Dear Discipleship-First Friends,
I published a blog on what I believe to be the key to disciple making systems last week through RENEW.org and it was so helpful to so many people, I have decided to reproduce it here, for Discipleship.org, in a slightly modified form.
Every believer and every church needs a disciple making system that is simple, effective, and reproducible. Those three words are not trendy—they are essential.
I once heard someone compare a particular church’s disciple making strategy to the way the Harvard basketball team plays. “It’s pretty complicated,” he said, “but it might work.” That’s the problem. Disciple making is not for experts. It’s for everyday disciples. We don’t need a Harvard system.
If the average believer cannot understand it, practice it, and pass it on, it will not multiply.
And churches don’t need three competing systems. They need a clear, unified pathway (with minor variations if necessary) that everyone can embrace.
This is why the 2026 Discipleship.org National Disciple Making Forum will feature two days with disciple making practitioners like:
- Ralph Moore (Hope Chapel Movement)
- Josh Howard (Ignite/Discipleship.org)
- Jim Putman (Real Life Ministries/Relational Discipleship Network)
- Chris Harper (BetterMan)
- Robby Gallaty (Replicate Ministries)
- Jason Shepperd (Church Project)
And so many more! They are highly effective personal disciple makers with highly effective—and proven tools.
Let me share why you need a simple, effective, and reproducible model in your ministry or church. Go over these principles when you sit down with your team to design or refine your approach—and remember these three words:
1. Simple
The process must be simple to understand, simple to practice, and simple to pass on. If it requires a 45-page manual to explain, most people won’t attempt it—let alone reproduce it. Complexity kills momentum.
But when we put shovels, not spreadsheets, into people’s hands, everything changes.
Your model should be clear enough for a 12-year-old and accessible enough for an 82-year-old. It might be a mission-focused group, a disciple making small group, or a micro-group of three to five people. The format matters less than the clarity. Make it easy to start. Make it easy to lead. Make it easy to repeat.
Simplicity lowers the barrier to entry—and movements require low barriers.
2. Effective
Some disciple making models sound brilliant in theory but fail in practice. Some work well in one demographic but not another. Some flourish in one region but stall in another. Many ideas look promising on paper. Very few produce lasting fruit.
I once joked that over 90% of the ideas I’ve tried didn’t work. That may not be scientific, but it feels true. The lesson? Test before you scale.
Before you ask an entire church to adopt a system, make sure it actually produces disciples in your context. Effectiveness isn’t measured by enthusiasm but by transformation—changed lives, growing obedience, and emerging disciple makers.
Every church must find an effective model for its own soil. Borrow wisdom. Learn from others. But make sure what you adopt truly bears fruit where you are.
3. Reproducible
The goal isn’t just disciples. It’s disciples who make disciples.
That means your system must be easy for someone you disciple to repeat with someone else. If they can’t explain it, lead it, and replicate it, it stops with you.
A reproducible model depends on three tangible elements: a tool, a plan, and a process:
A Tool
Disciple makers need tools—simple guides that help them lead others toward Jesus. Tools might include discussion questions, Bible-reading pathways, or clear frameworks for conversation. They should guide, teach, and direct without overwhelming. If most people can’t use the tool confidently, it’s too complicated.
A Plan
“Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Disciple makers need clarity about where they are going and how they will get there. The plan explains how to use the tools. It provides direction and sequence. Tools and plans must work together. When they do, disciple makers know both the destination and the pathway.
A Process
Conversion and sanctification are not events as much as processes. Growth in Christlikeness happens through identifiable steps. Disciple makers must understand the process so they can patiently coach others forward. Just as a coach studies player development, disciple makers must understand spiritual development. When they know the process, they can guide with wisdom and patience.
So, let’s make sure we’re clear on what we’ve said so far: Whatever model you and your church use, it needs to be simple, effective, and reproducible—and you need to be intentional about keeping it the main thing.
So, is there a single, one-size-fits-all model that we should all be using? I don’t at all think so. Like I said earlier, you need a proven model that makes disciples in your context. Join us at the 2026 National Disciple Making Forum for a more in-depth conversation on these points.
When people are not bogged down by complexity, they can focus on what matters most: loving well, living intentionally, obeying Jesus, and helping others do the same.
That’s how disciples become disciple makers.
And that’s how movements begin.
If you are ready to go deeper, the 2026 Forum is exactly what you need.
We hope you’ll join us!
For King Jesus,
Bobby Harrington