A.C.T. Three Methods Jesus Used to Disciple Others

Prayer (Luke 6:12) – Jesus made prayer the discipline He would use to select who He would disciple. Disciple makers do the same. You cannot exclude this critical element from the process. Jesus did this not to choose the perfect men because all of the disciples were flawed. He prayed because prayer moves us toward the will of God, gives us wisdom toward insightful discernment and puts in the right frame of mind as we are seeking the person God is leading to approach.

Perceive (Matthew 4:18) – Before Jesus called one of His disciples, He simply walked among the people living around Him, developed a relationship with various people and then called out of many a few to follow Him. Not everyone you know is ready to take a journey toward being a disciple maker. Yes, everyone is called to make disciples, but you are not called to make everyone a disciple maker. There are certain people God will place on your life’s path just for you. Not everyone will gel with you but they will gel with someone else. This takes perception.

Plan (John 1:35-39) – While Jesus lived a life of adventure and in step with the Father, He had a plan for His disciples. He would intentionally take them into villages where they would confront demons, prostitutes, corrupt religious leaders, and people who were simply imprisoned by their sin. Jesus would teach them about the kingdom of God and on occasion, send them out in pairs to minister on their own before bringing them back together for a post-mission debrief. A disciple maker plans what their schedule could handle so they do not over-commit. They also plan a pathway in their mind based on multiple conversations that help them discern what the disciple needs to learn and what will help them in the transformation process. Finally, the disciple maker plans to share the vision of disciple making so the disciple knows that the end is not further knowledge but multiplication.

Time (Mark 3:14) – Disciple making doesn’t happen until the disciple maker is willing to give a disciple one of the most precious possessions of any human being: their time! Jesus spent increasing amounts of time with decreasing amounts of people. While Jesus preached to the multitudes, His main ministry was time spent with just 12 ordinary men. In these men, Jesus would invest His life. He spent three and a half years pouring His life into them. Disciple makers will commit to giving others their time over lunch, over the phone, over coffee or simple texts. Whatever it takes, their time is the committed to seeing that disciple’s life transformed into a maturing and multiplying disciple.

Attention (John 13:1) – Jesus took time to really pay attention to the needs of His disciples. The crowds continually pressed in on Him but Jesus never allowed the crowds to take Him away from His men. He knew their needs. He knew their temptations. He knew their weaknesses. He knew their strengths. Disciple makers pay attention to the details in a person’s life and then uses what they learn to help the disciple grow.

Knowledge (Luke 24:13-35)– Jesus taught His disciples the Scriptures from the Old Testament and from His own words about the kingdom of God. He was the walking exegete of all Scripture (John 1:1-3). Jesus poured knowledge into His disciples through pure teaching but also in life-on-life situations as they walked and talked. Disciple makers do the same. Disciple makers pour what they know into the lives of others not with arrogance but humility. They share life stories, doctrine, sermons, teachings, insights, quotes, podcasts and anything that will help the disciple grow in their walk and be transformed.

Relationally (2 Timothy 2:2) – Jesus could have trained His disciples by the masses or even in a small group, but He did it knee-to-knee. There are several places written where Jesus takes a few of His disciples aside and talks with them or takes them ahead of the others. Jesus spent time face to face with His disciples pouring truth and life into them. Disciple makers do their best training when they sit close, look into the eyes and listen intently to the needs of their disciple. Disciple making cannot be done through sermons or classroom teaching. Disciple making is done relationally. 

Intentionally (Colossians 1:28) – Jesus trained His disciples with the intention that they would mature and multiply. He poured specific instructions into His disciples about the kingdom of God to give them a view of what Heaven valued. Jesus walked with them through the ups and downs. All the while, Jesus had one purpose: their transformation! Disciple makers have to be intentional. This means that a disciple maker needs to think about the end goal and work toward it with precision. They cannot afford to simply meet with the disciple and talk about sports the whole time. While daily life IS a part of the process, disciple makers need to work toward the spiritual goals assessed in the beginning. Write down those goals and work through them over time. 

Particularly (Matthew 28:19) – The last thing Jesus told His disciples was to naturally go and make disciples but as they teach or train, do it with one goal: teach them to obey. The one thing disciple makers have to do is train their disciple to do is obey the Lord. Obedience is one of the marks of knowing Jesus and others knowing that we know Jesus. Helping disciples know how to obey the Lord and then giving them situations where they can demonstrate their obedience in an accountable and loving relationship moves the disciple toward a greater understanding and love for God’s word.