04/22/2026
Sharing this "discipleship" illustration... may we as a church have the same desire to grow and bear fruits for the Lord... much prayers (credit to the original posting "pastor's notebook")
THE DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS
(FULL ENGLISH VERSION)
(To read in Tagalog, kindly click this link -
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HW5925hKP/)
"From Spiritually Dead to Multiplication"
“The church is full of people who have been converted, but not discipled.” — Billy Graham
Let that sink in.
We live in a generation where many have heard the gospel, but few have been shaped by the gospel.
Many are saved—but not strengthened.
Many are converted—but not commissioned.
Another striking insight:
“Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer
That means…
If there is no discipleship, there is no real Christianity.
What if I told you…
👉 You can be in church every Sunday
👉 You can know Bible verses
👉 You can even serve in ministry
…and still fail the mission of Christ?
Because the mission was never just to make believers…
It was to make disciples who multiply disciples.
In 2 Timothy 2:2, we don’t just see a verse—we see a divine system.
A process.
A pattern.
A pipeline.
From:
➡️ Spiritual Death
➡️ To Spiritual Life
➡️ To Spiritual Leadership
➡️ To Spiritual Multiplication
This is not just ministry…
This is a movement.
INTERROGATIVE STATEMENT:
“How does a person move from spiritual death to becoming a multiplying disciple-maker?”
Let me share with you the seven biblical stages of discipleship that every believer must go through toward spiritual maturity and multiplication.
1. SPIRITUALLY DEAD
📖 Ephesians 2:1–3
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…”
A person without Christ is not just struggling or lacking guidance—according to Scripture, he is spiritually dead.
This means:
No spiritual sensitivity
No true response to God
No ability to produce spiritual life on his own
Like a dead body—it does not respond to light, sound, or movement. In the same way, a heart that is not yet regenerated will not respond to God unless there is divine intervention.
Many try to solve this through:
Morality
Religion
Self-improvement
But remember:
👉 You cannot bring the dead to life through improvement.
You do not teach a co**se to live.
Life must come from outside.
That is why the gospel is:
👉 Not just advice—it is power
👉 Not just to make bad people better—but to bring the dead to life
If a person does not understand that he is dead, he will think he only needs adjustment…
But in reality, he needs resurrection.
2. MUST BE BORN AGAIN
📖 John 3:3–8
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Spiritual life begins with a new birth, not new behavior.
Jesus did not tell Nicodemus to “try harder”—
He said: “You must be born again.”
Birth:
👉 Is not achieved
👉 It happens to you
It is the work of God—giving life where there was none.
A child:
👉 Does not become existent through growth
👉 It must first be born
In the same way in Christianity:
👉 You don’t grow into becoming a Christian
👉 You must first be given life by God
Therefore:
❌ Discipleship cannot replace conversion
❌ Teaching without new birth = informed sinners
✅ New birth = transformed disciples
When someone is truly born again:
Desires change
There is awareness of sin
There is inclination toward God
The Spirit works internally
Without this—every next stage collapses.
3. SPIRITUAL INFANT – NEEDS GUIDANCE
📖 John 3:8
A newborn believer is:
✅ Alive
❗ But not yet mature
There is:
Dependence
Instability
Vulnerability
Like a baby:
👉 Cannot feed itself
👉 Cannot protect itself
👉 Cannot direct itself
That is why it needs:
Intentional care
Guidance
Discipleship
If neglected:
👉 Confusion arises
👉 Easily influenced
👉 Becomes spiritually weak
Growth is not automatic—it is intentional.
This is where many churches fail:
👉 They celebrate conversion
👉 But neglect formation
4. SPIRITUAL CHILD – SELF-FOCUSED
📖 Galatians 4:19
There is growth… but still immaturity.
The believer:
Understands truth
But is still self-centered
Like a child:
👉 Can walk and speak
👉 But still thinks mostly about self
Spiritually:
Active in church
Serving
Learning
But asking:
👉 “What will I get?”
👉 “What will I feel?”
👉 “What benefit is there for me?”
Paul’s concern:
👉 Not just that Christ is known
👉 But that Christ is formed in them
Formation means:
👉 The character of Christ
👉 The thinking of Christ
👉 The life of Christ
Without correction:
👉 They remain immature
👉 Knowledgeable but not transformed
5. SPIRITUAL YOUNG ADULT – KINGDOM FOCUSED
📖 1 John 2:14
Here is a major shift:
From:
👉 Self-centered
To:
👉 Purpose-driven
We see:
Strength
Conviction
Stability
The Word of God:
👉 Is no longer occasional
👉 But an abiding reality
Victory over sin:
👉 Not occasional
👉 But consistent
The believer:
Understands his faith
Knows why he believes
Sees God’s bigger picture
Ministry begins here:
👉 Not as obligation
👉 But as calling
6. SPIRITUAL PARENT – DISCIPLE MAKER
📖 1 Corinthians 4:15
A parent:
👉 Does not just live
👉 Produces life in others
At this stage:
Actively disciples others
Invests in people
Helps others grow
There is:
Responsibility
Intentional care
Personal teaching
The problem:
👉 Many believers grow…
👉 But do not reproduce
Result:
👉 Stagnant faith
Remember:
👉 Mature faith that does not multiply dries up
7. SPIRITUAL GRANDPARENT – MULTIPLICATION
📖 2 Timothy 2:2
“…commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
This is the multiplication stage.
Not just:
👉 Making disciples
But:
👉 Making disciple-makers
The chain:
Paul
Timothy
Faithful men
Others also
👉 Multi-generational impact
Difference:
Addition = limited
Multiplication = exponential
This is how the early church spread.
CONCLUSION
Discipleship is:
👉 Intentional
👉 Progressive
👉 Transformational
Flow:
➡️ Death → Life
➡️ Life → Growth
➡️ Growth → Maturity
➡️ Maturity → Reproduction
➡️ Reproduction → Multiplication
The question is not:
👉 Are you part of the process?
👉 But where are you in the process?
If growth stops:
👉 Purpose is incomplete
Because:
👉 Spiritual life was not meant to end with you
👉 It was meant to pass through you
A healthy church is not measured by the number of attendees…
But by the number of disciples who multiply disciples.
If you want to go deeper, you may study here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com//courses
Kindly follow the Free Discipleship Course:
Congregate 21: Intentional Discipleship Course
Disclaimer:
The image is a recreated and original redesign based on a concept inspired by discipleship.org. All graphics, layout, and presentation in this version have been independently produced for educational and ministry use.
No official affiliation with discipleship.org is claimed. Article uniquely explained by Rhoderick Alcaide De Vera
SOLI DEO GLORIA!
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