Teachings on Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ • 22 Chapters • 6 Parts
From Believer to Disciple
Sep 26, 2026 ·
Teachings on Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ
A discipleship book for new believers, growing Christians, small groups, and leaders who make disciples.
Key Scripture: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” — Matthew 16:24
Many churches are full of believers who have never been discipled. They attend services, sing songs and hear sermons, yet their daily lives change very little. Jesus never commanded His church to gather attenders. He commanded it to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).
This book is about the journey from believer to disciple. It explains what a disciple is, what a disciple does, and how a disciple grows. Each teaching is rooted in Scripture and illustrated with real examples from the Bible and church history, along with practical scenarios from everyday Christian life.
One conviction runs through every chapter: church attendance makes you present; discipleship makes you transformed.
Each chapter follows the same pattern, so it can be used for personal study, one-to-one mentoring or a small group.
1. Teaching — the biblical principle and what it means.
2. Real-life example — a person from Scripture or church history who lived out the principle.
3. Practical scenario — a realistic situation from daily life. Names and details are illustrative, not real individuals.
4. Practical steps — what to do this week.
5. Reflection questions — for personal journaling or group discussion. Page 1 of 58
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A suggested pace is one chapter per week. Appendix B offers a 12-week plan for small groups that covers two chapters in some sessions. Discipleship is best learned alongside another believer, so consider reading this book with a mentor or friend.
Part One: The Call — 1. What Is a Disciple? · 2. A Disciple Follows Jesus · 3. A Disciple Counts the Cost · 4. A Disciple Denies Self · 5. A Disciple Takes Up the Cross
Part Two: The Inner Life — 6. Continuing in the Word · 7. Obeying God · 8. A Life of Prayer · 9. Walking by Faith · 10. Led by the Holy Spirit · 11. Resisting Sin · 12. Christlike Character
Part Three: Life Together — 13. Loving Other People · 14. Valuing Fellowship · 15. Accepting Correction · 16. Serving
Part Four: The Mission — 17. Sharing the Gospel · 18. Making Other Disciples Part Five: The Long Obedience — 19. Remaining Faithful · 20. The Marks of a True Disciple
Part Six: Putting It into Practice — 21. The Discipleship Journey · 22. The Disciple’s Daily Habits
Appendices — Self-Assessment · 12-Week Study Plan · Discussion Questions · Memory Scriptures · Closing Charge and Declaration
Part One: The Call
Key Scripture: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” — Matthew 28:19-20
A disciple is a person who follows Jesus, learns from Jesus, obeys Jesus, becomes like Jesus, and helps others follow Jesus. A disciple is more than someone who attends church.
The New Testament word for disciple means a learner or apprentice. In the first century, a disciple did not simply attend a rabbi’s lectures. He lived with his teacher, walked where he walked, watched how he lived and tried to become like him. Discipleship was a whole life apprenticeship.
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From Believer to Disciple
The word “disciple” appears roughly 260 times in the New Testament. The word “Christian” appears only three times. The early church thought of believers first as followers and learners of Jesus.
A disciple:
Knows Christ — has a personal relationship with Him (John 17:3).
Follows Christ — lets Him set the direction of life.
Learns Christ’s teachings — is a lifelong student of His Word.
Obeys God’s Word — puts what is learned into practice.
Develops Christlike character — is being changed from the inside.
Serves God — uses gifts for His kingdom.
Makes other disciples — passes on what has been received.
Every true disciple is a believer. But not every believer lives as a disciple. The difference is not salvation but growth and commitment.
|
A passive believer… |
A growing disciple… |
|
Attends church when convenient |
Belongs to a community and is committed to it |
|
Hears the Word |
Hears, obeys and applies the Word |
|
Prays mainly in crisis |
Prays as a way of life |
|
Asks, “What does the church offer me?” |
Asks, “How can I serve God’s kingdom?” |
|
Keeps faith private |
Shares faith with others |
|
Stays the same for years |
Is being transformed over time |
In Matthew 28:19-20, the only command verb in the Greek is “make disciples”. Going, baptising and teaching describe how disciples are made. Jesus did not command His followers merely to gather converts. He commanded them to form lifelong followers who obey everything He taught.
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Key teaching: Church attendance makes you present; discipleship makes you transformed.
Real-Life Example:Bonhoeffer and “Cheap Grace”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian during the rise of Nazism. In 1937 he published a book known in English as The Cost of Discipleship. In it he warned against what he called “cheap grace”: accepting forgiveness while refusing to follow Jesus in daily life.
Bonhoeffer argued that true grace is costly because it calls a person to follow Christ. He lived what he taught. He opposed the Nazi regime, trained pastors for the Confessing Church, was imprisoned in 1943 and was executed in April 1945, weeks before the war in Europe ended. His life and writing still challenge believers to move beyond mere belief into costly following.
Practical Scenario:Twenty Years in the Pew
Mr Okafor has attended church faithfully for twenty years. He knows the songs and rarely misses a Sunday. But when his cell leader asks him to share how Jesus has changed him recently, he struggles to answer. He has never read the Bible through, never led anyone to Christ, and still loses his temper at home as he did two decades ago.
Mr Okafor is a believer. He has not yet become a growing disciple.
Steps forward for Mr Okafor:
1. Admit honestly to God and a trusted friend that he has been present but not growing. 2. Join a small discipleship group that meets weekly.
3. Begin a simple daily Bible reading plan.
4. Ask his wife where she most wants to see Christ change him, and pray about it. 5. Take one area of service in the church.
Practical Steps
Read Matthew 28:16-20 slowly. Write down what Jesus commands.
Rate yourself from 1 to 5 on each of the seven marks of a disciple.
Find one mature believer who could walk with you through this book.
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Reflection Questions
1. Would people who know me well describe me as a disciple or an attender? 2. Which of the seven marks is weakest in my life?
3. What is the difference between being present and being transformed?
Key Scripture: “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” — Matthew 4:19-20
Discipleship begins with following Jesus. Before Jesus asked His first disciples to believe a creed, preach a sermon or perform a miracle, He said two words: “Follow me.”
Follow Me → I will make you → fishers of men.
1. “Follow me” — our part is to follow.
2. “I will make you” — His part is to transform us. We do not make ourselves disciples; He shapes us as we follow.
3. “Fishers of men” — the result is a life that reaches others.
The order matters. Many people want the result (a fruitful life) without the process (following daily). But fruitfulness flows from following.
Following Jesus means allowing Him to determine:
Where you go — your direction and major decisions.
What you do — your daily choices and priorities.
How you live — your conduct at home, at work and online.
What you believe — your convictions about God, yourself and the world. Who you become — your character and identity.
Luke records Jesus saying a disciple must take up his cross “daily” (Luke 9:23). Following is not one decision made at an altar years ago. It is a thousand small decisions made each day.
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Peter and Andrew left their nets. James and John left their boat and their father (Matthew 4:22). Matthew left his tax booth (Matthew 9:9). Every disciple leaves something: a habit, an ambition, a relationship, a way of thinking. What we leave is small compared with who we follow.
Teaching point: You cannot genuinely call yourself a disciple while deliberately refusing to follow the Master.
Real-LifeExample: HudsonTaylor Follows Christto China
James Hudson Taylor was a young Englishman who sensed God calling him to China. He trained in medicine, learned to live simply and practised trusting God for his needs. In 1853 he sailed for China, arriving the following year.
Taylor made a decision that shocked many Western missionaries: he adopted Chinese clothing and customs so that he could identify with the people he served. In 1865 he founded the China Inland Mission, which sent hundreds of missionaries into China’s interior. Following Jesus shaped where Taylor went, how he lived and who he became.
Practical Scenario:The Job Offer
Adaeze, a young professional, receives a well-paid job offer in another city. The role requires regular work on Sundays and there is no church nearby that she knows. She has been growing rapidly in her faith and serving in the youth ministry. Her friends say, “Take it. God wants you to prosper.”
The question for a disciple is not only “Is this a good opportunity?” but “Is Jesus leading me here?”
How Adaeze can seek Christ’s direction:
1. Pray specifically and without rushing.
2. Search Scripture for principles about work, rest, fellowship and provision. 3. Seek counsel from mature believers who know her well.
4. Ask practical questions: Can Sunday work be negotiated? Is there a healthy church she could join?
5. Make the decision based on following Christ, not only on salary or pressure.
The right answer may be yes or no. The disciple’s posture is what matters: “Lord, where You lead, I will follow.”
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Practical Steps
List the five areas in 2.2. Beside each, write whether Jesus or you is currently deciding. Identify one “net” you need to leave behind to follow Him more fully.
Begin each morning this week with a simple prayer: “Lord Jesus, I will follow You today.”
Reflection Questions
1. Where am I following Jesus from a distance?
2. What have I refused to leave behind?
3. Do I want the fruit of discipleship without the daily following?
6 Questions • Chapters 1–2: Apprenticeship, Seven Marks & Leaving the Nets
Key Scripture: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” — Luke 14:28
Jesus never hid the cost of following Him. Large crowds were following Him when He turned and told them to count the cost (Luke 14:25-33). He wanted committed disciples, not casual admirers.
Jesus gave two short parables. A builder who starts a tower without enough money becomes a laughing-stock. A king who goes to war without enough soldiers must seek peace. The point is simple: begin with your eyes open. Discipleship is a lifelong commitment, not an emotional moment.
You may have to surrender:
Certain habits — addictions, laziness, dishonesty.
Certain relationships — those that pull you away from Christ.
Certain environments — places where you repeatedly fall.
Certain ambitions — goals that compete with God’s purpose.
