APR 08, 2017
Introduction
Earley & Dempsey describes the disciple as a “student or learner. It describes a protégé
who learns and follows his teacher’s precepts and instructions. It speaks of a follower who
adopts the lifestyle of his master.”1 In this assignment, we will be considering discipleship in
regard to the progression and interactions revolving around a disciple’s life.
The five stages of discipleship, along with the four spheres of discipleship described by
Putnam in his book, Discipleshift: Five Steps That Help Your Church To Make Disciples Who
Make Disciples, describes a process in which a disciple progresses from one level to another,
while interacting with their internal and external environments according to the growth process.2
These stages of discipleship are: stage one is being spiritually dead, stage two is of being
a spiritual infant, stage three is of being a spiritual child, stage four is of being a spiritual young
adult, and stage five is of being a spiritual parent. In addition, the four spheres of discipleship
describe the relationship between God and the disciple, the sphere of the church, the sphere of
the family, and the sphere of the world.3
Five Stages of Discipleship
1 Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and
Confidence. Pasadena, CA: B&H Academic, 2013, 68.
2 Putman, Jim. Disciple shift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples
(Exponential Series). New York NY: Zondervan Press, 2013, 59.
3 Ibid 60.
The first stage in the disciple’s growth path is the stage of being spiritually dead.4 This
stage describes those who are yet to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. Putnam describes
them as "those that may reject God, those seeking God, they may call themselves Spiritual, may
even claim to know God or call themselves Christians, but there is no true fruit in their lives."5
Ephesians 2: 1-5 says, “At one time you were like a dead person because of the things
you did wrong and your offenses against God. You used to live like people of this world. You
followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power. This is the spirit of disobedience to God’s will
that is now at work in persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience. At one time, you
were like those persons. All of you used to do whatever felt good and whatever you thought you
wanted so that you were children headed for punishment just like everyone else. However, God
is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead because of those things
that we did wrong. He did this because of the great love that he has for us. You are saved by
God’s grace!”
The Scripture here illustrates what the non-believers as well as new converts experience
at the point of salvation. We were all once spiritually dead and had no concept of true life, but the
moment we encountered the grace, mercy, love and compassion of Jesus Christ, the step to
salvation begins where another chance at life is given through Him. Once someone in this
category is identified, approaching them with a spirit of understanding without a judgmental or
condemning attitude is essential as it can help lead them on the path to understanding the need
for turning their lives over to the Savior.
4 Ibid 61.
5 Ibid 61.
The second stage in the disciple’s growth path is the stage of being a spiritual infant.6
This stage is very important in the growth and development of a new convert as it likens the new
believers to newborn babes craving milk rather than meat to grow. This stage requires the
nurturing, feeding, constant reassurance that everything will be ok, and constant guidance.
1 Peter 2:2-3 puts it this way, “Instead, like a newborn baby, desire the pure milk of the
Word. Nourished by it, you will grow into salvation, since you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
This is when the newness of salvation if not properly guided, can turn into a terrifying
experience thereby causing the new converts to revert to their old ways. We must approach an
infant in Christ as we would an infant in life because consuming too much at one time is not
feasible and if we rush them, there is the tendency that they might grow up either malnourished
or not having the right ingredients for proper growth. Discipleship is a progressive journey that
matures the longer one is active within it and operate the way God intends it to be.
The third stage in the disciple’s growth path is the stage of being a spiritual child.7 This is
where the believer is learning to hear and recognize the voice and will of God more readily. They
are continuing to grow their relationship with God as well as developing their relationship with
other believers. Strong identity reassurance, holy interactions and clear expectations are
mandatory for dealing with those within this group. Though there is a sense of independence and
the ability to function a little more openly without expressed guidance, there is still the need for
guidance nonetheless.
