We have defined the process of making disciples in this book based upon four challenges given by Jesus to His disciples. Jesus understood the developmental process and clearly lived on mission in the task of making disciples who could make disciples. At the end of His life and ministry, He told His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations,” following the pattern He gave them.
We began by demonstrating that in order to understand disciple-making according to the pattern of Jesus, we must fully understand the humanity of Jesus. Only if we truly believe that He was fully human, just as we are fully human, will we understand that He lived His life as a model for us to imitate. We are to think and act just like Jesus, learning to walk as He walked following the pattern He gave us.
In the first challenge (Chair 1), Jesus simply invites curious seekers to “come and see.” He spends a couple of hours with them, explaining to them that He was the Messiah and pointing them to the Scriptures that revealed Himself. Andrew burst out of that meeting and went immediately to his brother Peter saying, “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41).
In the second challenge (Chair 2), Jesus goes to Philip and says, “follow me,” which was an invitation to come and learn from Him. Philip immediately went and found Nathaneal, and together they spent time with Jesus and the other initial disciples. For several months, they spent time with Jesus and learned from Him (John 3:22).
In the third challenge (Chair 3), eighteen months into the ministry of Christ, Jesus chose five individuals whom He challenged to, “follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” This challenge involved specific training and a major investment of time and energy from Jesus. That investment equipped them to reproduce this life of disciple-making into others.
In the fourth challenge (Chair 4), toward the very end of His ministry, Jesus told the disciples, You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to “go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” After teaching them how to walk as He walked, committed to His values and priorities, He finally sent them to do what Jesus modeled for them. “Just as My Father has sent Me, so I am sending you,” Jesus explained. You are now sent ones. Go and live on mission!
In this 4 Chair metaphor, we have aligned the four chairs in a linear row that reflects the developmental process of walking through the four-year ministry of Jesus. There is a clear developmental process of moving from a seeker, to a child, to a young man, and then a parent. Understanding this process can be helpful as we seek to mature others into Christlikeness. In this last chapter, there is another dimension that needs to be mentioned to be true to the whole of the New Testament.
We have looked at a linear model of disciple-making, to help us understand and reflect upon the developmental process of Jesus in making His disciples. There are great strengths to a linear approach, as much natural growth and development models a linear and organic approach. Growth does happen in defined stages. But let me now give you an additional perspective to consider. The term “disciple” is used more than 250 times in the Gospels. It’s not an unusual term or concept, certainly not one unique to Jesus. John had disciples, the Pharisees had disciples, and Jesus had disciples. In the Old Testament and in the Gospels, disciple-making tended to be a top-down system. A disciple knew he wasn’t like his teacher, and so a disciple (learner) would follow closely and try to learn everything the discipler knew. One person, the teacher, knew the information the learner wanted to learn. If you want to know what I know, come and I will teach you what I have experienced. This is the way practically all learning took place in the time of Jesus.
It is very interesting, then, that after Acts 21:16, the term “disciple” disappears. It is particularly strange, considering we are commanded in the Great Commission to “go and make disciples.” A number of different terms begin to replace the term “disciple” in Acts, terms such as “followers of the Way” (Acts 22:4, 24:14) or “Christians” (Acts 11:26). These were new names describing old realities.
More than simply a change in vocabulary, these changes in terms indicate that Jesus had created a new disciple-making system. In place of the old above-below relationship of the master and student, Jesus established a family environment called the church. Strictly speaking, in Christ’s church, there is only one Disciple-Maker—Jesus, the Head of the Church. We are all His disciples. As we follow Him, we call others to imitate us as we imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
While there is definitely a linear growth process to learn from, there is another way to lay out the chairs. To visualize this, they need to be placed into a circle around a table. The table symbolizes the nature of Christ’s church as a family.



In a family you need parents who love and care for the children. You also need, for energy’s sake and purposes of joy, children and young men. We all contribute something different to one another. This is what family is all about. And this is a perfect biblical image of the local church, the family of God.
Disciple-making in the New Testament is best done in the context of the local assembly of believers, the church. Disciple-making, New Testament style, is not top-down or above-below, but each of us using our gifts to build up one another. Therefore we understand that new believers are valuable and have things to offer. Mature believers have other valuable contributions to offer. Seekers bring valuable questions and seeking hearts, while young men contribute energy, passion, and zeal. Around a table there is sweet fellowship as we live life on mission, learning from each other, growing together, and each sharing our gifts and insight. Maturing together we become more like Christ.
This context is the perfect place to offer my personal definition of disciple-making. It is simply this: “out of my love for God, using my gifts and talents, to multiply the character and priorities of Christ in as many people as possible.” This definition has several important parts.
First, it operates on the premise that disciple-making begins with my following the Lord and loving Him with my whole heart, soul, and mind. The Great Commandment is the motive behind the mission. You can only reproduce what you are!
Second, it acknowledges that I can’t do everything that is necessary for developing fully trained disciples. I am limited in my gifting and thus I need others. My disciples need the input of others. We need each other.
Third, my goal is not to make a single disciple but to multiply disciple-makers. We invest in such a way that asks those we invest in to turn around and invest in others. We make disciples who can make disciples. This is the principle and process of multiplication.
Fourth, we are dedicated to multiplying Jesus’s character and priorities. Our emphasis is not a curriculum or program. Our emphasis is not only Jesus’s character and it is not only Jesus’s priorities. It is both in balance. I have found through the years that if you only champion discipling you may not end up talking about Jesus. But if you champion Jesus, you always end up talking about making disciples! We have to keep these priorities in the right order if we hope to make disciples the way Jesus did. Paul understood this when he said, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).
Fifth, we are motivated to work with as many people as possible. I work hard to find “reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). Once I find them, I will move heaven and earth to invest in them. They are worth their weight in gold!

