Do you need a process to make disciples?

Yes.

You need a process to make disciples.

When you first learn something you need easily discernible next steps. I would love to just say “Make a disciple by reaching out to someone and then just pray about what to do and do that.” That’s great in theory but in practice it can be incredibly confusing and difficult to take any steps forward because you have no experience.

Until you have experience you need steps. You need a plan. You need a “do this first and then this and then this” to help you get going.

Another reason a process is important is because a process is reproducible. If you don’t have a process and you don’t have a plan/path for discipleship then the person you are working with will have no idea how to do what you did and how to start with someone new.

Having some steps and a process allows you to hand to them what you did with them so they can do that with others.

Now, this process needs flexibility on some level. And it needs less flexibility when you have less experience and more flexibility when you have more experience. As you gain experience you will pick up on times when you need to make some adjustments. That is hard to discern when you are first learning to make disciples.

The main goal is not a process but to be led by God and follow God. A process can help get you there but the process is not the goal. We want people mature enough to follow God’s lead without a process…where it becomes a natural way of living/being. But to get there you need a plan/process at first or else things are too unclear and confusing to be helpful.

Thoughts?