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5practices • Becoming a Disciple-Maker

5 Practices for Effective Disciple-Making

By:  Dr. Matthew Fretwell.  Originally published by Biblical Leadership.com

https://www.biblicalleadership.com/blogs/5-practices-for-effective-disciple-making/

 

Nowadays, there’s an evangelical focus regarding disciple-making. Over the last 1500 years, the Church has done a terrible job at reproducible disciple-making. And, we certainly don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but instead, go back to the basics.

The night that Jesus was betrayed and arrested, he led his disciples through five practices of disciple-making. The five proposed principles are not a model or a program, but an observation to living life as a disciple-maker.

The apostle John provided a lengthy discourse in his gospel—beginning with Jesus celebrating the Feast of the Passover to his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. John 13-17 provide a wonderful disciple-making template—something we all can adapt and engage.

The Basin

During the Last Supper, Jesus began to wash the disciples’ feet. At the time, none of them understood what he was doing. But, the basin represents more than cleanliness of feet or even servanthood. 

The basin is symbolic of intimacy. The aspects of presence and physical touch combined with meeting a personal need is intimate. Disciple-making embraces intimacy—it wasn’t meant to be rigid or academically didactic. 

Likewise, the wash basin of Christ represents something dirty. Washing feet is not a pretty site—especially in regard to people who walked dirt roads with sandals. But, it illuminates much more—disciple-making is about revealing the caked-on layers of life—it’s about exposing weaknesses and accountability.

Lastly, the basin demonstrates humility. The greatest disciple-maker, Jesus, established the need for serving, but also the need for a humble heart. Making disciples engages the grimy aspects of life, the intimate hurts and pains. Disciple-making necessitates compassion on the disciple-maker’s part. Disciple-making isn’t about being right, but about love. 

The Meal

The disciples ate a meal. Sure, it was the time of the Passover—Israel’s most celebrated festival. But, John shows us the inner workings of the mealtime. Disciple-making is as much an individual one-on-one essential, as it is communal. 

Mealtime is something most commonly neglected with the body of Christ. I’m not talking about fried chicken Wednesday—I’m referring to life. There is much more involved than fellowship, as John lifts the curtain of sharing, caring and brutal honesty.

I don’t know about you, but for me, there’s something relational about breaking bread with someone else. My intentional times of disciple-making mostly happen around a table or a cup of coffee. The Last Supper exhibits closeness to one another. Disciple-making is more effective with communal closeness.

The Walk

“Come with me—let’s take a walk” (John 14:31). After supper, Jesus invited his disciples to take a journey. Disciple-making is about walking with others in real life situations.

Jesus was walking to Gethsemane—his heart and soul were burdened and heavy. There is an aspect of witness that rightly describes discipleship. When we walk with others through their trials, tribulations, and turmoil, it displays investment in their life.1

For some reason, the Church has reduced disciple-making to a class or program, or even a small group. But, without a physical presence in life, we’re missing relationship. There is no disciple-making without relationship. 

The Prayer

John 17 has become known as the “High Priestly Prayer.” But, what was Jesus’ objective? Was it intercession or application—or both?

I believe it was both. When I’m discipling men, I like to ask them to pray, after they have experienced my prayer life. Yet, I can’t expect a person to know how to pray unless they witness what prayer looks and sounds like. 

While effective disciple-making engages authentic prayer, application to leading Spirit-filled lives is fundamental. Jesus revealed the inner workings of the Holy Spirit (John 16). Disciple-making without the Holy Spirit is fruitless.

The Garden

While the Garden of Gethsemane demonstrated the anguish of Christ—the main objective was obedience. Jesus didin Gethsemane (garden) what Adam was incapable of doing in Eden. Disciple-making requires active obedience to the Father (Matthew 28:20). 

The only way to effectively make disciples is by leading obedient lives. Jesus was the example. The disciple-maker’s life necessitates garden-obedience to God’s will. 

Credit:

By:  Dr. Matthew Fretwell.  Originally published by Biblical Leadership.com

https://www.biblicalleadership.com/blogs/5-practices-for-effective-disciple-making/

 

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