Disciples Are Made Not Born: Helping Others Grow to Maturity in Christ

by Walter A. Henrichsen, Howard G. Hendricks (Foreword)

"Make Disciples." Jesus' command is clear. But what is a disciple? And how are we to "make" them? Based on decades of experience, this book explains and illustrates the process of disciple-making that Jesus taught and modeled. First published in 1974, its practical, biblical approach has revolutionized the ministry of hundreds of thousands of Christians as they learned how to multiply themselves in the lives of others. Disciple-making is challenging, to be sure. But as we are faithful to Christ's Great Commission, we'll experience the fulfillment that comes from being faithful to the life mission to which God has called us.

Genres: Discipleship, Christian, Christianity, Theology, Christian Living, Evangelism, Leadership

240 pages, Paperback

First published July 23, 2002

Reviews

[Carson Elwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book with my Bible study this semester… It effectively combines practical guidance with deep spiritual insights, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to mentor others in their faith. Walt uses clear, compelling language to outline the responsibilities and joys of discipleship, emphasizing the importance of personal integrity and spiritual commitment. This book is particularly impactful for its ability to transform abstract spiritual concepts into actionable steps, making the formidable task of discipleship attainable and meaningful.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic book on disciple making. Definitely worth the time.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is great for practice advice. I didn't connect with his style or examples. Something is lacking in depth.

[Christa Blakey · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Giving your life in exchange for people means getting involved in the gut issues of life. This is not the same as getting involved with committees or programs. As good as these may be, they are no substitute for personal involvement in others’ lives.” p. 152

This book is a clear call for Christians to invest in the spiritual reproduction of others. Henrichsen reveals how incomplete our desire is for others to only profess faith in Jesus without also being ready to show them how to follow Jesus in their everyday lives. Many can act as though the conversion itself is a mission accomplished, and treat new converts as on-their-own expecting them to get-with-the-program. This book explains that conversion is just the beginning and how great the need is for personal discipleship.

With such a simple and personal writing style, I wanted to blaze through this, but found it to be so convicting in addressing the disciple maker with all the heart, responsibility and endurance God calls us to, I had to slow down to digest it!!! He unpacks the kind of person God uses, the dynamic of Paul and Timothy’s partnership and many areas of Scripture we would do well to impart to our disciples, as well as practical help to focus our goals in discipleship. Things like how to be a better listener; how to be a real friend to those we minister to; he encourages the reader to be a real-life example of trusting and obeying God, not just a fellow church goer with right answers.

What I came away with most from this book is Henrichsen’s point that we cannot mass produce disciples. Jesus example, and others from the book of Acts onward, displays the deep, personal investment it takes to grow faithful men and women who will in turn be able to teach others also. Reading this book has stirred me up personally to examine the example I am to be followed and has given me fresh perspective in the goals I should seek in discipling women at my church. My favorite book on discipleship has been “Masterplan of Evangelism” by Robert E. Coleman and this book seems to be part two of all that book addresses! I highly recommend it!

[Brooklyn Behrends · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book very practical 👍

[Ty Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really scared that I was going to have to birth disciples, but this book really cleared things up for me

[Jeffrey Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about discipleship! Reading through it again encouraged and helped me. Below are some notes I gleaned:



When we disciple another person, we don’t just transfer what we know, we transfer who we are.

2 Timothy 2:2 says “faithful men.” Discipleship stands or falls with these two little words.

Teaching others cannot be done just through a classroom, it involves imparting your life.

Activity has no substitute for production, and production has no substitute for reproduction. – Dawson Trotman

A disciple is a disciplined person, they both come from the same root word.

Being a disciple is being in a relationship with Jesus and loving what He loves. Making disciples begins with evangelism.

The goal in evangelism is to populate Heaven and de-populate Hell.

As ambassadors of Christ, we ought to be recruiting other disciples for Christ.

