New Testament disciple-making requires us to reinvest our total resources in other people according to the rules. The “rules” are modeled in the ministry and mandate of Jesus and in the practice of Paul and others in the early church. To see the phenomenal potential of multiplication, one may observe it in spectacular fashion in the world of living organisms.

Likewise, spiritual multiplication is an essential principle for a healthy growing Body of Christ. With additions, subtractions, and divisions, the Body of Christ will be stunted in growth and stymied as to maturity. Only spiritual multiplication, using the pattern and procedure that Jesus modeled and mandated for his disciples, will produce future generations of fruitful multipliers who will be able to make disciples of all people groups.

How do we become a DMD -- a disciple making disciples? We must move to what Herb Hodges refers to as the “ultimate” stage in the disciple-making process, which is the multiplying stage. The motto of this stage is, “You do it with someone else, building him toward multi-generational multiplication. At this stage, the disciple finds someone else to disciple, and so does his discipler. What an unspeakable joy it is to see “the man God has given you” (John 17:6, 9, 11, 12, 24) move powerfully and productively into the multiplying stage!

When one hears the word role almost instinctively one thinks of acting or playing a particular person. We all play many roles in life, such as parent or teacher, and it is not difficult to see how this sense of the word role is related to its meaning in the theater. Role, which is first recorded in English in 1606, came to us from the French word "rolle", for a roll of parchment (on which an actor's part was written), Thus, the word already had the sense "a part one has to play."

So when we speak of our role, we are referring to the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of us. Our role as disciples who make other disciples requires that we play many different roles and assume a variety of responsibilities. For the sake of space, we will limit the many to just three roles that form the foundational relationships and responsibilities that all DMD'S must undertake to function in. Let's explore the following roles as Paul explained them to Timothy:

1. Leading Roles Required for Disciple-making

The first major role that a DMD must function in is as:

A Teacher for Impartation

A. The Message -- The Foundation that Requires a Transmission of the Truth

1 Timothy 1:3, "As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,"

1 Timothy 3:2, "Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,"

1 Timothy 4:11, "Command and teach these things."

1 Timothy 4:13, "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching."

1Timothy 6:2, "... Teach and urge these things."

 2 Timothy 2:2, "and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

2 Timothy 4:2, "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."

As you can see from the above references in Paul's two letters to his disciple, Timothy, teaching is given major emphasis. Teaching is foundational and must be transmitted to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Despite the obvious importance of teaching in order to make disciples who make disciples; despite the fact that the average American home contains four bibles, the average Evangelical home has more along with Christian Radio and Television, videos and related curriculum; despite the fact that our knowledge is growing it is for the most part irrelevant and meaningless. The studies on Christian’s conduct shows that there is very little difference between the professing Christian and the non-Christian. Bill Hull says, "I think we can trace this back to our deficient understanding of what a teacher does and what a student learns.

From the beginning spiritual teachers are taught to ask the wrong question. “How do you like my teaching?” With this criteria, and a fragile ego Christian teachers and speakers enter into the religious world. The listener hangs on every word the teacher says and the teacher hangs on every word of praise the listener gives. Success for the listener is to be stimulated or experience the pleasure of being moved emotionally. Success for the teacher is to be showered with praise that feeds the need for affirmation. This is a good thing gone sour. Anyone connected to reality would rather hear a stimulating and moving message than something else. It is a wonderful thing for a blessed listener to affirm a hard working teacher. But this all misses the point of what it means to learn the words of Jesus. The right question teacher and student alike should be asking is, “Am I learning?“ And learning means application, learning is transformation; learning is creating a new attitude and behavior in the inner person. Jesus defined learning this way, “My teaching is not my own, it comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”

Another mistaken concept in regards to teaching is that it is no more than the learning of facts. Modern culture, especially Western culture, is consumed with the gathering and learning of facts. A famous detective on an old TV show used to say in respect to every case, “Give me the facts, nothing but the facts.”

Through our training  and educational system, we have come to believe that the way we “know” or “learn” something is by the gathering of the facts associated with the topic.

