Disciple the Church
MAKING DISCIPLES THAT MAKE DISCIPLES
HOW CAN WE BE DISCIPLES OF JESUS?
“If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.”
– John 15:7-8
How Do We Make & Multiply Disciples?
Is your discipleship group growing or multiplying or bearing fruit? If not, maybe it’s time to try something different. Here are some ideas where you can start.
Band Meetings
a small, intentional group of 3–5 people of the same gender who meet weekly for deep accountability, confession of sin, and prayer to foster spiritual growth.
Class Meetings
a weekly gathering of 12–15 people designed for mutual accountability, spiritual formation, and pastoral care. Led by a mature leader, members discuss their spiritual journeys—often prompted by the question "How is it with your soul?"
Discovery Bible Study
a simple, interactive, and reproducible method for reading the Bible in small groups (4–8 people), designed to help people discover God’s Word for themselves and apply it to their lives
One-On-One Discipleship
an intentional, personalized, and relational process where a more mature Christian mentors a newer believer to help them grow in their faith, knowledge of the Bible, and Christian lifestyle.
Missional Communities
a small, committed group of 10–30 believers who live together like an extended family to share the gospel and embody Jesus' love in a specific neighborhood or network
What is a disciple?
“In light of the mission of the church and our covenant in Christ, the Global Methodist Church engages the commandment to make disciples of Jesus through an intentional process grounded in Scripture and in our Wesleyan heritage. The Global Methodist Church defines a disciple as:
a person whose life reflects the character of Christ and extends the mission of Christ in holy love of God and neighbor.
The disciple’s character and practice are informed by the Scriptures, nurtured by the community of faith, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The goal of transformational discipleship ministry in the Global Methodist Church is to make, develop, and nurture disciples of Jesus Christ through small groups where each person is invited, challenged, supported, and held accountable in living sanctified lives that reflect the practices, character, and mission of Christ.”
- ¶ 405. TRANSFORMATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP in the GMC Book of Doctrines & Discipline
“You cannot be a pew potato and simultaneously engage in spiritual formation in Christ’s likeness. You have to take your whole life into discipleship to Jesus Christ.”
— Dallas Willard
Where Do New Believers Start?
After we have engaged in prayer & evangelism, sometimes… people come to know the Lord. Beginning the discipleship journey can be daunting. But thankfully, there are resources available.
Alpha is a great place to start with new believers or even those who are exploring Christianity. The Alpha Course is free & takes people on a journey through the essentials of the Christian faith.
After Alpha, consider a Discovery Bible Study to help people grow in Bible literacy & learning to obey God’s Word. You could simply start with a book in the Gospels.
Commit to caring for new believers in a one-on-one discipling relationship. A new believer is like a newborn baby: they need care. This requires time & attention in order to make fully formed disciples of Jesus.
What is the inflow & outflow of being a disciple of Jesus?
Evangelism is the inflow, where people come to first encounter the person of Jesus Christ.
Mission is the outflow, or the fruit, of discipleship.
The disciple’s mission is to continue the mission and ministry of Jesus through works of teaching, service, multiplication, mercy, and justice, making more obedient disciples who will reflect the character and mission of Christ and expanding the boundaries of Christ’s Kingdom further out into the world.
- ¶ 405. TRANSFORMATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP in the GMC Book of Doctrines & Discipline
Going Deeper
Going deeper in our walk with Christ is not about earning. It is about abiding in Christ and growing in Christlikeness. Here are some different ideas for ways that you can go deeper in your relationship with Jesus, with his Church, & in service to the world.
UP
relationship with God
Prayer & Fasting
Worship
Confession
Meditation
Solitude
Simplicity
Sabbath
Attentiveness to the Spirit
IN
relationship with each other
Fellowship
Study of God’s Word
Gathering for Worship
Prayer together
Serving in the Church
Genuine Hospitality in the Church
Deep Listening to Others
Caring for Each Other’s Needs
OUT
relationship to the world
Outreach
Evangelism
Discipling Others
Serving Others
Going on Local Mission
Going on Global Mission
Missionary Support
Missional Prayer
What About the Next Generation?
If we are not pouring into the next generation, then we will be the last generation in our churches. Here are some resources that can help.
Mentoring Teens
This powerful free toolkit strips away the guessing, overthinking, and complication of a new NextGen initiative and provides senior leaders like you with a simple way to activate the adults in your faith community to love teenagers and point them to Jesus.
Empowering Youth Leaders
Find tools from Ten x 10 to help empower youth leaders, including:
• Relational Discipleship Inventory
• Relational Discipleship Kickstart
• Deep Dives
Bible Project
help young people (& adults!) grow in Biblical literacy with these simple & impacting videos about the Old Testament, the New Testament, & Biblical themes
College Students
From Fusion: Every college student should have the opportunity to find hope in Jesus and home in the local church.
We strengthen your church with the tools and confidence to love, reach and disciple college students.
Family Discipleship
Inspire Generations seeks to make the vision of Inspire accessible to people of all ages, including children & families. We desire to raise a generation of whole life, missional disciples on fire with love for God and neighbor.
Joining Together
The Commission on Discipleship, Doctrine, and Just Ministry is actively serving the Global Methodist Church with strong vision & leadership, & the Kingdom Advancement Commission supports their meaningful work. It is through collaboration of the two commissions that this page is made available, as discipleship is vital to Kingdom Advancement.
See their page on the Global Methodist Church Website for updates.