32: Hosting a Discipleship Meeting

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

One of the best ways to apply scriptures to people's lives is through a Discovery Bible Study (DBS). This is a simple yet profound way to self- discover Scripture with the help of the Holy Spirit and with limited facilitated teaching.

It differs from a conventional Bible study in 3 fundamental ways.

• It is designed to draw 'pre-believers' into a discovery group as well as to facilitate growth for Christians.

• No one teaches the Scripture; rather, we create space for listening to what God is saying out of His Word through His Holy Spirit.

• It emphasizes applying 'one thing' from the reading or listening time into one's life and being accountable to others to walk out obedience.

Importantly, it is not a legalistic system but a grace-filled environment where we celebrate partial obedience with someone who is trying and failing rather than not trying at all. This is a key way for new disciples to learn to follow Jesus without ever feeling that the 'bar is too high' for them. For most of us, even Jesus' disciples, we need a few years to learn how to be totally devoted,' forgetting the former things.'

The steps of a DBS are in three sections we call Upward (towards God), Inward (what He is doing in me), and Outward (what He wants to do through my life). You could break your time up roughly into one-third segments.

UPWARD

• Thankfulness - Go around the room and ask everyone to say one thing that they are thankful for. For new believers, these become simple versions of early praise rising to the Father.

• Prayer - Ask what one thing you would like us to pray for you

• Vision -  Cast vision for reaching those who don't know Jesus or whatever vision you carry from the Lord for the group.

• Accountability - This is from everyone's previous 'I will' statement.

INWARD

• Read a short piece of Scripture. - It is good to keep this to 3-5 verses. The person facilitating the group should choose Scripture in keeping with what he believes God is doing in the group.

• Restate - Ask one or two people to restate in their own words what they heard the Scripture saying. This is a great way to encourage proper understanding.

• Reflect - Allow a minute for the group to be quiet, asking the Holy Spirit to show them something personally from the reading.

• Report 'one thing' - Give each person an opportunity to say one thing that came alive for them.

OUTWARD

• 'I will' statement - Everyone has an opportunity to say what they want to commit to being obedient. Starting by saying 'I will… 'is a great way to encourage obedience.

• Prayer for friends -  Encourage the group to lift up their friends who are not yet following Jesus, asking Him to draw them to salvation. Also, ask them to share what they learned this week with their friends.

A DBS is easy to lead, so anyone can do it. Trust young believers to lead one early on. My wife once led a lady to the Lord that she had asked to lead a discovery group. As she was preparing the Scripture that week, the Lord softened her heart and led her to repentance. The next day, she led her first group as a one-day-old follower of Jesus and was baptized soon afterward!

This is one of the very best discipling tools I have encountered. Once you learn to do it well, it is the easiest process to elevate God's Word and be led by the Holy Spirit. It is also great for taking yourself out of the picture!

A good question to ask the group to reflect on (or yourself) as you read the word:

1. What does this passage tell me about God?

2. What does this passage tell me about mankind?

3. What should I do as a result of this?

Trust the Holy Spirit to direct the conversation rather than human reasoning/ teaching.

31: Seven Lessons from Jesus

Key Passage

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…

Philippians 2:5

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

All of these behaviors and spiritual disciplines are the messages that you are sharing with those around you.

They, in the end, will be the most powerful discipleship lessons you will ever teach.

1. Jesus called His disciples to a connected lifestyle. He simply told His disciples, 'Follow me'. They lived it out together.

2. Jesus modeled the Kingdom… not religion, rules, or even the structure of the church. He says to heal the sick and cast out demons.

3. Jesus trusted them early in ministry activities. You can trust because He led the way in this.

4. Jesus helped them to learn from everyday life circumstances: a fig tree, sowing, resting, farming, finances, etc.

5. Jesus challenged them to grow beyond Himself. When the 5000 were gathered, He first asked His disciples to miraculously feed them.

6. Jesus commissioned them to multiplicative discipleship. He left them with this final, important thought in Matthew 28.

7. Jesus left. Are we bold enough to raise up disciples and then send them to carry on without us? Jesus did.

As we follow Jesus' example, we will see good fruit emerge from those with whom we walk this journey of discipleship. This is not a periphery Christian activity. This is at the front and center of Jesus' strategy to reach the world. He has allowed the advance of the New Testament church to rest on our shoulders, with His empowering grace, of course.

Great discipleship will make the biggest difference when raising a mature generation of believers who will take the gospel to the ends of the earth until all peoples have heard. And then the end will come.

