LEAD THE WAY
7. Mission (Part 2)

CONNECT

• Connect through care, prayer and loving accountability for previous “I will …” statements

DISCOVER

MISSION - Our Relationship with Others

• Devote yourselves to joining Jesus in discipling others toward Him by living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle

• Work through Be The Way - Mission (Part 2) (now or previously).

• What are your reflections and questions from Be The Way - Mission (Part 2)?

MISSION (Part 2)

In MISSION (Part 1), we looked at how to live a missional lifestyle. In MISSION (Part 2), we’ll look at how to disciple others.

THE GOAL

Everyone Discipled / Everyone Discipling

THE WHAT

What’s a Disciple?

Let’s define our term. The word “disciple” means “learner” or “student.” But don’t think of a pupil in a classroom. Think of an apprentice on a job site. 

• What’s the purpose and the process of an apprenticeship?

What’s a Disciple of Jesus?

Here are five marks of a Christ-follower.

1. Be with Jesus - CONNECTION

Mark 1:16-18 (CSB)

16 As [Jesus] passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17 “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Mark 3:14 (NIV)

[Jesus] appointed twelve that they might be with him.

John 15:5 (NIV)

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 8:31-32 (NAB)

31 Jesus then said to those who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, 32 you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Acts 4:13 (NIV)

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

By definition, Christ-followers follow Jesus. We are to be with Him. We are to remain in Him and His Word.

• What has helped you to connect with Jesus? 

• How would The Way’s Daily Connect help you to connect with Jesus?

Be with Jesus AND other Disciples

As a sub-mark of “Be with Jesus,” we need to add "AND other Disciples” because even though being a disciple of Jesus is personal, it’s not private or individualistic. Jesus calls us to follow Him with others.

Mark 1:17-18 (NIV)

17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send YOU-ALL out to fish for people.” 18 At once THEY left THEIR nets and followed him (emphasis added).

Mark 3:14 (NIV)

[Jesus] appointed TWELVE that THEY might be with him (emphasis added).

Acts 2:42 (NIV)

THEY devoted THEMSELVES to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (emphasis added).

2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, ALONG WITH THOSE who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (emphasis added).

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

24 And let US consider how WE may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting TOGETHER, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as YOU-ALL see the Day approaching (emphasis added).

• Why does Jesus call us into discipleship with Him in the context of community with other disciples?

• How have other disciples helped you become a more fully devoted follower of Jesus?

Keep in mind that ALL the marks of discipleship are encouraged and expressed in community. Once again, being a disciple is always personal, but never private.

2. Believe in Jesus - FAITH

Mark 1:14-15 (NIV)

14 After John [the Baptist] was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

John 3:16 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:9-11 (NIV)

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

By being with Jesus, we will come to know Jesus. And as we come to know Jesus, we will believe in Jesus. To believe in Jesus, we believe in WHO Jesus says He is and WHAT Jesus came to do and is currently doing. In other words, we believe in Jesus as the Son of God, the Jewish Messiah, the Savior of the world and the Lord of all. Faith is made up of both content and confidence. We know the truth of Jesus and put our trust in Jesus.

This faith is part of a larger salvation-initiation-cluster of:

1. Repenting

2. Believing

3. Being Baptized

4. Receiving the Holy Spirit

• Why are all four important to the start of our faith relationship with Jesus?

Faith in Jesus doesn’t just bring us into a saving relationship with Jesus, but the whole Trinity. That’s why a disciple is baptized into the name (that is, immersed into the life) of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Discipleship, then, includes disciplined growth in all three relationships.

• What does it mean to be immersed into the life of the Trinity?

3. Become like Jesus - CHARACTER

Luke 6:40 (NLT)

Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.

John 13:13-15 (NIV)

13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

Galatians 4:19 (NIV)

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB)

22 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

Colossians 1:28 (NIV)

[Christ] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

1 John 2:6 (CSB)

The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.

A disciple is to become like Jesus. As we spend time with Jesus, we learn to live our lives as if He were in our shoes. This character formation comes through the work of His Spirit and Word within us and the support of fellow disciples with us. Through disciplined training, our thoughts, words and actions progressively become like His. In other words, we are apprentices of WHO Jesus is. HIS CHARACTER transforms our character.

