Category Archives: Discipleship
15 Skills of Effective Disciple Makers
Disciple-making is an art that requires specific skills. Skills modeled and taught by Jesus. And it’s a lost art. Only 10% of Christians seek to be active witnesses and disciple-makers in their sphere of influence. Are we giving them the skills they need?
Here are 15 skills that we’ve identified and are seeking to pass on to our church through our Equip Luncheons in 2025:
Being a Disciple
- Abiding in Christ – Identifying with Christ through faith and baptism. Then, developing a daily relationship with Christ through prayer, his word, and walking in the Holy Spirit.
- Knowing the Word -The Word of God is our master tool for disciple-making. Developing a knowledge of the word of God is an essential skill for disciple-makers.
- Listening to God – God is working to reconcile people to himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). He will direct the willing and ready heart to join him in his work. Through our abiding relationship with him, he will guide us to the people and opportunities for fruitfulness in disciple-making.
Building Relationships
- Love and Compassion for the Lost – Effective disciple-makers know what’s at stake for those who don’t know Christ. We are compelled by His love (2 Corinthians 5:15) to do all that we can to share the gospel and get other people on this disciple-making mission.
- Listening to Others – Being heard and loved are two sides of the same coin today. Knowing the broken beliefs of others so that we can share the hope of the gospel with them is essential to evangelism today. The challenge here is making time in disciple-making to listen to others. Jesus spent three years of daily life with his disciples.
- Building Trust – Disciple-making is relational. Being trustworthy as a friend lays the foundation for someone to consider your message and want to follow in your footsteps, which is the goal of disciple-making. Mark 3:13-15; 1 Corinthians 11:1
- Hospitality—Being welcoming, likable, and someone that others want to be around is a great skill to have if you desire to influence others. Jesus welcomed all kinds of people. You get the idea that they liked being around him, and he also enjoyed being around them. We must break relationships at some point, but we should lead with hospitality.
- Consistent Intercession – Knowing people, loving them, listening to them, building trust with them, welcoming them, and then diligently praying for their salvation and spiritual development. As Epaphras wrestled in prayer for his disciples in Colossae, Hierarpolis, and Laodicea (Colossians 4:12-13), we must develop rhythms of intercession for those we want to lead to faith and disciple-making.
Personal Evangelism – Multiplying Gospel Conversations
- Turning a Conversation toward Spiritual Things – This may be one of the most difficult things to do. Learning a few Evangelism Scripts and developing your personal rhythm of doing this is essential. Check out the 3 Circles Evangelism tool and the book Turning Everyday Conversations into a Gospel Conversations.
- Sharing the Gospel with Clarity – Being clear on the gospel and how to present it clearly to people at different points of need. Tons of books on this. Check out Evangelism in a Skeptical World by Sam Chan.
- Leading people to a response – It takes boldness to persuade people to respond to the Gospel. But persuasion was part of gospel presentations in the book of Acts and it should be for us. Pray for boldness. Develop a persuasive call to respond to the people you are witnessing to. The above books can help with that too.
Disciple-Making
- Teaching the Bible – Helping a new or growing disciple start the journey of a lifetime by teaching them how to abide in Christ and become disciple-makers.
- Patience and Perseverance—This road will have many ups and downs. People will reject you, fall away, and hurt you. Jesus taught in the parable of the sower that only one out of four would be fruitful. Patience with people and perseverance through the ups and downs are essential to the journey of disciple-making.
- Worship and Gratitude – All the glory for this work goes to God. Worship and gratitude keeps our eyes on him and off the difficulties and off of ourselves.
- Reproducing Yourself – The ultimate goal is the one we disciple, discipling someone else. Being able to lead them in such a way that they don’t develop dependence on us or on the church, but are able to lead their sphere of influence to Christ and disciple them. 2 Timothy 2:2 – “what you’ve heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”
What other skills would you add to this list?
Here’s a quick course on getting started with disciple-making – LINK.
Memorize One, Get Five for Free
This verse is repeated six times in the Old Testament and is great to memorize and meditate on during November.
1 Chronicles 16:34 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, his faithful love endures forever.”
(Also found at Psalm 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 118:29; 136:1).
So you can memorize one and say you memorized six! Lol!
