Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time
Overview
Many churchgoers complain that their churches lack a coherent plan for discipleship and spiritual growth. In turn, many church leaders lament their lack of resources to build and manage effective programs to help people become fully devoted followers of Christ.
In Transforming Discipleship Greg Ogden introduces his vision for discipleship, emphasizing that solutions will not be found in large-scale, finely-tuned, resource-heavy programs.
Instead, Ogden recovers Jesus’ method of accomplishing life change by investing in just a few people at a time. And he shows how discipleship can become a self-replicating process with ongoing impact from generation to generation.
Biblical, practical and tremendously effective, Transforming Discipleship provides the insights and philosophy of ministry behind Ogden’s earlier work, Discipleship Essentials. Together, these ground-breaking books have the potential to transform how your church transforms the lives of its people.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
Key Features
- Introduces a vision for discipleship
- Offers practical advice on empowering others
- Shows you how to foster trust and accountability
Contents
- Introduction: A Story of Transformation
- The Discipleship Gap: Where Have All the Disciples Gone?
- The Discipleship Malaise: Getting to the Root Causes
- Why Jesus Invested in a Few
- Jesus’ Preparatory Empowerment Model
- Paul’s Empowerment Model: Spiritual Parenting
- Life Investment: It’s All About Relationships
- Multiplication: Through the Generations
- Transformation: The Three Necessary Ingredients
- Practicalities of Disciple Making
- Appendix: Frequently Asked Questions
- Notes
Top Highlights
“The first cause of the low estate of discipleship is that pastors have been diverted from their primary calling to ‘equip the saints for the work of ministry.’” (Page 40)
“The third cause of the low estate of discipleship is that we have reduced the Christian life to the eternal benefits we get from Jesus, rather than living as students of Jesus.” (Page 46)
“First, discipling relationships are marked by intimacy, whereas programs tend to be focused on information” (Page 124)
“The eighth and final cause of the low estate of discipleship is that most Christians have never been personally discipled.” (Page 54)
“If stage one is ‘come and see’ and stage two is ‘follow me,’ then stage three is ‘come and be with me.’” (Page 63)
Praise for the Print Edition
Why are Christians not more like Christ? With all the evangelism, church growth and discipleship programs both critics and lovers of the church around the world ask, where are the transformed lives? Greg Ogden does not claim all the answers. He does point out one important truth: transformation happens not through programs but through highly accountable, mutually encouraging, Spirit-formed relationships. All those concerned about a ‘disciple deficit’ will find this not only a must-read but a ‘must-practice’ book!
—Leighton Ford, President, Leighton Ford Ministries
Greg Ogden has a heart for making disciples. He lives it. He speaks it. He writes it. This book is the mind of Greg’s heart and, I believe, is a reflection of Jesus’ heart and mind. Jesus wants his church to make disciples in a post-Christian world. This book puts the ministry leader and visionary in touch with today’s stark reality—it’s time for the whole church to get serious about making disciples Jesus’ way. This book will help change our church to be in alignment with Jesus’ vision and ministry practice.
—Gareth Icenogle, Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Greg Ogden supplied us a comprehensive, biblical curriculum in Discipleship Essentials. In his most recent book, Transforming Discipleship, he reveals the foundation and vision. Based on a creative and stimulating triad model, Greg provides a vehicle that will guide the training of leaders who in turn will equip the church and individuals for a life of transformational discipleship. In a refreshingly biblical and realistic manner, Greg sculpts an essential model that goes beyond programs to the intentional development of relationships that are empowered by the Spirit to grow together to become like Jesus.
—Michael J. Wilkins, Dean of the Faculty and Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University
Greg Ogden shook up the world of many of us when he wrote the The New Reformation. Now he brings a similar urgency and clarity to the issue of following Christ. Read it at your own risk.
—John Ortberg, Teaching Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church
- Title: Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time
- Author: Greg Ogden
- Publisher: IVP
- Print Publication Date: 2003
- Logos Release Date: 2016
- Pages: 209
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Discipling (Christianity)
- ISBNs: 9780830893416, 9780830868087, 9780830823888, 9780830841318, 0830893415, 0830868089, 0830823883, 0830841318
- Resource ID: LLS:TRNSFRMNGDSCPTM
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T03:30:05Z
Greg Ogden (DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) lives out his passion of speaking, teaching, and writing about the disciple-making mission of the church after spending twenty-four years in pastoral ministry. Most recently Greg served as executive pastor of discipleship at Christ Church of Oak Brook in the Chicago western suburbs. From 1998-2002, Greg held the position of director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary and associate professor of lay equipping and discipleship.
Greg is the author of several books such as Unfinished Business, Discipleship Essentials, Transforming Discipleship, Leadership Essentials (with coauthor Daniel Meyer), and The Essential Commandment. He is a partner in the Global Discipleship Initiative (GDI), which trains, coaches, and inspires pastors and Christian leaders to establish indigenous, multiplying, disciplemaking networks, both nationally and internationally. Greg and his wife, Lily, have been married more than forty-five years and have one adult daughter and two grandchildren.