Discipleship Toolkit Part 2

For many evangelicals, Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago was the benchmark for successful ministry in the latter decades of the twentieth century. But in 2007, after a survey of over thirty churches in the Willow Creek network, founding pastor Bill Hybels and Willow Creek leadership publicly admitted the failure of their approach to making disciples.

They had assumed that church attendance and participation in ministry events and programs would “produce disciples of Christ.”1 Instead, Greg Hawkins, executive pastor of Willow Creek, acknowledged that “increasing levels of participation in these sets of activities does NOT predict whether someone’s becoming more of a disciple of Christ. It does NOT predict whether they love God more or they love people more.”2 Unfortunately, while Willow Creek exposed a glaring deficiency of megachurch ministry, their solution led them to another extreme. They proposed to resolve their discipleship deficit by providing individual plans for their members so each could become a “self-feeder.”3

The Willow Creek discipleship dilemma exposes two extremes in disciple-making. At one end is the belief that attendance and participation in church, ministry events, and church programs produce disciples. At the other end is the belief that individual discipleship plans and personal Bible studies produce disciples. Disciple-making is a command given to the church by the risen Lord; it’s our mission. If a church is to be faithful in fulfilling this mission, then it must develop a culture where appropriate gospel relationships (husbands and wives, parents and children, family members, men with men, women with women) may emerge in which members help one another grow in Christlikeness.4 The question, of course, is how? Once we understand from Scripture what it means to make disciples, we’ll be able to understand the why, where, and how of disciple-making.

The What of Disciple-making

The prophets looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the consequent military conquest over all nations (Isa. 54:1–3). We learn in the New Testament, however, that this military conquest is actually a missionary endeavor. In the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18–20), these Old Testament hopes are realized. David’s tent is repaired, rebuilt, and raised up as in former days, and Israel is restored on the basis of a new covenant “that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name declares the Lord who does this” (Amos 9:12). As King of kings and Lord of lords (Matt. 28:18), Jesus commands his disciples to conquer the nations—not through military might but through missionary effort, making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19).

Jesus explains the “how” of our disciple-making mission using two imperatives and two participles: “go and make” (while or through) and “baptizing and teaching” (Matt. 28:19–20).5 Disciple-making begins by going into the world, announcing the good news of the king and his kingdom, and calling all people everywhere to repent and bow down to King Jesus. All who declare allegiance to the king, who cast off all other kingdoms and authorities, are incorporated into the king’s community through baptism. But disciple-making involves the lifelong process of teaching and learning to obey all the king has commanded. For too long, evangelicals have emphasized the “going” part of the mission to the neglect of “teaching,” but there is a reason Jesus includes that aspect in the making of disciples.

The Why of Disciple-making

Under the old covenant, Israel’s mission as a royal priesthood and holy nation was to display the rule of God to the surrounding nations. They lived in the land of Canaan, maintaining religious, moral, and civil distinctions from their unbelieving neighbors to show the surrounding nations what God was like and what it was like to live under his rule. Anyone who embraced Israel’s God and became an exclusive Yahweh worshiper could be incorporated into their covenant community; but the prophets also awaited a time of eschatological ingathering when, under a Davidic king, God would gather the nations to Zion (Isa. 56:6–8; 66:18–24).

The Great Commission reminds us that the church is the instrument of God’s eschatological ingathering. Jesus calls all his followers to “make disciples of all nations,” proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and the glory of our king. But it’s not as if old Israel’s mission is now obsolete—the church retains old Israel’s display mission as a royal priesthood and holy nation (1 Pet. 2:9). It is, however, no longer limited to a singular geographical location. Each true local church is a manifestation on earth—an embassy, if you will—of the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:18–24), and each Christian is an ambassador of King Jesus. In disciple-making, Christians help one another follow Jesus, teaching one another all he has commanded in order that we may faithfully represent our king and his rule to the unbelieving world, beginning with our unbelieving children, family, neighbors, friends, and coworkers, to the uttermost parts of the world (1 Pet. 2:11). Why make disciples? Because the church is the instrument of God’s eschatological ingathering. Our mission is one of attraction and proclamation.