Thanksgiving Memory Verses
Join me in memorizing 30 Thanksgiving verses on the Bible Memory App this month: LINK.
I’ve used the Bible Memory App daily for over six years now. It’s been a great devotional tool. It helps me hide the word in my heart. And it’s only 100% better than scrolling Facebook/Twitter/Snapchat/TikTok, or whatever. Start a new habit with the Bible Memory App.
- Get Started with the Bible Memory App – LINK
- Cultivating the Habit of Scripture Memory – LINK
- Why and How to Memorize Scripture – LINK
- Develop a New Habit: Scripture Memory – LINK
- How to Get a Grip on the Bible – LINK
Mid-Year Spiritual Checkup
This year is now halfway gone! Unbelievable! Here’s a list of questions I journal through annually for a Mid-Year Spiritual Checkup:
- Has my devotional life been consistent?
- Has my prayer closet or private room seen me regularly?
- Have I gathered and prayed with other believers regularly?
- What Bible reading plan have I followed or completed? Do I need to restart or start fresh in Bible intake this week?
- What verses or truths have been especially meaningful so far this year?
- What books or articles have been especially helpful so far this year?
- What personal growth or victory can you thank God for?
- What victory or challenge do I need to seek God for?
- Who have I sought out for wise counsel? Have I ignored or heeded the counsel of others so far this year?
- How many times have I shared the Gospel?
- How many lost people am I currently praying for?
- How many new relationships have I built with potential new disciples?
- Who am I currently discipling and training into godliness and disciple making?
- Who am I encouraging through difficulty and affliction?
- What have I given away? Have I been faithfully generous with money? Time? Possessions? Words? Wisdom?
- What is working? What is exciting? What has momentum? What is bearing fruit?
- What is not working? What does it seem like I am pushing up a steep hill? What do I need to give up on? What is robbing me of energy?
- What have I neglected? What have I ignored? What am I hoping will just disappear on its own? (But I know it won’t)
- What is worth doing, but I’m out of my league? What do I need more power, prayer, people to help with?
- Check screen time on my phone. What does it say about my heart and priorities? What does my internet history say about my heart and priorities?
What questions would you add to this list?
Worth Reading: Spiritual Multiplication in the Real World
One of the best books I read in 2022 was Bob McNabb’s Spiritual Multiplication in the Real World: Why Some Disciple-Makers Reproduce When Others Fail.
The book uses the personal experience of the author and research to answer the questions:
- Why do some fruitful disciple-makers cease to be fruitful?
- Why do some disciples become fruitful disciple makers and others do not?
The Answers are not complex. And they would be rather easy to implement for the church or leader that has the will.
Essentially:
- Evangelism training should be emphasized and ongoing and not just a one-off or a one-time event.
- Those who are part of a small group devoted to evangelism are the most effective at disciple-making.
- Effective Disciple Making Groups spend time talking about evangelism, praying for the lost, and doing something evangelistic every time they meet.
- Effective Disciple Making Groups define multiplication as their reason for existence.
- Effective disciple-makers have disciple-making leaders who model evangelism and disciple-making for them.
- Effective disciple-makers put themselves in a position to meet new people regularly and share the gospel early in relationships.
A lot of other research-based observations about effective evangelists and disciple-makers. You can take his survey and find other helpful resources mentioned in the book at McNabb’s website SpiritualMultiplication.org.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
- Those involved in ongoing evangelism training led twice as many people to Christ as those who weren’t.
- Becoming a part of a team that evangelizes together is the most important thing you can do if you want to multiply disciples.
- The groups that do the best job of helping their members grow and multiply disciples are the groups that meet for the express purpose of being a disciple-making team.
- Jesus’ goal was never to build individual disciples. He built a team and expected them to build other disciple-making teams called churches.
- Following involves fishing. If you are not fishing, you are not following. Churches are supposed to help their members be successful at catching fish and helping those fish mature and multiply.
- “Rather than asking the question ‘Are we growing?’ we need to ask, ‘Are our members leading people to Christ?’ and ‘Are they successfully helping new converts grow into mature believers?'”
- Wherever you find disciples exponentially multiplying, you will find an emphasis on training.