30: Your Life is a Message

Key Passage

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Proverbs 9:9

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

In the pursuit of discipling well we should always prioritize being discipled ourselves. Our life's message to those around us is our most powerful discipleship tool.

We have already seen that a disciple is a learner. Always remain a learner. Even if you know a lot, never let that knowledge stand in your way of being a learner. Humility comes with this.

Take the time to let disciples know that you hope to learn from them as they learn from you. This will empower them and cause them to lift their game. It will send a message to them that you expect them to share their life and their revelations with you, too. You will be modeling what a humble leader looks like.

Are you living out the commands of Christ? Are you walking in healthy relationships with grace and forgiveness? Are you daily feeding on the word of God yourself? Are you sharing your faith regularly in a natural and compelling way? Is there integrity in all your actions?

29: Celebrate Small Victories

Key Passage

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

All too often, people think that they have to be perfect and not make mistakes. This hinders their growth. The disciples that Jesus gathered together were an uneducated bunch of misfits. Their redeeming quality was that they simply followed.

They didn't always get it right. They fought amongst themselves and struggled to come to grips with this upside-down Kingdom. Jesus was patient with them.

As a discipler, be patient with those you disciple and celebrate the small victories as well as the big ones. When you point them to Jesus, to follow Him, love Him and obey what He says to them, you can rejoice too. We become like the one we worship and follow.

For example, if one of those that you disciple struggles with getting drunk and they begin to hear the Holy Spirit convict them of this, they will want to quit drinking. Chances are that they may make it sober for two or three days and then slip up. Many times, we are so disappointed if this happens. Rather, we should celebrate the 3 sober days with them. Encourage them to try for 4 days the next week. Eventually, with your encouragement, they will learn to walk out of behavior that does not honor God and instead lives a life that brings Him glory.

Allow the Holy Spirit to bring the conviction, be patient and very encouraging. This is the way of the Kingdom.

28: The Truth That Sets Free

Key Passage

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:32

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

One of the world's favorite scriptures is this: "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). What most people miss is the first part of that verse, which reads, "If you abide in my word, you are my disciples…"

A beautiful part of discipling people is seeing them 'set free.' God loves to remove blinders and break bondages. It is this Isaiah 61 calling over our lives to walk in the manner of Jesus.

So how does this happen? By abiding in God's word. 

As we disciple people, we must impart a love…a passion for God's word. And more than that, a habit of abiding in the word of life. Over and over, I have seen in my own life and that of others how suddenly a moment of truth happens, a revelation that breaks the lie. Discipling people into mature believers means that there is a journey out of the darkness of worldly thinking into the place of light and truth that sets free. (also read 2 Corinthians 10:5).

Practically, this can mean you set up regular times of reading and reflecting together on God's word or asking for regular feedback on what in God's word has brought revelation. Listen for the freshness of abiding; if it is not there regularly, then address this with those you are discipling.

27: Create New Rhythms for Living

Key Passage

Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

Matthew 11:29, MSG

The above Bible verse, taken from Eugene Peterson’s “The Message,” depicts how Jesus invited His disciples into new rhythms of healthy and abundant living.

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

Great leaders and high-performance people will all tell you that they have created patterns of behavior in their lives that lead them toward success. When we disciple people, we should help them move toward building new, Godly rhythms in their lives.

Right now, I have built into my life a rhythm of praying three times a day. If I am in a meeting at midday and my alarm goes off as a reminder, I like to ask those I am with if they will pray with me. I want to model how prayer invades our lives and turns our attention to the Lord.

At times, I have agreed to read three chapters of Scripture per day together with those I am discipling and meet to discuss these passages. Once, when a guy I was walking with complained he had no time to read the Word, I set my alarm for 5 am and woke him every morning for weeks until he created a rhythm of waking early with the Lord. Another way is to start every meeting with thankfulness. Ask each person what one thing they are thankful for. This turns our hearts to the posture of praise.

Godly rhythms create a culture in those you are discipling and set up new, life-giving behaviours that lead them to maturity in Christ. 

What spiritual rhythms are you building?

26: Encourage Ministry Participation Early

Key Passage

He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

Luke 10:2-3

The above verse, which depicts Jesus sending out his first disciples on short-term mission, highlights His commitment to releasing disciples into ministry early in their faith journeys.

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

Luke 10 was a big ask for Jesus' young disciples.

Can you imagine being only one or two years old in the Lord and being tasked to go to the towns and cities that Jesus was coming to and preparing the way? I know several leaders in the church who expect those they release to have many years of time in church, a theology degree, and perhaps a leadership school behind them before they are released to minister!

