A Guide to Practical Discipleship

A Supplemental Discussion Guide to DLT by Dave Stone

The Great Commission that Jesus gave to His Church was to make disciples of all people (Matthew 28:19-20). This includes the initial step of water baptism and ongoing teaching about how to obediently follow the commands of Jesus. No matter how many activities the church is involved in, the number one priority should be to make disciples. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case. Most church members have never led anyone to Christ, and discipleship has been left up to the pastor and key leaders. But the Great Commission is for all believers and making disciples should not be complicated. With that in mind, I have put together the following guide to practical discipleship.

The following discussion guide is based upon the first 9 modules used in Discipleship and Leadership Training (DLT) by the Global Foursquare Church that I have put into discussion questions and practical activities that will help lead the disciple into discovering how to be a faithful follower of Jesus and an effective disciple-maker. The only thing that is needed is a Bible and this discussion guide. To help facilitate the use of this material, the easiest way is to download it onto your cell phone or tablet so that you will always have it with you. This also makes it easy to pass it on to the ones you are discipling.

A committed disciple is one who attempts to have a daily devotional time in the Word and prayer as they grow in their relationship with Jesus. To help with this, I have included a one-year daily Bible reading guide. I also encourage you to keep a daily journal of your reading. While there are many good ways to journal, you might consider using the S.O.A.P. method. This stands for:

S = Scripture: Read the suggested portions of Scripture for the day. However, don’t let this become a burden or a legalistic practice. Focus on the portion that speaks to your heart. If you get involved with less than the complete reading for the day, that is okay. The important point is that God is speaking to you, not how much you read each day. If you are on a plan to read through the Bible in a year and it takes you a year and a half, or two years, that’s okay.

O = Observation: As you read the passage, think about what you are reading and make note of any key words or phrases that stand out to you. Who is the author? Who is the audience? What is happening? What is the main point he is trying to make?

A = Application: How does this Scripture speak to you and how can it be applied to your life? Is there a command to be obeyed? Is there a sin to be forsaken? Is there a spiritual principle to be followed? Is there a promise to be claimed?

P = Prayer: Respond to this passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply it to your life. Spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.

The portion above is something you can do alone during your personal time with God. However, discipleship requires a relationship with others. While it is always good to worship together in church with the whole congregation, discipleship usually works best in a small group setting or one-on-one.

Therefore, it is essential that you have at least one other person that you can get together with on a weekly basis to share what you have read, lessons you have learned, your memory verse, ways that you are applying the Word to your life, and then spending a time in prayer together. If you like, I have included a one-month supply of book markers developed by John Booker entitled ‘Next Steps’ that can be used to get started on your journey (see Appendix B).

Discipleship is more than just personally growing in Christ; it is also learning to minister to others and helping them to become mature disciples. I have included 3 practicum sessions where you can learn how to lead people to Christ by sharing a brief testimony, how to hear from God, and how to lead believers into the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The discussion guides can be used in your weekly small group sessions, or one on one. Don’t feel pressured into completing each discussion every week. Take as long as you need, even if it means spreading it out over several weeks. At other times, you may cover more than one point during your time together.

It is my prayer that this guide will be a practical and beneficial resource as you continue your personal walk with God and in helping others become mature disciples of Jesus.