• How is the Fruit of the Spirit a good description of the character of Jesus?

4. Live for Jesus - OBEDIENCE

Luke 6:46 (NIV)

Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say?”

John 14:15 (NIV)

If you love me, keep my commands.

Matthew 28:19-20 (ISV)

19 Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you.

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NIV)

And [Christ] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

James 1:17 (NIV)

Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Disciples no longer live for themselves. They live for Jesus. Character formation, then, must flow into loving obedience, because the Lordship of Jesus calls us to loyal allegiance to all of His commands. King or Queen Me must bow to King Jesus. So we are apprentices of both WHO Jesus is and HOW Jesus lived. Not only does HIS CHARACTER transform our character, HIS LIFE transforms our life.

• Why is loving obedience so important to being Jesus’ disciple?

5. Disciple Others toward Jesus - MISSION

Mark 1:17 (CSB)

“Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (ISV)

18 Then Jesus approached [his disciples] and told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every day until the end of the age.”

And discipleship is never over because both pre-followers and followers alike can continue to move toward Jesus. Not-yet-apprentices move toward faith in Jesus and already-apprentices move toward maturity in Jesus. Discipleship, then, is an ongoing journey toward Jesus. As the Apostle Paul wrote, the discipleship journey isn’t over until Christ is formed in you (see Galatians 4:19) and everyone is fully mature in Christ (see Colossians 1:28). There’s a goal—THE GOAL—to shoot for!

Discipleship is a journey and the destination is Jesus Himself. Everyone, including ourselves, is to be discipled toward Jesus.

• Why is the authority—the Lordship of King Jesus—so vital, both for being disciples personally and for discipling others intentionally?

• Why did Jesus emphasize the command to “disciple all nations” just before His Ascension? What makes the replication of Christ-followers so central to His, and therefore, our mission?

The Five Marks of Discipleship

1. Be with Jesus (and other Disciples) - CONNECTION

2. Believe in Jesus - FAITH

3. Become like Jesus - CHARACTER

4. Live for Jesus - OBEDIENCE

5. Disciple Others toward Jesus - MISSION

• Why is the order of these five marks important? How does each mark build on the one before it?

• Does it have to follow this order, though? For example, did Jesus’ disciples fully believe in Him before they began to follow Him? Or, as they were with him, did they come to believe in Him?

John 2:11 (NLT)

This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

John 20:8 (NIV)

Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

Luke 24:25 (NIV)

[Jesus] said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!”

Even though Jesus’ disciples had spent much time with Him, it took a long time for them to believe in Him fully. So these are the marks of a disciple and not necessarily the steps of a disciple. Although there is a logical and sequential order to them, life doesn’t always follow logically and sequentially. Trust takes time. Faith needs exposure. So give those you are discipling the time and the exposure—including YOURSELF.

• Do we ever graduate from a mark?

• Which mark is the Spirit highlighting for you to focus on right now?

THE HOW?

How Do You Disciple Others toward Jesus?

From Evangelism and Discipleship to Holistic Discipling

Normally, we think of evangelism of helping someone believe in Jesus, that is, to become a disciple of Jesus. In other words, evangelism focuses on this mark of a disciple, namely:

• Believe in Jesus - FAITH

And normally, we think of discipleship as the process of maturing this new believer or disciple into a fully devoted follower of Jesus. In other words, discipleship focuses on the other four marks of a disciple, namely:

• Be with Jesus (and other Disciples) - CONNECTION

• Become like Jesus - CHARACTER

• Live for Jesus - OBEDIENCE

• Disciple Others toward Jesus - MISSION

However, disconnecting evangelism and discipleship isn’t what Jesus meant nor modeled, and therefore, it’s not our mission. For Jesus, evangelism and discipleship aren’t separate disciplines but an integrated process. Consider these graphics based on the Engel Scale:

Why is this move from evangelism and discipleship to holistic discipling important? It reminds us that our goal isn’t just converts to Christ but fully devoted followers of Christ who are committed to discipling others toward Jesus. Becoming a believer, then, is only part of the process. It’s a crucial beginning, of course. But it’s only a beginning.