WISDOM FOR THE JOURNEY
Disciple-making is a lifelong journey of becoming like Christ and helping others to do the same. It is the greatest of all journeys and the highest of all callings. Just imagine! We can do what Jesus did if we walk as Jesus walked. We can even do greater things because, by His grace, we have a greater amount of time to invest in others and teach them to do the same. A life of learning to “think and act like Jesus” is a life well lived. This kind of life is called Kingdom living.
In his book on disciple-making, Juan Carlos Ortiz writes:
“The Bible says the kingdom of God is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of real worth, he sells everything and buys that pearl.
When man finds Jesus, this pearl costs him everything. Man says, “I want it. How much does it cost?”
The seller says, “It’s too dear, too costly.”
“How much is it?”
“It costs everything you have.”
“I’ll buy it!”
“What do you have?”
“I have $10,000 in the bank.”
“What else?”
“I have nothing more. That’s all I have.”
“Have you nothing more?”
“Well, I have a few dollars here in my pocket.”
“How many?”
“I’ll see: 30, 40, 50, 80, 100, 120—120 dollars.”
“That’s fine. What else do you have?”
“I have nothing else. That’s all.”
“Where do you live?”
“I live in my house.”
“The house too.”
“Then you mean I must live in the garage?”
“Have you a garage, too? That too. What else?”
“Do you mean that I must live in my car, then?”
“Have you a car? That becomes mine. What else?”
“I have nothing else.”
“Are you alone in the world?”
“No, I have a wife, two children…”
“Your wife and your children too.”
“What else?”
“I have nothing else. I am left alone now.”
“Oh, you too. Everything. Everything becomes mine: wife, children, house, garage, cars, money, clothing, everything. And, you too.
Now you can use all those things here but don’t forget they are mine, as you are. When I need any of the things you are using you must give them to me because now I am the owner.”
An exchanged life. His life for ours. A life of fruitfulness in becoming like Jesus, we become pure vessels through whom God can work. Man as God intended man to be. As we continue the journey to become more like Christ, it’s important to keep the following reminders in mind.
1) People are at different stages of this process. It is critical that we understand that people are at different stages of the process of disciple-making. That’s okay! It is okay to be a baby in Christ—you just don’t want to be one for twenty years. It is okay to be a young man and to be learning and experiencing new things. But you don’t want to be in that chair for twenty years. Perpetual immaturity is a sign that something is obviously wrong. On the other hand, it is okay to be a mature parent and not enjoy some of the childish things new believers enjoy. But that doesn’t mean we should quench the joy in others. Parents must learn to allow our children to enjoy being children. Of course, we must also help them mature beyond childish ways. Maturity means we understand the development process and work with people based on their stage of life and always give them plenty of grace for that stage.
2) The Holy Spirit must be at work in each stage of this journey. Without the Spirit of God working in each of us, we can never grow to understand the depth of who Christ is and what He has done for us. Only the Holy Spirit can convict seekers of their sin and bring them to repentance at the foot of the cross. Only those who are called will seek (John 6:44). I think we all can quickly see how desperately we need God’s Spirit to move anyone into Chair 1 as a seeker and then eventually move them to their knees at the Cross in repentance.
But growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ in Chair 2 also requires the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How can a man ever discover the length and breadth and height and depth of God’s love for us without the Holy Spirit? We are incapable of knowing God apart from God revealing Himself. And the good news is that God longs to be known and worshipped by us. In fact, that is why we have been created. And yet, without His revealing Himself to us, we are lost in our ability to discover the greatness of our God.
Additionally, none of us can ever move to the worker chair without God helping us become givers and not just takers. We give because of what He has given to us, we serve because of how He has served us, and we love because we understand how much He loved us. We are because He is. And without His grace and love, we cannot truly be servants to others. Again, even as workers, we are dependent upon Him.
Finally, none of us can become mature disciple-makers, who now oversee a family of disciples, but for the grace of God. To become a spiritual parent means that God has chosen to work through us to impact others. And this is obviously a work of God…His Spirit working in us and through us. As spiritual parents we know better than anyone that “apart from Christ we can do nothing,” but “in Christ all things are possible.” This too is a work of God!
In every part of this journey toward Christ likeness, we must recognize our dependence on the Spirit of God. We cannot do this in our own power. It is the Son’s life in us and through us! “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
3) We must be holy people. Any attempt to make disciples the way Jesus did, in our own flesh, will result in failure. Holiness is the ultimate requirement. A life of living in the Spirit, immediately confessing all known sin, and allowing God’s Spirit to become our best friend is what holiness is all about.
We cannot be holy apart from His constant cleansing. And holiness is God’s agenda for each of us, for as we mature we move from grace to grace and become more like Him. As we mature, we should become better and better at multiplying in others the character and priorities of Christ. Every part of this disciple-making journey requires the disciple-maker to be dependent upon the Holy Spirit and pure in their walk with the Lord. The true disciple-maker is being made into a disciple at the same time He is helping others to become disciples. We follow Him as we actively challenge others to follow Him.
This requires holy living. We reproduce what we are.