Certain attitudes — pride, bitterness, unforgiveness.
Certain comforts — time, money, reputation, convenience.
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The cost of discipleship is real. But there is also a cost to non-discipleship: a shallow faith that collapses in trials, a life that never bears lasting fruit, and missing the abundant life Jesus offers (John 10:10). Jesus asked, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
The question is not “What is discipleship going to cost me?” It is “Is Jesus worth everything?”
Jesus told of a man who found treasure in a field and, “for joy thereof”, sold everything to buy it (Matthew 13:44). He did not sell reluctantly. He had found something worth far more.
Real-Life Example:The Rich Young Ruler
A wealthy young man ran to Jesus and asked how to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17-22). He had kept the commandments since his youth. Mark says Jesus looked at him and loved him. Then Jesus told him to sell what he had, give to the poor and follow Him.
The man went away sad, “for he had great possessions”. He was sincere, moral and religious. But when the cost was named, he chose his wealth over the Master. His story is a warning that admiration for Jesus is not the same as following Him.
Real-Life Example: Jim Elliot and the Waorani
In January 1956, five young American missionaries, including Jim Elliot, were killed in the jungle of Ecuador while trying to reach the Waorani people. Years earlier, as a student, Elliot had written in his journal that a person who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose is no fool.
The story did not end in 1956. Elliot’s widow, Elisabeth, and Rachel Saint, the sister of another of the men, later lived among the Waorani. Some of the men involved in the killings became followers of Christ. Elliot had counted the cost and judged Jesus worth it.
Practical Scenario:TheBusiness Deal
Kofi runs a small construction company. A government official offers him a large contract, on condition that he pays a “facilitation fee”. Refusing may mean losing the contract, and possibly future ones. Other firms pay such fees routinely.
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Counting the cost as a disciple:
1. Name the cost honestly: lost income, possible hardship.
2. Name the cost of compromise: sin before God, a damaged conscience, legal risk, a poor witness.
3. Pray and seek counsel from a mature Christian in business.
4. Decline the bribe respectfully and pursue honest work.
5. Trust God with the outcome (Proverbs 10:9).
Practical Steps
Write down three things discipleship is costing you right now.
Write down what you gain in Christ. Compare the lists.
Share one area of costly obedience with a trusted friend and ask them to pray.
Reflection Questions
1. What am I holding back from Jesus because the cost feels too high? 2. Have I been admiring Jesus or following Him?
3. Do I truly believe Jesus is worth everything?
Key Scripture: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself…” — Matthew 16:24
Self-denial is the first condition Jesus named for anyone who wants to come after Him. It is also one of the most misunderstood.
Self-denial does not mean hating yourself, thinking you are worthless, or neglecting your health. God created you, loves you and values you (Psalm 139:14). Jesus Himself rested, ate with friends and cared for His body.
Self-denial means refusing to make self the highest authority in your life. It means removing “me” from the throne and placing Christ there. A disciple learns to pray as Jesus did in Gethsemane: “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).
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Self-denial means:
God’s will above my preference.
God’s Word above my feelings.
God’s purpose above my comfort.
Obedience above convenience.
Christ above self.
Most self-denial is ordinary rather than dramatic:
Holding your tongue when you want to win an argument.
Giving when you would rather spend.
Getting up to pray when you would rather sleep.
Forgiving when you want revenge.
Serving quietly when you would rather be noticed.
Jesus said, “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:25). The self-centred life shrinks. The Christ-centred life expands. Denying self is the path to discovering the person God created you to be.
Real-Life Example: Jesus in Gethsemane
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. He was “exceeding sorrowful, even unto death” (Matthew 26:38). He asked the Father whether the cup of suffering could pass from Him. Luke records that His sweat was like great drops of blood (Luke 22:44).
Yet He concluded, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Jesus did not pretend the cost was easy. He was honest about His feelings, and then surrendered His will to the Father. That is the pattern of self-denial for every disciple.
Real-Life Example:Eric Liddell
Eric Liddell was a Scottish athlete and one of the favourites for the 100 metres at the 1924 Paris Olympics. When he learned the heats would be run on a Sunday, he withdrew, because of his conviction about keeping the Lord’s Day. He was widely criticised.
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He trained instead for the 400 metres, a distance he was not expected to win, and won gold. A year later he went to China as a missionary teacher. During the Second World War he was interned by the Japanese in the Weihsien camp, where he served fellow prisoners, especially young people. He died there in 1945. His life shows self-denial rooted in love for God, not in grim duty.
Practical Scenario:TheWeekend Plans
Chidi has planned a relaxing Saturday. On Friday night, his small-group leader calls: an elderly widow in the group needs help moving house, and only two people are available. Chidi is tired and feels he deserves his free day.
What self-denial might look like:
1. Acknowledge his tiredness honestly to God.
2. Ask, “What would Jesus have me do?”
3. Give part of the day to help, and rest afterwards.
4. Serve cheerfully, not grudgingly (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Self-denial does not mean never resting. It means Christ, not comfort, has the final say.
Practical Steps
Pray Luke 22:42 each morning this week about one specific decision.
Identify one area where your feelings currently outrank God’s Word.
Do one hidden act of service this week that no one will thank you for.
Reflection Questions
1. Who sits on the throne of my decisions: Christ or self?
2. Where am I choosing convenience over obedience?
3. How is self-denial different from self-hatred?
5 Questions • Chapters 3–4: The Builder, The King & The Paradox of Self-Denial
Key Scripture: “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” — Luke 14:27
Jesus continued: “…and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). The cross represents the cost of following Christ. Discipleship has a price.
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Today the cross is often jewellery or decoration. In the first century it was an instrument of public execution. A person carrying a cross was walking to death, stripped of rights and reputation. When Jesus spoke of taking up the cross, His hearers understood Him to mean total surrender.
Not every hardship is a “cross”. Illness, a difficult neighbour or bad weather are part of life in a fallen world. The disciple’s cross is suffering or sacrifice that comes because we follow Jesus.
Sacrifice — giving up what is good for what is better.
Perseverance — continuing when it is hard.
Forgiveness — releasing those who hurt us.
Leaving sinful practices — however familiar or pleasurable.
Rejecting ungodly influences — even when they are popular.
Serving when it is inconvenient — not only when it suits us.
Remaining faithful during difficulties — including mockery, rejection or persecution. Teaching point: A disciple does not follow Jesus only when following Him is comfortable.
The cross is never the end of the story. For Jesus, the cross led to the empty tomb. For the disciple, dying to self leads to new life. Paul wrote, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20). Carrying the cross is painful, but it is the road to resurrection life.
Real-Life Example: Richard Wurmbrand
Richard Wurmbrand was a Lutheran pastor in Romania. After the Communist government took power, he continued to preach Christ and refused to support the regime’s control of the church. He spent a total of about 14 years in prison, including long periods in solitary confinement, where he was tortured.
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After his release and move to the West, he wrote Tortured for Christ and co-founded a ministry to support persecuted Christians, now known as The Voice of the Martyrs. He spoke of loving even his torturers. For millions of believers around the world today, taking up the cross remains a literal reality.
Practical Scenario:The Family Pressure
Aisha comes from a family of another faith. Since becoming a Christian, her parents have threatened to stop paying her university fees unless she renounces Christ. Her brothers mock her, and relatives exclude her from family events.
How her church can help her carry the cross:
1. Listen and pray with her regularly, without pushing her into confrontation. 2. Encourage her to keep honouring her parents in every way that does not require denying Christ (Ephesians 6:2).
3. Help her think through safety carefully; if she is ever at risk of harm, involve appropriate support services.
4. Explore practical support: a church scholarship, help finding part-time work, accommodation if needed.
5. Connect her with other believers who have faced similar pressure.
6. Remind her of Jesus’ promise in Mark 10:29-30.
Practical Steps
Name one cross you are currently carrying because you follow Jesus.
Name one area where you have avoided the cross because it seemed too costly. Pray this week for Christians facing persecution, by name of country or situation.
Reflection Questions
1. Do I follow Jesus only when it is comfortable?
2. What is the difference between ordinary hardship and a disciple’s cross? 3. How does the resurrection give me hope when carrying the cross?
4 Questions • Chapter 5: Voluntary Sacrifice, Daily Surrender & Resurrection Power
Part Two: The Inner Life
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Key Scripture: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” — John 8:31-32
One of the clearest evidence of discipleship is a growing relationship with God’s Word. Jesus did not say “If you start in My word” but “If you continue”. Discipleship is a lifelong relationship with Scripture.
A disciple does not merely hear the Word. A disciple moves through a process: Hear → Understand → Believe → Obey → Practise → Teach others
|
Stage |
What it means |
Question to ask |
|
Hear |
Receive the Word through reading or preaching |
What does it say? |
|
Understand |
Grasp its meaning in context |
What does it mean? |
|
Believe |
Accept it as true for my life |
Do I trust this? |
|
Obey |
Act on it |
What must I do? |
|
Practise |
Make it a habit |
How will I live this daily? |
|
Teach others |
Pass it on |
Who needs to hear this from me? |
The life of Christ — the Gospels show who we follow.
The teachings of Christ — especially the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The promises of God — to strengthen faith.
The commands of God — to guide obedience.
The principles of Christian living — in the letters of the New Testament.
Many disciples find the S.O.A.P. method helpful:
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1. Scripture — read a passage and write down one verse that stands out. 2. Observation — what does it say? Who, what, where, why?
3. Application — what does it mean for me today?
4. Prayer — respond to God about what you have read.
Hear it preached (Romans 10:17), read it daily, study it deeply, memorise key verses (Psalm 119:11), and meditate on it through the day (Joshua 1:8). Each strengthens the others.
