Making disciples who make disciples is at the heart of the call to follow Christ. Here are some notes on the gap between our intentions and practice (adapted from Greg Ogden's book, Transforming Discipleship).

1. Making
Disciples
who Make
Disciples

2. Making
Disciples
who Make
Disciples

3. Most Christians have
never been
intentionally and
personally discipled!

4. “Discipling is a process that
takes place within accountable
relationships over a period of
time for the purpose of bringing
believers to spiritual maturity in
Christ.”

5. 2. The Christian
Life: Casual versus
Disciplined

6. The Bible shows the
followers of Jesus living
disciplined lives.

7. However, only a small %
of believers are focussed
on intentional (deliberate
and determined) spiritual
growth.

8. Anyone who desires
to be good at
something disciplines
their life around it—
musicians, students,
sportsmen etc.

9. Anyone who desires
to be good at
something disciplines
their life around it—
musicians, students,
sportsmen etc.

10. 1 Cor 9:24-27, NLT
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs,
but only one person gets the prize? So run to
win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their
training. They do it to win a prize that will fade
away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I
run with purpose in every step. I am not just
shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an
athlete, training it to do what it should.
Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others
I myself might be disqualified.

11. Hebrews 5:12-14,
You have been believers so long now that you
ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need
someone to teach you again the basic things
about God’s word.[c] You are like babies who
need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For
someone who lives on milk is still an infant and
doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid
food is for those who are mature, who through
training have the skill to recognize the difference
between right and wrong

12. Dallas Willard,
“Grace is opposed
to earning, but not
to effort.”

13. A survey of Christians in the USA,
19% made daily reading of
Scripture a habit
33% studied the Bible in a small
group
25% were involved in reading or
discussing a Christian book

14. What of you, e.g.:
Relational engagement - are you
deliberately relating to other
believers?
Are you involved in a small
group?
Discipline involves intention and a
plan of action.

15. Do you have any specific,
measurable goals to grow
spiritually?

16. “...eight out of ten believers (USA)
found success in family, career
development and financial
achievement. This is hardly
distinguishable from the American
dream”
Greg Ogden

18. 3. Discipleship:
Private versus
Holistic

19. In the Bible our
discipleship is seen
affecting every area
of life—faith is not a
personal, private
issue.

20. In the Kingdom
there is no area
of life that is not
meant to be
affected by it.
Parable of
Mustard Seed

21. We repented,
believed and
followed, we are in
a kingdom of light
not of darkness
(Mark 1:15-17,
Col 1:13).

22. The kingdom is where we belong
to: this applies to…
hearts, homes, workplaces;
attitudes thoughts and desires;
relationships and moral
decisions;

24. political convictions and social
awareness.
In every area we seek to
know and live the mind and
will of God.

25. I am a disciple of Jesus
masquerading (acting)
as a school-teacher /
plumber / taxi-driver
etc.

26. I am a disciple of Jesus
masquerading (acting)
as a school-teacher /
plumber / taxi-driver
etc.
My job might be to teach
children, but my call is
to follow Jesus in all I
do

27. People try to divide their life
into two parts: the secular and
the spiritual.
In the kingdom of light
everything in your life is
spiritual.

28. The social or secular world
produces different thoughts,
values and actions—for many
Christians it is a place where
faith is minimised.

31. Does your church call
you to account for
what you do in your
job as it is seen as
ministry to others?
Do I need support to
be effective for Jesus
in my job?

32. Are you expected
to make Christ-
focussed ethical
decisions?
Does your church
publicly affirm your
job as being part of
the call of God?

33. Are you expected
to make Christ-
focussed ethical
decisions?
Does your church
publicly affirm your
job as being part of
the call of God?
Does your church
care about how you
minister in your
daily work?

34. Does your church
care about how you
minister in your
daily work?

35. 4. Church:
Conformed versus
Transformed

36. 4. Church: The
same or Different?

37. Scripture shows
the church as a
counter-cultural
force.

38. John Stott
suggests that the
church is meant to
be a community of
“radical
nonconformity” or
a “contrast
society.”

39. John Stott
suggests that the
church is meant to
be a community of
“radical
nonconformity” or
a “contrast
society.”

40. John Stott
suggests that the
church is meant to
be a community of
“radical
nonconformity” or
a “contrast
society.”

41. 1 Peter 2:11, all sorts of words
are translated to describe the
people of the kingdom:
temporary residents,
foreigners, aliens, exiles,
travellers.

42. The church, collectively, is
to present a lifestyle which
is a real, countercultural,
alternative to mainstream
society.

43. Matt 5:16,
16 In the same way, let your
light shine before others, so that
they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father
who is in heaven.

44. 1 Peter 2:12,
12 Live such good lives among
the pagans that, though they
accuse you of doing wrong, they
may see your good deeds and
glorify God on the day he visits
us.

45. Do we think
differently on...
Divorce
Materialism
Sexual promiscuity
Sexual Identity

46. Racism
Abortion
Abuse within
marriage...

47. in the USA,
84% of adults think “the
highest goal in life is to enjoy
it as much as possible”
66% of Christians agreed!
And...

48. “the best way to find yourself
is to look within yourself”
91% adults, 76% of Christians.
For many Christians it is not
Jesus the way, but the way of
self.