Our school systems have taught us from an early age to memorize facts and figures and be ready to regurgitate them for an upcoming test. The better we memorize and recall these facts, the better grades we receive.

Unfortunately, this style of teaching is not confined to our educational system. This has become the way we relay knowledge in the Church. Teachers stand at the front of the room teaching us Bible facts, never challenging us to become disciples of the Word.

Jason Dillingham writes, "Most beginning teachers, whether Sunday school, small group or one to one discipleship, try to simply transfer information to the student. And while information is vital, it is not what will bring true understanding and wisdom.

We must learn how to move beyond Bible lessons that simply offer more factual information for us to store in our head. There must be an intentional instruction on Biblical concepts that will translate from the student’s head to their heart.

Information is simply facts, figures or steps. And while important, it will never give people a deep understanding of the subject and will not allow them to pass it on in a worthwhile manner.

Concepts on the other hand relay all of the information plus develops within the student a deeper understanding of principles and systems. And at the same time gives confidence in applying the concepts to their life.

How do you know if you are teaching information versus concepts? In the end the student will not just “know” what his teacher said, but “be” like his teacher is!"

Ron Berrus, in his excellent study, Making Disciple Makers observes, "Jesus was often referred to as “Teacher” by his disciples. His ability to communicate profound truth in simple, compelling stories was and is unparalleled. His stories also confused people, often intentionally, to separate the curious from the committed. And his teaching at times offended and outraged his hearers, providing clear lines of belief and unbelief regarding his identity and authority. His disciples frequently asked him privately regarding his stories, providing additional opportunities for further insights and instruction. He taught formally and informally, directly and symbolically. He always had something of value to say with eternal perspective. He was saturated with scripture. Whether denouncing the devil, debating the religious leaders, or establishing his disciples, he appealed to scripture for everything he taught. The apostle Paul (1 Tim 2:7 and 2 Tim 1:11) followed the same pattern (2 Tim 3:16, 4:2) and expected it of Timothy.

Having been forceful in denouncing a “class” model of disciple making, let me be equally forceful in stating that information, while insufficient, is yet absolutely essential. Truth does indeed set us free (John 8:32.) God’s truth alone possesses the power to save and transform the sinner. The truth well taught by a life well lived in honest, intimate relationships is the most influential tool God ever created. We have just described a disciplemaker!

Jesus continually instructed His disciples regarding, among other things, the character of God, spiritual priorities, authority, sin, the gospel, the kingdom of heaven, the heart, eternity, money, marriage, sin, conflict, forgiveness, love, worship, compassion, accountability, prayer, faith, servant-hood, and humility. Biblical illiteracy is a worldwide epidemic. When truth is absent, deception reigns; where deception reigns, destruction results. Therefore it is imperative that we instruct disciples in biblical knowledge and how to mine that knowledge for themselves. All of scripture applied to all of life is inherent in the great commission…”teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matt 28:19-20.

In his book, Disciple Making Teachers, Josh Hunt writes, "Simply put, great teaching is teaching that creates great people. Where disciples of Jesus are being developed, great teaching is taking place. When the people in our small groups and classes turn their worlds upside down, we have done a reasonably good job of teaching.
Jesus told us to make disciples, not merely to make converts. The objective of Christian teaching is to produce mature disciples of Jesus Christ.”

“Teaching that makes disciples is good teaching. Teaching is about people learning. Teaching is not about people moving in class; it is about people moving when they get out of class. The point is not how high people jump; but how straight they walk when they get down. What happens in class matters, but not as much as what happens in people’s homes, workplaces, lives, and relationships. The point is not that students feel entertained or interested or stimulated or whatever. The point is will they live differently on Monday morning?”

To produce change in people’s lives, the teacher has to do the right things in class. And in order for the teacher to do the right things in class, he or she must prepare the right way.

