2 Discipleship: the importance and cost

DISCIPLESHIP:
THE IMPORTANCE AND
THE COST

IN YOUR HOME CHURCH
YOUR PASTOR COMES AND
ASKS YOU TO DISCIPLE A
NEW BELIEVER WHO
DECLARED THEIR FAITH IN
CHRIST AS PART OF A
RECENT SERVICE.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
HOW LONG WOULD THE
PROCESS TAKE?
ON AN A4 PIECE OF PAPER
OUTLINE WHAT YOU WOULD
DO TO DISCIPLE THEM.

MEMORY VERSES
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them
all: “Whoever wants to be my
disciple must deny themselves and
take up their cross daily and follow
me.

Matthew 28:18–20 18 Then Jesus
came to them and said, “All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to
me. 19 Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and
teaching them to obey everything I
have commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of the
age.”

INTRODUCTION
What are the MOST POPULAR methods
for seeing people added to churches?

INTRODUCTION
- Invitation services
- Respond to
preaching
- Crusades
- God TV
- Crisis event in their
lives
- Reading the Bible
- Internet
- Reading a tract
- Friendship
evangelism /
witnessing

What ways did Jesus use to
attract and keep followers?

What ways did Jesus use to
attract and keep followers?
Jesus chose making disciples to
make mature followers—he then
commissioned them (and us) to do
the same.

Why didn't Jesus just organise
Gospel crusades to see people
become believers (which are the
way most churches try to grow)?

KEY SCRIPTURES
As you read these verses think about and
explain what they tell you about the
importance and cost of discipleship.

KEY SCRIPTURES
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I
chose you and appointed you so that you
might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last
—and so that whatever you ask in my
name the Father will give you.

Read Luke 14:26–35 in the notes.
Matthew 10:37–39 37 “Anyone who
loves their father or mother more than
me is not worthy of me; anyone who
loves their son or daughter more than
me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever
does not take up their cross and
follow me is not worthy of me. 39
Whoever finds their life will lose it, and
whoever loses their life for my sake
will find it.

Matthew 28:18–20 18 Then Jesus came to them
and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age.”

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever
wants to be my disciple must deny themselves
and take up their cross daily and follow me.

WHY MAKE DISCIPLES?
The church of Jesus Christ has
been called to win the world and
make them into disciples. You have
been appointed to choose the
method by which this will be
achieved, either by:

- 10,000 people per day (36.5
lakh/year) being converted around the
world in church services, meetings or
crusades

or,
- You take a person and for one
year disciple them—at the end of the
year you have 2 disciples
- At the start of the next year, you
and the person you discipled then
choose one new person each and
disciple them—so after 2 years you
have 4 disciples etc.

WHICH METHOD
WOULD YOU CHOOSE
TO ACHIEVE THE
BEST RESULTS?

Year Disciple 
-ship
Crusade
Assuming
evangelistic
crusades
win 10,000
people per
day
Assuming
one disciple
makes one
other
disciple per
year

Year Disciple 
-ship
Crusade
Assuming
evangelistic
crusades
win 10,000
people per
day
Assuming
one disciple
makes one
other
disciple per
year
Which would you choose?

Year Disciple 
-ship
Crusade
1 1 3,650000
2 2 7,300000
3 4 10,095000
4 8 14,600000
5 16 18,250000
6 32 21,900000
7 64 25,550000
8 128 29,200000
9 256 32,850000

Year Disciple 
-ship
Crusade
19 262,144 69,350000
20 524,288 73,000000
21 1,048,576 76,650000
22 2,097,152 80,300000
23 4,194,304 83,950000
24 8,388,608 87,600000

28 134,217728 102,200000
Year Disciple 
-ship
Crusade
29 268,435,456 105,850000
30 536,870,912 109,500000
25 16,777216 91,250000
26 33,554432 94,900000
27 67,108864 98,550000

