Go Make Disciples
After Jesus rose from the grave, He left His followers with a simple command: "All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time."(Matthew 28:18-20 ERV). The church should be known for this. If we are going to call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, we should be making disciples.
But most Christians today are not known for making disciples. We have developed a culture where a minister ministers and the rest of us sit back and enjoy “church” from a comfortable distance. This is not what God intends for His church. Every Christian is called by God to minister. You are called to make disciples.
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ means that we learn from Him, fellowship with Him, and obey everything He commands us. We study the Bible to learn about who God is, who we are, and what God is doing in our world. The Bible compels us to join God in what He is doing in and around us. Studying the Bible is important, but the goal is never knowledge for the sake of knowledge.
Being a disciple of Jesus means that we are being transformed into His image. God wants to change us so much that it intrigues others. This gives us the opportunity to tell them about the God who is transforming us. Teaching others about Christ is essential to being one of Jesus’s disciples. As we teach others to love and obey Jesus, we are fulfilling His command to make disciples. Your goal should be to train up other followers of Jesus who are even more committed, talented, and equipped than you are. Make it your goal to spend your life raising up followers who will give everything for the glory of God.
But most Christians today are not known for making disciples. We have developed a culture where a minister ministers and the rest of us sit back and enjoy “church” from a comfortable distance. This is not what God intends for His church. Every Christian is called by God to minister. You are called to make disciples.
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ means that we learn from Him, fellowship with Him, and obey everything He commands us. We study the Bible to learn about who God is, who we are, and what God is doing in our world. The Bible compels us to join God in what He is doing in and around us. Studying the Bible is important, but the goal is never knowledge for the sake of knowledge.
Being a disciple of Jesus means that we are being transformed into His image. God wants to change us so much that it intrigues others. This gives us the opportunity to tell them about the God who is transforming us. Teaching others about Christ is essential to being one of Jesus’s disciples. As we teach others to love and obey Jesus, we are fulfilling His command to make disciples. Your goal should be to train up other followers of Jesus who are even more committed, talented, and equipped than you are. Make it your goal to spend your life raising up followers who will give everything for the glory of God.
We want people to be equipped to serve the city where they live so that we will fill our cities with the presence of Christ so that gospel saturation will take place and every man, woman and child will have an opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus through his people.
Jesus never sent his disciples out by themselves, he sent them out in pairs or in teams. He never intended for us to be a bunch of individuals on mission all alone. Jesus said it's by our love for one another that the world will know we are his disciples. Missional communities are people on mission -- loving one another and sent together to a group of people who will see our love for one another and how the gospel has changed us.
Bringing mission and community together. Community without mission is co-dependency. Mission without community creates mercenaries. Community on mission loves, proclaims the good news of Jesus, and displays power of the gospel to change lives.
God commands us to make disciples and baptize them in the name the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - God's way of establishing us in our new identity. God declares something to be so and it is. This is what goes on in Baptism. What God does to us, he intends to do through us.
Make Disciples
The Discipleship Training Manual provides a guide for Christians to use to help new Christians grow in their relationship with and obedience to Jesus Christ. Just print out the lessons you are going to go over, punch holes on the left side, and slide them into a 3-ring binder. Works great! This Manual is for serious disciples, not the faint of heart!
| Discipleship Training Manual - PDF file |
| Discipleship Training Manual Leader's Guide - PDF file |
Thank you to Pastor Brian Anderson of, "The Bridge Church," for granting permission to make unlimited copies of both manuals. In addition, Pastor Anderson has given permission to translate both manuals into any language.
The Bridge Church website
The Bridge Church website