FINDING YOUR PLACE ON THE ROAD
In which chair do you find yourself sitting most consistently today? What is the next step you need to take? Who can help you take that next step and move to that next level of maturity in fruitfulness?
Romans 12:3 gives us some very good counsel, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Paul goes on to say that each of us has certain gifts and these gifts have been given to us for the common good of others.
Pride is not thinking highly of yourself. Pride is thinking “more highly of yourself than you ought.” We are encouraged to take a serious inventory of our life and fruitfulness and use our life to serve others and make disciple-makers. No matter who you are, you can invest in others. No matter how much you know or have experienced, there are others from whom you can learn. Don’t get off the journey of disciple-making. It is your calling. It is your mission. Live on mission, no matter what your stage of life or ministry. Allow God to use you to make a difference in others.
Our preaching pastors preached a three-week series entitled, “I Want Names!” Our church’s vision is to “Be a praying church, that reaches out and challenges everyone to follow Jesus completely.” The three messages were on praying, reaching, and challenging. After each excellent message, the pastors said, “We want names!” They encouraged people to write down names and hand them in or post them on the church bulletin board. Who are you praying for? Who are you reaching out to? Who are you challenging to follow Jesus completely?
In the same way, I want names! Where are your disciples? Who are you investing in? I know you may be uncomfortable calling anyone your “disciple.” But that doesn’t mean you can’t identify someone in whom you are intentionally investing to help them mature in their relationship with Christ. Give me names!
One of the joys of leading Global Youth Initiative is the privilege of working with young disciple-makers all over the globe. A few years ago I had the privilege of leading a four-day training on the life of Christ with over 400 young Indian leaders. The criteria for being able to come to this event was that you had to have at least four generations of disciples and be able to show their names. We expected 100 young leaders to sign up. But more than 400 arrived before we finally cut off registrations. For four days, eight hours a day, I taught on the life of Christ— and they still wanted more!
One of my fondest memories of this experience was that almost every young disciple-maker there, when they came and introduced themselves to me, each brought cell phone pictures of their disciples. Their greatest joy and their greatest identity was rooted in their spiritual children and grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren. Who are your disciples? Can you name them? Can you identify them? Asking these questions keeps us focused on the mission we’ve been called to by our Lord.
Our prayer has simply become that we live out this reality:
 I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS
 I have Holy Spirit Power.
 The die has been cast; I have stepped over the line;
 The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus.
 I won’t look back, look up, slow down, back away or be still.
 My past is redeemed; my present makes sense;
 My future is secure. I am finished and done with sight-walking, Small planning, smooth knees,
 Colorless dreams, tame vision, mundane talking,
 Cheap giving and dwarfed goals.
 I no longer need preeminence, prosperity,
 Position, promotions, plaudits or popularity.
 I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized,
 Praised, regarded or rewarded.
 I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience,
 Am lifted by prayer, and labor by power.
 My face is set; my goal is His Kingdom;
 My road is narrow; my way rough,
 My guide reliable, my mission clear.
 I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured,
 Lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.
 I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice,
 Hesitate in the presence of adversity,
 Negotiate at the table of the enemy,
 Ponder at the pool of popularity,
 Or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
 I will not give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up,
 Stored up, prayed up, preached up for the cause of Christ
 I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS.

 I must go ’til He comes,
 Give ’til I drop,
 Work ’til He stops me
 Complete the task He has given me.
 And when He comes for His own,
 He will have no problem recognizing me …
 I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS!



 1. What are the implications of the phrase, “People are at different stages of the journey, and that’s okay”?



 2. What happens when we try to bear fruit in our own strength, without relying on the Holy Spirit? Can you recall a time when you tried to do just that?



 3. Describe “full-orbed discipling” in your own words. How do you view the author’s personal definition of disciple-making?



 4. Where are you in the journey? What chair do you tend to live in?





Dann Spader, 4 Chair Discipling: Growing a Movement of Disciple-Makers (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014).