You have what it takes

to grow in Christ and help others do the same.

Discipleship 101
Navigators.org
Disciplemaking.
It can sound difficult and overwhelming. But what if you discovered you already have what it
takes? It’s true! Disciplemaking can be one of the most natural things any believer does. What
you need is just what God has given you—your gifts, heart and relationship with Him. So when
it does come to disciplemaking, you have what it takes.
Table of Contents
Introduction…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…………………………………………………………….…….4

What is Discipleship?…….………………………………………………………………………………………5

Inviting Someone To Follow Jesus With You………………………………………….……7

Praying With Someone………………………………………………………………………………………..9

Studying the Bible Together……………………………………………………………………………..11

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13

Additional Resources……………………………………………………………………………………….…..14

Discipleship 101 3
Have you ever wondered how discipleship happens? Maybe you’re thinking, I want to grow in
Christ and would like to invite someone to join me, but where do I start?. You’re not alone.

See if you can relate to Tiana, Bryan, and Christine as they wonder about the next steps
of discipleship.

1. Tiana and her friend Ashley take walks in their local community and often talk about their
growing families and the happenings in their neighborhood. Tiana wants to talk more about
the faith they share. She’d like to invite Ashley to grow and learn as they follow Jesus together,
but she isn’t sure where to start.

2. Bryan loves playing basketball at his local gym. When his son Tyler started middle school,
he began bringing him along. It’s through their time together at the gym that important
conversations happen. Sometimes Tyler shares about what’s going on at school and with his
friends. Bryan would like to pray for his son and begin to model to him what prayer could look
like. This could be an opportunity for discipleship, but he wonders about the next step.

3. Christine also wonders how to get started with discipleship. She would like to invite someone
to study the Bible with her, but isn’t sure who to ask. She’s curious about how to find that
person and what studying the Bible together would even look like.

If you have similar questions, then you are in the right place and we can help. In this eBook we
would like to walk alongside you and share what it looks like to disciple someone.

Here are a few questions we will answer:

What is discipleship?
What does discipleship look like in everyday life?
What’s a good approach for inviting someone to follow Jesus with you?
What does it look like to pray with someone?
How do you study the Bible with someone?

We pray this eBook will help give you confidence that you have what it takes to grow in Christ
and help others do the same.

The Navigators
What is Discipleship?

A disciple is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, intentionally learns
from Him, and strives to live more like Him.

Discipleship is a widely-used word associated with a variety of definitions related to growing in

our Christian faith. As Navigators, we are passionate about inspiring and equipping believers
to embrace what we call Life-to-Life® discipleship. Essentially, it involves growing in Christ
ourselves and helping others do the same. The Life-to-Life element is about intentionally
coming alongside another person starting from wherever they are spiritually and sharing
God’s love with them in ways you think will resonate. Sometimes it looks like praying with
them, sometimes studying the Bible together, other times it involves just spending quality
time together.

The verse we often look to as an example of Life-to-Life discipleship is 1 Thessalonians 2:8:

“Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of
God but our lives as well.”

Jesus first demonstrated this kind of personal discipleship approach through His relationship
with the 12 disciples. He intentionally chose everyday people (rather than religious leaders)
and often used the phrase, “Follow me” to invite those around Him to pay attention to what
He said, what He did, how He lived, and what was truly important, so His way of life would be
replicated through theirs.

Here is a sampling of places in Scripture where He does this:

“‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people’” Matthew 4:19 (NIV).

“Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you
have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me’”
Mark 10:21 (NIV).

“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax
booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.”
Luke 5:27-28 (NIV).

“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will
honor the one who serves me” John 12:26 (NIV).

Discipleship 101 5
Once we are in Christ, we have what it takes to offer Life-to-Life discipleship to friends, family
or neighbors that God puts on our hearts. It’s not about being an expert. It’s more about
just passing on what you’re learning as you grow in your relationship with Jesus. A seminary
degree or Christian leadership position isn’t required to “go and make disciples” of Jesus as He
called us to do in the Great Commission. All you need is to be who God created you to be and
recognize you have what it takes to grow in Christ and help others do the same.

Life-to-Life Discipleship Story:

“I observed God from afar. I didn’t seek an intimate relationship with Him. In fact, I didn’t think
it was possible to have that kind of relationship with God—a relationship that saw past my
many flaws and was built on His love for me and on my faith in Him.”

Read about Ed’s story of discipleship and how he went from being an observer to a follower.

Click here to read now! - navlink.org/ed

Take the Next Step:

How has God transformed your life with someone who came alongside you to share the
gospel, pray, study the Bible, or even fellowship together?

Discipleship 101 6
Inviting Someone To Follow Jesus With You

Are you aware that God knows and understands you intimately? He knows your schedule, your
thoughts, your concerns, how you make your decisions, your giftings, your social circles, your
personality—He knows it all.

“You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are
familiar with all my ways” Psalm 139:1-3 (NIV).

Since God knows you intimately, He knows what discipleship can look like in your life. Often,
He reveals discipleship opportunities as we consider relationships we already have and ask
Him to show us who is open or even eager to explore faith. You may begin to see how God is
working in your time with them.

For example, Tiana already has a relationship with Ashley and they’re involved in each other’s
lives. This gives Tiana an opportunity to speak about her growing relationship with Jesus. She
could bring up a Bible verse that has impacted her recently or what she’s learned about God
through a difficult circumstance. Taking that first step and starting those conversations about
faith opens the door to continue the conversation.