Real-LifeExample:TheBereans
When Paul preached in Berea, the people “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). Luke calls them “more noble” than those in Thessalonica.
The Bereans combined eagerness with careful study. They did not accept teaching simply because of who preached it. They checked it against Scripture. As a result, “many of them believed” (17:12).
Real-Life Example: William Tyndale
In the early 1500s, it was illegal in England to translate the Bible into English without church approval. William Tyndale, a scholar, was determined that ordinary people, even a boy working behind a plough, should be able to read Scripture for themselves.
Working in exile in Europe, he translated the New Testament from Greek, and copies were smuggled into England from 1526. He was arrested, and in 1536 he was executed near Brussels. Much of his wording later shaped the King James Version of 1611. Many believers today can read the Bible in their own language partly because people like Tyndale counted it worth their lives.
Practical Scenario: “I Don’t Understand theBible”
Esi became a Christian six months ago. She tried reading from Genesis but gave up in Leviticus. Now she only listens to sermons on Sunday and feels guilty.
Helping Esi continue in the Word:
1. Start with the Gospel of Mark, a short and vivid account of Jesus.
2. Read one short passage a day, not whole chapters.
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3. Use the S.O.A.P. method in a simple notebook.
4. Meet a mentor weekly to discuss questions.
5. Memorise one verse each week, starting with John 8:31-32.
6. After Mark, read John, then Acts, then Romans.
Practical Steps
Choose a reading plan and a fixed time for daily reading.
Use S.O.A.P. for seven days in a row.
Share one thing you learned with someone else this week.
Reflection Questions
1. Where do I stop in the process from hearing to teaching?
2. Do I read the Bible for information or for transformation?
3. What would it take for me to continue in the Word daily?
Key Scripture: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15
Discipleship is demonstrated through obedience. Jesus linked love and obedience directly. We do not obey in order to earn God’s love; we obey because we have received it.
There is a difference between knowing God’s Word and doing God’s Word. James wrote, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). He compared a hearer who does not obey to a man who looks in a mirror and immediately forgets what he looks like (James 1:23-24).
Jesus ended the Sermon on the Mount with two builders (Matthew 7:24-27). Both heard His words. Only the one who did them built on rock. When the storm came, the difference was obedience.
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|
Kind |
Description |
Example |
|
Immediate |
Acting without unnecessary delay |
The disciples leaving their nets “straightway” (Matthew 4:20) |
|
Complete |
Doing all, not part, of what God said |
Saul spared what God told him to destroy, and lost his kingdom (1 Samuel 15) |
|
Joyful |
Obeying from love, not resentment |
“I delight to do thy will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8) |
|
Costly |
Obeying when it hurts |
Abraham offering Isaac (Genesis 22) |
|
Unseen |
Obeying when no one is watching |
Joseph’s integrity in Potiphar’s house (Genesis 39) |
Delayed obedience is often disobedience in disguise. “I will forgive them later”, “I will start giving when I earn more” and “I will deal with that habit next year” can quietly become permanent refusals.
Ask yourself:
What has God told me to do?
Am I obeying it?
What instruction have I delayed?
What area of my life have I refused to surrender?
Real-LifeExample: Naaman’s Partial ObedienceTurned Full
Naaman, a Syrian army commander, had leprosy. The prophet Elisha told him to wash seven times in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:10). Naaman was offended. He had expected something dramatic, and he thought the rivers of Damascus were better.
His servants reasoned with him: if the prophet had asked something difficult, would he not have done it? Naaman humbled himself, dipped seven times, and was healed. God’s instructions sometimes seem too simple or too humbling. Blessing followed complete
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obedience, not the first six dips.
Real-LifeExample: Philip and the Desert Road
Philip was leading a thriving revival in Samaria (Acts 8:5-8). Then an angel told him to go to a desert road (8:26). It made little sense to leave a crowd for an empty road. Philip “arose and went”. There he met an Ethiopian official reading Isaiah, explained the Gospel, and baptised him. Obedience to an unusual instruction carried the Gospel towards Africa.
Practical Scenario:The UnreconciledBrother
David and his brother have not spoken for three years after a dispute over their late father’s property. In his small group, David studies Matthew 5:23-24, where Jesus says to be reconciled with your brother before offering your gift. He feels convicted but says, “He is the one who wronged me. He should call first.”
Moving from knowing to doing:
1. Acknowledge that God has spoken clearly through His Word.
2. Pray for his brother by name every day for a week.
3. Seek counsel on how to approach him wisely.
4. Make contact with a humble message, without demanding an apology. 5. Leave the outcome to God (Romans 12:18).
Practical Steps
Write down one clear instruction from God you have not yet obeyed.
Set a date this week to take the first step.
Tell a trusted friend and ask them to follow up with you.
Reflection Questions
1. Is my obedience immediate, complete and joyful?
2. Which instruction from God have I been delaying?
3. Am I building on rock or on sand?
5 Questions • Chapters 6–7: Doers vs Hearers, Delayed Obedience & King Saul's Failure
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Key Scripture: “And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray.” — Luke 11:1
The disciples watched Jesus heal the sick, calm storms and preach to crowds. Yet the only thing the Gospels record them asking Him to teach them was how to pray. They saw that prayer was the source of His life and ministry.
Many believers pray mainly when trouble comes. A disciple develops a lifestyle of prayer. Paul wrote, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This does not mean being on your knees all day. It means living in constant conversation and awareness of God.
He prayed early: “rising up a great while before day” (Mark 1:35).
He prayed alone, withdrawing to quiet places (Luke 5:16).
He prayed all night before choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12).
He prayed with others (Luke 9:28).
He prayed in anguish (Luke 22:44).
He prayed for others, including His future disciples (John 17:20).
A disciple prays:
Alone and with other believers.
For personal growth.
For the church and its leaders.
For the lost.
For family.
For God’s kingdom to come.
For strength to overcome temptation (Matthew 26:41).
1. Adoration — praise God for who He is.
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2. Confession — admit sin and receive forgiveness.
3. Thanksgiving — thank Him for what He has done.
4. Supplication — ask for your needs and the needs of others.
The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is also a model: God’s name, kingdom and will come first, then daily needs, forgiveness and protection.
Real-Life Example: George Müller ofBristol
George Müller was a German-born pastor who settled in Bristol, England. In 1836 he opened a home for orphans. Over the following decades, his orphanages cared for more than 10,000 children.
Müller made a deliberate decision not to ask people for money or advertise needs. Instead, he brought needs to God in prayer and recorded answers in his journals. Many stories are told of provisions arriving at the last moment, such as food for a morning meal when the cupboards were empty. Müller wanted his life to show that God hears and answers prayer.
Real-Life Example: Daniel’s Habit of Prayer
When a royal decree made prayer to anyone but the king punishable by death, Daniel went home, opened his windows towards Jerusalem and prayed three times a day, “as he did aforetime” (Daniel 6:10). His faithfulness in crisis came from a habit built long before the crisis.
Practical Scenario:TheBusy Mother
Ngozi has three young children and a part-time job. She feels guilty because she cannot find an hour to pray each morning. She has started to believe prayer is for people with more time.
Building a realistic prayer life:
1. Replace the goal of “one hour” with a consistent 10 minutes during the children’s nap or before they wake.
2. Pray while doing routine tasks: walking to school, washing dishes, commuting. 3. Pray with the children at meals and bedtime.
4. Keep a small list of prayer requests on her phone.
5. Join a weekly prayer meeting or online prayer group when possible.
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God values the heart and consistency of prayer more than its length (Matthew 6:7).
Practical Steps
Set a fixed daily time and place for prayer.
Use the A.C.T.S. pattern for one week.
Start a prayer journal and record answers.
Reflection Questions
1. Is prayer my first response or my last resort?
2. What would “praying without ceasing” look like in my daily routine?
3. Whom do I pray for regularly besides myself?
Key Scripture: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7
A disciple learns to trust God even when circumstances are unclear. Faith is not a feeling or a formula. It is confident trust in God’s character and promises, expressed in obedience.
Trusting God’s character → Believing His Word → Obeying His instruction → Continuing despite difficulties
Faith starts with who God is. We trust His Word because we trust His character. We obey because we believe. And we continue because faith is a walk, not a single step.
Faith does not mean pretending difficulties do not exist. Abraham “considered not his own body now dead” but did not deny the facts; he trusted God more than the facts (Romans 4:19-21).
Faith is not a way to force God to do what we want. It is trusting Him to do what is right, even when we do not understand.
Teaching point: Faith refuses to allow difficulties to become greater than your confidence in God.
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Hearing God’s Word — “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
Remembering God’s past faithfulness — as Israel set up memorial stones (Joshua 4). Stepping out in small obedience — faith muscles grow with use.
Walking with people of faith — faith is contagious.
Passing through trials — tested faith becomes stronger (1 Peter 1:7).
Real-LifeExample: “But If Not”
King Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into a blazing furnace unless they bowed to his golden image. Their answer is one of Scripture’s clearest statements of faith: God is able to deliver us, “but if not”, we still will not bow (Daniel 3:17-18).
Their faith rested on who God is, not on a guaranteed outcome. God did deliver them, and a fourth figure was seen walking with them in the fire (3:25). Mature faith trusts God both for deliverance and in the fire.
Real-LifeExample: Horatio Spafford
Horatio Spafford was a Chicago lawyer and committed Christian. In 1873 his wife and four daughters sailed for Europe. Their ship sank after a collision in the Atlantic, and all four girls died. His wife survived and sent him a telegram beginning with the words “Saved alone.”
