Disciplemakers who make Disciplemakers who make Disciplemakers…

I have been studying a lot lately about generational discipleship. For some reason, this concept has not dawned on me before. I have always been interested in making disciples, I mean, that’s what you’re supposed to do as a youth pastor! However, having the room to think about it deeply and being mentored by someone who has been involved in this process, my mind has been blown! What I want are disciples who make disciples, not just disciples. The idea goes like this:

Disciplemakers who make Disciplemakers

As you (as the awesome youth worker you are) pour your life into students, you are encouraging them to not only be good followers of Christ, but to be disciplemakers who instill in others a passion spread the gospel. The first five in this picture are Generation 1, with the last row being Generation 3. Many who believe in generational discipleship desire to see the fourth generation. What I love about this process is that it separates itself from the gathering (come and hear) mentality and requires a sending (go and tell) commission (Matt 28:19-20). At generation four, a movement is not dependent upon the initiator or leader any longer but has sustaining, reproducible power. It is for this reason that Jesus, after his resurrection, commissioned his disciples by saying “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21).

I will do a lengthier write-up about this later, but may you be a youth worker, pastor, or parent who loves the gospel enough to not only plat a seed, but plant an orchard!