Ultimately, you want to grow in your relationship with God. Then you can share how you’re
growing, what you’re learning, and how Jesus is changing your life.

Life-to-Life Discipleship Story:

“Be truthful and let your life situation speak, while putting God first. Whatever it may be: good,
bad, happy, sad, joy, trial, our lives are full of unknowns. But if you share your unknowns with
people, then they become known, and could become your testimony.”

Read about Ron’s story of discipleship and how through God’s design he shared his faith in his
hospital workplace.

Click here to read now! - navlink.org/ron

Discipleship 101 7
Take the Next Step:

Pray over the names of people God brings to mind in your family, community and workplace.
Ask Him to help you discern whom He might be calling you to invest in personally.

Write the name of one person you could invite to follow Jesus with you.

What are you learning in your relationship with Jesus that you’re excited to share with
someone else?

Navigators Discipleship Tool

Navigators Discipleship Tool for Starting Conversations About Growing In Christ:
The Wheel Illustration - navlink.org/wheel

Discipleship 101 8
Praying With Someone

You’ve had many conversations with God and understand this is what prayer is all about.
Inviting someone to pray with you is simply inviting them to join your conversation with God.

“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be
healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” James 5:16 (NIV).

As Tyler, Bryan’s son, shares with him about some difficult things happening at school,
Bryan could offer to pray for him. By praying for Tyler, Bryan is modeling for his son what
having a conversation with God sounds like. The next step for Bryan could be inviting Tyler
to pray with him, giving Tyler the opportunity to continue the conversation with God with
someone he trusts.

Do you have people in your life whom you regularly ask, “How can I be praying for you?” Prayer
is a powerful tool and can bless others in your life richly. Ask someone you know if you could
pray for them this week. Trust the Holy Spirit to guide your words and share with God what’s
on your heart for the person you’re praying for. They will appreciate your genuine prayer and it
might just be the best thing that’s happened to them all day!

Praying for them gives you the opportunity to invite them to pray together more often. Once
you’ve prayed together once, look for the opportunity to pray again for each other. It could be
as easy as praying together after a game of basketball.

Life-to-Life Discipleship Story:

“What if God answered the prayers of many? What if, through this, the faith of many would be
strengthened as we corporately humbled ourselves to seek God? What if we partnered with
God and witnessed Him do the impossible?”

Read about how Alice felt led to ask Marlyd if she needed prayer and what happened next.

Click here to read now! - navlink.org/alice

Discipleship 101 9
Take the Next Step:

Invite a friend to pray with you. What was this experience like?

Navigators Discipleship Tool

Navigators Discipleship Tool for Learning How to Pray:
The Prayer Hand - navlink.org/prayer-hand

Discipleship 101 10
Studying the Bible Together

Your understanding of following Jesus and living more like Him is deepening as you read
God’s Word. Studying the Bible with someone else could be as simple as reading Scripture,
reflecting on it, and discussing what you observe and how this applies to everyday life.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training
in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good
work”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV).

As Christine prayed about who to study the Bible with, Nicole, a co-worker came to mind.
They’ve become friends within the last two years and have briefly talked about their Christian
faith. During their lunch break, Christine asks Nicole if she’s ever studied the Bible with
someone. She invites Nicole to read through the Gospel of John one small section at a time
and discuss it with her during lunch.

Pray about who to study the Bible with and see whom God brings to mind. It might be a co-
worker you’ve built a friendship with who might be ready to take their next step in spiritual
growth. Studying the Bible together can be conversational and uncomplicated. It doesn’t
require extra tools, just a Bible.

Life-to-Life Discipleship Story:

“I invite women to read the Bible and learn about Jesus because He is my treasure and my
reason for living each day. How tragic to not know Jesus and not have a relationship with Him.”

Read about how Mika connects with other moms to read the Bible and how this encourages
them.

Click here to read now! - navlink.org/mika

Discipleship 101 11
Take the Next Step:

As you read Scripture in your personal time with the Lord, what questions do you ask yourself
as you read? Write down these questions and keep them in mind as you step into an
opportunity to study the Bible with someone else.

Navigators Discipleship Tool

Navigators Discipleship Tool for Studying the Bible:
The Four R’s of Bible Study - navlink.org/ReadListen

Discipleship 101 12
Conclusion
We pray this resource has inspired you to grow in Christ and help others do the same.

God uniquely created and purposed you to share His love with those around you. Maybe
sharing His love is being there for someone through life’s ups and downs or inviting them into
deeper conversations about faith. It could be praying for someone and then inviting them to
pray with you on a regular basis. Or it could be studying the Bible with someone and talking
about what God’s teaching you both through His Word.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your
ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV).

Trust that you have what it takes to disciple others. The Lord promises to lead you each step of
the way.

Discipleship 101 13
 Continue growing in your faith with
these discipleship resources:

Growing Together: A Three-Part

Guidebook for Following Jesus and
Bringing Friends on the Journey
Want to continue growing as a disciplemaker? This new resource was specifically
created for you!

Growing Together: A Three-Part Guidebook for Following Jesus and Bringing

Friends on the Journey is a book grounded in research from Barna and The
Navigators and includes:

Continue growing in your

• Practical advice on how to invest in others through our day-to-day lives
• Personal testimonies about what God has done through disciplemaking
• Questions for self-reflection and discussion with friends

faith with these resources:

Purchase your guidebook at a special 20% OFF discount using code NAVS20.
navlink.org/growing-together

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PRAYING THE NAMES Ei ATTRIBUTES
Looking to connect with other disciplemakers online? Join our private Facebook
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