Five Levels of Disciple Making

Key takeaways

Discipleship.org focuses on transforming American disciple-making through Jesus-style methods.
The five levels of disciple-making serve as a framework for assessing progress in both individuals and churches.
Assessments are designed to highlight areas for growth and improve disciple-making effectiveness, emphasizing intentionality.
There is a growing recognition and identification of Level Five churches in North America, showcasing successful disciple-making practices.
Engagement in community and resources such as the National Disciple Making Forum is crucial for fostering effective disciple-making.

Summary

Introduction to Disciple Making

In this episode of the Disciple Makers podcast, host Josh interviews Dr. Bobby Harrington, the founder of Discipleship.org. They delve into the vision behind Discipleship.org, which aims to transform the landscape of disciple-making in America by focusing on Jesus-style disciple-making. Bobby also explains the distinctions between Discipleship.org and Renew.org, noting that while Discipleship.org champions the method, Renew.org emphasizes the teachings of Jesus.

Understanding the Five Levels of Disciple Making

Bobby and Josh discuss the five levels of disciple-making culture, which serve as a framework for assessing individual and church disciple-making effectiveness. Level 1 refers to churches in decline, while Level 5 denotes churches that embody a vibrant disciple-making culture where average believers are disciple-makers. Bobby emphasizes that the assessments they provide can guide both individuals and churches in recognizing areas for growth and intentionality.

Assessments and Their Importance

The podcast highlights the significance of the individual and church assessments being released by Discipleship.org. Bobby explains that the assessments aim to measure how effectively individuals and churches are fulfilling the Great Commission of making disciples. He stresses that these assessments should serve as benchmarks for improvement rather than sources of discouragement, reinforcing that intentionality in disciple-making is crucial for progress.

Emerging Level Five Churches

Josh and Bobby also touch on the emergence of Level Five churches in North America, highlighting the progress made since no Level Five churches were identified in past studies. They discuss their efforts in identifying and studying nine of these churches, exploring the practices that contribute to their success in disciple-making. Bobby encourages church leaders to learn from these examples to foster a similar environment within their own congregations.

Invitation to Community and Resources

Finally, the podcast invites listeners to participate in the National Disciple Making Forum and utilize the resources available through Discipleship.org. They stress the importance of community in the disciple-making process and highlight upcoming events for churches looking to deepen their disciple-making efforts.

Show notes

Take the Individual Disciple Making Assessment: https://discipleship.org/disciple-maker-assessment-info/

Join us for the 2026 National Disciple Making Forum: https://discipleship.org/2026-national-disciple-making-forum/

In this episode Josh interviews Dr. Bobby Harrington, founder of Discipleship.org, about Jesus-style disciple making, the five levels of disciple making culture, and how assessments help individuals and churches grow. They discuss the distinctions between Discipleship.org and Renew.org, share findings from national studies, and highlight emerging Level Five churches and resources to help churches reproduce disciples who make disciples.

Listeners are invited to take the personal and church assessments at discipleship.org and to join the National Disciple-Making Forum to learn practical practices for intentional, multiplying disciple-making.

Take the Church Disciple Making Assessment: https://discipleship.org/disciple-making-culture/