There are really only three behaviors when it comes to following the Lord that Jesus emphasized with his disciples; love God, love your neighbor and make disciples. Nothing else is as important as these three things and as long as you are striving to do these things; you’re probably doing all right. However, these are also things we can develop. We have found that the area that most modern Christians need the most help in, and the one that is most evident, is the third category – making disciples. If the first wo are done well, making disciples will be an organic and integrated in our lives.
Making disciples is both much simpler and much more difficult than most think it will be. Discipleship is, essentially, the art of apprenticeship or coaching. It is journeying alongside someone, listening and asking questions for their self-discovery. Learning together as we go. And then it means, at some point, the disciples you make do the same thing for someone else. Meanwhile, you continue your disciple making journey and reproduce new disciples into the third and fourth generation. There are so many reasons this is the preferred method of raising up new Christians. Here are just a few:
- Individual coaching: Spiritual journeys will look vastly different for different people. Working intentionally with one individual or many allows the experience to cater to their needs and your abilities.
- We learn, grow and mature together: the process of discipling is intended to go both ways; while one person takes the role of the disciple maker, and the other of the disciple, both will learn and grow from the experience and from each other.
- Journeying with others: We have been created as communal beings. We were never meant to journey alone. We thrive on building strong relationships.
- We are stronger, wiser together: Many heads are better than one. Many hands make light work. These idioms are true! Alone, we only have our own skills and experiences to rely on. Teaming with another broadens our knowledge and increases ability!
- We are raising up future leaders: Next time we need to fill a position within our team, we know to look towards our disciples. We disciple to build the next generation of our community.
- Relationship to God: In John 21, Jesus tells Peter that if he loves Him, Peter will feed his sheep. Essentially, discipleship is feeding sheep. Loving and teaching God’s children is an extension of loving God.
We are getting closer and closer to launching the Disciple Coach Quiz. As we continue beta-testing the quiz we are receiving amazing feedback. Here is what other people are saying about the Disciple Coach Quiz…
“Gary Reinecke and the team from InFocus have created a crucial resource for leaders and churches who are serious about being with Jesus on His Mission. I highly recommend the Disciple Coach Quiz as a tool for shaping the future of your disciple making efforts. The five qualities it measures and the behavior it supports provide a solid foundation for helping people authentically follow Jesus.”
Steve Pike – President, Urban Islands Project
Disciple Coach Quiz
LAUNCH DATE
JULY 5, 2021