As Spafford crossed the ocean to join her, he is said to have passed near the place where his daughters died. Around that time he wrote the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul”. His grief was real, yet he chose to anchor himself in God’s goodness. His hymn has strengthened countless believers walking through loss.
Practical Scenario:The Unanswered Prayer for a Child
Mr and Mrs Mensah have prayed for eight years for a child. Well-meaning friends tell them they must lack faith, or that there must be sin in their lives. Mrs Mensah is beginning to doubt God’s love.
Helping them walk by faith:
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1. Gently correct the false teaching: unanswered prayer is not proof of weak faith or hidden sin (John 9:2-3).
2. Give them space to lament honestly, as the Psalms do (Psalm 13).
3. Remind them of God’s character: good, wise and loving, even when His ways are hidden.
4. Encourage them to continue praying while also seeking wise medical advice. 5. Surround them with a caring, discreet community that does not pressure them.
Faith keeps trusting God’s heart when it cannot trace His hand.
Practical Steps
Write down five times God has been faithful to you. Keep the list somewhere visible. Identify one situation where you are walking by sight, not faith.
Memorise Proverbs 3:5-6 this week.
Reflection Questions
1. Is my faith based on God’s character or on getting what I want?
2. How do I respond when God does not answer as I hoped?
3. What small step of faith is God asking me to take now?
4 Questions • Chapters 8–9: The A.C.T.S. Model, Walking by Faith & Enduring Trials
Key Scripture: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” — Romans 8:14
Jesus promised His disciples that He would not leave them alone. He would send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who would teach them, remind them of His words and guide them into all truth (John 14:16-26; 16:13). A disciple learns to hear and follow the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not a force or a feeling. He is God, the third Person of the Trinity. He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). He convicts of sin (John 16:8), gives new birth (John 3:5-6), lives within believers (1 Corinthians 6:19), empowers witness (Acts 1:8), produces fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) and gives gifts for serving others (1 Corinthians 12:7).
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A disciple develops sensitivity to the Holy Spirit through:
Scripture — the Spirit speaks primarily through the Word He inspired. Prayer — including quiet listening, not only talking.
Obedience — following what He has already shown opens us to more.
Spiritual discernment — testing impressions carefully (1 John 4:1).
Godly counsel — “in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). Sensitivity to conviction — responding quickly when He points out sin.
The Holy Spirit never leads a disciple into deliberate contradiction of God’s Word. If someone says, “The Spirit told me to leave my spouse for someone else” or “God told me to stop listening to anyone who corrects me,” the claim must be rejected. The Spirit who inspired Scripture does not contradict it.
When you sense God is leading you, ask:
1. Is it consistent with Scripture?
2. Does it build Christlike character?
3. Do mature believers who know me confirm it?
4. Is there peace, not merely excitement? (Colossians 3:15)
5. Do circumstances open or close the way?
Real-Life Example:The Macedonian Call
On Paul’s second missionary journey, he and his companions tried to preach in Asia, but were “forbidden of the Holy Ghost”. They tried to go into Bithynia, but “the Spirit suffered them not” (Acts 16:6-7). Then Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia pleading, “Come over … and help us” (16:9).
They concluded God was calling them and went immediately (16:10). The Gospel entered Europe, starting with Lydia in Philippi. Notice that the Spirit led through closed doors as well as open ones, and the team discerned the guidance together.
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Practical Scenario: “The Spirit Told Me”
Benjamin, a young believer, tells his small group that the Holy Spirit told him to quit his job and start a ministry immediately. He has no savings, a young family, and no confirmation from his church leaders. When questioned, he says, “You can’t argue with the Spirit.”
Helping Benjamin discern:
1. Affirm his desire to serve God.
2. Walk through the five testing questions together.
3. Remind him that providing for his family is a scriptural duty (1 Timothy 5:8). 4. Encourage him to begin serving now, within his current job and church. 5. Suggest he seeks counsel from his pastor and waits for confirmation over time.
Genuine guidance from the Spirit can withstand testing.
Practical Steps
Read John 14-16 and list everything Jesus said the Spirit would do.
Ask the Holy Spirit each morning to guide your decisions that day.
When you sense conviction, respond within the hour, not “someday”.
Reflection Questions
1. How sensitive am I to the Holy Spirit’s conviction?
2. Have I ever claimed God’s leading to justify my own desires?
3. Whom do I trust to help me test guidance?
3 Questions • Chapter 10: The Person of the Spirit, Biblical Guidance & Spiritual Safeguards
Key Scripture: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” — Romans 6:12
Discipleship involves spiritual transformation. A disciple does not become sinless overnight, but develops a new attitude toward sin. Sin may still be present, but it must no longer reign.
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Instead of asking, “How close can I get to sin?” the disciple asks, “How close can I walk with Christ?” The first question looks for boundaries to push. The second looks for a Person to follow.
James describes the process: desire, then enticement, then sin, then death (James 1:14-15). Temptation is not sin. Jesus was tempted in every way, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Sin happens when we entertain and act on the temptation.
The earlier you resist, the easier it is. It is easier to turn away from a thought than from an action already begun.
1. Recognise temptation — know your weak areas and triggers.
2. Avoid compromising environments — “make not provision for the flesh” (Romans 13:14).
3. Resist sinful desires — “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). 4. Confess sin — quickly and honestly (1 John 1:9).
5. Repent — turn around, not just feel sorry.
6. Seek accountability — “confess your faults one to another” (James 5:16). 7. Depend on the Holy Spirit — “walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus answered each temptation with Scripture: “It is written…” (Matthew 4:1-11). Disciples should memorise verses that speak to their specific areas of struggle.
When a disciple falls, the answer is not despair but repentance. Condemnation drives people away from God; conviction draws them back. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
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Real-Life Example: Joseph Flees
Joseph was a young slave in Egypt when his master’s wife tried to seduce him “day by day” (Genesis 39:10). He refused, saying, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” When she grabbed him, he left his garment and fled.
Joseph saw sin first as an offence against God. He refused repeatedly, avoided being near her, and when cornered, ran. Sometimes the wisest way to resist temptation is to flee (2 Timothy 2:22). His integrity cost him prison, but God was with him there.
Real-Life Example: John Newton
John Newton worked in the Atlantic slave trade as a young man, including as captain of slave ships. He turned to God during a violent storm at sea in 1748, but his change was gradual. For some years after, he continued in the trade.
Over time, his conscience grew under God’s Word. He left the sea, became a minister in England and wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace”. In 1788 he published a pamphlet confessing his shame at his former role and exposing the horrors of the trade. He supported William Wilberforce in the campaign to abolish it. Newton’s story shows both the power of grace and the process of growing in holiness.
Practical Scenario:The Late-Night Struggle
Samuel, a 22-year-old student, struggles with pornography. He repents regularly but keeps falling, usually late at night when alone with his phone. He feels ashamed and is considering giving up on his faith.
A path to freedom:
1. Remind him that God’s grace is greater than his failure, and struggle is not the same as surrender.
2. Identify triggers: late nights, isolation, stress, boredom.
3. Change the environment: phone charging outside the bedroom, content filters, accountability software.
4. Find an accountability partner he can be honest with weekly.
5. Memorise verses such as 1 Corinthians 10:13 and Psalm 119:9-11.
6. Fill the void with healthy activities, friendships and rest.
7. If the pattern feels compulsive or overwhelming, seek help from a qualified Christian counsellor.
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Practical Steps
Name your top two areas of temptation.
Write one practical boundary for each.
Tell one trusted believer and ask them to check on you weekly.
Reflection Questions
1. Am I asking how close I can get to sin, or how close I can walk with Christ? 2. What environments do I need to avoid?
3. Do I respond to failure with repentance or with despair?
Key Scripture: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.” — Romans 8:29
The goal of discipleship is not simply acquiring biblical information. It is becoming like Christ. God’s purpose is to shape His children into the likeness of His Son.
Teaching point: The evidence of discipleship is not only what you know but who you are becoming.
Galatians 5:22-23 describes the character the Holy Spirit produces. Paul calls it “fruit”, singular: one harvest with nine flavours, not a menu to choose from.
|
Fruit |
What it looks like |
What it replaces |
|
Love |
Seeking others’ good sacrificially |
Selfishness |
|
Joy |
Deep gladness in God, even in hardship |
Bitterness, despair |
|
Peace |
Inner rest; making peace with others |
Anxiety, strife |
|
Patience |
Enduring people and delays without anger |
Irritability |
|
Kindness |
Practical, gentle helpfulness |
Harshness |
|
Goodness |
Moral uprightness and generosity |
Corruption |
|
Faithfulness |
Reliability; keeping your word |
Unreliability |
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|
Fruit |
What it looks like |
What it replaces |
|
Gentleness |
Strength under control; humility |
Aggression, pride |
|
Self-control |
Mastery over desires and impulses |
Indulgence |
Fruit is not manufactured; it grows. Character develops as we:
Abide in Christ — “He that abideth in me … bringeth forth much fruit” (John 15:5). Walk in the Spirit — depending on Him moment by moment.
Behold Christ — we are changed as we look at Him (2 Corinthians 3:18). Practise godly habits — “exercise thyself rather unto godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). Go through trials — which produce patience and maturity (James 1:2-4).
It is easy to be kind when people are kind to you. Character is revealed when you are tired, insulted, disappointed or tempted. Home, traffic, the workplace and social media are testing grounds for the fruit of the Spirit.
