And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- Matthew 28:18-20
What is Disciple-Making?
Disciple-making is intentionally equipping believers with the Word of God through accountable relationships empowered by the Holy Spirit to replicate faithful followers of Christ. In order to grow into spiritual maturity, believers should follow this pathway in the context of a local church.
The Congregation (Church Membership)
- United in worship
- United by the teaching of the Word
- United in the Mission of the Church (Matthew 28:18-20)
The Community Group (Sunday School and Bible Study Groups)
- Prayer Partners
- Most Member Care and Community Service projects come (or are at least initiated) through the Community Group
- Meeting the needs of one another
- Meeting the needs of the community at large (or someone’s neighbor or friend who needs a helping hand)
- Deeper Relationships
- Bible discussions are able to share deeper theological points than in a Sunday sermon
- Open groups – Member of the church or not.
The Core Group (Discipleship Groups / D-Groups)
- Groups of 3-6 people. Groups are not mixed-gender, but can certainly be mixed-generation. D-Groups should have a mixture of new believers and long-time Christ-followers.
- D-Groups are focused on intentional and rapid spiritual growth. Deep discussions about the Scriptures, the individual’s prayers, and what is going on in life will bond the members of the D-Group and allow them to strengthen one another’s faith (Proverbs 27:17).
- D-Groups are for believers only. You can't disciple a non-believer.
