Effective Disciple-Making Environments

We need to be disciple makers. In order to do so, we need effective environments to develop relationships that result in discipleship. In order to have these relationships, we need to discuss the different types of relationships in our life. First, we need to recognize that we have an enemy. Second, your neighbor is not your enemy. Third, we need friends. 

You Have an Enemy

To be an effective disciple maker, you need to be aware of your enemy: the devil. The devil has a kingdom and he has a mission and a vision. The mission is to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). His vision is to rob God of the glory He deserves through keeping as many people as possible from worshiping Him. The devil is cunning (2 Cor 11:3). He has power over the wicked (John 8:44) and he opposes Christians (Zech 3:1). Satan has plans to ruin and destroy you. For this reason, Peter urged his fellow Christians to “be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Peter says, “Resist him, standing firm in your faith…” (1 Peter 5:9). The devil is trying to “outwit us” (2 Cor 2:11) so we must not be unaware of his schemes. How does the devil attack Christians? Anyway he can! The devil is a dirty player who lies and cheats and will throw anything at us hoping something will stick. He doesn’t care what you believe as long as it isn’t what God wants you to believe. He wants you to deny that God exists and/or hate Him. James said, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). 

Your Neighbor is not Your Enemy

To be an effective disciple maker, you need to remember that your neighbor is not your enemy. According to the Bible, every human being is our neighbor who is worthy of compassion and kindness. In Luke 10, a scholar of the law wanted to know who qualifies as his neighbor and meets the definition of “love your neighbor” (Lev 19:18). He hoped to justify himself because his definition of a neighbor only included pious Jews like himself (the righteous). Jesus, knowing this, replied with the parable of the Good Samaritan to show that the proper question is not “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29); but rather “Who proved to be a neighbor?” (Luke 10:36).

But, you may ask, what if my neighbor treats me as an enemy? In Matthew 5:38-47, Jesus gives us four examples of how we are to respond. First, He says “If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (39). Second, if someone “wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well” (40). Third, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (41). Fourth, “Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (42). In each of these examples, Jesus calls His followers to refuse to retaliate and instead give a blessing. When you do this you are saying: “I love you enough to not respond in kind, but to respond in kindness. Instead of thinking “What is the appropriate retribution for this offense?” you should think, “How can I show mercy in spite of this offense?”. In Romans 12, Paul urges us to “bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse” (14). We should “never pay back evil for evil to anyone” (17) “never taking your own revenge…instead leave room for the wrath of God. For it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (19). 

The devil wants us to fight with one another. He also wants you to refuse to forgive others who hurt you and to infect you with bitterness and resentment. He wants you to fight against other people and not him (Eph 6:12) as he is more than willing to remain in the shadows. How do you conquer evil with good? You must surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Only Christ can enable you to sacrifice your pride. When someone insults you, you can resist the urge to retaliate by remembering Christ’s work on your behalf. Jesus took His own counsel. When He was standing before the High Priest, He remained silent and entrusted Himself to the Father (Matt 26:63). When He was insulted, He did not retaliate (Matt 26:67). Ask God to help you respond in faith and not in fear or anger. Remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Phil 4:13).

You Need Friends

To be an effective disciple maker, you need friends. We were not meant to live in isolation and the Christian walk is meant to be communal. It has been said before, while our Christian faith is personal, it is not private. There are 59 verses in the New Testament that speak of what we should do to and for one another. These are known as the “one anothers” of the Bible. In fact, 23 of them specifically say we should “love one another.” We cannot fully obey all of Christ’s commands unless we are in relationships with one another. 

But, you may ask, should I trust everyone who calls himself/herself a Christian? No. Jesus said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt 7:15). How do we discern who is true and who is false? Jesus continues, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt 7:16). Not every neighbor will treat you well and there are many you shouldn’t trust. Having said that, we need friends. Brian Croft said that we need friends in our life who are honest, and safe. We need friendships that are based on love, trust, and loyalty. How do you know you can trust someone? You can’t until they prove themselves trustworthy. Be willing to give someone a chance to be a friend.

If we are going to be disciple makers we need relationships built upon accountability and encouragement. Pray for God to show you who you can trust and give them an opportunity to prove they are trustworthy. As Titus 2 mentions, older women should instruct young women. Older men should instruct young men. When Jesus made disciples, He cultivated a relational environment of grace and truth. Our church needs these environments where we can “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thess 5:11). The key is that each person in the group can be known, held accountable, and encouraged.

Proverbs 18:24 says “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” The greatest friend you can have is Jesus. Jesus calls us His friends (John 15:15). Deepen your relationship with Jesus through obedience and faith. Ask Him to help you develop key discipleship relationships. We need to be disciple makers. In order to do so, we need effective environments to develop relationships that result in discipleship.