Christian Discipleship Fundamentals

This lecture provides definitions of key terms. Without defining the terms up front it is very easy to talk past each other and assume we mean the same thing when we may meaning very different things. For instance when some people talk about a small group being about discipleship what they really mean is fellowship. Section 2 will put us on the same page with clarity.

Jesus was the greatest disciple maker who ever lived. He not only taught things to learn and live he also demonstrated practices that proved effective for his disciples to make more disciples. We need to learn his approach and imitate his practices.

This is a more specific follow up of Section3. What specific practices did Jesus embrace to make disciples who would make more disciples and what would this look like today?

If we make disciples without loving the people we work with we will lose our way and the disciples we make will lack love. Lacking love in making disciples is disastrous and it almost always turns abusive.

What does a mature disciple look like? If we don't know then we probably won't be one or help make one.

Section 7 provides the basics of spiritual disciplines for disciple making.

The Holy Spirit is often left out of conversations and instructions on discipleship. The Spirit is necessary, even essential for making disciples. Only God can change hearts, minds and lives and he does so through the Spirit.

We are not called to stay put. We are called to go out intentionally to make disciples. Discipleship is a sending ministry.

Not all discipleship methods reproduce multiple generations of disciples. So many just involve someone discipling someone else and it ends there. But Jesus produced disciple makers (rather than just disciples). This lesson helps you understand the basic principles that sets apart making a disciple vs making a disciple maker.