49. The church is to be a
contrast standing on
kingdom values,
which are built on a
disciple-making
agenda of people
who are in covenant
relationship.

50. How do you assess the
lifestyle of believers in
your network of
relationships?

51. Will you be accountable
to a body of believers—
people who can
challenge you about
your commitments and
faithfulness?

52. 5. Church:
Optional versus
Essential

53. Do you have a
choice?

54. The church, biblically speaking,
is the organism in which Christ
dwells.
Many see the church as an
optional institution, unnecessary
for discipleship.

55. The church is the
replacement for Jesus
Christ here on earth—the
incarnation of Jesus
continues within his people.

56. “The life of Jesus is still being
manifest among people, but
now no longer through an
individual physical body,
limited to one place on earth,
but through a complex,
corporate body called the
church.”

57. Paul’s favourite
image for the
church is the body
of Christ. This is
not an image, the
church is the body
of Christ.

59. The church is:
not optional…We cannot say
“Jesus yes, the church no!”
…central to God’s plan of
salvation
…God’s new community
God’s way of doing discipleship

60. David Platt quotes a preacher,
“Tonight, I want to call you to
put your faith in God.I am
urging you to begin a personal
relationship with Jesus. But let
me be clear. I’m not inviting
you to join the church. I’m
inviting you to come to Christ.”

61. Do you agree or disagree with
this statement:
You cannot become a
complete and mature person
unless you belong to a
community of faith that
influences you?

62. “Unless a commitment
to a church
community is similar
to the covenant of
marriage, how can
people be formed into
Christlike disciples?”
Greg Ogden

63. How do you
understand church
from God’s plan—is it
an option or central
to God’s view of
salvation?

66. 6. Bible: Illiterate
versus Informed

67. John Wesley’s
followers were often
called, “the people of
the book”.
For many modern
believers their Bible
knowledge is very
poor.

68. The way God thinks and the way we
should live is revealed in the Bible.
2 Tim 3:15,
“15 You have been taught the holy
Scriptures from childhood, and they
have given you the wisdom to
receive the salvation that comes by
trusting in Christ Jesus.”

69. Scripture gives us answers to
life's most important worldview
questions:
How did the world come into
being?
Why are we here?
What went wrong?
How can it be made right?
Where is it all going?

70. Most believers say they love the
Bible, but they don’t read it!
In the USA,
14% of Christians read the
Bible each day
12% think they are highly
knowledgable about the Bible

71. 43% of believers could name
the first 5 books of the Bible
40% thought JTB was one of
the disciples
25% recognised “the truth
shall set you free as being part
of the Bible

72. A worldview is a defined
philosophy [a theory or attitude
that acts as a guiding principle
for behaviour] about life that
influences and directs how we
live

75. Amos 8:11 NLT,
“The time is surely coming,” says
the Sovereign Lord,
“when I will send a famine on
the land— not a famine of bread
or water but of hearing the
words of the Lord.

78. 7. Witness:
Inactive versus
Active

79. The Bible shows us that
all are to share the
story of their faith in
Christ with others.
We are all part of the
story that God is writing
- alone and together
our story forms part of
his bigger story.

80. Acts 1:8,
But you will receive
power when the Holy
Spirit comes upon you.
And you will be my
witnesses, telling people
about me everywhere—in
Jerusalem, throughout
Judea, in Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth.”

81. Acts 1:8,
But you will receive
power when the Holy
Spirit comes upon you.
And you will be my
witnesses, telling people
about me everywhere—in
Jerusalem, throughout
Judea, in Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth.”

82. Do you think it is
important to spend time
building relationships with
non-believers?
How often do you do this?

85. Worldwide we live in an age of
relativism—the belief that there
is no absolute truth.
Truth becomes what is true for
me, designer truth!

86. Nothing is right or
wrong; what is
important is what
works for us.
We often apply this
to religion too.

88. In such thinking believing in a
universal truth is considered
judgemental and intolerant!
Christians are called to swim
against the tide here—even if it
is hard.

89. If someone looks at your life
when thinking of becoming a
Christian, “Are they trading up
(improving) or trading down
(getting worse)?

90. What do I have to
offer? Is it life
giving, of vital
importance?
Do you want others
to have the same
relationship and
opportunity that you
have?

91. Do you experience
joy and love of Jesus
in such a way that
it’s attractive to
others
Are you ready and
willing to share the
good news of Jesus
with others?

92. Where are you?
Where are the
gaps in your life?

93. Where in these areas
do you see...
Yourself
Your church
Your Ministry
The Church in
general?

94. What work needs to be done to
close the discipleship gap?

95. Barna,
“Christianity would be incredibly
influential in our culture if Christians
consistently lived their faith. Most
non Christians don’t read the Bible,
so they judge Christianity by the
lives of the Christians they see.

96. Barna,
“Christianity would be incredibly
influential in our culture if Christians
consistently lived their faith. Most
non Christians don’t read the Bible,
so they judge Christianity by the
lives of the Christians they see.
The problem is that millions of
Christians don’t live like
Christians – and that’s partially
because they don’t know what
they believe and therefore
cannot apply appropriate
scriptural values to their lives.”