COLONIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHLesson 11 introduction · Pastor Jeff
- Big Idea
- Jesus didn’t just make disciples; He made disciple-makers. Ordinary believers, filled with an extraordinary Spirit, pass on what they’ve received.
- Memory Verse
- And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well. 2 Timothy 2:2
- Action Step
- Name the person you’ll invite to walk through this booklet with you. Pray for them daily, then invite them.
- Outcome
- I’ve led part of a Bible conversation, named my “one,” and made (or scheduled) the invitation.
Becoming a disciple-maker
The Way of JesusRead before you meet · about 5 minutes
Four generations in one verse
Read 2 Timothy 2:2 slowly and count. Paul taught Timothy. Timothy entrusts it to faithful people. They teach others. That’s four generations of disciples in one sentence.
The Great Commission isn’t a program. It’s a pattern: go, make disciples, baptize them, and teach them “to obey all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Not just to know what Jesus commanded. To obey it.
How Jesus trained His disciples
Jesus didn’t hand His disciples a manual. He invited them to watch Him, to try it with Him, then sent them out and talked it over with them when they returned (Luke 9–10). Many disciple-makers describe the pattern in four simple steps:
| Model | I do it; you watch. |
|---|---|
| Assist | You do it; I help. |
| Watch | You do it; I watch and encourage. |
| Leave | You do it on your own, and start the cycle with someone else. |
You’ve been living this pattern for ten weeks. Now it’s your turn.
You’re more ready than you think
You don’t have to be a Bible scholar. You need to be following Jesus, a step or two ahead, and willing to walk with someone. Be in the Word. Be available. And God will send someone your way.
Remember Kent Mathews’ picture of a garden. Some people you meet are ready for tilling (friendship and listening). Some are ready for planting (your story and the good news). Some need watering, and a few are ready for harvest. You aren’t responsible for every stage. You’re responsible to be faithful in the one in front of you. As a line often credited to Robert Louis Stevenson puts it, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
Who’s your one?
Look at your BLESS list, your family, your group, your coworkers. Maybe it’s a new believer, someone returning to faith, a friend who’s curious, or a Christian who has never been discipled. Ask God: Who’s my one?
When You Meetabout 60 minutes
Who leads: The disciple leads the whole meeting. The discipler participates, then gives encouragement at the end.
Connect· 10 min
- Who taught you to follow Jesus? What did they do that you can imitate?
- How did your “one another” go this week?
Read· 20–25 min
Read aloud: 2 Timothy 2:1–2 and Matthew 28:16–20
- Count the generations in 2 Timothy 2:2. Where are you in that chain?
- What does Jesus command, and what promises surround the command?
- Why does Jesus say “teach them to obey,” not just “teach them”?
- What have you received in these weeks that you could pass on?
Practice· 15 min
- The disciple leads a 10-minute R³ conversation on John 15:1–8: read it aloud twice; ask, “What stands out?”; ask, “What does this show us about Jesus, and about us?”; ask, “How will we respond this week?”
- Debrief. The discipler shares two encouragements and one suggestion.
- Who’s your one? Each write one name. Pray over those names together.
Pray & Plan· 10 min
- Pray for each person’s “one” by name.
- Decide when each of you will make your invitation.
For disciplers: Resist the urge to jump in when your disciple leads. Let them wrestle, then debrief afterward. That’s how you learned too.
For groups: Have several people lead short parts of the meeting this week. Then ask: Who in this group could start a new group or a one-on-one?
Live ItThis week's action step
Name the person you’ll invite to walk through this booklet with you. Pray for them every day this week, then make the invitation.
My “one”
I’ll invite them on
What to say
“I’ve been going through a short study on following Jesus with ___, and it’s been really good for me. Would you be open to meeting with me for about an hour a week to go through it together? We could start with one meeting and see what you think.”
Go deeper (optional): Invite a friend to be your prayer partner for your disciple-making, and pray together once this week.
Pass It Onwithin 48 hours
From now on, every time you learn something new with Jesus, ask: “Who can I share this with in the next 48 hours?”
Five Days with Jesus10–15 minutes a day
Use R³ each day: Read, Reflect, Respond.
Day 1 · Matthew 28:18–20
Where am I going, and who will I teach to obey?
Day 2 · John 20:21
As the Father sent Jesus, Jesus sends me. Where am I sent this week?
Day 3 · 2 Timothy 2:1–2
Who are my “faithful people” to entrust with what I’ve learned?
Day 4 · Colossians 1:28–29
Whose strength do I depend on to help someone grow?
Day 5 · Luke 10:1–9
Jesus sent them out in pairs. Who could go with me?
Awareness: Pass the Baton
Watch for moments when something you’re learning could help someone else. A verse, a prayer, a practice. Don’t keep it. Pass it on within 48 hours.
Ready to Move On?
I’ve led part of a Bible conversation.
I’ve named and prayed for the person I’ll invite.
I’ve made the invitation, or set a date to make it.
When you and your discipler agree these are true, move on to the next session. If not, take another week. That’s growth too.