Rule of Life | Disciple-Making
Jesus’ last words to his disciples in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 were, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The Good News is that God the Father sent Jesus, his Son, into a broken world to redeem and reconcile his people back to him, by living amongst them, being crucified and buried, and rising again for the sake of the world. The story doesn’t end there. In fact, God sent his Spirit to help followers of Jesus invite others to follow Jesus so they can invite others to follow Jesus. We are all invited to be disciple-makers right where we are!
• Discover: Before filling out the Disciple-Making arena, read 2 Timothy 2:2. As you reflect on your life, who are the people who have shared the Good News with you? Who are the people in your life who are close to you but far from God that you are sharing the Gospel with and walking alongside?
• Do: What are you currently practicing to obey God and make disciples of him? Here is a recommendation on where to start: Commit to discovering, doing, and sharing what God is teaching you with others regularly, and grow from there!
Here is a list of “Disciple-Making” Practices to explore: Learn disciple-making tools to share with others who have not heard the Good News (3 Circle Gospel, 4 Fields, Healthy Church, the Great Commission, draw your relational network, Transformation Story), read the Bible and discover in a simple way with a few people from your relational network, (Discovery Questions, 3 Column Study), reflect on the Gospel in your own life and share those stories with others, etc.
• Share: As you practice, be in a rhythm of learning and debriefing with God and others about your experience using the following questions or prompts:
What is a story of encountering God from this past week’s Disciple-Making practices?
What did you notice happening in you as you practiced disciple-making?
What was challenging, surprising, and/or life-giving?
Where did you most experience God with you?
Pro-Tip: We don’t have to work at a church or move far away to make disciples. We can start right away with the people in our relational networks. God has placed us there for a purpose!
Adapted from Practicing The Way