Strategic Disciple Making: A Practical Tool for Successful Ministry

by Aubrey M. Malphurs

Publisher:

Baker

, 2009

Overview

You can make a positive difference in your church. Everyone wants to go to a church with programs that have a positive impact on their lives—programs designed with them in mind. It may come as a surprise in our me-centered culture, but the church does not exist to meet our needs as churchgoers. Instead, we each need to grow as disciples.

Many understand discipleship as a one-on-one relationship with a mentor that takes place with a select few in the church. However, Jesus’s mandate in Matthew 28:19–20 is that the church make disciples of all its people, not just a select few. In Strategic Disciple Making, veteran church consultant Aubrey Malphurs teaches churches a process that implements the biblical teaching on discipleship in a simple but practical way as the centerpiece of their ministries. If you’re tired of business as usual at your church and want to make a positive difference, take the plunge into genuine discipleship with a preeminent teacher on the subject.

Key Features

• Defines discipleship for a church setting
• Encourages church leaders to mentor others
• Offers ways to implement disciple-making programs into the church

Contents

• The Preparation for Making Mature Disciples
  • What Are We Supposed to Be Doing? The Church’s Mission
  • How Are We Doing? The Current State of Disciple Making
  • What Are We Talking About? The Definition of Disciple Making
  • Whose Job Is It? The Responsibility for Making Disciples
  • How Did Jesus Make Disciples? Biblical Disciple Making, Part 1
  • How Did the Church Make Disciples? Biblical Disciple Making, Part 2
• The Process for Making Mature Disciples
  • How Would We Know a Mature Disciple If We Saw One? The Characteristics of a Mature Disciple
  • How Do Churches Make Mature Disciples? The Church’s Ministries for Discipleship
  • Are You Making Disciples? Measuring Mature Disciples
  • How to Recruit the Right Staff Staffing for the Development of Mature Disciples
  • How to Prepare a Strategic Budget Budgeting for the Development of Mature Disciples

Top Highlights

“Thus the Bible teaches that a disciple is not necessarily a Christian who has made a deeper commitment to the Savior but simply a Christian. Committed Christians are committed disciples. Uncommitted Christians are uncommitted disciples.” (Page 18)

“Based on the two concepts of a disciple and discipleship, we can now describe true disciple making. The process of making disciples involves leading unbelievers to faith in Christ so that they become disciples (Christians). Disciple making must not end with a person’s conversion, however. It’s an ongoing process that encourages the believer (whether a new believer or an uncommitted Christian) to follow Christ and become more like him. When we become more like Christ, we mature as Christians, which is the goal of making disciples (Eph. 4:13–15; Col. 1:28).” (Pages 34–35)

“In a specific sense, a disciple is one who has trusted in Christ as Savior. In short, he or she is a believer in Christ or a Christian (other perfectly acceptable biblical terms are ‘brother,’ ‘sister,’ ‘saint,’ and so on). We discovered this above as well as in chapter 1, when we studied the use of the term disciple in the book of Acts. This is so important to this discussion that it bears repeating: a disciple may be a deeply committed believer who is ‘sold out’ to Christ; however, a disciple may also not be a committed believer, but still a believer in Christ. Committed disciples are committed believers, and uncommitted disciples are uncommitted believers. What both have in common is that they share a faith in Christ as Savior.” (Page 33)

Praise for the Print Edition

Aubrey Malphurs blows away the fog of misunderstanding that surrounds disciple making in the church. His clear analysis of what a disciple is, and how a church can make one, is a welcome addition to the literature on this topic.

—Gary L. McIntosh, professor of Christian ministry and leadership, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

In Strategic Disciple Making, Aubrey Malphurs has done it again. He provides us with a concise yet comprehensive examination of this vital component of building believers. Strategic Disciple Making is a must-read.

—Steve Stroope, lead pastor, Lake Pointe Church

Product Details

• Title: Strategic Disciple Making: A Practical Tool for Successful Ministry
• Author: Aubrey M. Malphurs
• Publisher: Baker
• Print Publication Date: 2009
• Logos Release Date: 2011
• Pages: 192
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Discipling (Christianity)
• ISBNs: 9781441256423, 9780801091964, 1441256423, 0801091969
• Resource ID: LLS:569848B766AA249FFAD5CFF4DE816417
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-28T20:33:25Z

About Aubrey M. Malphurs

Dr. Malphurs is a visionary with a deep desire to influence a new generation of leaders through his classroom, pulpit, consulting, and writing ministries. He is involved in a number of ministries ranging from church planting and growth to leadership development. He has pastored three churches and is the author of numerous books and articles on leadership and church ministry. Currently he is the president of the Malphurs Group and is a trainer and consultant to churches, denominations, and ministry organizations throughout North America and Europe. His research and teaching interests include church planting, church growth, and leadership development.