32 2,147,483,648 116,800000
Year Disciple 
-ship
Crusade
33 4,294,967,296 120,450000
34 124,100000
31 1,073,741,824 113,150000

32 2,147,483,648 116,800000
Year Disciple 
-ship
Crusade
33 4,294,967,296 120,450000
34 8,589,934592 124,100000
31 1,073,741,824 113,150000

1%
99%
8,589,934592
124,100000

The first Protestant missionary set
foot on Chinese soil on September 7,
1807. His name was Robert Morrison.
He was a Scottish Presbyterian, and
except for one furlough, he spent the
next 27 years in China.
Persevering against the hostility of
official opposition and the resistance
of foreign merchants, Morrison
baptized the first Chinese Protestant
Christian, Cai Gao, on July 16, 1814.
Investing time and
energy in making
disciples is always
worthwhile

The first Protestant missionary set
foot on Chinese soil on September 7,
1807. His name was Robert Morrison.
He was a Scottish Presbyterian, and
except for one furlough, he spent the
next 27 years in China.
Persevering against the hostility of
official opposition and the resistance
of foreign merchants, Morrison
baptized the first Chinese Protestant
Christian, Cai Gao, on July 16, 1814.

After the baptism of Cai Gao,
Morrison wrote prophetically in his
journal,
“May he be the first-fruits of a great
harvest, one of millions who shall
come and be saved on the day of
wrath to come.”

Morrison’s greatest achievement was
his Chinese translation of the Bible,
completed in 1819 and published in
23 volumes in 1823 (Morrison was
responsible for most of the New
Testament and 26 books of the Old
Testament, whilst William Milne was
responsible for the translation of the
historical books of the Old
Testament).

At the time of the Communist
takeover in 1949, there were roughly
900,000 Protestants.
Today there are 111,000,000
Christians in China, roughly 90%
Protestant and mostly Pentecostal.
China is the 3rd largest ‘Christian’
country on earth.

By 2050 estimates say there will be
218,000,000 Christians in China
16% of the population.
10,000 conversions in China every
day.

“OUR GREATEST FEAR
SHOULD NOT BE OF FAILURE,
BUT OF SUCCEEDING AT
SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T
REALLY MATTER.”

William Carey laboured for 7 years
before his first convert in India.
For six years, the Careys moved from
one place to another, seeking
employment and a place to get
established. The list of obstacles they
encountered is staggering:

The lack of funds.
The difficulty of the Bengali language.
The defection of Ram Basu, a convert
who at first had been a great help to
them.
Opposition of the East India
Company, the dominant political
force.
A flood.
A drought.
The death of their son, Peter.

Six years, without an Indian coming to
Jesus after faithful preaching.
Criticism of people at home. “Why
aren’t you seeing more fruit?” “Why
are you wasting your time in
economic employment?”
Two new missionaries who came to
help, died soon after they arrived.

Dorothy, William’s wife, struggled with
life in India.
Culture shock gripped her.
Her sister married an English planter
and left their home.
The death of her son, Peter, was the
last straw.
She sank into mental illness, and
never recovered.

William Carey is considered the father of modern
missions - much of what we do in church planting
and teaching and training comes out of his
obedience in following the great commission

WHY DISCIPLESHIP?
1. Example
Jesus showed the importance of
discipleship by making the training of the
twelve disciples very important during His
ministry on earth.

2. Obedience
Jesus told all His followers to make
disciples because disciples produce
fruit that lasts.

3. Effectiveness
Discipleship is the best method to
reach our world for God. The impact
that Jesus’ twelve disciples and Paul
had on the world shows us the value
of discipleship. A small number of
committed disciples, who have been
well trained, will achieve far more for
God than large numbers of converts
who lack spiritual depth.
Discipleship is God’s chosen
strategy to reach the world.

4. Maturity
The end result is spiritually mature
Christians.
Maturity does not come with an
increase in age, knowledge or
experience, but is the result of gradual
spiritual growth on the basis of
obedience to Christ Jesus and His
Word.