Josh then list seven things necessary for disciple-making teachers to be effective:

1. The learner must become interested in the lesson.
2. Truth must become truth that matters to the learner.
3. The learner must discover how this truth relates to Monday morning.
4. The learner must recognize the gap between his or her life and the life God calls us to live.
5. The learner must see the benefits of obedience and the drawbacks of disobedience.
6. The learner must commit to exchange one belief, value, attitude or behavior for another.
7. The learner must be held accountable for his or her decisions or commitments.”

Before going any further, let's define what we mean by discipling others. Allen Hadidian's excellent definition is "tweaked" a little to read as follows: Discipling others

- is the process,

- by which a Christian with a

- life worth emulating

- commits himself

- for an extended period of time

- to a few individuals

- who have been won to Christ,

- the purpose being

- to aid

- and to guide

- their growth to spiritual maturity

- so that they can reproduce themselves

- in a third spiritual generation,

- which they build up through discipling.

To disciple others is not about sharing helpful tips, but about communicating biblical truth. Discipling others is not about teaching for the sake of information, but about teaching for the sake of transformation.

Discipling others revolves around the Word of God. By God’s grace, we receive God’s Word. For God’s glory, we reproduce God’s Word.

Although some few of us are called to teach the Word formally in a saints equipping ministry (Ephesians 4:11), all of us are commanded to teach the Word relationally.

Sharon Madsen, has been very instrumental in teaching homeschooling parents basic principles of teaching for maximum effectiveness in transformational learning that makes the student like their teachers. (A Jesus concept:  Luke 6:40, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.") On her web site at masdenmethod.com she share two types of teaching which provides valuable insight into the Jesus standard for making DMD'S, although that is not her purpose:

Two Teaching Choices Defined: Clerical Teaching or Disciple-Making Teaching

Today’s popular way of teaching is called clerical teaching. Clerical means the teacher is expert in organizing, assigning, and distributing materials and tasks, giving perfunctory explanations, administering compensatory or perfunctory instruction, collecting, grading, and filing completed pre-printed forms and students’ original written work.

The beginning student attempts requested tasks after receiving pre-printed pages along with perfunctory explanation. He utilizes his natural learning strength (which is an “oblivious strength,” since he was born with it; he did not arrive at it through instruction),” and his natural learning weakness (which also is an “oblivious weakness,” since he was born with it too; he did not arrive at it through lack of instruction).

Since clerical teaching’s goal is covering the content and assignment completion, not to make disciples of students, it relies on piles and piles of printed matter. The student uses, at best, two of his four language-learning avenues at a time: largely seeing and writing; seldom speaking and hearing, and usually never all four learning avenues at the same time: he regularly performs with half his language-learning neurology tied behind his back!

The historical way of teaching may be described as full-spectrum neurological response instruction. It is, in fact, disciplined teaching, or disciple-making teaching. The teacher is in the process of “discipling” (disciplining) the student.

Disciple-making teaching means all four of the student’s language-learning avenues—speaking, hearing, writing, and seeing—work together in complementary, inseparable partnership. Each student’s previously “untaught” language-learning avenue is being “taught,” therefore is changing, learning to work together, supporting, even remediating the other neurological learning avenues. Think of that!

The result is the disciple exemplifies (epitomizes) the teacher’s words and practices (illustrating that what we expect the student to attain must first be in his teacher); the student becomes indoctrinated and well-practiced and neurologically stable in all language arts knowledge and skills; he is enabled to attain proficiency, and to maintain it, whether or not the teacher is present! Disciplined teaching’s goal is student proficiency.

Going back to the truth that Jesus set forth in Luke 6:40, we notice Jesus said that when a disciple is fully trained, he will be like his teacher. In other words, a disciple reproduces the lifestyle of Jesus Christ. There are three marks of a disciple: (1) Obedience (John 8:31,32) - a disciple should become more and obedient, not just full of knowledge; (2) Love (John 13:31,32) - disciples of Jesus give visible demonstration of their maturing discipleship, not by how much they know, but by how much they love; and (3) Fruit (John 15:8,16) - disciples confirm that they are maturing in discipleship by producing fruit, i.e. other disciples who in turn reproduce themselves.