Our discipleship must include:
Teaching, which is imparting of knowledge
Training, which is imparting of skill
Building, which is imparting of character

You teach a disciple by showing him Scripture and speaking to him. You train a disciple by taking him with you and showing him how. And you build a disciple by influencing his personality through Bible studies, prayer, and living a life of example.

As a disciple, you must continue growing. Jesus grew in wisdom (the intellect), stature (the physical), and in favor with God (the spiritual) and man (the social).

You recruit others to discipleship by being their servant. The mark of leadership is servanthood.

When you disciple, someone, they will become like you whether you want them to or not. You might say to imitate Jesus, but they will imitate you. They will do what you do more than what you say. You will reproduce what you are, not what you want. It is imperative that you be who you want your disciple to be.

Just as you would never expect someone to leave a child to raise themselves, so you must not abandon a disciple rather help them grow to maturity.

The Lord chose 12 that He might be with them. If you’re going to disciple someone, you must invest time in them.

We live in a world of mass production, which show success and speed. But when it comes to discipleship, mass production doesn’t work. We must slow down and take time with individuals.

[Michael Lupino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall the book is very basic. But there is at least a basic framework if you have questions on how to disciple others. Loved this quote at the end though.

“...the difference between a comfortable marriage and a costly marriage was children - reproduction. Similarly, the difference between comfortable Christianity and costly Christianity is spiritual reproduction. It costs to become involved in the lives of people.”

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book starting off, but started to get repetitive. Important, nonetheless. Discipling others is missed out on regularly, yet it is a commandment of vital importance.

[Njeri Mwathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some really helpful practical tips on disciple-making and even more importantly, a call for action; a reminder of the command to Make Disciples.

[Heather Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

very good book about evangelism.

[Wes F · Rating 3 out of 5]

An older book--first published in 1974--but some good, solid basics on what discipleship means.

[Ronald J. Pauleus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good principles and truth. “Disciples are made, not mass-produced.”

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just do it

[Hayden Pottkotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read for timeless, Gospel-centered brass tacks of disciple-making.

[David Domalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical and inspiring

[Micah Yost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great! The last two chapters get a little bit technical, but the vast majority of the book is really solid! Shows that the goal of discipleship is to produce evangelism.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of good stuff in this book.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my 4th or 5th time reading this book. It hits me in the gut every time! It's a classic but just as relevant today as ever. Every Christian should read this book.

[Cary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lessons mentioned in this book are not actually new because most of them were already included in our SOL materials. The message became more meaningful to me now because I now have more opportunities to apply what I've learned. Discipleship is costly. It requires dying to self in exchange of life of others. But the life poured out for others to help them grow to maturity in Christ is the most worthwhile and most rewarding experience you can have in this world.

[Brian King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but not as practical as I think a book like this really needs to be in this day and age. I think that perhaps Henrichsen wrote this in a day and age when some things were taken for granted. I think it lays out a good framework of Biblical teaching on discipleship, but then, you will certainly need other books to put some meat on those bones.

[Andy]

0023

[Jeff Noble]

Disciples Are Made, Not Born by Walter A. Henrichsen (?)

[KC Tenorio]

Practical application

[Chianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convicting!

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the earlier chapters of this book, the author makes the comparison of hunting for deer using either a shotgun to hit all of them, but not kill any, or using a rifle to bring down one or two. It's an ironic analogy, because this book is the author using a shotgun on the issue of discipleship when we'd all be better off with the focused aim of a rifle. You won't find anything that's incredibly in depth in this book. In fact, the author seems to have so much that he wants to say that he doesn't say any of it very well. He bounces from one point to another without ever setting down roots for long enough to actually make a difference. In many parts of the book, he will cite a passage of scripture, give a one or two sentence response, then spend the next 2 or 3 paragraphs telling a story. This pattern is repeated through the book. I'm left with the conclusion that the author knows a lot of verses, and he has a lot of stories he wants to tell, but doesn't know how to encourage us towards deep understanding or application. If you've never heard of the topic of discipleship before, this book may be helpful to you. However, if you've been a Christian for some time and have a basic understanding of Christianity and discipleship, you probably won't get much from this book.