Real-Life Example: Peter’sTransformation
In the Gospels, Peter is impulsive and unstable. He rebuked Jesus (Matthew 16:22), cut off a servant’s ear (John 18:10) and denied Jesus three times. He was sincere but ruled by emotion.
After Pentecost, a different Peter appears. He preached boldly, stood calmly before the council, rejoiced to suffer for Christ (Acts 5:41) and humbly accepted correction from Paul (Galatians 2:11-14). In his letters he writes about gentleness, self-control and patience (2 Peter 1:5-7). The Spirit transformed Peter’s character over a lifetime.
Real-LifeExample: Stephen
Stephen was chosen to serve because he was “full of faith and of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 6:5). When he was stoned to death, he prayed, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60). His dying words echoed Jesus on the cross. That is Christlike character under the greatest pressure.
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Practical Scenario:The Harsh Manager
Comfort works for a manager who criticises her unfairly and publicly. She is tempted to gossip about him, work half-heartedly and post veiled complaints online. She is also a faithful church member who sings in the choir.
Christlike character at work:
1. Continue to work “heartily, as to the Lord” (Colossians 3:23).
2. Refuse to gossip or post about him.
3. Pray for him specifically (Matthew 5:44).
4. Speak to him respectfully and privately about specific concerns.
5. Use proper workplace channels if the treatment becomes abusive.
6. Ask the Spirit daily for patience and self-control.
Practical Steps
Rate yourself honestly on each fruit in the table.
Ask someone who lives with you which fruit they see most and least.
Choose one fruit to focus on this month, with a memory verse and daily prayer.
Reflection Questions
1. Am I becoming more like Christ, or only knowing more about Him?
2. Where does my character show cracks under pressure?
3. Which fruit of the Spirit do people see least in me?
4 Questions • Chapters 11–12: Temptation Anatomy, 1 Cor 10:13 & The Unified Fruit of the Spirit
Part Three: Life Together
Key Scripture: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” — John 13:35
Jesus did not say people would recognise His disciples by their doctrine, their gifts or their buildings. He said they would recognise them by their love. Love is one of the greatest marks of discipleship.
Important principle: You cannot claim to be growing closer to Christ while deliberately growing colder toward people.
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Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” (John 13:34). The standard is not how others love us, or how we feel. It is how Jesus loved: humbly, sacrificially and to the end. He said this on the night He washed His disciples’ feet, including the feet of Judas.
A disciple learns to:
Forgive — “even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). Serve — love is practical, not only emotional.
Encourage — strengthen those who are weak.
Be patient — “Charity suffereth long, and is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4).
Help others — in word and in deed (1 John 3:18).
Avoid unnecessary offence — choosing not to take or give offence easily. Pray for others — including enemies (Matthew 5:44).
Carry the burdens of others — “and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
Feelings rise and fall. Biblical love is a commitment to seek another person’s good. You can choose to act lovingly towards someone you do not yet feel warmly towards, and feelings often follow actions.
Forgiveness means releasing the debt and the desire for revenge. It does not mean pretending harm did not happen, and it does not always mean restoring trust immediately. Where there is abuse or danger, forgiving someone is fully compatible with keeping yourself and others safe.
Real-Life Example: Corrie tenBoom
Corrie ten Boom and her family were Dutch Christians who hid Jewish people in their home in Haarlem during the Nazi occupation. In 1944 they were betrayed and arrested. Corrie and her sister Betsie were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp, where Betsie died.
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After the war, Corrie travelled widely, speaking about God’s forgiveness. In 1947, after a talk in Germany, a man approached her. She recognised him as one of the guards from Ravensbrück. He said he had become a Christian and asked her forgiveness. Corrie later wrote that she felt nothing but coldness. She prayed for help, reached out her hand, and then felt God’s love flow through her. She discovered that forgiveness is an act of the will that God enables, even when feelings lag behind.
Practical Scenario:The Church Offence
Brother Emeka was passed over for a leadership role he expected. He believes a church elder spoke against him. Now he avoids the elder, criticises him privately and has stopped greeting him on Sundays. He still attends every service and serves in the media team.
Choosing love:
1. Admit the hurt honestly to God.
2. Stop criticising the elder to others (Ephesians 4:29).
3. Pray for the elder by name every day for two weeks.
4. Request a private conversation to clarify what happened (Matthew 18:15). 5. Choose to forgive, whatever the outcome of the conversation.
6. Greet him warmly on Sunday, as an act of obedience.
Practical Steps
Think of the person you find hardest to love. Pray for them daily this week. Do one practical act of love for someone who cannot repay you.
If you hold unforgiveness, write it down, pray about it, and release it to God.
Reflection Questions
1. Would people recognise me as a disciple by my love?
2. Whom am I growing colder towards?
3. How is forgiveness different from trust?
Key Scripture: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” — Acts 2:42
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The first disciples did not follow Jesus alone. After Pentecost, new believers devoted themselves to fellowship as much as to teaching and prayer. A disciple does not deliberately isolate himself from the body of Christ.
Principle: Isolation weakens spiritual growth; healthy fellowship strengthens it.
The Greek word koinonia means sharing, partnership or participation. Fellowship is more than coffee after the service. It is sharing life in Christ: joys, burdens, resources, prayer and mission.
Encouragement — “exhorting one another” (Hebrews 10:25).
Accountability — people who notice when we drift.
Teaching — we learn from one another’s insights.
Prayer — others pray when we cannot.
Correction — loving friends tell us the truth (Proverbs 27:6).
Service — opportunities to use our gifts for others.
Spiritual relationships — friendships centred on Christ.
Paul describes the church as a body with many parts (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). A hand cut off from the body cannot live. Each member needs the others, and each member is needed.
People withdraw because of hurt, shame, busyness, introversion, disappointment with the church, or simply drifting. Each reason is understandable. But Hebrews warns against “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is” (10:25). Online services can help, especially for the sick or housebound, but they are not a full substitute for belonging to a local body.
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Real-LifeExample:Elijah Alone
After his victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah fled into the wilderness and told God twice, “I, even I only, am left” (1 Kings 19:10, 14). Isolation had distorted his view. God corrected him: there were 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed to Baal (19:18). God also gave him a companion, Elisha. Isolation makes problems look bigger and our support look smaller than they really are.
Real-LifeExample:The Moravians at Herrnhut
In the 1720s, Protestant refugees from Moravia and Bohemia settled on the estate of Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf in Saxony, founding a community called Herrnhut. At first the community was troubled by quarrels and division.
Zinzendorf and the members committed themselves to Bible study, small groups and reconciliation. On 13 August 1727, during a communion service, the community experienced a deep renewal of unity and love. Soon afterwards, members began a round the-clock prayer chain that is reported to have continued for about a hundred years. From 1732 the Moravians sent missionaries across the world. Healthy fellowship became the launching pad for mission.
Practical Scenario:The Online-OnlyBeliever
Tunde started watching services online during an illness. He recovered two years ago but never returned in person. He says, “I still get the teaching, so what’s the difference?” He admits he has no close Christian friends and has been struggling with loneliness and temptation.
Returning to fellowship:
1. Recognise what he is missing: encouragement, accountability, service and friendship. 2. Attend in person once a month, then increase.
3. Join one small group, where relationships form more easily than in a large service. 4. Invite one believer for a meal.
5. Take one small area of service.
Practical Steps
Name three believers you are genuinely close to. If you cannot, begin building one relationship.
Commit to a small group or discipleship group.
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Reach out this week to someone who has become isolated.
Reflection Questions
1. Am I truly connected to other believers, or only present?
2. What pulls me towards isolation?
3. How can I help make my church a place of genuine fellowship?
3 Questions • Chapters 13–14: The New Commandment, Forgiveness vs Trust & Dangers of Isolation
Key Scripture: “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.” — Proverbs 12:1
A disciple is, by definition, a learner. Learners must remain teachable. Proverbs is blunt: loving correction is the way to knowledge, and hating it is foolish.
15.1Two Responses to Correction
When corrected, a disciple learns to ask, “What is God trying to teach me through this?” rather than immediately asking, “Who gave you the right to correct me?”
|
An unteachable response |
A teachable response |
|
Defends immediately |
Listens fully first |
|
Attacks the messenger |
Considers the message |
|
Makes excuses |
Takes responsibility |
|
Holds a grudge |
Thanks the person, even if it hurt |
|
Stays the same |
Changes where the correction is true |
Instruction — teaching on how to do something better.
Correction — being told something is wrong.
Counsel — wise advice before a decision.
Constructive criticism — honest feedback on work or conduct.
Accountability — people checking progress on commitments.
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“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” (Hebrews 12:6). God’s correction is evidence of His love, not His rejection. He often corrects through His Word, through the Holy Spirit’s conviction, through circumstances and through other people.
Not all criticism is accurate or kindly meant. A teachable disciple does not accept everything uncritically but weighs it: Is it true? Is there even a small part that is true? Does it agree with Scripture? Do others who know me see the same? Being teachable is not the same as being a doormat, and correction must never become a cover for abuse or control.
Real-Life Example: Apollos Receives Instruction
Apollos was an eloquent, learned preacher, “mighty in the scriptures” (Acts 18:24). But his understanding was incomplete; he knew only the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila, a tentmaking couple, heard him speak. They took him aside privately and “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly” (18:26).
Apollos, despite his gifts and reputation, received their instruction. As a result, he became even more fruitful, greatly helping believers in Achaia (18:27-28). Notice also how he was corrected: privately, respectfully, by people who cared.
Real-LifeExample: David and Nathan
When the prophet Nathan confronted King David over his adultery and the murder of Uriah, David could have silenced him. Instead he said, “I have sinned against the LORD” (2 Samuel 12:13). His repentance, recorded in Psalm 51, became a prayer used by believers for three thousand years.