In summary, a disciple is a learner who develops through a learning process; a follower who provides a significant model for people to follow; and a reproducer whose lifestyle is marked by obedience, love and fruitfulness.

All Christians should have a thorough and first-hand knowledge of the Bible but this alone is a poor substitute for discipleship. Jesus said we should teach them to observe all He commanded not just know all He commanded. A mature disciple is committed to a way of life motivated and empowered by the same principles, character traits, and inner motivations that characterized the life of Jesus. This multiplies the number of disciples as the church expands through the intensive occupation of mature, spiritually minded Christians with small groups of believers, who build their life and learning into them so as to make them like their teacher. This cannot be done by the attempts of one responsible leader who tries to do justice to dozens, hundreds or even thousands at once from behind a pulpit. True spiritual growth and fruitful training occurs when spiritually-minded, mature Christians concentrate on a small group of spiritual children, with whom they share life and instruction until the children have become independent adults,  themselves capable of taking on responsibility for others. This is the best way to fulfill the Great Commission,“... Make disciples of all nations ... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20).

This brings us to the second type of role that the DMD must function in and that is as:

A Father for Imitation

A. The Model - This Results in the Transformation of Life

1Timothy 1:2, " To Timothy, my true child in the faith ..."

2 Timothy 1:2, "To Timothy, my beloved child ..."

2 Timothy 1:4, "As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy."

Philippians 2:22, "But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.

Twenty-eight times in the New Testament we come across the command to “imitate” or “emulate” another person, to trace our lives off of another as a vital means of growing in Christ.

Among these various expressions, sons, soldiers, farmers, builders, etc, it appears that Paul's favorite was that of spiritual parenting. The reason for this is because the goal of true Christian parenting is almost identical to the goal of discipling.

Parenting which empowers children to maturity is in its basic concept very similar to the New Testament depiction of discipling.” Parents, having brought a child into the world, are responsible to mother and father it from a consumer, to a producer, to a reproducer. This is the standard stated by the apostle John in 1 John 2:12-14 – children, young men, fathers.  In this light discipleship needs to be redefined to include the idea of “spiritual parenting,” “spiritual nurturing,” “spiritual mentoring” or “spiritual coaching.”

Father's are known for calling, challenging, sending, and reproducing.

Dr. Mark Hanby describes a spiritual father as, “…someone whose life and ministry raised you up from the mire of immaturity into proper growth and order. A spiritual father is the one whose words pierced beyond the veneer of a blessing into the very heart and marrow of your existence, causing a massive realignment to your spirit. A spiritual father is not necessarily the one who birthed you into the kingdom. Instead, he is the one who rescues you from the doorstop of your abandonment and receives you into his house, gives you a name, and makes you his son.”

Paul manifests the characteristics of the spiritual fathering of the Corinthians I Corinthians 4:14-17 “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.  For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.”

Notice the progression: Paul warned them as beloved children; he became a father instead of a mentor; he taught them to imitate his example; he sent Timothy to remind them of his ways; he was consistent in his teaching everywhere.

Deficient of true spiritual fathers to model fatherhood, the Corinthian church had become a system that produced programs and teachers, but they were not producing sons and daughters. What they really needed were spiritual fathers and mothers to pay close attention to them so they could be nudged toward maturity. They needed spiritual parents to sow into their lives, expecting them eventually to become spiritual parents themselves. The goal was to create a spiritual harvest that would continue to multiply.

Legitimate and healthy father-son relationships are important. Dr. Howard Hendricks said, "Every disciple needs three types of relationships in his life. He needs a ‘Paul’ who can mentor him and challenge him. He needs a ‘Barnabas’ who can come along side and encourage him. And he needs a ‘Timothy,’ someone that he can pour his life into."

Tony Cooke gives ten traits of spiritual fathers that are worthy of implementation as he writes, "Paul was a spiritual father not only to Timothy and Titus, but also to churches as well. Paul sometimes referred to himself in a fathering-type of role, and he articulated certain characteristics he exhibited toward those to whom he ministered. What do we see in these passages about the heart of a spiritual father?

