From the beginning, Jesus told the disciples that He would make them into something different:

“Come, follow me,…and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

Their occupation of catching fish changed into a mission of fishing for people.

Each step along the way, Jesus taught them to:

• Share with others
• Connect people to God
• Minister to those who were in need

When a disciple matures into a spiritual adult, the Holy Spirit brings them through a heart change:

• They become God-centered in motivation
• They move from self-centered to others-centered
• They have the desire to serve and lead
• Humility

As you see the person you are discipling begin displaying these signs of heart change, opportunities for more servant leadership are appropriate.

I Tim 3:6

He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.

Jesus used everyday opportunities to train his disciples to serve and minister to others.

John 4

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John  (although Jesus himself did not baptize, only his disciples),  he left Judea and departed again for Galilee.

Note that Jesus used the apostles as baptisms, accomplishing several important objectives.

• It connected the disciples with people who were making important spiritual steps.
• It was encouraging to them
• It was a low-risk high, reward opportunity

One place in scripture where we can see an example of Jesus’ intentional leadership is in the feeding of the five thousand.

 John 6:1-13

• Notice all the times Jesus had his disciples minister to the people during this event.

During this miracle, the disciples were learning about ministry as well as who Jesus was.

• Jesus modeled intentional actions in His relationships with people.
• He gave the disciples hands-on experience in learning to care for others.
• He didn’t just have them sit back and watch Him meet peoples needs
• He got them actively involved in ministering to the people around them.

So, In what places can we give the people we are discipling an opportunity to serve?

• If you serve in a ministry, one of the best things you can do is have them serve alongside you.
• It might not be a long-term fit as far as skill or ability goes, but serving alongside someone they know and are comfortable with will help set them up for initial success.
• As they become comfortable getting involved and realize the value of serving, they will be better able to look at different areas they might be equipped for.

Ministry doesn’t only happen in a church building.

• For instance, if you are going to visit someone who is in the hospital
• Helping a shut-in with yard work, invite them to come along and help.

Serving others is an imperative part of helping us become disciple-makers, and it requires us to be intentional as a leader.

 Jesus did six things with his disciples to prepare them for ministering to others:

1. Jesus brought them to a place/situation where others were in need.
2. Jesus had given them real teaching before this point.
3. Jesus connected them to God and each other.
4. Jesus had equipped them and released them to do ministry
5. Jesus shared the truth that was new to them.
6. Jesus modeled discipleship to them as they were all together.

Jesus taught to and modeled for his disciples, fully expecting them to reach the point that they could make disciples independently.

• Disciples must always depend on God, so Jesus sent the Holy Spirit when he left them.
• Jesus led his disciples to become spiritually mature disciples who could make more disciples.
• And we are disciples today because it worked.