SELECT, TEACH, TRAIN, AND BUILD…

Matthew 28:19-20 = 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new
disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you
always, even to the end of the age.”

- As believers we are all called personally to make disciples.

- A disciple is simply a “learner.”
- Every believer should be discipled by someone and have their own disciples. Just
as we all have families in this world, we are also to reproduce spiritual children.
- Examples of those who reproduced spiritually are: Moses, Naomi and Ruth,
Elijah and Elisha, The Pharisees and their disciples, John the Baptist and his
disciples, Paul had Timothy as his disciple…
- Jesus is the best example of a disciple. He chose only 12 because as a disciple
maker you can not invest your whole life into a multitude of people. You have to
pray and select a few to raise up in Christ. Just as in natural parenting you can not
raise a multitude of kids…

Eph. 4:11-16 = 11 He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip
God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, 13 until we come
to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full
grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
14
Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we
believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has
cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will hold to the
truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his
body, the church. 16 Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As
each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body
is healthy and growing and full of love.
- Many people think that it is the Pastor (and other 5 fold ministry people’s job) to do
everything in the body of Christ. The Pastor’s job is simply to guide the flock; just as a
shepherd guides the sheep. The Pastor is not the spiritual father of the sheep. He is the
guide. Within a flock there are many families. Each sheep will belong to their own
family. Though the Pastor is not the father of the sheep, they are still to respect and
follow the shepherd. This illustration shows us that we can not rely on the Pastor for
everything. We are all called to reproduce spiritual children in making disciples.
- If all believers were making disciples those in 5 fold ministry could have fewer burdens
for counseling and would be able to teach deeper spiritual things to all.
- A sign of maturity for a believer is when they are able to start raising someone else up in
Christ.
What are some qualities of a Biblical disciple?
One who is a learner. One who is a believer. One who loves God. One who is in
submission to Christ. One who stays in the Word. One who loves other believers. One
who is bearing fruit for Christ’s name. One who is willing to forsake all for Christ
whether it be family or possessions. One who is never ashamed to be identified with
Christ.

1. How do you select someone to disciple? (Selecting)

1 Tim. 1:18 = 18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the
prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they give you the confidence to fight well
in the Lord’s battles1
- It was God who pointed Timothy out to Paul. In the same way God must point someone
out to us to help raise up in Christ.
1 Samuel 16:6-7 = 6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought,
“Surely this is the LORD’s anointed!” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his
appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t make decisions the way
you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person’s thoughts
and intentions.”2
- We need to be open to what God sees in people. We should not look at their outward
appearance to decide if we want to help them or not. God is not a respecter of gifts, social
status or personality.

* There are a few qualities that we can search for also in selcting someone to disciple.
-We must look for one who is FAITHFUL. (Pr. 25:19 - 19 Putting confidence in an
unreliable person is like chewing with a toothache or walking on a broken foot.)3
- We also must look for someone who is AVAILABLE (Ruth 1:16 - 16 But Ruth replied,
“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. I will go wherever you go and live wherever
you live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.)4
- Finally we can search for one who is also TEACHABLE (1 Cor. 11:1 - And you
should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.)5
- After praying and seeing who the Lord wants us to disciple we can then pray that they
are people that are Faithful, Available and Teachable. If they are then we can truly help
them grow.

2. What to teach someone God brings you to disciple? (Teaching)

Romans 8:29 – 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become
like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. 6
- As disciple makers we must help others to become more like Christ. We must pray
that God would use our hands to form Him in others.

1Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (1 Ti 1:17-18). Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.
2Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (1 Sa 16:5-7). Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.
3Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (Pr 25:18-19). Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.
4Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (Ru 1:15-16). Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.
5Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (1 Co 11:1). Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.
6Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (Ro 8:28-29). Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.
 1 Peter 2:2 – 2 You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the
fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk7
- It is the Word of God that is their milk and it will help them grow in Christ. We must
expose them to the Word as much as possible.
Matthew 28:19 – (We must do as Jesus said to do and “teach them all things” that He
has taught us).
2 Timothy 3:16 – (We must teach them, rebuke them, correct them and train them in
righteousness from the Word of God).

What can we teach?

- How to have a Quiet Time.
- The many ways to get into the Word of God. (Hand Illustration).
- How to prayer. Luke 11:1- (Jesus taught His disciples how to pray).
- How to share their testimony with others.
- Help them discover what their spiritual gifts are.
- How to live as a believer in everyday life.
- How to relate and have fellowship with other believers.
*Having a “plan” of what to teach them can keep you accountable to help them and
them craving more growth.

3. How to put the teaching into practice through training them? (Training)
2 Timothy 3:16 – (Now that we have taught them and went through a period of
rebuking/correcting, we must train them).
2 Timothy 2:2 - 2 You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by
many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able
to pass them on to others.8
- The goal of training is to see those we have discipled pass what we have taught them
on to others. We want to see them reproducing now.
- We have to let go and let them lead and let them have some responsibility in order to
do this. We want them to become as example to others now.

4. What do we build into their lives once they are trained to make disciple by
themselves? (Building)
1 Timothy 4:12-16 - 12 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be
an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your
faith, and your purity. 13 Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church,
encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
14
Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you
when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15 Give your complete attention to
these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16
Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God
will save you and those who hear you.
- We can not only focus on teaching and training them. We have to keep them
accountable and build character into their lives.

7Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (1 Pe 2:1-2). Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.
8Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (2 Ti 2:1-2). Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.
- The relationship with them may not be as structured in terms of meeting with them, but
we are their as a person they can get wisdom from. We are to be a model to them of the
standards that they should keep in life.
- Many people are taught and trained but it is the character that will make or break their
ministry and walk with God.
1 Thes. 2 (Read the whole chapter and consider Paul’s heart).
- We can learn from Paul that ministry is also “sharing your life” with others. We
must teach believers that to be a Christian is not ministry, but a lifestyle of Christ in
one’s life in a chaotic world.

*Some warnings about discipleship ministry…

- Not letting go of people and trying to control them completely.
- Not trusting God with them and their life.
- Trying to “raise too many disciples” at one time.
- Becoming impatient with them.
- Trying to make them a carbon copy of ourselves.
- Giving up on people.
- Making it a program and not a lifestyle.