“Living the 7 Ministry Pillars”

INTRODUCTION

We are continuing our Bible Study series, “Living the 7 Ministry Pillars,” by focusing on “The Biblical Mandate & Purpose of Discipleship.”

SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION FOR LESSON

“19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” – Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV).

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” – 2 Timothy 2:2.

Building on our foundation from Part A, we now turn to the active call — not only to be disciples, but to make disciples. It takes disciples to make disciples. Jesus’ final words to His disciples are not merely suggestions. They serve as a divine command that resonates with us across generations. Making disciples is central to our faith community.

Please complete rewriting that lasting sentence Making ____________ is __________ to _____ ___________.

“Go and MAKE disciples of all nations.” This command is not limited to evangelism alone — it calls us to discipleship. And it is not only geared towards ministry leaders, but towards the total Church. This success is predicated on a community approach to making disciples of Jesus Christ.

True discipleship is not a program we complete or a skill we master — it is a surrender we live out, moment by moment, before a God who is faithfully at work within us.

At its heart, discipleship is less about what we do and far more about what the Lord does in us as we yield ourselves to Him. Our role, as sons and daughters called into His purposes, is obedience — and it is precisely this obedience that opens wide the door for Him to work freely and fully in our lives.

In Part A of the lesson, we defined discipleship, identified its conditions, explained its purpose, explored spiritual development through the lens of physical growth, distinguished grace from effort, and provided a self-assessment tool.

We now build on that foundation to explore the active call to help disciple others — because the Great Commission is a community endeavor, not a solo pursuit.

The command to make disciples does not imply that we, by our own effort, can make ourselves or someone into a disciple. Jesus Christ uses us in this collective process, where we baptize, teach believers the way of righteousness, and sustain healthy relationships with them so as to provide effective mentorship.

“6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God's building.” – 1 Corinthians 3:6-7; 9.

The believer’s contribution to this process is obedience to the Word of God and a commitment to this process. This commitment requires acceptance and application of the conditions of discipleship as we have taught in this lesson, and as application is done then the process of transformation will become increasingly evident in us.

THE FOUNDATION OF ALL DISCIPLESHIP

At its core, discipleship is the process of helping believers mature in Christ, becoming more like Him in word, and deed. It’s a transformative journey that equips us to live out God’s purpose and to become active participants in His kingdom.

“12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” – Ephesians 4:12-13 (NIV).

This divine objective is not our invention but a scriptural mandate, emphasizing that every disciple is called to be equipped, built up, and eventually to multiply their faith in others.

WHAT IS EFFECTIVE MENTORING?

Effective mentoring in discipleship is more than teaching doctrine; it’s a vibrant relationship of intentional investment, fostering spiritual growth by sharing life and faith.

“So, we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our very lives as well” — 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NIV).

This dynamic is deeply relational rather than transactional. Mentors walk alongside disciples, meeting them where they are with empathy and understanding.

True guidance requires God-given wisdom to discern the right path and boundless compassion that reflects Christ’s love, creating an environment for authentic spiritual development.

STRATEGIES FOR MENTORING NEW MEMBERS

Mentoring often begins in simple, ordinary moments of connection — a conversation or a shared meal. These early interactions create space for trust, friendship, and genuine care to grow.

Þ Show Up First: Initiate contact. Don’t wait for them to come to you. A simple greeting or sitting with them after service goes a
long way.

Þ Learn Their Story: Ask about their life, not just their faith. Where are they from? People open up when they feel genuinely known.

Þ Find Common Ground: Discover shared interests, experiences, or struggles. An authentic connection grows from real things you have in common, not just a shared church membership.

Þ Be Consistent: Show up regularly in low-pressure ways — a check-in text, grabbing lunch, walking together during a community evangelism event. Consistency builds trust before any formal mentoring begins.

Þ Earn the Right to Speak: Before offering guidance or scripture, earn trust through presence and listening. People receive wisdom from those who genuinely care about them.

STRATEGIES FOR MENTORING EXISTING MEMBERS

Mentoring existing members requires a different approach than nurturing new believers. Here’s how to help those who may have plateaued or are ready for deeper spiritual growth.

Þ Identify the Plateau: Plateaus are a natural part of any spiritual journey, but left unaddressed, they can quietly harden into disengagement. As a mentor, your role is to pay close attention — not in a critical way, but with the eyes of someone who genuinely cares. Sometimes the signs are subtle: less enthusiasm in worship, shorter answers, or a gradual withdrawal from church services. Naming what you observe with grace can be the very thing that opens a door they didn’t know they needed opened.

1. You notice they’ve stopped volunteering or seem disengaged during worship — gently ask, “I notice that you have been a little disengaged. Is everything okay?”

2. They give the same surface answers every week — try shifting the setting to a walk or coffee to invite a more honest conversation.

Þ Deepen the Conversation: Real mentoring happens below the surface. Many existing members have learned the “right” answers and can navigate church culture comfortably — which means surface conversations won’t reveal what’s going on inside. To go deeper, you must be willing to go there yourself first. Create space for honesty by being honest and asking questions that invite reflection rather than performance.

1. Instead of “How are you doing?” try “What’s been weighing on you spiritually this month?”

2. Share something vulnerable from your own journey first — it gives them permission to open up too.

3. After a service or event, linger a little longer than usual — some of the most honest conversations happen as we walk the isles or in the parking lot when the pressure of a formal setting is gone.

Þ Introduce New Challenges: Growth rarely happens in comfort zones. For existing members who have settled into a routine, a well-timed challenge can reignite their passion and remind them that God still has more for them. The key is to tailor the challenge to where they are, not so overwhelming that it discourages, but stretching enough to require dependence on God. Frame it as an invitation, not an assignment.

1. Invite them to lead a small group discussion or teach a portion of a Bible study they’ve been part of.

2. Suggest that they join a short-term scripture-reading plantogether or challenge them to fast and pray over a specific area of their lives.

3. Challenge them to spend one week serving in a ministry area completely outside their comfort zone — then debrief together about what God revealed through the experience.

Þ Speak Into Their Calling: One of the most powerful things a mentor can do is reflect back to someone what they cannot yet see in themselves. Many long-time members carry untapped gifts that have never been named or affirmed. Your role isn’t to assign them a calling, but to ask good questions, observe their natural strengths, and speak with conviction about what you see God doing in them. Sometimes a single sentence of affirmation from a trusted mentor can change the entire trajectory of someone’s ministry.

1. If they have a gift for hospitality, encourage them to get involved in a hospitality-based activity at Church.

2. Keep a mental (or written) note of moments when you see them come alive — in conversation, in service, in prayer — and bring it up: “I noticed something in you when you did that. Have you ever considered that might be your calling?”

Þ Model Continued Growth: The most credible thing you can do as a mentor is to let your disciple see that you are still growing. When mentors present themselves as having it all together, it creates an unspoken pressure for disciples to perform rather than be real. But when you share your own struggles, questions, and areas of growth, you give them permission to do the same. Mentoring is not a one-way transfer of wisdom — it’s a mutual journey walked together before God.

1. Share a book you’re currently reading or a sermon that challenged you — invite them to engage with it together.

2. Be honest about an area where God is still working on you — it normalizes the ongoing nature of growth for both of you.

3. Invite them into something you’re personally working through — a prayer discipline, a scripture you’re wrestling with, or a conviction God is refining in you — and process it together rather than presenting a finished answer.

MENTORING WITH WISDOM & COMPASSION

True discipleship flourishes when wisdom and compassion are woven together. Like two wings of a bird, they enable mentors to guide with clear discernment and embrace with tender empathy, fostering deep and lasting spiritual formation.

REFLECTION & APPLICATION: EFFECTIVE MENTORING

As we conclude this section on effective mentoring, take a moment to pause and consider how these principles can be applied in your own life and ministry.

Reflect on this question prayerfully.

Þ Who in your life right now could benefit from intentional mentoring — a new member taking their first steps, or an existing member ready for deeper growth?

This week, choose one person and take the first step towards initiating or deepening a mentoring relationship. It can be as simple as an intentional conversation or a shared meal.