Met with a good friend of mine this morning to talk about his discipleship ministry. Randall meets with a guy named Todd. The question on the table is when do we call it discipleship. Am I discipling Randall? Yes? Is Randall discipling Todd? Yes? This may sound harsh but I think that discipleship is occurring when Todd begins to disciple someone. You can’t call it discipleship until there is a 4th generation. Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim 2:2, “and the things which you (2nd Generation) have heard from me (1st generation) in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men (3rd) who will be able to teach others (4th) also.”
Me working with Randall only = spiritual helping
Me helping Randall help Todd = equipping
Me helping Randall help Todd help ???? = discipleship.
Why the semantics lesson? I think our vision for what we are doing with people we are ministering too can be too shortsighted. Unless we have a multiplication lens that we are looking through we will stop short and not accomplish the goal of disciple-making. How’s your fourth generation?
Life and times of the howitzers 
First, glad to see you back blogging.
Second: OUCH. I am struggling to see third generation fruit.
Convicting post but a good word. Thanks for all you are doing to encourage us all to follow the King!
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Michael,
I am seeing the same thing.. my ministry today is all over the map… 2nd, 3rd generation mainly… but I am praying toward the 4th.. we can’t raise up 4th generation (2nd or 3rd for that matter) but God can and we should shoot for it.. I think the idea is convicting but also should be motivating and focusing of our effort.. nothing more instructive than for us to talk to 2nd generation guys about motivating their guys (3rd) to reach out.. and when it happens it is really cool.. thanks for all you are doing to cultivate a culture of disciplemaking!
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