- Highly effective disciple-makers average twice as much time discussing evangelism, praying for the lost, and actually doing evangelism together with others in their small group as non-effective disciple-makers.
- Most groups that function well as a disciple-making team define multiplication as their reason for existence.
- There is a clear relationship between prayer for the lost and disciple-making effectiveness.
- While the bible plainly characterizes evangelism as a process, it does not teach waiting to talk about Jesus with someone until after one has developed a friendship.
- Respondents who usually shared the gospel within the first few times they met someone exposed an average of 52 people to the gospel annually. This average fell to 15 for those who waited to share the gospel until an ongoing friendship was established and 25 for those who employed a mixed approach.
- Those who shared the gospel within the first few times of meeting someone led more than 400% more people to Christ on average each year than those who waited to establish an ongoing relationship, and they led 44% more people to Christ on average each year than those who approached evangelism with a mixed approach.
- Disciple-makers who said they were a part of a small group that spent at least 20 minutes weekly discussing evangelism, 20 minutes praying for the lost, and 20 minutes doing some sort of evangelism together are far more effective than those who didn’t.
Spiritual Multiplication in the Real World is challenging, inspiring, and practical. A great resource for personal development as a disciple-maker and to be given to those in your disciple-making team. There is also a Study Guide and a companion book called Foundations that are referred to in the book that can be used in small group or team settings.
Develop a New Habit: Scripture Memory
One great way to get a grip on the Bible and the promises of God is through developing the habit of Scripture memory. Nothing has helped me more with this pursuit than The Bible Memory App. This App has been a daily companion for over four years now, helping me commit over 2,000 verses to memory. Here’s a list of my posts on Scripture Memory, including info on getting started with the Bible Memory App. I’ve never regretted a moment that I’ve invested in memorizing God’s word. The Bible Memory App helps me stay on a good plan for reviewing and mastering verses. Check it out!
- Cultivating the Habit of Scripture Memory – Link
- Why and How to Memorize Scripture – Link
- Getting Started with the Bible Memory App – Link
The PRO version of the Bible Memory App is only $9.99. Get 20% or a couple bucks off with this link – PRO.
Baptized Believer to Baptizing Disciple Maker
Churches talk a lot about the Spiritual Milestone of Baptism. It’s a great next step for the person who has put their faith in Christ. BUT, have you experienced the milestone of baptizing someone else? Jesus commissioned EVERY believer to “Go… make disciples… BAPTIZING them… teaching them…” (Matthew 28:18-20). Did you know that Jesus didn’t baptize anyone? He let his disciples do that (See John 4:2). He wanted them to have the joy of leading others in their next steps in the faith. And it is a joy! a rush!
Who have you Baptized? At the church we attend, if you bring someone to Christ, we want you to have the joy of baptizing them. Where do I start?
- Make a list of people in your life that need to know Jesus and respond to his offer of salvation.
- Pray for them everyday. Pray for open eyes and open hearts.
- Get clear on the Gospel. Get trained to share the Gospel. Here’s a 30 minute personal training – LINK.
- Pray for opportunities to talk to your friend(s) about the Gospel.
- Start a Bible Study and invite friends to it.
- (not an exhaustive list. If this is important to you, you’ll find a way.)
Jesus wants us all to be Baptized believers in Him. But Jesus also wants us to be fruit bearing, obedient BAPTIZERS of new disciples.
Goal: Baptize at least one friend in 2022. Who’s in?
Send me the first name of your friend(s) so I can pray for them as well.
Do We Need a New Script for Church?
The decline of evangelicalism is well noted. While it’s never as bleak as presented, and there is no reason to fear. God is always working and has His people working too. Concerning is the inability of churches and leaders to adjust to changing realities and embrace different strategies. Programmatic approaches are simply not having the impact they did 20 years ago. How must we adjust? Flip the script from church centric, preacher centered thinking, to disciple centric, equipping church thinking.
Our Current Script about Church:
- A Church has a preacher, who shares the Gospel, utilizing years of training and experience.
- Members invite friends to the church to hear the gospel and get involved in programs that help them grow.
- The church adds people to membership. New believers are baptized. Already believers are indoctrinated into the practices of this church.
