what does a disciple maker do?

On our theme of ‘making disciples’.


What does a Disciple maker do?


Jesus was a disciple maker - He made disciples who made disciples.  Jesus spent time with his disciples; he trained them, and he showed them how to pray.  He helped them learn to trust God, to serve, to meet needs, to cast out demons, to teach the Scriptures, and so much more.  Jesus instruction to his disciples is to “make disciples … teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).  With this in mind I think there are four key things which every disciple maker needs to do:

1. Be fed spiritually every day:  This goes beyond attending church on Sunday, listening to podcasts and reading other people’s devotions (although all these things are great too!).  Disciple makers need to be getting into God’s word every day, journaling, meditating on His truth and praying.  In other words - getting connected!
2. Be a disciple yourself:  This should go with out saying; you can’t teach others to follow Jesus if you aren’t following Jesus yourself.  So disciple makers spend time with Jesus, learn from Jesus, love Jesus and obey Jesus, and imitate Jesus in all aspects of their life.
3. Live out your faith:  As a Christ follower, people are going to watch how you follow Jesus, how you imitate Jesus, and how you represent Jesus in everything you do and say from Monday to Sunday and back again!  Being a disciple maker means living a transformed life, embodying the mission and message of Jesus in your workplace, school, home, family and community.
4. Teach others to obey Jesus:  This is essential to disciple making; we are making disciples of Jesus, not ourselves or the world.  Obedience goes beyond knowing what Jesus taught, and calls people to implement the teaching of Christ in their everyday life.  That is what Jesus commanded us to do -“teach them to OBEY all that I have commanded you”. 

This list are just a starting point; a full list of what a disciple maker does would be very very long indeed.  
What else might you include?


To His glory alone


Jen