The Where of Disciple-making

The local church is the primary context of disciple-making. As God saves a diverse people through gospel proclamation, bringing Jew and Gentile together as one (Eph. 2), we are witnesses to the fact that “the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph. 3:10). In other words, we glorify God as we live together as a church in unified diversity—diversity of ethnicities, socioeconomic classes, and gender—living together as a family.

But unified diversity does not come easily. As members of local churches, we must continually speak the truth of the gospel to one another in love, helping each other grow to look more like Jesus (Eph. 4:15–16). The goal of disciple-making is Christlikeness. And the local church is the context where we help one another grow in that Christlikeness, so we may walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1): in unity (4:1–16), in holiness (4:17–32; 5:2–14), and in love (5:1). So how may we help one another walk in such wisdom (5:15–21)?

The How of Disciple-making

If we are to be faithful to the mission that King Jesus gave his church, then we must establish a church culture in which disciple-making is normal and natural, a culture where every member is involved in relationships to help one another grow in Christlikeness. While admittedly not having all the answers, I offer here some observations on what has proven helpful in establishing such a culture in the church I serve.

In a culture of discipleship, pastors/elders practice expositional preaching.6 While preaching alone does not produce disciples, faithful, consecutive, applicable biblical exposition sets the direction for the church and lays a foundation for a culture in which Christ is exalted, the gospel is proclaimed, and Scripture is obeyed. Such preaching teaches the congregation how to read, interpret, and apply the Bible for themselves and for one another. From such preaching, church leaders may prepare discussion questions that will help members apply the weekly sermon to themselves in small groups or in one-to-one study.

In a culture of discipleship, pastors/elders model disciple-making. Elders should be spending time with men in the church to help them grow in Christlikeness. They should keep a list of men, particularly younger men, who should be on their “radar.” And they should add to this list the names of men on an “elder trajectory”—men the church should observe for possible future eldership. Are they discipling their family or others? Are they sharing the gospel with unbelievers? Are they taking advantage of opportunities to teach in the church and proving themselves apt to teach? The goal is that the men the elders disciple begin to disciple others.

In a culture of discipleship, pastors/elders encourage disciple-making. Church leaders must continually talk about disciple-making. If you have a membership process, begin there. Help new members understand how your church fulfills the Great Commission. Explain the what, why, where, and how of disciple-making, then encourage them to involve themselves in this mission. And remind the church about your disciple-making mission in corporate prayer. Pray regularly for every member to involve themselves in appropriate gospel relationships where they may help one another grow in Christlikeness. Invite the church to pray for such a culture and celebrate with one another, encouraging disciple-making stories. It’s important that we regularly talk about disciple-making.

In a culture of discipleship, the church provides venues where members may build appropriately intimate gospel relationships. As Christians, we begin dealing with one another in brother/sister relationships. It is then from these brother/sister relationships that deeply rooted gospel friendships emerge. And if disciple-making is contingent on relationships, we need to make it as easy as possible for our members to get to know one another. The Sunday gatherings are the largest and least intimidating venue for most members. Take time before and after the service, not only to greet visitors, but to get to know those members you don’t have relationships with. If your church has a church directory, use that to learn members’ names and pray for them. Be intentional in pursuing appropriate gospel friendships out of which discipleship relationships may emerge.

Many churches utilize Sunday school classes or small groups as venues for members to fellowship, study God’s word, and pray together. While such venues are helpful, disciple-making is not about getting everyone in a small group or on a personal plan; it’s about members loving one another and living together as a church, helping one another follow Jesus and grow in Christlikeness. So, it’s more important to encourage every member to be involved in a discipleship relationship where they are meeting together with one or two other members.

But be sure to establish clear goals for meeting together. It’s good to get together as brothers and sisters in Christ to talk about theology, issues in the world, or just to have fun together, but the goal of disciple-making is to grow in Christlikeness. When you come together for mutual encouragement, read Scripture and pray together, encourage and rebuke one another as necessary, and bear one another’s burdens to the degree that you’re able.

Working Together in Christ

We could say a lot more about disciple-making in a local church.7 The point, however, is that pastors and members, elders and other church leaders must work together to establish a church culture where members are engaged in appropriate gospel relationships in which they are continually speaking the truth of the gospel to one another in love, so that together we may grow in Christlikeness. To be sure, this is easier said than done, but together we can begin to take steps to cultivate a culture of disciple-making in the church.

Juan R. Sanchez is senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas.