The Discipleship Pathway

Matthew 28:19–20

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

The final command of the risen Christ is to make disciples. Yet, it seems that for all our programs, structures, processes, and budgets, the Church today has largely lost sight of this vision. Therefore, we are thrilled that you have taken up the call to obey this foundational command. You’re going to make a disciple!

A disciple is a follower of Jesus who lives like Jesus did. Discipleship, then, is one Jesus follower helping another Jesus follower become more like him. It is the journey of digging deeper into others’ faith so they may reach out to others and do the same. History has proven itself that the best way to grow in Jesus and experience life change is through one-on-one discipleship between two believers. Likewise, the Church movement has expanded at rapid rates because of the multiplication involved in disciples who make disciples who make disciples.

But how does one disciple somebody? There are undoubtedly many approaches to discipleship, with just as many areas of the Christian life to cover. That is why we’ve designed The Discipleship Pathway. This tool serves as a simple and accessible guide for a discipler to foster the spiritual growth of a disciple, holistically and sustainably, with the challenge for the disciple to make disciples built in.

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How the Discipleship Pathway Works

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The Discipleship Pathway is a free, one-on-one discipleship guide made up of eleven modules. Each module focuses on one area of life with Jesus and has a clear outcome the disciple is invited to embody. Every module contains four meetings, and every meeting follows the same simple pattern: discuss what you learned since last time, work through a few guided questions together, and leave with an assignment — a video, an essay, a practice or a reflection — to complete before you meet again.

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Because the pattern stays the same, both people always know what to expect. The discipler does not need to be a pastor or a Bible scholar. They simply need to be following Jesus, willing to share honestly and committed to showing up. The disciple needs a teachable heart, a journal and a willingness to try new practices.

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The Eleven Modules

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The Pathway moves in four directions. It grows the disciple "up" toward God, "down" into honest self-examination, "forward" into the world and finally "backward" to reach the next person on the journey.

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• Module 0: Discipleship — build a meaningful friendship and sign a discipleship covenant.

• Module 1: Prayer — establish a daily prayer rhythm.

• Module 2: Confession — practise honesty and accountability in community.

• Module 3: Self Denial — secret service, fasting, Sabbath and gratitude.

• Module 4: Scripture — see the big story of the Bible and learn to study it.

• Module 5: Guidance — discern God’s work in your life story.

• Module 6: Generosity — steward money, time and talent with freedom.

• Module 7: Awareness — find God in all things through the Examen.

• Module 8: Hospitality — share Jesus and create belonging.

• Module 9: Living Justly — become part of the solution to injustice.

• Module 10: Making Disciples — invite someone else onto the Pathway.

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Who the Pathway Is For

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The Pathway is designed for two believers meeting one-on-one: a discipler who is a little further along and a disciple who wants to grow. It works for new Christians and long-time church members alike, and it adapts easily to different ages and life stages. Churches can use it as a simple, repeatable discipleship framework, and individuals can start today with nothing more than a willing friend.

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Getting Started

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1. Find a partner. Ask God to show you someone to disciple, or someone to disciple you.

2. Agree on a rhythm. Weekly or bi-weekly meetings work best.

3. Begin with Module 0. Use the starter questions and discipleship covenant in your first meeting.

4. Keep everything in one place. All essays, worksheets and videos are collected on the All Resources page, and you can browse all modules at any time.

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Each module ends with recommended books and resources for further study, so a disciple who wants to go deeper in any area always has a next step.

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Outcomes

The Discipleship Pathway is outcome based. Each module has a desired outcome for the disciple to embody. Each meeting’s discussion and assignment are meant to help the disciple establish the outcome in his or her life. However, the discipler has total freedom to adjust assignments, rework discussions, and customize practices to better help the disciple accomplish the outcome.

Meet one-on-one

The Discipleship Pathway is best done one-on-one. While there are many great studies and tools for group-based discipleship, this tool is designed for a discipler and disciple.

Set the Pace

It’s recommended the discipler and disciple meet weekly or bi-weekly. The Pathway consists of 4 meetings per module, meaning it could take 11-12 months to complete the Pathway. That might seem like a really long time—but the friendship between discipler and disciple will be unlike any other. You’ll be amazed at the spiritual growth over the course of the year—both for the disciple and the discipler!

Resources

If there is a topic a disciple wants to dive into deeper, check out the recommended resources for further study at the bottom of each module. There you will find links to books, sermons, videos, or blogs that expound on the principles for that module.

Keep a Journal

While the Pathway is designed to be easily accessed from a mobile device, the discipler and disciple will need a journal or notetaking app to complete assignments, take notes, and track progress over the course of the Pathway.