- Members grow and are ENCOURAGED to invite their friends and family to church to hear the gospel from the preacher and respond during the events at the church.
Nothing wrong or sinful about this script. But consider this alternative way of thinking for a new day.
Flipping the Script:
- A disciple has a network of relationships.
- He/she shares the gospel utilizing simple tools.
- The disciple is encouraged, equipped, and held accountable by other disciples in a simple church that is focused on disciple making and fulfilling the Great Commission.
- New disciples are baptized and immediately equipped by a Disciple Maker and Disciple Making Community (i.e Church) to share the gospel with their network of relationships using simple tools.
Church is vital as an equipper and encourager of the Disciple’s walk and ministry. Every disciple is a gospel sharer, not just the preacher. Everything doesn’t hang on the preacher’s ability to present the gospel. The Gospel spreads through relationships, not just through church sponsored events.
How might this script affect your current church?
The Soul Sustaining Habit of Scripture Memory
A few years ago, our family was going through one of those down seasons in the ups and downs of life. My mental focus and physical health were declining. I was discouraged and struggling mentally and emotionally. I knew I needed to change a few habits. As part of a recovery process, I deleted a bunch of apps on my phone (which might help you in and of itself) and dusted off an app I had dutifully downloaded but never utilized: The Bible Memory App. I’m now over three years of daily usage. I have over 1,800 verses mastered in the app and review 25-50 verses every day, during my devotional time, at spare moments throughout the day, and before bed. The habit of scripture memory has greatly improved my spiritual and mental health. It’s helped my preaching, speaking, and my discipling of others, as a growing library of verses are easily recalled in conversation and speaking opportunities. I also have a growing network of friends who are making the habit of scripture memory important, holding each other accountable, and finding the treasure that is God’s word ultimate for sustaining their souls.
While the Bible Memory App has worked for me, I don’t want to recommend that only. There are other good apps and tools out there. I want to recommend the soul-sustaining habit of scripture memory. Find a way that works for you to hide God’s word in your heart.
Here are several posts I’ve written about Scripture Memory and the Bible Memory App:
- Cultivating the Habit of Scripture Memory – Link
- Why and How to Memorize Scripture – Link
- Getting Started with the Bible Memory App – Link
The PRO version of the Bible Memory App is only $9.99. Get 20% or a couple bucks off with this link – PRO.
Start More Groups with Three Simple Questions
In today’s cultural climate, starting small Discovery Bible Studies may be the new front door into the kingdom of God. Disciples who make disciples need to learn the skill of multiplying groups, gathering people around the word of God who will gather people around the word of God. It’s not hard. Get ready by:
- Get real familiar with the Gospel and with simple strategies to spread it – LINK – LINK.
- Learning to Recognize and Look for Persons of Peace or Spiritually Interested People around you – LINK – LINK.
- Ask these three questions when you find them:
- Would you be interested in reading / exploring / discussing the Bible to discover more about God?
- Who else do you know that might be interested?
- When would you like to start?
Gathering people around the word of God in groups that will multiply is a primal practice of disciples who make disciples. Don’t complicate it. Open your eyes, ask these questions, and start a group.
Contagious Relationships
“The most reliable predictor of conversion is relationships, especially preexisting, positive relationships. No movement can sustain exponential growth if expansion is primarily the responsibility of paid professionals.”
“Whatever someone’s prior beliefs, he is far more likely to adopt a new faith if he witnesses a friend or family member convert to the faith.”
“There are many factors that influence the decision to adopt a new faith, but the most important factor is a close and positive relationship with a committed participant.”
“If a church becomes too tight, it will become socially isolated; it may keep it’s members, but it will not grow.”
“Jesus moved from village to village looking for responsive people who would take the good news into the world of their relationships.”
– Steve Addison in Movements that Change the World – chapter on Contagious Relationships
One of the simplest ways to grow the kingdom and our churches is to lead people to identify the people around them who are far from God and train them how to share the faith with them.
- Who’s Your One? LINK
- Check out Ying Kai’s “List of 25” – LINK
- Check out David Watson’s Prayer Calendar – LINK
- We’ve used No Place Left’s Oikos Map – LINK
Come up with your own, but the gospel must spread again through relationships in today’s culture.
Lane Corley 