MODULE 0: Discipleship

OUTCOME: The disciple establishes a meaningful friendship with his or her discipler.
At its core, discipleship is done through friendship. Therefore, an adequate place to start any disciple making effort is to establish a meaningful friendship! This beginning module is designed for the disciple and his or her discipler to get acquainted with one another (if they haven’t already), while also learning the ins and outs of what the discipleship relationship will look like.

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Why Discipleship Starts With Friendship

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Jesus did not hand his first followers a curriculum and walk away. He called twelve ordinary people to "follow me," then ate with them, travelled with them, prayed with them and answered their questions along the road. One-on-one discipleship follows that same pattern. Before a discipler can help someone grow in prayer, Scripture or generosity, the two of them need a relationship built on trust, honesty and time spent together.

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That is why the Discipleship Pathway begins with Module 0. It is not a warm-up to skip past; it is the soil everything else grows in. In these four meetings the discipler and the disciple get to know each other’s stories, agree on what their time together will look like, name the fears that often keep believers from discipleship and set clear goals for the year ahead. By the end of the module, the disciple should be able to say, "I have a friend who is walking with me as I follow Jesus."

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What Is One-on-One Discipleship?

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A disciple is a follower of Jesus who is learning to live the way Jesus lived. Discipleship, then, is one Jesus follower intentionally helping another become more like him. In a one-on-one setting that help is personal. The discipler is not a lecturer or a counsellor with all the answers, but a fellow traveller who is a little further down the road and willing to share what they have learned, including their mistakes.

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The relationship works best when both people understand their roles:

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• The discipler makes time to meet regularly, prays for the disciple daily, comes prepared, listens more than they talk and models an honest, growing faith.

• The disciple shows up, completes the assignments, asks real questions, shares openly and receives guidance with humility.

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Both commit to one long-term aim: the disciple will one day disciple someone else. That built-in multiplication is what turns a single friendship into a movement of disciples who make disciples.

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The Four Meetings of Module 0

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Each meeting has a clear focus, and together they lay the foundation for the rest of the Pathway.

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• Meeting 1: Starter Questions and the Discipleship Covenant — get acquainted through simple starter questions, share how you each came to Christ and sign a discipleship covenant that sets expectations for both people.

• Meeting 2: Why Discipleship Matters — discuss the first training video and work through Matthew 28:18–20: God commands discipleship, discipleship matures faith and discipleship fuels mission.

• Meeting 3: Overcoming Fears and Excuses — talk honestly about the five common fears and excuses that stop believers from making disciples, and read the 10 Tips to Discipling and Being Discipled.

• Meeting 4: Setting Discipleship Goals — discuss the 10 Tips, agree on goals for your discipleship meetings and get ready to begin Module 1: Prayer.

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Practical Tips for Your First Month

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Choose a rhythm you can keep

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The Pathway recommends meeting weekly or every other week. Pick a regular day, time and place that both of you can protect. A coffee shop, a kitchen table or a lunch break all work; consistency matters more than the setting.

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Keep a journal from day one

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Assignments, prayer requests and insights add up quickly over eleven modules. A simple notebook or note-taking app lets you look back later and see how far God has brought you.

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Be honest about your story

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Module 0 invites both people to share where they come from. Disciplers set the tone: when you speak openly about your own struggles and questions, your disciple learns that this friendship is a safe place to be real.

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Pray for each other between meetings

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The covenant asks the discipler to pray for the disciple daily. Many pairs find it helpful to trade short prayer requests by text during the week so that prayer does not stop when the meeting ends.

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Key Scriptures for This Module

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• Matthew 28:18–20 — the Great Commission, the foundation of every disciple-making relationship.

• Mark 3:14 — Jesus appointed the twelve "that they might be with him," showing that discipleship begins with presence.

• 2 Timothy 2:2 — what you have heard, "entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."

• Proverbs 27:17 — "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How long does the Discipleship Pathway take?

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There are eleven modules with four meetings each. Meeting weekly or bi-weekly, most pairs complete the Pathway in about 11 to 12 months.

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What if we already know each other well?

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That is a great place to start. Work through Meeting 1 and the covenant anyway, then feel free to move on to Module 1: Prayer once you both have a good grasp of what discipleship involves.

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Do I need to be a mature Christian to disciple someone?

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No. You need to be following Jesus, willing to be honest and committed to showing up. As Module 0 reminds us, God is the one who teaches people through us.

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In this module: Meeting 1: Starter Questions & Covenant · Meeting 2: Why Discipleship Matters · Meeting 3: Fears & Excuses · Meeting 4: Setting Discipleship Goals. All worksheets and videos: Module 0 resources. Next module: Module 1: Prayer. See all 11 modules.