Disciplemaking Churches

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Intentional Disciplemaking

Intentional disciplemaking is what God intends for His church to do in the same way that Jesus did--leading people through sequential phases of spiritual development. These phases are described in different ways by various churches and authors, but the common element is a commitment to see people grow in Christ from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity.

Apostle Paul on Disciplemaking

“No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.”

Ephesians 4:11-16, Message

Helpful Links

Intentional Discipleship Network

T-Net International

Helpful Media Resources

There are a number of videos available to help you train your church in disciplemaking. The following videos are available for rental through Lincoln Christian University's Media Services:

An Exposition of the Great Commission - Bill Hull
This clear explanation of the focus and extent of the Great Commission provides a strong foundation for the development of your church's Philosophy of Mission. This video is the essential beginning point for all of disciplemaking.

Christ's Disciplemaking Phases - Bill Hull
An examination of Jesus' own disciplemaking phases and intentional method of discipling his men leads to a reconsideration of the way we help church members grow to maturity.

Spiritual Disciplines - Bill Hull
This video explains the key historical disciplines that mark the disciple's life and how we build these into the lives of our people.

Principles of Church Infrastructure I - Bob Gilliam
This video integrates church health and church growth principles to teach what relational needs should be met by the major program elements in your church. You will learn how to evaluate and target the areas that need fine-tuning and strengthening.

Principles of Church Infrastructure II - Bob Gilliam
Discover how to structure the ministries of the whole church to work together to grow both numerically and spiritually as you make disciples.

Revival, Reformation, Repentance - Bill Hull
Bill explains how God works through the instruments of revival, reformation, and repentance to strengthen His church. How should we plan to maximize the impact of these elements?

Leading Your Church Through Change I - Bob Gilliam
Change in the church is mandatory. The question is how do we approach it? You will learn how to correctly visualize and create a process of change in your church.

Leading Your Church Through Change II - Bob Gilliam
Learning how to minimize resistance and correctly time the change process are crucial to success. The coaching in these two areas plus a "checklist for change" will be invaluable tools for you as you revitalize your church.

Completing Your Infrastructure - Bob Gilliam
Developing a whole church approach to disciplemaking requires refinement in many elements of church infrastructure. Here you will be challenged to examine a variety of ministry elements to determine their effectiveness. Guidelines for potential ways to make appropriate changes are also included.

The Starting Line - Bill Hull
For most people, understanding a concept or process is the goal. Hull asserts that when it comes to disciplemaking in the local church, understanding is merely the starting point that paves the way for action.

Five Values of a Disciplemaking Church - Bill Hull
Based on Jesus' final message to His own disciples in John 15, Hull describes the kind of disciple Jesus intends for us to make in the church.

Helpful Resources

Growing True Disciples

In this book George Barna explores why churches in America are largely failing in their attempt to make disciples. Most helpful are his recommendations for what the church should do about it. This is a great resource for convincing church leaders of their need for intentional disciplemaking.

The Disciplemaking Pastor

In this book Bill Hull challenges pastors to count the costs of developing a disciplemaking ministry and remain true to their calling. Throughout the book Hull paints a compelling vision for what churches can become as pastors boldly commit themselves to an intentional disciplemaking philosophy of ministry.

The Disciplemaking Church

In this book Bill Hull demonstrates what a church based on discipleship principles looks like. He explains why disciplemaking is important and outlines the progression in the early church from first church, to mission church, and finally discipling church.

New Century Disciplemaking

In this book Bill Hull uses Scripture to brilliantly illustrate the methods Jesus used to develop his disciples from casual seekers into fully devoted followers who changed the course of history.