Outreach Canada Blog

We pray that these four stories about disciple-making & disciple multiplication (from Simply Mobilizing Canada) encourage your heart and inspire you to action!

• The Letter - the story of just one letter and how God used it to bring many to Himself.
• Why I love doing Discovery Bible Studies with my Muslim friends - the story of a woman who is studying the Bible with her Muslim friends.
• From Stone to Soil - Once upon a time, a seemingly uninterested man participated in a Discovery Bible Study in a cafe around the world, and then everything changed.
• Living and Active - the story of how the Scriptures made it to a remote village through text message.

One Sunday morning in the church where I pastored, a family came to me and shared how some of their friends had left our church to go to another church: a "competitor church". They were completely distracted by their news. Does the Bible encourage us to compete with fellow believers? Is there such a thing as a competitor church?

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” -Mark 8:34

I still remember the moment I heard the words of Mark 8, grasping their significance for the first time. Sitting amongst peers while at university – I was largely preoccupied by ambition and my pursuit of excellence.

I didn’t know a lot back then about what it means to follow Jesus, but I did know Jesus as the Saviour who pulls little children closer, drowning out harshness with His greatness. His hands had sheltered my heart throughout my youth and brought along gifts of companionship, discipleship, and understanding. I felt cherished by Jesus and it was his inordinate compassion towards me that kept me tethered to Him. 

Deny - the word sprang out at me, convicting and exposing me. 

What did that mean? 

I was well positioned to pursue the American Dream and succeed at it, and denying myself in any way was not really part of the plan. So tangibly struck, I fumbled to respond to those words within our group, finally landing on, “I don’t think I’m doing that”. 

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” -Mark 8:35

Oh boy, somehow denying myself was connected to losing my life and that was not anywhere on my to-do list. I was on track for a comfortable life, full of all the perks of a first-world society, with no regard for the reality that no one avoids suffering anyway...

Here is a collection of 40 quotes about Disciple-Making -- words of wisdom from Christian thinkers, including Outreach Canada team members ...

We, as followers of Jesus, are called to prioritize inviting others to follow Him.

Why? Because Jesus did.

Making disciples was demonstrated to be the priority of Jesus. He said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” (John 20:21)

In light of this, how do we, as disciples, make disciples?

In recent years, while the church has been in decline in the west, much has been learned about making disciples in Asia and elsewhere. Disciple Making Movements (centered around a 7-step process commonly known as “Discovery Bible Study”) are multiplying disciples-who-make-disciples. Surprisingly, these movements are multiplying disciples throughout diverse cultures and through ordinary lay people.

The process is simple, focusing on allowing the Holy Spirit to apply the Word of God to us personally, inviting us not only to knowledge, but also, in response to insight, obedience.

Here is the simple 7-step process for facilitating Discovery Bible Study ...

How can you recognize a disciple of Jesus? 

In some circles, discipleship is measured by activities such as reading the Bible and praying; attending church and participating in religious programs. These can be valuable, but is discipleship determined by such activities?

John B. MacDonald proposes that Jesus is the source, the substance, and the goal of true discipleship. 

Here are five attributes that distinguish disciples of Christ from others...