Becoming a Church of Disciples Who Make Disciples

by: Steve Caton

One of the things I love doing on my blog is highlighting next-level resources that could help churches experience exponential growth or success in reaching their communities. Today, I wanted to take time to highlight the latest eBook from Alex Absalom, Disciples Who Make Disciples: Turning Your Church Into a Multiplying Movement, which he co-authored with Greg Nettle. A few month’s ago, I shared about their first eBook One Of, in which Greg and Alex unpack the process of moving churches from an attractional model to one which is more missional in the approach to outreach and ministry. Thankfully, Alex and Greg decided to write another eBook and this one is even more incredible than the last.

In their latest book, Alex and Greg explain the importance of building a culture that combines disciple making with mission and how your church can begin the shift from merely reaching people to making disciples who in turn are equipped to go and make more disciples.

Why become a church of disciples who make disciples?

In the eBook, Greg and Alex share about the discipleship issues they faced at RiverTree. Although the church didn’t have a problem attracting people, they struggled to move people towards a deeper, more serious relationship with Christ.

While some people caught the vision and trusted God with everything,

it gradually became apparent that many others had accepted Jesus as Savior but not necessarily as Lord of their life.

Alex and Greg realized that if RiverTree wanted to truly experience the kind of transformation God desires for the Church and continue to reach it’s community with real life-change, they needed to adopt a new model of discipleship.

5 Steps to becoming disciple-multiplying church:

In the book, Alex and Greg highlight the 5 steps RiverTree took to become a church of disciples who makes disciples:

Step 1 – From Decisions to Disciples

After redefining discipleship, RiverTree focused on moving their church members from a spirit of “information” to one of “imitation.”

Step 2 – From Educating to Modeling

As important as information is, relationships and experiences are far more effective in bringing about life transformation.

Step 3 – From Programs to Discipleship

Instead of focusing on programs, RiverTree invested in developing personalized, proven discipleship strategies and practices.

Step 4 – From Activity-Based to Relationship-Based

Getting people to join a community group wasn’t the end goal. By building a culture where leaders release control and choose accountability, RiverTree was able to multiply community groups. The by-product… members experienced deeper relationships and became more invested in the mission.

Step 5 – From Accumulating to Deploying Disciples

Ultimately, outreach and evangelism will become a natural by-product of disciple making.

What should you expect after you read the eBook?

In the book, Alex and Greg highlight 4 things you expect to happen if you commit to becoming a church of disciples who make disciples:

  • Expect a 3-5 year process. Overnight doesn’t work.
  • If we equip people to be disciples, they will make disciples. This is where you get exponential growth.
  • People will begin talking about discipleship as a journey and a process.
  • More people wanting to be quick about reaching their places of mission.

If your prayer is to become a church that multiplies disciples, I would highly encourage you to download Alex and Greg’s eBook, Disciples who Make Disciples. Through the book, you will get a clear understanding of your church’s idea of discipleship and identify how you can develop a clearer plan for making disciples. You don’t have any excuse because you can download it for free on kindle or PDF here.

Alex is part of the leadership team at RiverTree Christian Church in Ohio. He has co-authored several books, “One Of” and “Launching Missional Communities”. You can connect with Alex on Twitter or subscribe to his blog.

What benefits have you seen from becoming a church of disciples that makes disciples?

Read more from Steve here.


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Caton

Steve Caton

Steve Caton is part of the Leadership Team at Church Community Builder. He leverages a unique background in technology, fundraising and church leadership to help local churches decentralize their processes and equip their people to be disciple makers. Steve is a contributing author on a number of websites, including the Vision Room, ChurchTech Today, Innovate for Jesus and the popular Church Community Builder Blog. He also co-wrote the eBook “Getting Disciple Making Right”. While technology is what Steve does on a daily basis, impacting and influencing the local church is what really matters to him……as well as enjoying deep Colorado powder with his wife and two sons!

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