Day 40

40 - Sticking Points For The Disciple-Maker 

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 

One of my greatest joys in ministry over the past ten years has been the disciple-making training center we started in Haiti with Pastor Wiljean Compere. Each year, 15-20 young men and women come to live at the training center, study the Son’s life, and be equipped to “fe disip kap fe disip!” (Make disciples who make disciples) God is using the training center to transform Haiti, one life at a time. Pastor Wiljean’s ministry, Open Door Haiti, has planted twenty churches during that time, with all but two of them being pastored by graduates of the training program. The director of his medical center and orphanage are both graduates from this program.

One of my favorite stories from the past ten years involves a young man by the name of Joclyn. Each month, the students have an opportunity to participate in hands on disciple-making, sharing the gospel in remote villages throughout northern Haiti. At the end of that year, when I asked Joclyn for his report on what he had seen God do, he began to tell us about village after village where he had gone to preach the gospel. By “preach the gospel,” he did not mean preaching on street corners or in churches, but rather going from hut to hut and engaging people in spiritual conversations. Seventeen people trusted Christ in this village, fifteen in that village, twenty-one in another village. His report went on and on. When he was finished, I asked how many people he had led to faith in Christ over the previous six months. His reply. “One hundred and seventeen!” Wow!!!

The fun part was what came next though. I asked Joclyn if he was following up on all of these new believers. Who was discipling them? Had he started a small group? Yes, Joclyn said, he had started a small group. “How many people are in your small group?” I asked. When Joclyn replied, ‘One hundred and twenty,” I told him that was NOT a small group. That was a church!

Thinking of Joclyn and others I’ve invested my life in over the years, I’m reminded of the Apostle John’s words in 3 John 1:4, “I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.” No greater joy! What great joy is ours when we make disciples, and then we see them begin to make disciples who make disciples!

Read John 15:8-15.

What are some of the wonderful benefits of being a disciple- maker? Jesus says that when we produce disciple-making fruit... ...we prove we are His true disciples!

...we bring great glory to the Father!

...we remain in His love!

...we are filled with great joy!

...we are called His friends! 

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Read John 15:4-8.

Jesus gives us one non-negotiable for producing disciple-making fruit.

• What is it?
• What do you think it looks like to “remain in Him?”
• What do you think is the opposite of “remaining in Him?” 

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The opposite of “remaining in Him” is the single greatest roadblock for the disciple-maker. We can easily become so focused on and busy with the activity of ministry that we subtly begin to neglect our “first love” and rely on our own wisdom and strength to accomplish our work for God. We end up working “for God” rather than working “with God.”

Read Revelation 2:2-4.

• The Apostle John is writing to the Church in Ephesus. How do you see them working “for God” rather than “with God?” 

* * * * *

The church in Ephesus was doing the right things. They were diligent and dutiful. They were making sacrifices and withstanding evil. In the midst of their busyness for God, though, they had neglected their relationship with God.

The key to a disciple-makers ongoing effectiveness and fruitfulness is the depth of their roots as they cultivate a deep, abiding, sustaining love relationship with their Father.

Now that you have reached the end of this 40 Days of Disciple-Making Journal, don’t forget this one truth.

The Father desires a love relationship with you that is real and personal. He desires to work both in you and through you to reveal Himself to you. The Father loves you! 

Apart From Him…

• Thank the Father that He has pursued you and desires an intimate relationship with you. This relationship will be your source of joy and strength for the journey ahead. 

* * * * *

Walking As Jesus…

• Take the 4 Chair Discipling Inventory at the end of this study. Identify which Chair you are in, and what your next steps are in your journey to be a disciple who makes disciples. Have you seen progress in that journey over the past 40 days? Share your progress and encourage others that are on this disciple-making journey with you. 

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• My Personal Disciple-Making Plan: