Retooling for Disciple Making | LivingStone International

This section discusses the importance of retooling church ministries to prioritize disciple making. The conversation begins with a reference to Matthew 28:18-20, emphasizing the Great Commission as a central mandate for believers. It explores the current state of discipleship in churches, highlighting the cultural challenges, such as complacency and comfort zones, that hinder deep disciple-making efforts. Various speakers share their experiences of attempting to embed disciple-making into their church cultures, facing resistance, and the importance of creating intentional pathways for mentorship and spiritual multiplication. The discussion emphasizes that disciple making should be organic, relational, messy, and deeply rooted in community.

Sharing their ministry experiences in Africa, particularly in Rwanda, the hosts detail how they had to radically retool their approach to align with social, political, and cultural realities. They describe the process of church planting movements, how they trained local leaders, and the importance of working with trustworthy local partners. A key theme is the necessity of continuous evaluation, aligning with biblical models, and the need for strategic flexibility. The stories underscore that effective disciple-making often requires significant adaptation, intentional leadership training, and cultural sensitivity to foster genuine spiritual growth and community transformation.

This section focuses on what it means to be a disciple and how to practice disciple making. The speakers highlight that discipleship involves active engagement, messy relationships, and a willingness to walk deeply with others in their spiritual journeys. Concepts such as obedience, authentic relationship, spiritual reproduction, and discipline are discussed. Many participants stress the importance of community, accountability, and intentionality in disciple making—moving beyond mere church attendance or surface-level church activities to genuine life-on-life discipleship. Strategies for equipping believers to lead others and establishing effective pathways are also examined.

The discussion addresses common obstacles such as cultural independence, fear, church tradition, and economic concerns that prevent churches from making disciples. These barriers include fear of losing influence, lack of knowledge, and resistance to change. The challenge of mainstream culture's focus on individualism, activity, and comfort zones is highlighted as a significant hurdle. The speakers call for a biblical, long-term view that prioritizes obedience, depth, and spiritual multiplication over surface-level growth or numerical success. They emphasize the need for churches to overcome these barriers by fostering a culture of genuine disciple making.

This practical section lays out steps churches and leaders can take to shift towards effective disciple-making. Key steps include creating or clarifying a vision for disciple making, securing buy-in from leadership and community, and analyzing existing resources and programs for potential retooling. Strategies also involve identifying those already inclined to disciple, developing clear pathways, and gradually implementing process changes—such as small group ministries, mentorship, and multiplication. Emphasis is placed on simplicity, flexibility, and ongoing evaluation to sustain momentum and spiritual depth.