1. He did not flatter them (1 Thess. 2:5). He wasn’t buttering them up just so they’d like him or so that he could get something out of them.
2. He was not covetous toward them (1 Thess. 2:5). He didn’t see having a relationship with them as a means of getting their goods.
3. He did not seek glory of men – he wasn’t seeking to be exalted (1 Thess. 2:6). This wasn’t about Paul gathering sons around him to feed his own ego.
4. He was not demanding of them. He wasn’t controlling, manipulative, or dictatorial (1Thess. 2:6).
5. He exhibited a heart-felt, compassionate concern for their well-being.
6. His energies and efforts went toward their spiritual development (Gal. 4:19).
7. He was not interested in shaming them, but did feel obligated to warn them. He wasn’t putting them on a guilt trip or making them feel intimidated (1 Cor. 4:14).
8. He was different than a mere teacher – he wasn’t just passing information on to them, but he had “begotten them” through the Gospel and was setting an example they could follow in their spiritual development (1 Cor 4:15-16).
9. He wasn’t seeking what was theirs (their money), but he was seeking them (2 Cor. 12:14).
10. He was willing to spend and be spent for them – in other words, he was willing to live and give sacrificially for them – for their advancement and their development (2 Cor. 12:15).

Tony concludes with these recommendations: "If you are a mature leader, I pray that these are the traits you will exhibit toward those you have the privilege of influencing. If you are in search of a father-figure, a mentor, or a role model in ministry, I trust you will keep these traits in mind as you look for someone who can be a good influence and example for you."

Spiritual maturity requires helping Christians become “adult sons” that will become spiritual fathers. Tragically, just as in the biological family, likewise in spiritual families, there are very dysfunctional parents who get out of balance and either over-mother or over-father their spiritual children. This results in children who are kept at home for all the wrong reasons. Wrong mothering wants to keep the children tied to her apron strings and be fearful of ever leaving the house. There is no reproduction in the house because it is all family!

Wrong fathering wants to keep the children at home for his own benefits of control or convenience. If a father keeps his grown children at home in order to pay the bills when they are ready to marry and build a home of their own, they won’t have opportunity to reproduce. A normal parent encourages his or her children to go and establish their own homes! In the same way, any spiritual leader who uses the people he should be serving to fulfill his own personal vision is a dysfunctional, dead-beat dad!

Paul Apple gives an excellent summary concerning the leadership role of a father as it pertains to the overall discipling process:

Four Key Responsibilities of the Father in the Discipling Process:

1. He Provides Direction - This involves leadership, headship, and vision – Where are we headed?
   
   1. The son will pattern his conduct after the example of his father – John 5:19 – true of Christ – “the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in       like manner“
2. He Provides Doctrine -- This involves instruction and teaching – What is the plan to get there?
   
   1. One cannot delegate all of this to the mother or to outside teachers – like Sunday School and youth groups; must take the responsibility himself; exhorting, encouraging, imploring.
   2. Teaching, reinforcing, reminding and teaching again – but all the time modeling the same truths … more is  caught than taught.
3. He Provides Discipline -- This involves correction and nurturing – How do we stay on track or recover?
   
   1. Tough Love; requires making tough decisions and sticking to them; setting the boundaries and the penalties and consequences for crossing those boundaries; mother will tenderly tend to cut the child some slack; the father needs to provide the sternness that makes the child take sin seriously; that develops the sense of the fear of the Lord in the child
4. He Provides Distinction – He asks questions such as, what is special about this spiritual child; what commends him? What does the Heavenly Father think of our progress?
   
   1. Father commends Christ at baptism: Matt. 3:17 “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased“
   2. At Transfiguration: Matt. 17:5
   3. Speaks audibly one more time as Christ prepares to go to the Cross: John 12:28 – “I have both glorified it [the Father’s name] and will glorify it again“
   4. The Apostle Paul wanted the disciples at Thessalonica to look back at the church planting team and notice that Paul and his missionary team faithfully modeled this type of leadership profile in their labor of fatherly love throughout the discipleship process.