Practical Scenario:The Choir Rehearsal
Gifty is a talented singer. After rehearsal, the choir director tells her kindly that she often arrives late and that her attitude towards newer members sometimes seems dismissive. Gifty feels humiliated. On the drive home, she drafts a message saying she is quitting the choir.
A teachable response:
1. Do not send the message while angry.
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2. Pray: “Lord, is there truth in this?”
3. Ask a trusted friend whether they have noticed the same.
4. Acknowledge what is true and thank the director.
5. Make specific changes: arrive 10 minutes early and personally welcome new members. 6. Revisit the conversation after a month to show growth.
Practical Steps
Recall the last correction you received. How did you respond?
Ask one trusted person: “What is one area where I need to grow?” Listen without defending.
Thank someone who has corrected you in the past.
Reflection Questions
1. Do I become defensive when corrected?
2. Who in my life has permission to tell me the truth?
3. How can I distinguish between loving correction and unfair criticism?
Key Scripture: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:45
Jesus demonstrated servant leadership. The King of kings knelt to wash His disciples’ feet and then said, “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15).
Principle: Discipleship moves a person from sitting in church to serving in God’s house.
16.1 A Change of Question
A disciple does not ask only, “What can the church give me?” but also, “What can I do for God’s kingdom?” Consumers evaluate churches by what they receive. Disciples contribute to the body they belong to.
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“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another” (1 Peter 4:10). No believer is giftless. Romans 12:6-8 lists gifts such as serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading and showing mercy.
|
Area |
Examples |
|
Evangelism |
Outreach, sharing faith, community events |
|
Ushering and hospitality |
Welcoming, seating, refreshments |
|
Music |
Choir, instruments, sound |
|
Children’s ministry |
Teaching, supervising, planning (with safeguarding training) |
|
Media |
Livestream, graphics, social media |
|
Follow-up |
Contacting visitors and new believers |
|
Prayer |
Prayer teams, intercession |
|
Welfare |
Visiting the sick, helping the needy |
|
Administration |
Records, finance, organisation |
|
Teaching |
Small groups, foundations classes |
|
Giving |
Tithes, offerings, generosity to those in need |
|
Practical acts |
Cleaning, repairs, transport, cooking |
Service is not about being seen. Jesus warned against doing good works “to be seen of men” (Matthew 6:1). True service is motivated by love for God and people, done with humility, and offered even when no one says thank you.
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Ask: What am I good at? What do I enjoy? What needs move my heart? What do mature believers see in me? Then try serving somewhere. Gifts are often discovered in action, not only in reflection.
Real-LifeExample:Tabitha (Dorcas)
In Joppa lived a disciple named Tabitha, also called Dorcas, who was “full of good works and almsdeeds” (Acts 9:36). When she died, the widows gathered around Peter, weeping and showing him the coats and garments she had made for them (9:39).
Dorcas never preached a recorded sermon. Her ministry was sewing clothes for the poor. Yet her service was so valued that God raised her from the dead through Peter, and “many believed in the Lord” (9:42). Practical service is real ministry.
Real-Life Example:The Seven Servants
When the early church needed people to distribute food fairly to widows, they chose seven men “of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). One of them, Stephen, became the first Christian martyr. Another, Philip, became an evangelist. Faithfulness in serving tables prepared them for greater ministry.
Practical Scenario:The Faithful Attender
Mrs Asante has attended church for 15 years. She is a retired nurse. When asked to serve, she says, “I’ve done my time. Let the young people do it.” But she is lonely and says church no longer feels meaningful.
Helping her find her place:
1. Honour her past service and experience.
2. Suggest roles that fit her gifts: visiting the sick, a health ministry, mentoring young mothers.
3. Start small, with a monthly commitment.
4. Pair her with a younger believer she can encourage.
5. Celebrate the difference her service makes.
Often, joy returns when we begin to serve.
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Practical Steps
Identify your top two gifts and one need in your church that moves you. Volunteer for one area of service this month.
Do one act of hidden service each week.
Reflection Questions
1. Am I a consumer or a contributor in my church?
2. What gifts has God given me, and am I using them?
3. Would I still serve if no one ever thanked me?
4 Questions • Chapters 15–16: Proverbs 12:1, Receiving Correction & Mark 10:45 Servant Leadership
Part Four: The Mission
Key Scripture: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” — Acts 1:8
A disciple cannot keep Christ to himself. Jesus did not say “You may be witnesses” but “Ye shall be.” Every disciple is a witness, telling what they have seen and experienced of Jesus.
17.1WhatEvery Disciple ShouldBe Able to Share
1. What Christ has done — His death and resurrection for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). 2. What Christ means to them — their personal story of faith.
3. Why people need salvation — all have sinned and are separated from God (Romans 3:23).
4. How someone can respond — repentance and faith in Christ (Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9).
17.2 Your Personal Story inThree Parts
A simple way to share your testimony in two or three minutes:
Before — what my life was like before I followed Jesus.
How — how I came to trust Him.
After — what difference He makes now.
Keep it honest, short and focused on Jesus, not on dramatic details.
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|
Truth |
Scripture |
|
God loves you and created you for relationship with Him |
John 3:16 |
|
Sin separates us from God |
Romans 3:23; 6:23 |
|
Jesus died and rose again to bring us back to God |
1 Peter 3:18 |
|
We respond by turning from sin and trusting Christ |
Romans 10:9-10 |
|
New life begins, and we follow Him as disciples |
2 Corinthians 5:17 |
Most believers do not share their faith because of fear: of rejection, of not knowing answers, of offending people. Remember that the Holy Spirit gives power (Acts 1:8). You are responsible for faithfulness, not results. It is fine to say, “I don’t know, but I will find out.” And gentleness and respect matter (1 Peter 3:15).
Real-LifeExample:TheWoman attheWell
A Samaritan woman met Jesus at a well at midday (John 4). She had a complicated past and was likely avoided by her community. After Jesus revealed Himself to her, she left her water pot and went into the town, saying, “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did” (4:29).
She had no training and knew little theology. She simply told what she had experienced and invited people to come and see. Many Samaritans believed because of her testimony (4:39).
Real-LifeExample:Edward Kimball and D. L. Moody
Edward Kimball taught a Sunday school class in Boston. In 1855 he felt he should speak personally with a young shoe salesman in his class. Nervous and unsure, he went to the shoe store where the young man worked, spoke to him in the back of the shop about Christ’s love, and the young man gave his life to Christ.
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That young man was Dwight L. Moody, who became one of the best-known evangelists of the 19th century, preaching to vast crowds in America and Britain. Kimball did not preach to thousands. He spoke to one person, faithfully.
Practical Scenario:The Colleague’s Question
During lunch, Kwesi’s colleague Mark, whose father recently died, asks, “How do you stay so calm? Do you really believe all that church stuff?” Kwesi is nervous and changes the subject. That evening he regrets it.
Next time, Kwesi can:
1. Listen first: ask how Mark is coping with his father’s death.
2. Share briefly how Christ has given him hope in hard times.
3. Avoid arguing or preaching; answer honestly.
4. Offer to pray for Mark, or to meet for coffee to talk more.
5. Invite him to a church event or a course for enquirers.
6. Keep caring for Mark, whatever his response.
Practical Assignment
Every disciple should prayerfully identify one person they can intentionally reach, invite, encourage and disciple. Write their name here, and pray for them daily: ________________
Practical Steps
Write your testimony in 250 words using Before, How, After.
Practise sharing it with a fellow believer.
Learn the five-point gospel outline and its verses.
Reflection Questions
1. When did I last share my faith with someone?
2. What fear holds me back most?
3. Who is the “one” God has placed on my heart?
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Key Scripture: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” — 2 Timothy 2:2
This is a major distinction between a disciple and a passive believer. A mature disciple reproduces. Jesus commanded, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19), and He expects every disciple to take part.
18.1The Multiplication Pattern
2 Timothy 2:2 describes four generations:
Paul → Timothy → Faithful people → Others
Addition reaches people one at a time. Multiplication equips each disciple to make disciples. If one person disciples one other person each year, and each of them does the same, there are two disciples after one year, four after two, and more than a thousand after ten.
WIN → ESTABLISH → TEACH → TRAIN → RELEASE → MULTIPLY
|
Stage |
Focus |
Practical activity |
|
Win |
Leading someone to Christ |
Sharing the Gospel, praying with them |
|
Establish |
Grounding them in the basics |
Assurance, baptism, prayer, Bible reading, church |
|
Teach |
Deepening understanding |
Weekly study of key doctrines and books |
|
Train |
Developing skills for ministry |
Sharing faith, leading a study, serving |
|
Release |
Sending them into ministry |
Giving responsibility with support |
|
Multiply |
Helping them disciple others |
Coaching them as they disciple someone |
He chose a few — twelve, and an inner three.
He shared life — they were “with him” (Mark 3:14).
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He taught and modelled — words and example together.
He gave assignments — sending them out two by two (Luke 10:1).
He debriefed and corrected — after their missions.
He released them — and entrusted His mission to them.
Many believers think they must be Bible scholars before discipling anyone. But discipleship is sharing what you have received. Paul told the Philippians, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do” (Philippians 4:9). If you are a few steps ahead of someone, you can help them.
Real-LifeExample: Paul andTimothy
Timothy was a young believer from Lystra, raised by a faithful mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5). Paul invited him to travel with him (Acts 16:1-3). Timothy watched Paul preach, suffer and plant churches. Paul gave him increasing responsibility, sending him to Thessalonica, Corinth and Philippi, and eventually leaving him to lead the church in Ephesus.
