Intentional

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.

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 ou

Intentional disciple making is an art. Listening to understand becomes a skill that you and I attempt to live out, knowing full well that sometimes we will mess up.

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.

We just need to be willing to watch for his working and set ourselves up to be ready to take the next step when he says go. Following the model of Christ means adhering to his timing. Sometimes Jesus pauses to point out an issue or provide a spiritual prompting. We must also learn to pause and look to see what he is doing. This requires patience as

INTRODUCTION AN INTENTIONAL LIFE

typically define intentional as “being purposeful or deliberate.”

When I studied the life of Christ early in my walk, I began to see that Jesus was incredibly intentional in everything he did. He modeled through his actions every truth he taught.

The truth is, all of us naturally listen to respond. It’s just “who we are.” And the reason is very simple: we are selfish.