People in this group may be overly concerned about how others within the church treat,
but they are expected to be more kingdom focused learning about who they are in Christ, how to
6 Ibid 63.
7 Ibid 65.
develop closer relationship with other believers as well as what to expect from them.8 1
Thessalonians 2:10-12 describes this groups as “You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy,
righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with
each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to
live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”
The fourth stage in the disciple’s growth path is the stage of being a young adult.9 This
group represent those that are transitioning from being self-centered into being kingdom and God
minded.10 As young adults in the faith, they want to serve God also seeing that they were created
for a purpose. 1 John 2:13-14 says, “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is
from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I
write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know
him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word
of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” Here the scripture indicates that the
believer in this stage has transformed from being self-centered to God-centered and others
centered.11
Their awareness has heightened and are eager to give back to others, telling them about
the saving grace of Jesus. Zeal, happiness, enjoyment and a sense of evangelism drive them like
never.12 According to Putman, accountability begins to become a determine factor for young
adults in Christ. No long can the notion of being an infant or a babe, be used as a vice. New
8 Ibid 67.
9 Ibid 67.
10 Ibid
11 Ibid
boundaries can be safely placed to secure and solidify their trainings and identification of gifts,
anointing and talents.13
And finally, the fifth stage is of being a spiritual parent/adult. These group are actively
involved in the spiritual reproduction of disciples. They have exhibited growth and
understanding of the Word and are living out the Word daily. They have surrendered totally to
Christ and are focus solely on glorifying Him and furthering His kingdom by making disciples.
2 Timothy 2:1-2 offers, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ
Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful
men who will be able to teach others also.” These spiritual parents themselves far from perfect,
but are geared towards perfecting their relationship with Christ through love, accountability,
compassion and building of their own relationship with God to ensure the ones they mentor will
have a clearer picture as how to do so as well.14
My Discipleship stage
I believe that I am currently transitioning from the spiritual child to the young stage.
When I gave my life to Christ some years back, I struggled a lot to let go of the things that I was
used to. The friends that I had were still hanging around and at the same time I was going to
church and listening to the Word of God. Going to church for Bible studies as well as Sunday
service really changed my perspective on what God expects of His children.
12 Ibid
13 Ibid 68.
14 Ibid 68.
I began to learn that to be really called a child of God, I needed to do away with the
things I was holding on to, show to the people around me that I was indeed serious about
following this God and not just a phase like some of my friends thought. They would want to
take me out partying all night, time which I could be using to seek the face of God to know Him
more, and as I began to know Him more and His will for my life, I began to cut off my
friendship with them and began to associate more with people that were from my church group.
I was a little hesitant at associating with people from my group at first because I didn’t
really know them that well, they were not a part of me, but as I began to understand more of
God, I felt the need to associate more with people of like mind, as the Scriptures alludes to in
Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
People around noticed the change in me, I was more about talking up my faith in God,
gone was the shy and timid fellow that was always quiet around dinner table and around friends.
I was sharing more with people around me, though there are many things I still need to learn, I
was taking the step in the direction that I believe God was leading me, a work in progress.
The four spheres of Discipleship
The four spheres of discipleship help answer the questions of areas that the disciples need
to grow.15 It outlines how disciples can grow in four areas of their lives: the sphere of
relationship between God and disciple, the sphere of the church, the sphere of the family and the
sphere of the world. These spheres allow the disciple to understand Gods commands and submit
15 Ibid 77.
to his authority (head) be transformed by Jesus (heart) and to be a part of the kingdom mission
(hands) of their relationship between themselves, God, church, life, family and the world.16
In John 15:5, Jesus said “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you abide in me, and I in
you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” explains how as disciples we
can be successful as well viewed as the checks and balance of discipleship.
Sphere one is the Centrality of a relationship with God. Bonhoeffer calls this simple
Obedience,17 He proposed that through such an obedience to the call and heed of Christ does one
truly understand the meaning of being a disciple.18 Ephesians 2: 8-10 reads, “For by grace you
are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God; not of works that no
man may glory. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God
hath prepared that we should walk in them.” When dealing with God’s authority in the
relationship between God and disciple, true submission and humility becomes evident. When
approaching the heart of the relationship between God and disciple, Jesus is seen performing a
transformation such that the disciple is more kingdom focus and when dealing with the hands in
the relationship between God and disciple, we see here that the disciple has decided to join
Christ in venturing outside for evangelism and missions.19 The relationship with Christ is
personal and intricate is reflected in all areas of the disciple’s life, we are the fruit of the vine,
and Jesus is the True vine.
