Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time

This book reads like a doctor's prescription. I don't mean it's written in short-hand and technical jargon. I mean it diagnoses the problem that most churches (in America especially) are having. We are focused on programs to mass produce disciples but we are failing to make real disciples who are self-initiating, whole-heartedly committed, and faithful in personally making more disciples. Our churches look to the pastor to do the work of the ministry instead of what the Ephesians 4 says. Paul tells us that the job of the 5-fold ministries is "equip the saints to do the work of the ministry" not to do it on behalf of them. As I read this I saw where I, a pastor, had been more focused on pastoral care than on the priority of making disciples to multiply the ministry base in the church. As I focus on making disciples I would be multiplying those who can care for all the needs in the church and ministry opportunities in the community. No more lone ranger.The book does not stop with just diagnosing the problem in most local churches it also points to the solution. The author takes you on a journey to watch how Jesus and Paul made disciples. Jesus invited seekers to check out who He was. Then Jesus called them to be His followers and to learn from Him. As they came alongside of Him Jesus had them observe Him, then practice what He did, and then He sent them out to carry on His work among the people. Not only did He teach them how to preach and minister to others, but He also taught them how to make disciples like He had done with them. He wanted to start a chain reaction impacting every life along the way and every generation to come.The final part of the book teaches you how to begin making disciples of those around you to just as Jesus and Paul did. This is the best book on discipleship out there. It's practical. It's condensed. It's wisdom.

Ogden's message is clear: maybe our focus doesn't have to be evangelizing the world, but evangelizing the Church first. In America we are so focused on evangelism that real spiritual maturity is seldom seen. Jesus' own focus was not on numbers, but on investing Himself into a few men who would continue when He left. Jesus ministered to many, but focused on a few. But we have done the opposite by focusing on crowds.This book is wonderful for people who are new to the idea of mentoring/ discipleship. Today we have assigned disciple-making as the responsibility of those specially trained and paid to give organized lessons and sermons. But Jesus meant for all disciples to be disciple-makers, regardless of what we do for a living. Ogden helps put that in clear perspective. Then he offers some tools and principles to go about doing it.This book lays a clear groundwork for the problem we face today as well as principles from Jesus' ministry to fix those problems. Then he goes into a step-by-step process for implementing this into a local church setting.Overall I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. What it was lacking in was personal stories in discipleship (other than the first chapter) as well as some practical advice for disciple-making outside of the weekly meeting. But for the size and purpose of the book, this is a great read.

This is one of those books you will wish you had read years before. After discussing what discipleship is (helping people to live like Jesus), Ogden gives a detailed overview of the models Jesus and Paul used to disciple people. Jesus' model, very simply, was first to be an example to people. Secondly he would teach them to serve, teach and lead. Thirdly, Jesus became a coach, helping his disciples to actually step out and actively serve. Finally, Jesus delegated all responsibility to the Apostles to go out and carry on the work of the kingdom. This model is one that any servant of Christ today can use to duplicate his/her own faith and ministry in another willing person.The following statement from the book encapsulates the goal of duplication and discipleship for all Christian leaders : "The tragedy is that most Christian leaders have placed almost no priority on transitional leadership. It is generally fair to say that the effectiveness of one's ministry is to be measured by how well it flourishes after one's departure." (P.96)Public teaching and preaching will always have its place. But nothing can replace one-on-one teaching, modeling and training. I highly recommend this book.

Three words sum up the review of this book: introspection, retrospection and prospect.Of particular interest is his treatment of the development stages of a disciple, which helps one to understand what role a discipler takes in different stages of development for a disciple. Since no two disciples are the same, there’s a need for a discipler to customize the tract for each disciple to facilitate his progress.The author’s three in a group accountability system is theoretically sound, but may face with difficulties when implementing, especially in urban context.However, the content of the meeting, which draws from his other book Discipleship Essentials, from having a quiet time, to sharing your wealth, seems to be stifling. Any content that’s too stuffy makes the discipleship session discussion based, and is hardly life changing and reproducible.

One of the best books on disciple-making principles and method. However, for a reason that Ogden does not clarify, he believes that the only effective model for making disciples is with a group of two students being taught by one disciple maker--that he calls a "triad." I have found his approach works equally well in small groups of up to 10, provided that accountability and Ogden's other principles are followed within the group. A single disciple maker training more than 2 at a time is not only more effective, but matches Jesus' method of training a group of 12, and the early Church's common method of training in small home-based groups.

This was one of the most influential books on discipleship I've read in a long time. It offers a practical, simple, self-initiating, a reproducible model for those involved in pastoral ministry who are always trying to find new ways to help their parishioners/congregations mature in Christian discipleship.What's offered here is not a new model, program, or initiative. Rather, by investigating the key characteristics of how Jesus and Paul made disciples who could then disciple others, Ogden mentors the reader on how to incorporate those same characteristics in their small group and discipleship processes.Highly recommended. I look forward to giving these ideas a chance in my own parish.