In the first part of our article about God’s Work for the Disciple, we looked at how to discover God’s work for disciples, how to spend our time discipling new Christians, best ways to disciple new Christians, and the spiritual principle of multiplication.
We move now to the second part which will look at making disciples, motivating disciples and marking disciples.
[These notes are from a seminar series taught more than 40 years ago. The notes are in outline form.]
Making Disciples
Within one of year of my leading a person to Christ, there are six things I want to be true about that person. I have six goals I’m aiming towards in that person’s life as his personal mentor, counselor and friend.
[This is based on men discipling men and women discipling women. I will use the pronoun “he”.]
- That he will have total assurance of his salvation.
- That he will be consistent in the fundamentals of Christian living – including Bible study, prayer, church attendance, fellowship with other believers, and learning how to share Christian truth with others.
- That he will have strength in understanding basic Bible doctrine – including God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), man and sin, salvation, church, angels, Satan, Heaven, hell, return of Christ (second coming).
- That he will develop Christlikeness in character.
- That he will develop both independence and dependence.
- That he will become a reproducer and spiritual multiplier.
Motivating Disciples
- Pray for them
- Love them
- Be a consistent example for them
- Give them recognition
- Rebuke them when necessary
- Communicate with them effectively – carefully prepare materials, personalize applications, learn to discern feedback, give specific and workable assignments
- Expect results
- Be clear on goals
- Do what you ask him to do
- Be excited
- Be transparent
Marking Disciples
How will I know when the person I’m discipling has reached an independent level of maturity?
- When there are no doubts concerning his salvation
- When he has developed a daily and consistent devotional life
- When he is actively involved in a Bible believing local assembly
- When he is consistently filled with the Holy Spirit
- When he is consistently communicating with God through prayer
- When he is obedient to what God’s Word teaches
- When he has learned to spiritually deal with temptation, trials and testings
- When he has learned how to discern God’s will and daily guidance
- When he has developed a powerful testimony and is unashamedly sharing it with others
- When he lives a victorious life day after day
Invitation
Even as we have marked the true disciple of Jesus Christ, are you meeting up to all of God’s standards for initial Christian maturity? Are you marked by God and others as a disciple of Christ?
- How many of you would say, “I still have doubts about my salvation?”
- How many of you would say, “I have not yet developed a daily and consistent devotional life with God?”
- How many of you would say, ‘I am not actively involved in a Bible believing local assembly?”
- How many of you would say, “I am not consistently filled and controlled with the Holy Spirit?”
- How many of you would say, “I am not communicating with God every day through prayer?”
- How many of you would say, “I am not obedient to what God’s Word teaches?”
- How many of you would say, “I have not learned to spiritually deal with temptation, trials and testings?”
- How many of you would say, “I have not learned how to discern God’s will and daily guidance?”
- How many of you would say, “I have not developed a powerful testimony and is unashamedly sharing it with others?”
- How many of you would say, “I am not living a victorious life day after day?”
Let’s go to God together in prayer and address each of the areas His Spirit has shown us tonight.
[Thank you for reading these teaching notes from more than 40 years ago. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you and your ministry.]
