“Do you love me?” That’s the question Jesus asked Peter when giving him his commission as a disciple-maker for the heavenly Kingdom.
The Bible tells us, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).
The foundation of being a true disciple-maker for Jesus is love! We love because He first loved us.
Before continuing, let's pray. “Eternal Father, Your Son Jesus called us to make disciples all around the world. Please send the Holy Spirit to help me be faithful to our calling. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
We Are Commanded to Make Disciple-Makers!
Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18–20)! He commands us to make disciples.
Disciples = Disciple-Makers. The two must be one.
However, if we are to be disciple-makers, we must follow the ways of Jesus, the Master Disciple-Maker.
Jesus’ Disciple-Making Method
Read: Luke 6:12–16
- Spend a night of prayer before choosing “the twelve.” In other words, take a night for intentional prayer to ask God who He wants you to invest time and disciple-making mentoring in.
(Wondering how to spend a night of prayer?)
Read: Matthew 4:18–20
- Go and visit potential disciples where they live/work.
- Invite them to follow you as you follow Jesus, to work with you as you work for Jesus, and to engage with you in ministry as you serve Jesus.
- Train your mentees to become fishers of men.
Read: Mark 3:13-14 and Matthew 4:23
- Invite your disciples to be with you. Give time and opportunities, through all different types of daily life and ministry activities, to interact with them, so they can observe how you follow Jesus, how you pray, how you act when you are tired, how you react when you are stressed, and how you study God’s Word.
- "It was by personal contact and association that Jesus trained His disciples. Sometimes He taught them, sitting among them on the mountainside; sometimes beside the sea, or walking with them by the way, He revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of God. He did not sermonize as men do today. Wherever hearts were open to receive the divine message, He unfolded the truths of the way of salvation. He did not command His disciples to do this or that, but said, “Follow Me.” On His journeys through country and cities He took them with Him, that they might see how He taught the people. He linked their interest with His, and they united with Him in the work."1
- Send them out to preach and teach, believing that the One who called you will call and empower them.
Read: Luke 9:1-2
- Call them to ask God to receive power through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
- Instruct them that, through the name of Jesus, they have authority over all evil spirits and powers of darkness.
- Teach them to pray for the sick and to combine with their prayers of faith healthy lifestyle education and natural treatments for the healing of disease.
- Send them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to bring healing to sin-sick hearts and souls through the power of God’s Word.
Our Father God discipled Jesus morning by morning while He was on earth (See Isaiah 50:4). Our Father God and the Holy Spirit are just as interested and invested in discipling us to be disciple-makers as Jesus is Himself.
Understanding the Necessity of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
- Find one friend to help you with what's next. Take a small piece of a sponge. This represents us and our witness. On the count of 3, throw the sponge piece to your friend. (It should not go very far!)
- Now, take around a pitcher of water and soak the sponge piece in the water. On the count of 3, repeat the exercise. (The sponge will probably easily reach your friend and may have gotten a little wet when they caught the sponge.)
- The water is the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit makes our disciple-making process effective.
Call to Action & Challenge
Be intentional about discipling someone to Jesus. Do a “night” or special time of prayer to ask God who He wants you to disciple and how. Spread it out before the Lord. Pray, and go share it with that person.
Remember…
"Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.” There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit."2
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman \ Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
- Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1898), 152.
- Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1905), 143.
