FOLLOWING MATTHEW 28:19 Discipleship could be described as adherence to a teacher's faith and instructions. As we look at Jesus' life while He was on earth, we see how He patterned the process involved regarding the making of disciples. He wanted them and us to learn what it meant before He gave the command to go and make disciples as well. As we may struggle on how do we make disciples and what do we teach, by looking at how Jesus patterned this out for us with the 12, we too can follow that same pattern.
It all started with Jesus going out and choosing the ones whom He would spend time with and mentor. As they spent time with Him, His own life was a visual demonstration of what the statement, "Follow Me" meant. As we see after Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the disciples lives proved they learned well as they continued that multiplication process.
These men experienced all types of situations with Jesus while learning as they traveled with Him. When they were called, they didn't understand that Jesus was the actual Son of God, but the more time they spent and experienced life with Him, they came to understand who it was that said, "Follow Me." That understanding took them from a head knowledge to a heart revelation. Once they had the heart change and revelation, they too were ready to go and make disciples.
The discipleship process is not about "following me" or someone "following you", but encouraging others to "come join me as we together follow Christ." As new disciples join with us, we in turn follow Jesus' and the disciple's pattern as the multiplication process continues. Choose the life and let's together carry out The Great Commission.
The following PDF files on the various aspects of discipleship will assist you in the mentoring process to help others (and yourself) understand what God has called us to do. THE GREAT COMMISSION UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
