Go and Make Disciples - the biblical Method

GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES:
THE BIBLICAL METHOD
Written by Claudio and Pamela Consuegra
Department of Family Ministries
North American Division of Seventh-day Adventist Church
Columbia, Maryland, USA

GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES – THE BIBLICAL METHOD
Introduction
Pastors and church members are intricately
related to disciple-making and disciple-
growing.
We have the common goal of working
together until we all reach the stature of the
fullness of Christ at His return.

Introduction
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in
a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into the same image from glory to
glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord”
(2 Cor 3:18 NKJV).

Discipleship in the Old Testament
• In the English King James version of the
bible, the word disciple is only found once
in the Old Testament: “Bind up the
testimony, seal the law among my disciples”
(Isaiah 8:16).

Group Experience
a) Read the following texts and state what discipleship
relationships you find in each:
• Num. 13; 14:6-9; 34:16-19;
• Josh 14:6-11
• 1 Sam. 3 1
• Sam. 9-15 1
• Sam. 16; 19:18-24
• 1 Kgs. 19:16-21
• 2 Kgs 2:1-16; 3:11
b) Can you think of who might have been Moses’ mentor(s)?
c) Did Moses mentor anyone?

Discipleship in the New Testament
• Moses, in his role as God’s chosen leader of His
people, was not only a prophet, that is, God’s
spokesman, but also their teacher and trainer so
that they in turn would become God’s disciples.
• At the end of Moses’ life, God transferred the
leadership of Israel from Moses to Joshua

• The disciple had now become the leader, the
disciple-maker. Even as Moses’ life waned,
he spoke of how Joshua was chosen to
replace him (Deut. 3:28), and he continued
to encourage Joshua as he began his
leadership role (Deut. 31:7-8).

Group Discussion
• Can you think of other discipleship
relationships in the Old Testament?
(Examples: Elijah-Elisha, Samuel-David, David-
Solomon).

• As Jesus began His Messianic ministry, He surrounded
Himself with a group of men whom He would train to be His
disciples.
• Ellen White writes that the
…time had come for the disciples who had been most closely
associated with Christ to unite more directly in His work, that these
vast throngs might not be left uncared for, as sheep without a
shepherd…A great work was yet to be accomplished for these disciples
before they would be prepared for the sacred trust that would be
theirs when Jesus should ascend to heaven…Jesus saw in them those
whom He could train and discipline for His great work. (E.G.W.
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing. p. 3,4)

Group Discussion
1. Matt. 10:1ff; Luke 10:1ff.
2. Matt. 10:5, 21:2.
3. Matt. 13, 17:14-21,18; Luke 9:46, 22:24
4. Luke 10:1ff.
5. Matt. 28:18-20.
6. Luke 12:12; John 14:26; Acts 1:8.

Discipleship in the New Testament Church
• The best description of the early
Christian church is that found in
Luke’s writings (Acts 2:42-47).

Group Discussion
• Read Acts 2:42-47 and list what the early
church believers did which helped disciple
new believers as they joined their ranks:

• Read the following texts and list other
discipleship relationships found in the
New Testament:
1. Acts 9:10-19
2. Acts 9:26-27; 11:25-26; 13:2-3, 43
3. Acts 11:22-24
4. Acts 12:25; 15:36ff
5. Acts 15:40 6. Gal. 2:1
1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 2:1-4

The Role of Family Relationships
in Discipleship
• God established the family as the place
where discipling begins. The early childhood
education which takes places at home plants
the seeds of discipleship that will eventually
bear fruit as the children grow.

Group Discussion
• What do the following texts teach
about how disciple-making within the
context of the family?
1. Deut. 6:1-7
2. Prov. 22:6
3. Prov. 27:17
4. Prov.13:20

The Role of the Church Discipleship
• It is clear in the New Testament that God
intended for the church to be a center for
discipleship.

Group Discussion
• According to the following texts,
what is the role of the church in the
process of making disciples?
1. 1 Corinthians. 1:9
2. Ephesians 4:19
3. Philippians 2:2-4

The Role of the Church Discipleship
• Yet another reason for developing good, healthy, strong
personal relationships among church members is that these
relationships demonstrate what it means to live a life
worthy of the calling God has extended to us as His children
and disciples of Jesus.
• That is the reason Paul urged the Ephesians to “walk worthy
of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness
and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one
another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3 NKJV)

Maturity the Goal of Discipleship
• One question to ask is how do Christians
become mature? Colossians 1:28 provides
us with an answer:
“we proclaim [Christ] . . . so that we may present
everyone mature in Christ” (Col. 1:28 NRSV)

Maturity the Goal of Discipleship
• Three texts in the New Testament show
that discipling is not a one-time event
but rather a process and that it is God’s
plan for His children.
1. Romans 8:29
2. 2 Corinthians 3:18
3. 1 John 3:2

Group Discussion
• Several passages from the New
Testament speak about the process of
growth. In a few words, describe how
the passage illustrates this process:
• Ephesians 2:19-22
• 1 Peter 2:5
• Romans 12:2

Nurturing in the Process of Growth
• The first method for discipleship growth is
nurturing.
• Nurture can be defined as the activity of
caring for others and nourishing them in the
life of faith.
• The early Christian church is a clear model of
the nurture that should take place in today’s
church.

Mentoring in the Process for Growth
• A second method of discipleship growth is
mentoring.
• Mentoring is usually a formal or informal
relationship between two people—a senior
mentor, usually older and more experienced who
helps and guides a junior protégés growth and
development.
• In the gospels we see how Jesus spent His ministry
with a small group of men, mentoring them since
they would be the pillars of the church (Eph. 2:20).

Group Discussion
• What other mentoring relationships
do the following New Testament
texts describe:
1. Acts 15:36-39; 2 Timothy 4:11
2. Acts 18:1-3; 24-28
3. Acts 16:1-3; Philippians 2:19-23; 1
and 2 Timothy
4. 2 Corinthians 7:6; 13-15; 8:17; Titus

Group Discussion
• From what we have learned, what
specific steps can we as a church take
to disciple members. And more
specifically, what should the church do
to disciple children, youth, and new
members of the church. Make a list of
the action steps and how it will be
accomplished.

Go and Make Disciples - the biblical Method

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