Paul called Timothy “my own son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2). Their relationship combined teaching, example, affection, correction and release.
Real-LifeExample: DawsonTrotman andThe Navigators
In the 1930s, a young American named Dawson Trotman began discipling a sailor in the US Navy, meeting him regularly to study the Bible, memorise Scripture and pray. That sailor began discipling others on his ship. The pattern spread through the fleet.
In 1933 Trotman founded The Navigators, a ministry built on 2 Timothy 2:2 and one-to-one discipleship. It continues worldwide today. Trotman died in 1956 after rescuing a girl from drowning in a lake in New York State. His emphasis on multiplying disciples still shapes discipleship ministries around the world.
Practical Scenario: Your FirstTimothy
Abena has been a Christian for five years and has grown steadily. Her pastor asks her to disciple Linda, a new believer at her workplace. Abena feels unqualified.
A simple 12-week plan:
1. Meet Linda weekly for an hour over lunch or coffee.
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2. Weeks 1-4: assurance of salvation, prayer, Bible reading, church life.
3. Weeks 5-8: the Holy Spirit, obedience, resisting temptation, sharing faith. 4. Weeks 9-12: serving, fellowship, character, making disciples.
5. Pray together at every meeting and text encouragement midweek.
6. At week 12, encourage Linda to pray about whom she might disciple. Abena does not need all the answers. She needs faithfulness, availability and love.
Practical Steps
Ask God to show you one person you could disciple.
If you have never been discipled, ask a mature believer to disciple you. Commit to a regular meeting time, even if only fortnightly.
Reflection Questions
1. Who discipled me, and whom am I discipling?
2. What holds me back from making disciples?
3. Where would my “spiritual family tree” be in ten years?
3 Questions • Chapters 17–18: Four Pillars of the Gospel, 2 Tim 2:2 & Overcoming Mentoring Fears
Part Five: The Long Obedience
Key Scripture: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7
Starting well is important. Finishing well is equally important. Paul wrote these words near the end of his life, from a Roman prison, knowing his execution was near. His race was marked not by speed but by endurance.
A disciple must develop endurance.
When emotions disappear — remain faithful. Feelings are not the measure of God’s presence.
When challenges come — remain faithful. Trials test and strengthen faith (James 1:2-4).
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When prayers seem delayed — remain faithful. God’s timing is not ours (Habakkuk 2:3).
When ministry becomes difficult — remain faithful. “Let us not be weary in well doing” (Galatians 6:9).
Jesus’ parable of the sower describes seed that sprang up quickly but withered under the sun, and seed choked by thorns (Mark 4:16-19). People fall away through shallow roots, persecution, the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and other desires. Paul lamented, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10).
Deep roots — consistent time in the Word and prayer.
Honest community — people who will notice and pursue you if you drift. Eternal perspective — “our light affliction … worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Looking to Jesus — “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2).
Rest and renewal — endurance needs rhythms of rest, not constant exhaustion.
Faithfulness is not only for martyrs and missionaries. It is keeping your word, turning up, praying daily, loving your family and doing ordinary work well. Jesus said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10).
Real-Life Example: Polycarp of Smyrna
Polycarp was bishop of Smyrna in the second century and, according to early Christian tradition, a disciple of the apostle John. Around AD 155, during a persecution, he was arrested as an old man and brought before the Roman proconsul.
The proconsul urged him to curse Christ and save his life. According to the early account of his martyrdom, Polycarp replied that he had served Christ for 86 years, and Christ had never done him wrong; how then could he blaspheme his King who saved him? He was burned at the stake. His faithfulness at the end was the fruit of decades of faithfulness before it.
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Real-Life Example: Paul’s Finish
Paul had been beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, betrayed and abandoned (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). In his final letter, many had deserted him. Yet he wrote with confidence of the “crown of righteousness” awaiting him and all who love Christ’s appearing (2 Timothy 4:8). He finished not because life was easy, but because Christ was faithful.
Practical Scenario:The Dry Season
Peter has been a committed disciple for ten years. For the past eight months, prayer feels empty and the Bible feels flat. He has lost his job and his mother is ill. He wonders whether his faith was ever real and is tempted to stop going to church.
Remaining faithful in the dry season:
1. Recognise that dry seasons are normal; many Psalms were written in them (Psalm 42). 2. Keep the habits even when the feelings are absent.
3. Tell a trusted friend or pastor honestly how he is doing.
4. Allow others to pray and care for him.
5. Get enough rest, and check whether stress or depression needs medical attention. 6. Keep a record of God’s past faithfulness and read it often.
Practical Steps
Read Hebrews 11 and Hebrews 12:1-3 this week.
Identify one area where you are tempted to give up. Share it with someone. Write a short statement of how you want to be remembered as a disciple.
Reflection Questions
1. What would it mean for me to finish well?
2. What “thorns” threaten to choke my faith?
3. How do I stay faithful when I feel nothing?
Key Scripture: “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” — John 15:8
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Jesus gave clear signs by which disciples can be recognised. None of us displays them perfectly. But a true disciple should increasingly demonstrate them over time. This chapter gathers them into one picture.
|
Mark |
Scripture |
What it looks like today |
Chapter |
|
1. Following |
John 10:27 |
Jesus directs my decisions and direction |
2 |
|
2. Obedience |
John 14:15 |
I do what He says, promptly and fully |
7 |
|
3. Continuance in the Word |
John 8:31 |
I read, study and live by Scripture daily |
6 |
|
4. Love |
John 13:35 |
I forgive, serve and care for others |
13 |
|
5. Fruitfulness |
John 15:8 |
My character and life bear visible fruit |
12 |
|
6. Self-denial |
Luke 9:23 |
Christ’s will comes before my comfort |
4 |
|
7. Service |
Mark 10:43-45 |
I use my gifts to serve others |
16 |
|
8. Reproduction |
Matthew 28:19- 20 |
I help others become disciples |
18 |
These marks are not a checklist for earning salvation. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). The marks are evidence of a living relationship with Christ, like fruit on a healthy tree. A tree does not strain to produce fruit; it produces fruit because it is alive and connected to its roots.
The word to notice is “increasingly”. A new believer will show these marks in seed form; a mature disciple in fuller measure. The question is not “Am I perfect?” but “Am I growing?”
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Some believers are strong in one mark and weak in others: zealous in evangelism but unloving, faithful in study but never serving, busy serving but prayerless. Healthy discipleship grows all eight marks together.
Real-Life Example:TheTwelve — Growing Disciples
Consider the original twelve disciples. They followed Jesus, yet argued about who was greatest (Luke 22:24). They loved Him, yet fled at His arrest (Mark 14:50). They obeyed, yet often misunderstood.
By the Book ofActs, the same men were bold witnesses, generous servants and disciple makers who turned their world upside down (Acts 17:6). They were not perfect at the start. They were growing, and the marks of discipleship became clearer over time.
Practical Scenario:The Discipleship Health Check
A small group of eight uses the table above for a self-assessment. Each member scores themselves from 1 to 5 on each mark, then shares one strength and one area for growth.
They discover a pattern: most score high on following and love, but low on reproduction and continuance in the Word. The group responds by starting a shared Bible reading plan and pairing up so that each person begins discipling someone within six months. Three months later, they repeat the assessment and celebrate progress.
Practical Steps
Score yourself from 1 to 5 on each of the eight marks (see Appendix A). Choose the lowest-scoring mark and re-read its chapter.
Ask a trusted believer to score you as well, and compare.
Reflection Questions
1. Which mark is most visible in my life, and which least?
2. Am I growing, even slowly, in all eight?
3. Would someone watching my life for a month see the marks of a disciple?
4 Questions • Chapters 19–20: 2 Tim 4:7 Finishing the Course, Small Things & Growth vs Perfection
Part Six: Putting It into Practice
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Key Scripture: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” — Colossians 1:28
Disciples do not grow by accident. A healthy church can intentionally move a person along a clear pathway, from first hearing about Christ to making disciples themselves. This chapter describes that journey and how individuals and churches can walk it.
|
Stage |
Purpose |
Church’s role |
Next step for the person |
|
1. Reach |
Introduce people to Christ |
Outreach, friendship, invitation |
Hear the Gospel |
|
2. Win |
Lead people to salvation |
Share the Gospel clearly, pray with them |
Receive Christ |
|
3. Receive |
Welcome and connect them |
24-48 hour follow-up, welcome, friendship |
Join a newcomers’ class |
|
4. Establish |
Teach foundational truths |
Foundations course, baptism |
Join a small group |
|
5. Disciple |
Train them to follow Christ |
One-to-one or small-group discipleship |
Build daily habits |
|
6. Equip |
Develop gifts and ministry capacity |
Gifts discovery, ministry training |
Begin serving |
|
7. Mobilise |
Release them into service |
Ministry placement and support |
Serve consistently |
|
8. Multiply |
Teach them to make disciples |
Disciple-maker training and coaching |
Disciple someone else |
Many churches are strong at Reach and Win but weak at Establish and Disciple. New believers are celebrated and then left alone. Others are strong at teaching but never Mobilise or Multiply. A healthy pathway pays attention to every stage, especially the
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transitions between them.
The pathway is not only a church system; it is a personal journey. Every believer should ask, “Where am I on this journey, and what is my next step?”
Real-LifeExample: Paul’s Own Journey
Paul’s life follows the pathway closely:
Reach — he witnessed Stephen’s faith and martyrdom (Acts 7:58).