Jesus did not do this. He was released early. Research shows that the best way to mature believers is not through courses or programs. It is through active ministry.

In his brilliant leadership book, The Making of a Leader, Robert Clinton explains how we all enter into leadership through what he calls a Ministry Maturing Phase. Here we are given a ministry task or challenge by someone who is leading or discipling us. This phase is more about what God is doing in us than what he is doing through us. This early ministry participation is a vital aspect of growing as a disciple.

Having someone to process the highs and lows of this season is God's way of discipling us into His likeness.

25: Disciple in Community

Key Passage

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

This verse highlights the strength that we draw from key relationships in our life during growth, trials, and failure. 

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

Discipling someone alone is often harder than discipling a small group together. Why? Because we grow so much through group learning and through watching the clumsy growth of others. It gives us the opportunity to process successes and failures together. I've often discipled in groups of twos and threes. I love to hear each person stepping up to the plate when they share a truth they've recently made their own. At times, I have asked small groups of businessmen if they would like to gather for a season to grow in leading like Jesus.

I have a friend who disciples Bedouins and Gypsy teenage girls in a Middle Eastern country. She frequently remarks on how the group discipleship process has so often delighted her and accelerated growth in 'her girls.'

Within community, some beautiful things emerge. My friend waited before introducing her worship songs into this group to see if a local sound would develop. To her delight, and because of her patience to let God lead, they now sing their own songs. Heaven hears praises lifted up that are unlike anywhere else on earth! Discipling in community brings so much more growth than we can do alone.

24: Only One Holy Spirit

Key Passage

And when He (the Spirit) comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.

John 16:8

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

A mistake I have frequently made in my sincere desire to see disciples mature is to try to 'persuade' people towards holiness. At worst, this is manipulation, trying to bring a revelation of sin rather than a revelation of Jesus.

There is only one Holy Spirit.

It is the Spirit's role to bring conviction of sin. Human efforts bring the shadow version of this: condemnation.

There are a few ways that I see the Holy Spirit bringing conviction, and these are some of the keys to discipling well: the first is through our conscience. Discipling people towards having a soft (contrite) heart towards God allows our conscience to be attentive to God. Secondly, the Spirit works by activating the power of the Word in our hearts. Discipleship should always involve active engagement in Scripture. Lastly, I have found question-asking to be invaluable to create space in allowing the Holy Spirit to 'speak' through the natural processing time it creates for revelation.

Be slow to give answers and quick to ask them to process with the Holy Spirit.

23: Test Faithfulness

Key Passage

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Luke 16:10-13

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

One of Jesus' discipleship secrets was that He tested His disciples… frequently. Testing is an important aspect of helping people grow to maturity. When a sports coach is unsure about a player, he tests them against certain opposition or in a different position. When an army officer wants to know which troops to trust, he puts them through their paces, testing their mettle.

If we are to grow disciples to maturity in Christ, we must be prepared to test them:

Servanthood: ask disciples to serve in various capacities. Don't protect them from serving, but give them plenty of opportunities and what their responses are.

Luke 16:10-13 shows us three aspects of faithfulness to be tested in people:

• Small things allow people's hearts to be revealed in insignificant tasks. Will they do them as unto the Lord?

• Finances: Can a disciple steward wealth accurately?

• Others' possessions: How will they treat things that don't belong to them? For example, you can see a person's heart by how they drive a hired car.

Faithfulness shows up in how we respond to the things that life throws our way. Be sure you are close enough to see the responses in those you are discipling.

22: Only Plant in the Right Soil

Key Passage

The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Mark 4:14-20

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

A commitment to discipleship is not a short-term commitment. I would not make it lightly. But how do you know who to commit to walking a long road with?

The Parable of the four soils in Mark 4 is the key to answering that question. Do a study on this passage. In it, the sower sows seeds indiscriminately…on all soils.

The soils represent human hearts. 

There are 4 types of soils/hearts:

1. Hard soil/hearts - it's easy to tell that this is the wrong type of soil as it is not responsive to the gospel. (PS if someone looks hard, it may not mean their heart is hard to the word of truth. Try them. Sow on all soils).

2. Rocky soil/hearts - these hearts respond well, so you will be enticed to choose them, but when the sun comes up (hard times, trials, etc), they have no roots and whither.

3. Thorny soil/hearts - also receive the word well, but their 'eyes wander' to the lusts of the world: wealth, comfort, etc.

4. Good soil/hearts - this is the one worth investing in; it's what you keep searching for.

Importantly, Jesus shows that only about 25% of hearts are prepared soil. Take care to look for these to invest in. Pray and ask Jesus to show you. He knows.

