I often refer to myself as a Minister of Miscellaneous. I have served in just about every ministry role, other than pastoring or worship ministry: preschool, children, single adults, education, administration, women. But wherever I serve, I’ve been passionate about discipleship. I love seeing people grow in the knowledge of God, the maturity of their understanding, and the practice of their faith.
At times, though, we can get so lost in the minutiae of ministry that we lose track of the most important work. The months fly by with a thousand things on each day’s to-do list, and we find ourselves snatching the nearest available discipleship curriculum and cramming it into the next available slot, desperate to keep up with the calendar. But discipleship works best when it’s intentional—done on purpose, with deliberation and strategic thinking. So, in collaboration with my colleague Chris Shirley, I’ve been grateful to discover an adaptable paradigm for making disciples in any environment.
Where Does Discipleship Happen?
The aim of discipleship is summed up in Matthew 28:19-20a: “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 everything I have commanded you.” Our job is to introduce people to Christ, and then teach them how to walk in accordance with all his commands. But observing everything Christ has commanded is not simply a matter of outward submission, but of inner change. Our goal is life transformation, the conformity of the whole person to the image of Christ, in every area of their life.
So, where exactly do we get this done?
Too often, “discipleship” is something that happens once, perhaps twice a week, in classes or groups especially designed for the purpose. Discipleship happens in one setting, while worship and service and fellowship and evangelism happen separately. But the fact is, we can (and should) be conformed to Christ’s image in everything we do. Every purpose of the church should be infused with the intention of seeing those involved emerge looking more like Christ. When we bring people with us to serve, we’re allowing them to discover their spiritual gifts and put them to work — that’s discipleship. When we lead people to evangelize, we’re giving them the opportunity to grow their faith by sharing it — discipleship. When we gather our congregations for worship, we’re leading them to exercise their faith by declaring it together — discipleship!
So, since discipleship should infuse everything we do in ministry, we need a discipleship paradigm that works in all ministry settings. Toward that end, I would suggest this one: Somebody learns something in some way for some purpose.
Here’s what I mean.
Somebody: Know Whom You’re Teaching
Different people learn in different ways. Teaching a group of eight-year-olds will look different than teaching a group of thirteen-year-olds, and teaching a group of retirees will look more different still. Your first step, then, will be to take time to understand the people you’re teaching.
Consider factors such as life stage. Is this a group of single college kids? Newlyweds? Empty nesters? Is this group homogenous, or is there a wider range of ages and stages? Life stage and age are very helpful for determining structure. For example, a women’s ministry that meets in the middle of a weekday could work beautifully for stay-at-home moms, but would be nearly impossible for working moms to attend.
Consider also what life challenges are present in your group. College students might be struggling with questions of homesickness and identity. Seniors might be grappling with illness or family conflict. Knowing your group’s present challenges can help determine discipleship content, as you seek to provide curriculum that meets your people where they are.
For Some Purpose: Know Why You’re Teaching
If it seems like I’m skipping ahead, I am. Discipleship is like a road trip, because you need to know where you’re going before you start moving. So, after you’ve taken time to understand whom you’re teaching, take time to understand why you’re teaching them. The goal of discipleship is not merely information acquisition — it’s life transformation, both generally and specifically.
Generally, the life transformation we’re after is conformity to the image of Christ. We want our people to emerge from this process looking more like Jesus. Then specifically, we need to identify the particular way we hope to see them transformed. Do we hope they’ll be more self-controlled? More gentle? More bold? More kind? Consider and clearly identify the character change you hope to see in the people you’re discipling.
Learns Something: Know What You’re Teaching
Obviously, Scripture is the core textbook of any kind of discipleship. We want our people to learn what the Scriptures say and how to apply that wisdom to their lives. But the Bible is a long book, and the best way to get through every page is one passage at a time. So, identify what you want your people to learn in this season, this semester, this module or small group. Sometimes it will be a skill, such as how to share the gospel or how to communicate with your children. Other times, it will be content, such as the core tenets of the faith or the historical context of the book of Romans.
Delineate specifically what lesson you want your people to learn, and while you’re at it, take into consideration what they already know. If most of your group already have seminary degrees, taking them through a systematic theology textbook probably won’t challenge them. But, if your mentee has no practice looking up Scriptures quickly, then probably don’t hand her a Bible study that requires Bible Drill-level skills. Meet your people where they are, providing them something they don’t already have without exceeding their capacity.
In Some Way: Know How You’re Teaching
Small group Bible studies are in vogue at our particular historical moment, and there’s nothing wrong with them. But they don’t work for everyone, so don’t assume that they’re your only option. Seek to match your teaching style to the lesson in question. You could utilize some classic small group curriculum, but you could also try large, lecture-style classes or one-on-one mentorships. Some content will be better learned in a classroom, such as basic exegesis. Some skills will be better exercised by getting out there and doing it, such as evangelism or community development. Make sure to match your teaching context to your teaching style. Your church building might be the best place for a class on Ezekiel, but for a small grief-sharing support group, a home might be better. For learning skills such as service or evangelism, then a weekly trip to a food pantry might be more appropriate. The place you choose to teach will influence the way your content is taught.
Somebody Learns Something in Some Way for Some Purpose
Now, let me demonstrate how to put this paradigm into action. Say I’m handed a new discipleship assignment:
- Step one: Somebody — who am I teaching? This is a group of women in their 20s and 30s, all of them mothers of children from newborns to about ten. Some are stay-at-home moms, and others have full- or part-time jobs. I know all of them are grappling with the challenges of parenting.
- Step two: For Some Purpose — why am I teaching? I want to see these young moms live like Christ, specifically by graciously navigating the parenting challenges of early childhood.
- Step three: Learns Something — what am I teaching? I would like these moms to grow closer to Jesus as they grow as parents, so I’m directing a discussion-based, one-semester study through Luke. This study’s application questions are designed to apply the lessons of Christ to our vocation as parents. Most of the moms have at least a basic foundation of biblical knowledge, so this study will allow the more knowledgeable to explore biblical references beyond the Book of Luke, without leaving the others behind.
- Step four: In Some Way — how am I teaching? I know my ladies are busy, so I’m matching the younger moms one-on-one with an older woman and directing them to meet weekly for mentoring and discussing the study. Scheduling around just two people is easier than ten or twenty. We’ll then have just three monthly meetings with all our ladies together, in order to build on our discussion and also hear some additional lecture material.
There you have it! Where will you apply this paradigm?