Win — he met the risen Christ on the Damascus road (Acts 9:3-6).
Receive — Ananias welcomed him as “Brother Saul”, and later Barnabas vouched for him when others were afraid (Acts 9:17,27).
Establish — he spent time with the disciples in Damascus (Acts 9:19).
Disciple and Equip — Barnabas brought him to Antioch, where they taught together for a year (Acts 11:25-26).
Mobilise — the church sent him out on mission (Acts 13:2-3).
Multiply — he discipled Timothy, Titus, Silas and many others.
Notice how other believers, such as Ananias and Barnabas, played key roles at each stage.
Practical Scenario: Following One PersonThrough the Pathway
Jide, a 30-year-old taxi driver, is invited to a church family day by a passenger who is a church member (Reach). A few weeks later, at a service, he gives his life to Christ (Win). A follow-up worker calls him the next day and invites him to a newcomers’ lunch (Receive).
Jide completes an eight-week foundations course and is baptised (Establish). He is paired with a mentor, Brother Femi, who meets him weekly for six months (Disciple). Through a gifts course, Jide discovers a gift for hospitality and practical help (Equip). He joins the transport ministry, driving elderly members to church (Mobilise). Two years after his conversion, Jide begins discipling a young mechanic he met at work (Multiply).
At each stage, someone took responsibility for Jide’s next step.
Practical Steps
Identify your current stage on the pathway and your next step.
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If you lead in church, map your church’s activities against the eight stages. Where are the gaps?
Choose one person at an earlier stage and help them take their next step.
Reflection Questions
1. Where am I on the discipleship journey?
2. Which stage is weakest in our church?
3. Whose next step can I help with this month?
Key Scripture: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” — Mark 1:35
Discipleship is lived one day at a time. Great spiritual lives are built from small, repeated practices. A disciple should develop a practical daily rhythm that keeps Christ at the centre from morning to night.
|
Time |
Habits |
Suggested length |
|
Morning |
Prayer · Bible reading · Meditation · Committing the day to God |
15-30 minutes |
|
During the day |
Practising God’s Word · Listening to the Holy Spirit · Showing Christlike character · Looking for opportunities to serve or witness |
Throughout |
|
Evening |
Examining the day · Giving thanks · Confessing failures · Praying for others · Preparing for tomorrow |
10-15 minutes |
Begin before your phone. Many disciples find it helpful to pray, read a passage using the S.O.A.P. method (Chapter 6), meditate on one verse, and then commit the day’s plans to God: “Lord, this day is Yours.”
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Discipleship happens mostly between the prayer times. Carry your morning verse with you. Pause briefly before decisions. Respond to people with the fruit of the Spirit. Watch for someone to encourage, help or speak to about Christ.
A simple evening review:
1. Thank — Where did I see God today?
2. Examine — Where did I follow Christ well? Where did I fall short?
3. Confess — Receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
4. Intercede — Pray for the people I met today.
5. Prepare — Commit tomorrow to God and rest in Him (Psalm 4:8).
Alongside daily habits, a disciple keeps weekly rhythms: gathering for worship, meeting with a small group, a Sabbath rest, and time with a mentor or disciple.
Habits do not earn God’s love. They are channels through which we receive His grace. Missing a day is not failure; simply begin again. Aim for consistency, not perfection.
Real-Life Example: Jesus’ Rhythm
The Gospels show Jesus rising early to pray (Mark 1:35), withdrawing regularly to quiet places (Luke 5:16), attending synagogue “as his custom was” (Luke 4:16), and spending time with His disciples daily. If the Son of God kept rhythms of prayer and worship, His followers need them all the more.
Real-Life Example: SusannaWesley
Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley, had nineteen children, though many died young. Her home was busy and often poor. She is often said to have pulled her apron over her head as a signal to her children that she was praying and should not be disturbed.
She also gave each child individual time each week for spiritual conversation. Her story shows that daily devotion is possible even in crowded, demanding circumstances.
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Practical Scenario:The ShiftWorker
Yaw works rotating shifts as a security guard. Some weeks he works nights, some weeks days. He has tried and failed to keep a “morning quiet time” because his mornings keep changing.
A flexible rhythm for Yaw:
1. Define “morning” as the start of his day, whatever the clock says.
2. Keep a short Bible reading plan on his phone for breaks.
3. Pray during his commute or quiet periods on shift.
4. Do the evening review at the end of each shift.
5. Meet a mentor fortnightly on his days off.
6. Attend whichever service fits his rota, and join a midweek group when possible.
Practical Steps
Write your own daily rhythm using the table as a guide.
Choose a consistent start time and place for the morning habits.
Try the five-step evening review for seven nights.
Reflection Questions
1. What does the first hour of my day reveal about my priorities?
2. Which daily habit do I most need to build?
3. How can I keep habits as channels of grace, not burdens of guilt?
Score yourself from 1 (rarely true) to 5 (consistently true). Repeat every three months and compare.
|
Area |
Statement |
Score (1-5) |
|
Following |
Jesus directs my major decisions |
|
|
Self-denial |
I put God’s will above my preferences |
|
|
Cost |
I have surrendered habits and relationships that pull me from Christ |
|
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|
Area |
Statement |
Score (1-5) |
|
The Word |
I read and apply Scripture daily |
|
|
Obedience |
I act promptly on what God shows me |
|
|
Prayer |
I pray daily, for myself and for others |
|
|
Faith |
I trust God when circumstances are unclear |
|
|
Holy Spirit |
I respond quickly to the Spirit’s conviction |
|
|
Resisting sin |
I have practical boundaries and accountability |
|
|
Character |
People see growing fruit of the Spirit in me |
|
|
Love |
I forgive quickly and care for others practically |
|
|
Fellowship |
I am closely connected to other believers |
|
|
Teachability |
I receive correction without defensiveness |
|
|
Service |
I use my gifts regularly to serve |
|
|
Witness |
I share my faith naturally with others |
|
|
Multiplication |
I am discipling at least one person |
|
|
Faithfulness |
I keep going when feelings fade |
|
Appendix B — 12-Week Small-Group Study Plan
Each session: 10 minutes welcome and prayer · 30 minutes study · 20 minutes discussion · 15 minutes application and prayer in pairs.
|
Week |
Chapters |
Theme |
Memory verse |
|
1 |
1-2 |
What a disciple is; following Jesus |
Matthew 4:19 |
|
2 |
3-4 |
Counting the cost; denying self |
Luke 9:23 |
|
3 |
5 |
Taking up the cross |
Luke 14:27 |
|
4 |
6-7 |
The Word and obedience |
John 8:31 |
|
5 |
8-9 |
Prayer and faith |
2 Corinthians 5:7 |
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|
Week |
Chapters |
Theme |
Memory verse |
|
6 |
10-11 |
The Holy Spirit; resisting sin |
Romans 8:14 |
|
7 |
12-13 |
Character and love |
John 13:35 |
|
8 |
14-15 |
Fellowship and correction |
Acts 2:42 |
|
9 |
16 |
Serving |
Mark 10:45 |
|
10 |
17-18 |
Sharing the Gospel; making disciples |
2 Timothy 2:2 |
|
11 |
19-20 |
Faithfulness; the marks of a disciple |
2 Timothy 4:7 |
|
12 |
21-22 |
The journey and daily habits; commissioning |
Matthew 28:19-20 |
In week 12, close by reading the Discipleship Declaration aloud together and praying for each member to disciple someone in the coming year.
Appendix C — Discussion Questions for Groups
1. What is the difference between a church attender and a disciple?
2. Why did Jesus call people to follow Him before giving them a mission? 3. What does self-denial look like in everyday life?
4. Why must a disciple count the cost before starting?
5. How do we move from hearing the Word to obeying it?
6. Why is love the chief mark of a disciple?
7. How can we test whether guidance is truly from the Holy Spirit?
8. What makes correction easy or hard to receive?
9. Why is fellowship essential for spiritual growth?
10. What stops ordinary believers from making disciples, and how can we overcome it? 11. How do we stay faithful in dry or difficult seasons?
12. What daily habits most help you follow Christ?
Appendix D — Memory Scriptures
Matthew 16:24 — “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Matthew 4:19 — “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
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Luke 14:27 — “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
John 8:31 — “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” John 14:15 — “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
James 1:22 — “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
John 13:35 — “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
2 Corinthians 5:7 — “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Romans 8:14 — “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Mark 10:45 — “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.”
Acts 1:8 — “Ye shall be witnesses unto me.”
2 Timothy 2:2 — “The same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
2 Timothy 4:7 — “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
Closing Charge: From Believer to Disciple
Jesus still says two words to every person who believes in Him: “Follow me.”
The journey will cost you something. It will ask you to deny yourself, carry your cross, obey when it is hard, love when it hurts, and keep going when feelings fade. But it will also give you everything: the presence of Christ, a transformed life, a family of believers, and a purpose that outlasts this world.
You do not walk this road alone. The One who called you will make you what He called you to be. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
So follow Him. Learn from Him. Obey Him. Become like Him. And help someone else do the same.
Discipleship Declaration
To be read aloud, personally or together.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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From Believer to Disciple
I choose to follow Him. I submit myself to His Word. I will obey His commandments. I will deny myself and take up my cross.
I will develop Christlike character. I will love God’s people. I will serve faithfully. I will remain teachable.
I will walk by faith. I will depend on the Holy Spirit. I will share the Gospel. I will make disciples.
I will remain faithful to Christ until the end. My life will bring glory to God. Amen.
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4 Questions • Chapters 21–22 & Appendices: Daily Rhythms, 17-Point Self-Assessment & Solemn Declaration