In summary, the model Paul portrays about the father here is that he is the one who sets direction, who guides and implores his child to grow up, to reach for goals that he hasn’t reached before, not to be content to stay a child, immature, weak and uncertain, but to grow to the point where he can make his own decisions and charge off on his own and reproduce other disciples who will do the same. The father should exhort, encourage and implore by his statements, and then by his example (1 Thess 2:10) to get the child to try out new ventures and to grow up. That’s where Paul finally ends up (2:12), “so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” The child is finally at the point where he is walking on his own. The two, taken together, comprise the commitment to give, that ought to be true of Christian models, of Christian disciplers, and Christian leaders. “We never came to get something. We came to give something.” That is probably stated most cogently in 1 Thessalonians 2:8: ”Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel but also our own lives, because you have become very dear to us.”

Pastor John MacArthur, does a superb job of revealing the importance of  balance in the spiritual fathering process: "So, spiritual leader is a balance. He has a tender side, a mothering side and he has a strong courageous side in which he demands the highest and lives by the highest and uncompromising life. That’s the balance. The mother comes along with her tender love and the father comes along exhorting to the conduct God requires, motivating the heart to respond, solemnly showing the consequence of failure. And then he lives the life that he demands of his children. Beautiful balance God has designed.

And spiritual leaders must be that. It’s not enough to just be compassionate and tender and caring. There’s got to be that uncompromising pure life that sets the standard to live by. And there’s got to be the courage of conviction that comes alongside someone and exhorts and encourages and implores and demands that you live in a worthy way of the God who has called you to such glory. That’s leadership by God’s design. On the one hand a concern for the person, on the other hand a concern for the process. On the one hand a concern for kindness, on the other hand a concern for control. On the one hand a concern for affection, on the other hand a concern for authority. On the one hand embracing, on the other hand exhorting. On the one hand cherishing, on the other hand challenging. And where there is that balance God can work in a glorious way. Where there is that tender considerate gentle mothering brought alongside a holy righteous blameless exemplary life where there’s teaching and commanding and persuading with fatherly authority, you have a leader who stands head and shoulders above." Amen!

Our Heavenly Father’s outreach and overflow is to reproduce a Huge Family of Sons that matures to reproducing fathers who will reflect and represent His glory and grace. He has purposed a Body through which His grace can be visualized and His truth verbalized. He is the Father who confirms our identity, and calls us to our destiny by sending us forth to be His witnesses with the whole gospel to the whole world.

If we are to obey the Master’s Mandate; if we are to fulfill Father’s design to populate the world with sons just like His Son, then we need to be captured and consumed with this pattern:

(a) Embodying the Life of Christ

(b) Embracing the Vision of Christ

(c) Employing the Strategy of Christ

(d) Emerging Disciples of Christ who are becoming world-visionary, world-impacting, reproducing disciple-makers!

We come now to the third type of role that the DMD must function in and that is as:

A Coach for Participation

A. The Mission - This Results in the Participation Reproducing the Transfer of the Mission to Future Generations

The famous and successful coach of the Dallas Cowboys defined a coach as, "someone who tells you what you don't want to hear, who has you see what you don't want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.”

Ron Berrus gives helpful insight into the discipler's role as a coach as he writes, "The disciple-maker also has the delightful duty of guiding the growing disciple in the investment of his time, energies and abilities in making other disciples. To accomplish this, the coach assists his disciple to discover his spiritual gifts and talents, assess his skills and resources, and embrace his obligations to invest all he is and has in the lives of others for Jesus’ sake. Again, the life-in-tandem approach will naturally expose the disciple to various ministry opportunities as they live and serve along side of the disciple-maker. Serving early is crucial. New disciples are usually eager and excited about their relationship with disciple-makers, and with opportunities to serve God by serving others. The disciple-maker must remain alert and eager to involve the disciple in various venues of ministry, taking them from observer… to participant… to leader in the process. Each opportunity to serve is just a preparation for the next opportunity that will develop. The wise disciple-maker uses every opportunity to help the disciple evaluate the experience of serving and so improve the next attempt. Jesus sent the 12 (and others) out two by two to experience preaching and compassion ministries on at least two extended tours before issuing the final great commission. Each of these ministry internships was concluded by a wilderness debriefing during which time Jesus corrected their misguided interpretations and strengthened them for greater service by emphasizing humility and cross-carrying.