16 Ibid
17Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 4: Discipleship. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2003, Pg. 77
18 Ibid
19Putman, Jim. Disciple shift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples
(Exponential Series). New York NY: Zondervan Press, 2013, 78-79.
Sphere two is the relationship within the family of God, the church. This is where we
develop as a body of Christ, establishing relationships with other believers and work towards the
common goal of obedience to Christ and kingdom expansion. The pastor is a spiritual father that
nurtures and cares for the development and growth of the souls in the church. Just like Paul
mentored with Timothy, the church offers loving and committed relationships with their brothers
and sisters in Christ to make the work of building God’s kingdom a little easier as a team. The
church or faith community is not able to set themselves apart from the world of non-believers,
but are beacons of light to outweigh the darkness the world has the unbeliever cloaked in.20
Sphere three is the relationship at home. Paul in Ephesians 5 & 6 speaks to husbands,
wives, fathers, mother, and children and how they are expected to interact within a Christian
home. It is possible to grasp the concept of the gospel and fail to apply them at home, hence the
need for a balance family life. How are we to save others when we cannot save our own family?
God operates within laws and elements that are of order and set rules and expects us to start our
work of salvation from within our homes.
The final sphere is the relationships with the world. As disciples of Jesus, we are his
representatives and as such, expected to act, walk, and interact with and among the people of the
world in a distinct manner.21 We are in the world but not of the world, dong things that everybody
does, providing for our families, and taking care of the same needs as everybody else, and are not
to be judgmental of others. Paul encourages believers in Ephesians 6:7 to “Serve wholeheartedly,
as if you were serving the Lord, not people.”
20 Bonhoeffer, D. 2001. Pg. 175
21 Putman, Jim. Disciple shift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples
(Exponential Series). New York NY: Zondervan Press, 2013, 89.
Spheres submitted to the Centrality of Christ
As a believer, I believe that it is paramount that I submit to all four spheres. Total
submission affords me the opportunity of becoming his disciple. Walking with him hasn’t been
easy, I have had to let go of so many things that I was used to, but the relational sphere between
God and disciple, the church, the family, and the world are all in perfect cohesion with God’s
plan for my life as a child of God, a Christian, a disciple. Once I fully committed my life to
Christ after all the running, mishaps, setbacks and pitfalls, all the spheres began to happen in my
life one after the other.
Submitting totally to Christ was not easy all my spheres to Christ was not easy. It was
easier to remain in the infant stage because it was a self-centered relationship where I was safe to
be myself. No sooner than the transition began, so did the judgments, the rejection, and the
ridicule. My family and friends never truly regarded me as one called into ministry because of
my past. Churches and leaders that I served under recognized the talents, gifts and the anointing
of God upon my life, but were constantly putting roadblocks in my path during my progression
of the discipleship and spheres.
It was not until I turned my back to the world and focused on God to heal and deliver me
from my hurt that things began to happen for me. I went to God in my sinful nature and desired a
new and reconnected relationship with Him. I pledged myself to Him anew and asked for help
and strength to withstand all the pressure that I was experiencing and to do His will.
Conclusion
The disciple of Jesus goes through five stages of growth: spiritually dead, infant, child,
young adult, and parent. These stages are similar to the growth stages of life, except that a
disciple must be engaged willingly to be able to move between each stage. As a disciple, growth
is measured by knowing where we were, where we are, and where we are expected to be in
Christ. By submitting all of yourself to Him is the only way that growth can be accomplished.
Submission to Christ means surrendering yourself in totality, forsaking everything and holding
on to him, by so doing a disciple experiences growth and maturity.
Bibliography
Putman, Jim, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman. Disciple shift. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2013
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 4: Discipleship. Minneapolis, MN:
Fortress Press, 2003.
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is–: How to Live the Great Commission with
Passion and Confidence. Pasadena, CA: B&H Academic, 2013
