2Timothy 3:10-11 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
As a first step, let’s clarify what we mean by disciple-making. David Mathis, taking his cues from Jesus’s own example in the Gospels, defines disciple-making this way: “the process in which a stable, mature believer invests himself, for a particular period of time, in one or a few younger believers, in order to help their growth in the faith — including helping them also to invest in others who will invest in others.”
This definition offers a few irreducible elements of disciple-making. First, disciple-making requires some degree of spiritual maturity, at least compared to the person (or people) being discipled. Second, disciple-making is an investment of your very self: You offer not only a message but a model, not only your speech but your life. Third, disciple-making pursues growth in faith or practical obedience to what Jesus commanded. And fourth, disciple-making aims to multiply disciple-makers.
Recently, however, I heard someone helpfully observe that, within these parameters, the New Testament commends more than one model or method of disciple-making. In the Gospels, Jesus disciples twelve men in all of life for three years. In Acts, Paul disciples Timothy in a similar way (2 Timothy 3:10–11), but then at other times he walks with new believers over a shorter period and then continues teaching them through visits and letters (Acts 14:21–22).
Of course, Jesus and Paul were unmarried men who devoted their lives to ministry. They had no spouse or children or full-time jobs. So, do we have any examples of disciple-making moms or dads, managers or bondservants? Yes, we do. (Hubbard)