A discipleship that doesn’t start with faith doesn’t start, but a discipleship that stops at faith stops.

Coming to believe in Jesus, then, MUST continue into maturing as a follower of Jesus and then discipling other followers of Jesus. When we begin with Jesus’ end in mind, our goals and process align with His.

Holistic Discipling

A definition:

Holistic discipling is a relational, Biblical and intentional process of helping someone toward Jesus by first becoming a disciple of Jesus, then maturing as a disciple of Jesus, including discipling others toward Jesus.

• Why is discipling RELATIONAL?

• Why is discipling BIBLICAL?

• Why is discipling INTENTIONAL?

• Why is discipling a PROCESS?

• Why is discipling a HOLISTIC process of helping someone toward Jesus by 1) becoming a disciple of Jesus, 2) maturing as a disciple of Jesus, 3) discipling others toward Jesus?

• From your experience which of these three has your discipling focused on? What have the results been of that focus?

• Why is it important to keep in mind a holistic approach to discipling?

1. Initial Discipleship

Follow The Way is a discovery discipleship curriculum for groups of 3 or 4. It’s based on a relational, biblical and intentional discipleship process of helping someone become a disciple of Jesus, mature as a disciple of Jesus and disciple others toward Jesus.

Here’s the journey:

1. Follow - 1-week introduction to following Jesus and Follow The Way

2. Faith - 11-week guided tour of the main events, characters and storyline of the Bible

3. Fruit - 9-weeks on how to join Jesus in mission by living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle

4. Filling - 8-weeks on how to be filled with the Spirit and live an everyday supernatural life

5. Foundations - 8-weeks on the basic building blocks of your identity and maturity in Christ

6. Freedom - 12-weeks on how to personally and practically embrace your freedom in Christ

Other Discipleship Resources

2. Ongoing Discipleship

Ongoing discipleship can take place in your MicroChurch family. As your spiritual family gathers for Worship, Discovery, Community and Mission, people will continue to grow as followers of Jesus. That’s because these Priorities don’t just apply to us as a spiritual family, they also apply to us as individual followers of Jesus. Here they are written for individual application:

1. WORSHIP - My Relationship with Jesus

I devote myself to connecting with and following after Jesus

2. DISCOVERY - My Relationship with the Bible

I devote myself to taking in and living out God’s Word

3. COMMUNITY - My Relationship with Each Other

I devote myself to loving a family of brothers and sisters in Christ

4. MISSION - My Relationship with Others

I devote myself to joining Jesus in discipling others toward Him by living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle

So every time you gather and work through the Gathering Guide, you’ll be discipling each other.

In addition, as you pursue The Way’s Pathways, ongoing discipleship will happen. Here they are:

1. Daily Connects and Missional Living

2. Discovery Discipleship Groups - This time as a guide to others

3. MicroChurch Families

4. Compassionate Outreaches

5. Collective Gatherings

6. Leadership Formation

So invite newcomers to your MicroChurch where they’ll experience discipleship through your gathering’s Priorities and Pathways AND get them involved in a Follow The Way Discovery Discipleship Group to give them personal discipleship attention.

Relationship of Discovery Discipleship Groups to MicroChurch Families

• A Discovery Discipleship Group could be the foundation of a new MicroChurch family. As a group of 3 or 4 matures in their faith and commitment to Jesus, they may decide to continue to meet as a MicroChurch and invite others to join them.

  This is how the Apostle Paul effectively started churches all around the ancient world. His motto could have been …

  Don’t form a church to disciple people. Disciple people to form a church.

• Or a MicroChurch may direct their members and newcomers to be discipled in Discovery Discipleship Groups. The advantage of having the Discipleship Discovery Groups do the “heavy lifting” of crucial and initial discipleship (through Follow The Way) is that the whole MicroChurch doesn’t have to go back to square one in terms of discipleship every time a newcomer joins them. New Discovery Discipleship Groups would be formed as people join needing discipleship. This takes a great deal of pressure off the MicroChurch gatherings and leaders.