How would you know a
Christian is mature?
What do they say and do?

SEVEN SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY
1. Fruitfulness in our service for God
(Matt. 25:14 – 30).
2. A humble attitude and a willingness
to serve others (John 13:12–17).
3. A standard of excellence in our lives
in general (2 Corinthians 13:11).

4. A close relationship with Jesus
(Galatians 2:20).
5. The fruit of the Spirit in our lives
(Gal 5:22–23).

6. A stable, consistent and holy walk
before God and man (Ephesians
4:11–16).  
7. A solid knowledge of God’s Word
and discernment as a result (Hebrews
5:13–6:2). N.B. This can be summed
up as ‘Christ-likeness’ (1 John 2:6).

WHY DO WE NEED SPIRITUAL MATURITY ?
1. Maturity in Christ is expected
for all Christians (Eph. 4:11–16).
2. Maturity produces leaders who
help the Church to grow by
shepherding God’s flock (1 Pet 5:1–3).

3. Only mature Christians can
effectively stand against the devil
and his powers of darkness and this
is what God wants us to do,
Matthew 12:29—“Or again, how can
anyone enter a strong man’s house
and carry off his possessions unless
he first ties up the strong man? Then
he can plunder his house.”

1 Peter 5 Humble yourselves, therefore,
under God’s mighty hand, that he may
lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your
anxiety on him because he cares for
you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your
enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to
devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the
faith, because you know that the family
of believers throughout the world is
undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

4. Mature Christians have the
most lasting impact for God on
our world today.
Consider all the hardships that Paul,
Carey and Morrison faced, and the
fruit they produced - without maturity
they might easily have given up.
5. By their life mature disciples
show the character of Jesus to
the world.

REMEMBER:
WINNING CONVERTS ADDS TO THE
NUMBERS OF BORN AGAIN
BELIEVERS, BUT DISCIPLESHIP
MAKES DISCIPLES WHO ARE MATURE
REPRODUCERS, WHO WILL IN TURN
MULTIPLY THE NUMBERS OF BORN
AGAIN BELIEVERS/DISCIPLES.

IT IS COSTLY TO BE A TRUE DISCIPLE
f) The Cost of Being a True
Disciple
Jesus made it clear from the
beginning what was involved in being
a disciple— we need to carry our own
cross and follow Him.

IT IS COSTLY TO BE A TRUE DISCIPLE
Luke 14:27—And whoever does
not carry their cross and follow
me cannot be my disciple.). We
need to give our whole lives and
everything we have to God, for
Him to use as He wants.

Have You Settled For Less?
Many Christians have settled for a
form of discipleship that doesn't look
like Jesus taught. We avoid personal
cost and fail to be the witnesses God
wants us to be. As a result the church
is seen as weak, ineffective or
irrelevant.
God wants us to imitate His best
people and ultimately to imitate Jesus
Himself (1 Cor. 11:1).

Count the Cost
God’s children must accept that
personal discipleship calls them to be
faithful and obedient to the Lord,
regardless of the cost to themselves.
Out of love for Jesus, they are willing
to apply His standards to their lives.
Discipleship without cost is not
true discipleship.

Christians willingly take up their
cross daily in order to follow Christ
Jesus. God comes first in their lives,
before consideration of self or
others: His will comes first.

Because the cost of discipleship is
high Jesus told everyone to first
count the cost (Luke 9:57–62; John
6:60–66; Mark 10:17–31).
And, because of this cost Jesus only
ended up with a few deeply
committed followers: BUT those few
were enough to change the world.

A TRUE DISCIPLE…
1. Lives a committed Christian life,
which Jesus expects from all His
followers.
2. Accepts that Jesus deserves to be
the Lord of his whole life, John 13:13

A TRUE DISCIPLE…
3. Has believed the words of Christ and
has committed his life to him.  
4. Is not half-hearted or careless in
anything they do, as they are to follow
Jesus, and He lived and died for the
principles of the Kingdom of God.