Again, it must be emphasized that coaching is not an exclusive role. I used to live near PSU, where Nittany Lion fever raged all year long. Joe Paterno was the team “coach,” but the lives of the players were influenced by a score of other coaches and assistant coaches… defensive, offensive, special teams, and more. Additional ministry coaches (influencers and skill builders) should be brought in very early in the disciple’s new life experience. Each one will have an important role in shaping and developing the disciple-maker in process.

Coaching is primarily focused on developing competency and skills in relation to performing certain tasks. Despite a coach’s good intentions, without relational access to the coach’s life, the scope of imitation in the relationship will typically be limited to what is made available during organized times of “practice” and “game time.” The learner, then, in a coaching relationship, will be primarily focused on imitating the methods and practices which the coach uses to train the players during practice and game times. In this sense, coaching is somewhat one dimensional in that it is primarily task, or process oriented.

A discipling relationship should always include a coaching dimension. But coaching must always be in the larger context of  family life. By this we mean that in addition to participating in an organized process of developing skills and competency, the disciples will have what someone called  “organic access” to the discipler's life. Organic access includes regular times of interaction where the disciple shares in the rhythm and pattern of the discipler’s life. Things like eating dinner together, exercising together, or just plain hanging out for the fun of it. Basically, sharing life together.

Ralph Moore gives additional insight into the on the harvest field coaching, discipling process as he writes, "Jesus’ coaching and discipling model was often driven by the disciples’ questions. He would engage the Pharisees in debate and then retreat with the disciples. In those times of retreat he answered questions arising from the conflict with the Pharisees. He allowed hungry minds to explore areas of concern. The disciples initiated discussion under the umbrella of the situations he created.

Life and ministry offer opportunity at every turn. Everyday struggles present a format for learning just as waves present opportunity for surfing. Too often we confine learning of God and his kingdom to a classroom experience. We need a change of paradigm when training for life and ministry. Teaching is best done where learning is best accomplished. Classroom instruction is helpful and most often necessary. But, it can never be primary.

Primary or foundational education must always be relational. You learned to speak the same way someone learns surfing or how to pilot an aircraft. You listened and imitated someone who was kind to you and willing to correct you in love. After speaking for awhile, you entered a classroom to refine your skills. The same is true of Christian living and of Christian leadership. You learn it best in the context of a friendly relationship where you are free to learn by imitation and exhortation."

Dr. Tom Cocklereece adds additional light on the discipler as coach concept as he notes, "The term “discipleship” is the combination of two words: “disciple” and “ship.” The suffix “-ship” derives from the Old English suffix “- scipe” and means “to shape” or “to guide.” Thus, it can be said that discipleship is the shaping or guiding of a person to not only follow Christ but to be like Christ. We could easily morph the word discipleship into the term “disciple-guide” or even “disciple-coach.” The present discussion is important because there appears to be great confusion over the definition of disciple and discipleship.

Following our logic, discipleship is the process of shaping and guiding a follower of Christ. The work of a sculptor fits the description quite well as the artist begins with a large piece of rock and begins purposefully chipping away, while all the time the artist has the ultimate final shape in his mind as he works. Be assured that God in the person of the Holy Spirit is the actual sculptor of disciples, but he does use others as instruments of the sculpting. With God directing the process, the disciple-coach sees the imperfections in the medium, he ultimately sees Christ within the growing disciple. The disciple-coach guides the process with the co-active participation of the disciple, as it is the only way the process of discipleship works—active participation of the disciple. At this point we have defined the word “coach” as one who comes along side the disciple to encourage, guide, and ask questions that motivate self-awareness and a spiritual growth response.