What I learned is that the definition of discipleship is walking alongside someone to help that person follow Jesus, be changed by Jesus, and be on mission for Jesus.

We recognize gifts when we spend time with others. There is no other way. Imagine trying to coach someone to do something but never being near them.

They are the tools of abiding in Christ, prayer and fasting, being patient, and focusing on truth. I have found these four tools to be essential whenever I’m seeking God to be more intentional with those I disciple.

When you converse with someone you are discipling, and they are sharing about their life or a difficult situation, refrain from sharing all the great advice you want to give and simply focus on that person. Remember that it’s not about you; it’s about the other person feeling heard.

“What happened today that upset you?”

Becoming an intentional disciple maker—a disciple who makes a disciple—is an intricate and ongoing process of spiritual development. When disciple making becomes an unconscious-capable skill, we will live it out without thinking about what we are doing.

Jesus taught his disciples to be “fishers of people,” his analogy for a disciple who makes disciples. The apostle Paul later used the analogy of being an ambassador. Whether we see ourselves as ambassadors, fishers of people, or disciple makers, the terminology revolves around a central concept: you and I, as disciples of Jesus, are called to go

That kind of prayer is about seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus, more of a conversation between friends. This type of prayer shifts the focus off of us and petitions God to move in the life of another person, breaking things loose in the person’s life.

PRINCIPLES OF THE PRACTICE