FOUNDATIONS FOR BIBLICAL
DISCIPLESHIP
1. Faithfulness  
Only faithful or reliable people fully qualify
for discipleship training.
Other words to describe this in the Bible:
faithful—being steadfast—
persevering—persistence—self
controlled

DISCIPLESHIP
Mother Theresa,
“God doesn’t require us to
succeed, he only requires that
you try.”
Cf Colossians 3:23

DISCIPLESHIP
Luke 16: 10 “Whoever can be trusted with
very little can also be trusted with much, and
whoever is dishonest with very little will also be
dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not
been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth,
who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if
you have not been trustworthy with someone
else’s property, who will give you property of
your own?

2. Loving Jesus and putting Him
first  
This means living lives according to
His will, i.e. obedience.  
Mother Theresa: "I belong to
Jesus, He must use me
without consulting me"
Students: think of a verse that is
appropriate to this idea

3. A willingness to give of
ourselves, sacrificially  
Spiritual maturity demands
sacrifices of time, strength and
sometimes even relationships.
What is your treasure? What do
you spend most money on, talk
about most, think of most often…?
God has a personal discipleship
programme for each one of us. He
wants us to give our lives to this
programme so that we will be
transformed into the likeness of His
Son Jesus (Philippians 2:13; 2
Corinthians 9:8; 1 Thessalonians
5:23–24).

4. Spiritual hunger  
Do you want to grow spiritually and to
be used by God?
How do you recognise hunger for
God in a persons life?
What would you look for?

5. A teachable attitude
Do you submit to the authority of
God’s Word and to the spiritual
leaders who have been placed over
us by Him.

John Maxwell asks some questions
about teachability:
Am I open to other people’s ideas?
Do I listen more than I talk?
Am I open to changing my opinion
based on new information?
Do I readily admit when I am wrong?
Do I observe before acting on a
situation?

Do I ask questions?
Am I willing to ask a question that will
expose my ignorance?
Am I open to doing things in a way I
haven’t done before?
Am I willing to ask for directions?
Do I act defensive when criticized, or
do I listen openly for truth?
http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/
2011/01/24/how-do-i-maintain-a-
teachable-attitude/

K) QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION POINTS
1. Did Jesus make an impact on the world
through His disciples? Why?
2. Why must we aim at spiritual maturity? (Col. 1:28).
3. What is Christ-likeness? (Romans 8:29).  
4. What does it mean to take up your cross?
(Matthew 16:24 – 25).

5. Why is the church seen as weak, ineffective or
irrelevant? Discuss.
6. Should we count the cost of being a disciple of
Jesus? (Luke 14:25–35).
7. Does Jesus deserve to be made the Lord of your
whole life? (Colossians 1:15–20).
8. What type of person is Jesus looking for to
serve Him? (Luke 16:10 –12; Matthew 25:14 – 30).

9. What good is it if a man gains the whole world and
yet forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:26–27). Discuss.
10. How do we save our lives, according to Matthew
16:24–25 and 1 John 5:12?
11. Where will your heart be? (Luke 12:32–34).
12. What would you need to change in your life if you
follow Jesus as a true disciple? Discuss.

SUMMARY AND APPLICATION
1. Jesus made discipleship a priority and so should we!  
2. Discipleship is God’s chosen strategy to reach the world.  
3. Spiritually mature Christians should be the end result of
discipleship.

4. We need to make a firm decision to follow Jesus
and not settle for less. Jesus said that following him
would cost us everything.  
5. God’s sons should be showing Jesus to the world.
In fact, we should be transformed into His likeness.

6. As disciples we should be teachable, faithful,
spiritually hungry, and sacrifice all because of our love
for Jesus.  
7. Human nature does not like obedience, neither does
it enjoy facing cost. It is easy to settle for a level of
discipleship acceptable to us and imagine it to be
acceptable to God.

2 Discipleship: the importance and cost

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2 Discipleship: the importance and cost