It takes time.
To do it right, you need to be influencing a disciple’s life 24/7 like Jesus did. 16 waking hours a day x 3 years = 15,000 hours.
It takes years.
Disciples change slowly and make lots of mistakes before they start getting it right. And they may never leave your life.
It takes trust.
When you ask your disciple to change her behavior and you don’t have an answer she likes for “Why?” She still has to trust you.
It takes modeling.
A thousand sermons don’t show you how to change your behavior, but if the behavior can be demonstrated, it answers the “How?” question.
It takesconfrontation.
In our natural fleshly state, our behavior is selfish; to help change it, disciplers must confront it and ask for something different.
It takes availability. Discipling another person is an inconvenient task. It intrudes on your regular life and often robs you of your privacy.
It takes vulnerability. As your disciple sees you live your life out before her, she see your flaws. Those flaws give her permission to fail.
It takes care.
You can’t do this clinically. Sometimes you have to hug and kiss disciples. You have to accept them in their messed up state.
It takes listening.
The only way that you can help a disciple work through the need for change is by listening.
It takes wisdom.
You’re dealing with a person’s life here. The counsel you give in tough situations may be hard to hear and implement.
It takes confidentiality.
Your disciple’s issues are a matter between the two of you. Share it elsewhere without permission and you blow trust.
It takes vision.
You have to see your disciple not as they are, but in your mind’s eye fully developed.
Love what I’m hearing on this. Greg Ogden has a great book on discipleship that I am using now to help shape the leaders I am training for this. It is very similar and goes into Jesus’ style and Paul’s style of discipleship. Good stuff!
I believe the Lord spoke to me 13 years ago that discipleship in America would be a key issue the Holy Spirit would be breathing on in the years to come. Harly a revelation, I know, but posts like this give me hope for the future. We have to think about what discipleship is and how to implement the Great Commision and Great Commandment in a post-Christian setting.
Cultural transformation is only possible as normal, garden variety Christians like you and me become competant disciple makers. I don’t think it’s complicated. It’s something a child could learn. However, it will cost us all our lives.
All great points! Yes, discipling is hard work….
Moreover, in all my years in ministry NOTHING has been more rewarding than investing my time, labors, my heart and soul to help build up a believer into his or her destiny. For me discipleship has become almost a form of worship, because whatever you do for the least, it has been done unto Jesus. I feel His pleasure when I do this work!
Mark- I loved the passion of that comment…did I hear the theme of Chariots Of Fire in the background? : )
A little discipleship is what I need, where can I find a good monastery.
Quite by accident, I stumbled here, because I awoke with this phrase in my thoughts: “garden variety.” After googling, I found this site. What a blessing it is to read about what I’m doing as an aged female pastor in a house church. It is so refreshing to see in print what is being done,and to read these comments. It is also a blessing to know that Jesus’ heirs like those who have originated this site, those who are replying, love the people of God. I too love discipling because I’m thinking of those God has sent me, as the “ten thousand” who won’t bow to Baal – those of the so-called “Joshua” generation to whom the baton is being handed. It’s a privilege, even though it’s quite challenging. Thank you so much for being here when I needed some input about that phrase “garden variety.”
True discipleship happens only through relationships and this list contains the ingredients needed for a deep and caring relationship. Thanks Seth!