Disciples of Jesus

Discipleship is a life-long journey to becoming more like Jesus Christ.

 
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The Hope of Christmas
I am so grateful for Christmas, for The Hope of Christmas. Not the sugar-coated, Hallmark movie kind of Christmas, where everything turns out ok...
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The Hope of Christmas
I am so grateful for Christmas, for The Hope of Christmas. Not the sugar-coated, Hallmark movie kind of Christmas, wher...
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Discovery Bible Study: A Challenge for Canadian Ministry Lea...
In the first two parts of this blog series, we shared Teresa’s story of introduction to Discovery Bible Study (Part 1) as well as stories of Ter...
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Discovery Bible Study: A Challenge for Canadian Ministry Leaders
In the first two parts of this blog series, we shared Teresa’s story of introduction to Discovery Bible Study (Part 1) ...
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Stories of a Disciple-Making Movement in Asia (Part 2)
In her modern-day missionary journeys throughout Asia, Teresa has been focusing on training leaders and equipping them to facilitate disciple-ma...
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Stories of a Disciple-Making Movement in Asia (Part 2)
In her modern-day missionary journeys throughout Asia, Teresa has been focusing on training leaders and equipping them ...

Disciples of Jesus


What is a disciple? During His short life walking the earth, Jesus called twelve men to follow Him. To witness His miracles, hear His teaching and most importantly live life with Him for those brief intense years. Today Jesus is still calling people to be His disciples and amazingly to participate in showing God's love and mercy to the world, just the same as He with those first few followers. Our starting point for understanding discipleship is Jesus – his life, conduct, and teaching. Jesus is the source, substance and goal of true discipleship.

Here you will find resources on lifetime journey of being a disciple of Jesus.


How the Church can Make Disciples in 2023

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 the Church can Make Disciples in 2023

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 ...


4 Ways to Make Disciples Like Jesus Did

In the Great Commission, the remaining eleven are commissioned to make disciples just like Jesus made disciples - despite their failures and hesitancy.

How do disciple-makers model themselves after Jesus, and how do disciples identify with the first disciples? Here are four ways we can learn from Jesus and the Twelve for making disciples ...

4 Ways to Make Disciples Like Jesus Did

In the Great Commission, the remaining eleven are commissioned to make disciples just like Jesus made disciples - despite their failures and hesitancy.

How do disciple-makers model themselves after Jesus, and how do disciples identify with the first disciples? Here are four ways we can learn from Jesus and the Twelve for making disciples ...


5 Discipleship Attributes

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... 

5 Discipleship Attributes

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... 


40 Disciple Making Quotes

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

40 Disciple Making Quotes

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


A Training Cycle for Disciple-Making: MAWL

Why did I fail to teach my youngest daughter to ride a bike? Why did I keep failing to make disciples who multiply? Simply, I didn’t use the training cycle of Model, Assist, Watch, Launch (MAWL).

Jon shares about teaching his youngest daughter to ride a bike, and the principles that also apply to making disciples who multiply.

A Training Cycle for Disciple-Making: MAWL

Why did I fail to teach my youngest daughter to ride a bike? Why did I keep failing to make disciples who multiply? Simply, I didn’t use the training cycle of Model, Assist, Watch, Launch (MAWL).

Jon shares about teaching his youngest daughter to ride a bike, and the principles that also apply to making disciples who multiply.


8 Disciple-Making Principles

A few years ago, I spent several months reading and re-reading the book of Acts. I was trying to understand how the Church had gone from a handful of people hiding out for fear of the authorities, to a bold and fearless community growing at an exponential rate.

As I read, a pattern began to emerge:

Prayer preceded Holy Spirit empowerment, which led to bold, public witness about Jesus Christ, accompanied by affirming signs and wonders,

resulting in many coming to faith AND active opposition from others,

which then caused Jesus’ followers to go back to prayer … starting the cycle all over again.

Here are 8 disciple-making principles that have become crystal clear to me from the Acts accounts ...

8 Disciple-Making Principles

A few years ago, I spent several months reading and re-reading the book of Acts. I was trying to understand how the Church had gone from a handful of people hiding out for fear of the authorities, to a bold and fearless community growing at an exponential rate.

As I read, a pattern began to emerge:

Prayer preceded Holy Spirit empowerment, which led to bold, public witness about Jesus Christ, accompanied by affirming signs and wonders,

resulting in many coming to faith AND active opposition from others,

which then caused Jesus’ followers to go back to prayer … starting the cycle all over again.

Here are 8 disciple-making principles that have become crystal clear to me from the Acts accounts ...


4 Disciple Multiplication Stories

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.

4 Disciple Multiplication Stories

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.

How an Introduction to DBS led to a Disciple-Making Movement

“She has a map! That's just like in the back of your Bible, the missionary journeys of Paul”, Craig Kraft, OC’s Executive Director, excitedly shared about an OC missionary and her recent travels through southeast Asia.

Sure enough, the map looks curiously like those maps in the back of your Bible – pinpointing the stops along Teresa’s recent missionary journey to Asia where she travelled from place to place - flying, or renting a jeep and travelling with other leaders and driving into remote communities, to equip leaders and guide a disciple-making movement using the Discovery Bible Study tool. After a glimpse into her story, we knew this was a story we needed to capture and share.

How an Introduction to DBS led to a Disciple-Making Movement

“She has a map! That's just like in the back of your Bible, the missionary journeys of Paul”, Craig Kraft, OC’s Executive Director, excitedly shared about an OC missionary and her recent travels through southeast Asia.

Sure enough, the map looks curiously like those maps in the back of your Bible – pinpointing the stops along Teresa’s recent missionary journey to Asia where she travelled from place to place - flying, or renting a jeep and travelling with other leaders and driving into remote communities, to equip leaders and guide a disciple-making movement using the Discovery Bible Study tool. After a glimpse into her story, we knew this was a story we needed to capture and share.


Stories of a Disciple-Making Movement in Asia (Part 2)

In her modern-day missionary journeys throughout Asia, Teresa has been focusing on training leaders and equipping them to facilitate disciple-making-movements, primarily through the tool of Discovery Bible Study. In this article, we share stories from Teresa’s recent trip to Asia. Stories of God at work through the tool of DBS! Stories of a Disciple-Making Movement!

Stories of a Disciple-Making Movement in Asia (Part 2)

In her modern-day missionary journeys throughout Asia, Teresa has been focusing on training leaders and equipping them to facilitate disciple-making-movements, primarily through the tool of Discovery Bible Study. In this article, we share stories from Teresa’s recent trip to Asia. Stories of God at work through the tool of DBS! Stories of a Disciple-Making Movement!


Discovery Bible Study: A Challenge for Canadian Ministry Leaders

In the first two parts of this blog series, we shared Teresa’s story of introduction to Discovery Bible Study (Part 1) as well as stories of Teresa’s missionary journey through Asia (Part 2). 

In this final installment, we asked Teresa to share wisdom for Canadian ministry leaders and also to address a common concern with the Discovery Bible Study method.

Discovery Bible Study: A Challenge for Canadian Ministry Leaders

In the first two parts of this blog series, we shared Teresa’s story of introduction to Discovery Bible Study (Part 1) as well as stories of Teresa’s missionary journey through Asia (Part 2). 

In this final installment, we asked Teresa to share wisdom for Canadian ministry leaders and also to address a common concern with the Discovery Bible Study method.