21: Give Homework

Key Passage

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

The best thing we can do when making disciples is point those we are discipling to go deeper into God’s word. The below devotional will explain to you how to give homework to and from the Scriptures when discipling others.

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

So you are journeying with someone, helping them to discover life with Jesus. It takes effort on your part. You want to know they are serious, right? Give them homework and look for obedience to what they have agreed to do.

If I am discipling someone and they regularly don't do what I have asked them to do, I am likely to stop discipling them. At times, this is hard, but I want my time to be invested in good soil. I look for fruitfulness to invest in, and fruitfulness mostly comes from people who are prepared to do what they say they will do. That's very biblical.

Homework is not for the sake of creating work. It's there to develop biblical truth and maturity.

What are the things to consider when giving homework? Ask those you disciple to discover biblical truth for the things they are going through themselves rather than teaching them what is in your head. We retain so much more when we uncover the truth ourselves, and this gives them time to hear the Holy Spirit personally.

For example, if they are struggling with lust, give them homework to find scriptures on purity and meditate on them. Homework reveals character & commitment. Plus, the word of God is alive and active to transform!

20: Pray together regularly

Key Passage

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples

Luke 11:1

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

I should have put this first. It's that important! Pray together with your disciples. Every time you meet.

Modeling a rhythm of prayer and modeling how to pray is like a spiritual lifeline that you are weaving into your healthy discipleship practices.

1. Pray through Scripture together, like the prayers of Paul in Ephesians 1 & 3, Philippians 1 and Colossians 1. Paul models to us how he prays, and we can do the same.

2. Pray to impart the gifts of the Spirit.

3. Pray prophetically over your disciples to encourage them.

4. Pray over the people you are reaching out to by name, and ask the Father for their salvation.

5. Pray while you are walking with your eyes open to create prayer as a (super)natural occurrence of life.

6. Pray the Lord's Prayer.

7. Pray many, many prayers of thanksgiving.

We will never raise healthy disciples without much prayer.

Jesus only did what He heard His Father say. How much more should we be praying so that we can walk in the ways of our Saviour Jesus, listening to the words of life that come from the throne room of God?

19: Multiplication Beyond the 4th Generation

Key Passage

What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

2 Timothy 2:2

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

In 2 Timothy 2:2, we read how Paul encouraged Timothy to teach the truths he heard from Paul to reliable men who would, in turn, teach others (four generations of believers).

Herein lies the fundamental principle of multiplication. Simply put, we cannot reach the world with a philosophy of addition to churches. We must teach those we disciple to multiply themselves by teaching others to do the same. We aim to go beyond the 4th generation of believers (as this Scripture teaches us) to develop a movement of people to Jesus that is no longer in our control as the one who started it. Yes, we are looking for things to go beyond our control! Out of man's control means that the movement is firmly in God's control.

Remember, He is more committed to His vision than you are.

Read through 2 Timothy 2:2 with those you are discipling, discuss the principle of multiplication vs. addition. Do an exercise of what the reach looks like over ten years, and you'll be forever convinced that this little principle is one of the key ingredients to healthy disciple-making movements.

18: Teach to Share Faith

Key Passage

I pray that you be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

Philemon 6

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

I've heard it said that religion is a private matter. Well, thank Jesus that it is not; otherwise, I would never have come to know Him! It should be personal but never private.

Sharing one's faith is an essential step towards discipleship maturing. Faith- filled followers of Jesus tell those who don't know Him about Him. They are compelled by love to share the good news.

Coach new disciples how to share their testimony in one-minute and five-minute punchy stories about their life before Jesus, their encounter with the Lord of life, and their new life in Christ. Encourage them to tell their testimony every week, several times a week. Help them to know how to take conversations further with spiritually hungry people and assist them in handling rejection. Share in the joy as they pray with someone who submits their whole life to Jesus. These are all vital steps in discipling someone.

Lastly, are you doing it? We can never disciple something in others that we are not doing ourselves.

Why not commit to the Lord to be diligent at sharing your faith regularly?

17: Obedience Better Than Knowledge

Key Passage

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Luke 11:28

This reply from Jesus to the crowds shows us the importance Jesus put on spiritual obedience in the life of a disciple.

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

Knowledge of the scriptures is a poor test of spiritual maturity. I have heard people sprout scriptures for every scenario but sadly watched their lifestyles not match up to living the life that Jesus called us to live.

Most of us have grown up in a Western (or Greek) church model that values knowledge over obedience. We are encouraged to come back every week to hear more teaching, but I've never listened to a pastor devote a Sunday message to whether a simple truth is being lived out in people's lives. We assume if we teach it well, they will do it well. There is often a gap between hearing the Scriptures and applying them to our lives.

Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey my commands". Wow! We demonstrate our love for Jesus by doing what He asked us to do. Placing an emphasis on obedience in those you are discipling will change everything. It will make you slow down and teach fewer truths and wait patiently to see how these truths are applied.

When you disciple someone, practice this simple tool. It has profound implications: at the end of any Bible reading, ask a question and give time to hear God: 'What one thing do you think God is asking you to do from this?' We then expect to see the change in the person's lifestyle as they obey the leading of the Holy Spirit.

16: Focus on the Four Loves

Key Passage

And over all these virtues put on love…

Colossians 3:14

The Bible teaches us that Christ-like love is the greatest indicator of maturity in God’s Kingdom.

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

There can be no simpler, more profound set of values to instill in someone's heart than the four loves we learn about in the Bible:

1. How God loves me

2. How I love God

3. How we love each other (as a result of His love)

4. How we are called to love those who don't know Jesus.

Teaching someone about God's love for them settles identity issues, sets them on a firm foundation for life and relationships, and gives health to all ministry activities.

Helping people to respond to God's love by loving Him with all of their being makes their lives beautiful and infectious to those in and out of the church.

Discipling people to love brothers and sisters in the church is a platform for shining the light of Jesus to the world. Turning disciples' hearts towards the lost is helping them to live a life like Jesus' own life, reaching the world for Christ. These four loves are the truest dashboard of health in a disciple or a church. It's the easiest way to keep a healthy perspective on what God has called us to and to know if we are walking it out in the right way.

15: Always Cast Vision

Key Passage

Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.

Habakkuk 2:2

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

Discipling someone is helping them to see a vision beyond themselves: a dream of giving their life to serve the greater vision of God's Kingdom.

So I would encourage you always to cast vision. Every opportunity is an opportunity to help someone see a greater perspective of the Kingdom: a lost community, a broken person, an unreached people group, a world in desperate need of a Saviour.

And by casting vision, you help them see their part in the bigger picture: one who brings healing, sets the captives free, goes, calls, gathers, multiplies…

People often do not give themselves entirely to God because we entertain them with Christianity rather than challenge them to obey God's call. The more you cast vision with those you disciple, the more they will be expansive and push back the gates of hell to see the Kingdom of God come on earth as it is in heaven.

Take time to write down the vision you are carrying:

14: Disciple People Towards Jesus

Key Passage

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 9:10-13

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

Interestingly, the people Jesus picked to disciple were 'unsaved' people, non-clergy, and not churchgoers in today's terms. Not one of the 12 came out of the 'church' environment. I always try to disciple a mix of saved and 'pre-believers.' However, if I had to choose I would be intentional about discipling those who were not yet following Jesus.

Why? Well, firstly, because we follow the example Jesus gave us. But more importantly, we are commanded in Matthew 28 to go into the world and make disciples. The world alluded to those out of the faith (non-Israelites who did not follow God).

I see three parts to how we do this:

• Step one is pointing people towards Jesus. It's better to stand far off but begin facing towards Jesus than stand close but face away (like a hypocrite in the church). In other words, look for their heart's orientation. We want people to orientate their hearts towards Jesus. It's about an inward direction rather than an outward show of behavior. The internal always affects the external.

• Step two is taking someone on a journey toward obedience to the commands of Jesus (repentance, baptism, giving, loving, etc.)

• Step three is leading a disciple to make other disciples of Jesus. Sometimes, people who are not yet following Jesus fully (but love the idea of Him) will begin to point others towards Him if they know how to do this.

13: Mutual Accountability

Key Passage

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Proverbs 27:17

This verse highlights the importance of accountability in the journey of faith.

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

Mutual accountability is an essential aspect of discipleship. When I walk with someone in a discipleship relationship, I make sure that they know that I want to be in a mutually accountable relationship. What does this mean? It means that I expect them to be accountable to me as I make myself accountable to them.

Mutual accountability achieves three important things:

• The person feels safe with me, knowing that I am not inviting them into a one way, hierarchical relationship. It's easier for someone to open up and be vulnerable in this place.

• A good disciple is a learner, and I try to model a learner lifestyle for them. I ask them to speak into my life, showing that, no matter how many years I have been following Jesus, I am a learner and a servant to them.

• I place myself in a safe, accountable position, having people around me who can speak into my life. Many 'mature' believers place themselves in harm's way by distancing themselves from honest input. This can and should come from many places, even from those we are discipling.