Small-Batch Disciplemaking

By: David Sunde

ISBN: 978-1641588133

READ: July 2024

RATING: 7/10

Summary: There’s gold in this book. One nugget is Sunde’s assertion that community always result from engaging mission together. Worked the other way, just doesn’t work. He does a great job tying in the practices (rhythms) into disciplemaking. In fact, this book reminded me of JM Comer’s Practicing the Way. Perhaps because of the book’s similarity I found myself struggling to get through it at points, but it’s a very solid book that demonstrates how he’s integrated disciplemaking into his life and ministry. Additionally, his disciple making language lacks precision (interchanging mentoring, apprenticing, disciplemaking, etc.). I recommend this book for those getting started in disciplemaking who want to continue to understand what it looks like from a practical perspective (rather than an informational paradigm).

**I’ve added my comments (in italics) throughout.

Chapter titles are: Foreword, Introduction, 1. The Rhythm of Apprenticing 2. The Rhythm of Renewal 3. The Rhythm of Hospitality 4. The Rhythm of Community 5. The Rhythm of Compassion 6. The Rhythm of Generosity 7. The Rhythm of Gratitude 8. Co-Missioning

Introduction:

“An inheritance is something we leave for someone. A legacy is what we leave in them” Pg. 1

“There’s always more to learn and room to grow, so much that it too often paralyzes earnest followers of Jesus from investing in the spiritual development of others.” Pg. 2

“‘Christian-industrial complex’ both an apt and unfortunate description of many churches. We’ve chosen growth in size over growth in disciplemaking. Buildings get built, staff are added, and then instead of sending people out to live life on mission, we need people to return to help support the overhead.” Pg. 3

“‘I don’t want to teach you anything new. I just want to make sure you know how to gibve away what you know.’ No longer was my walk with God about me being saved or about going to heaven when I die, as if faith were a personal insurance policy. It was about a living faith that would align more people with life in Christ.” Pg. 4

“More time with fewer opportunities equals greater Kingdom impact!” pg. 5

“I wouldn’t be the first to suggest that the church doesn’t have a mission. Instead, the mission has a church: Make disciples.” Pg. 5

“A disciple is one who, rooted in the love of Christ, (1) develops an ability to talk about personal faith: (2) grows an intentional spiritual practice; and (3) stewards and shares it with those closest to them.” pg. 5

“…there’s a systematic problem in how we’ve approached God’s mission to make disciples.” Pg. 5

“The disciplemaking process was never supposed to happen en masse. Spiritual formation doesn’t happen by singing songs, observing Communion and listening to biblical teaching. But that’s how we do church: one size fits all.” Pg. 6

“We strengthen the church body by practicing rhythms of community and apprenticing.” Pg. 7

“The rhythms outlined here are not impactful by themselves; the truth is, many things contribute to one’s spiritual formation. But they provide an intentional way to experience God’s direction and desires.” Pg. 7

“People create movements, not programs. Movements are harder to predict than programs, and creating them requires greater faith.” Pg. 9

“They rhythms in this book are intended to create movement, both within us and in our communities. They present three opportunities: 1. They enable us to experience the heart of God. 2. They leverage our faith for the benefit of others. 3. They help us share with those closest to us.” pgs. 9-10

“In light of the rhythms developed here, I want to encourage people toward an integrated, more intentional pursuit of faith. But this field guide is more than just a resource for personal spiritual disciplines; it offers you a way to invest your life and make disciples.” Pg. 10

“While I’m technically providing you with seven rhythms, really it’s just one rhythm expressed seven ways. Small-batch disciplemaking is all about apprenticing in the way of Jesus.” Pg. 10

“I’ve heard too many accounts of earnest Christians who have grown up in church and were active in the youth group, mission trips, small groups, and even leadership say, if they were asked to disciple someone, ‘I wouldn’t know what to say or where to start!’ This field guide is offered as a manual to help you experience God practice faith, and share with others in word and deed.” Pg. 10

 

Chapter 1: The Rhythm of Apprenticing

“Growing up spiritually means that eventually, we will not only develop an ability to feed ourselves but also consider how we might nourish others.” Pg. 16

“…the rhythm of apprenticing suggests on-the-job training under the supervision of a journey-man.” pg. 16

            -Not sure what he means by a journey-man here or why that’s a part of it.

“We can only grow so far on our own, looking from afar, applying what we know before we hit a wall…or a desert…or a strom. The potential for growth is more significant than ever, but we simply can’t experience it without a guide or an apprenticing leader.” Pg. 16

            -I disagree with this. If 2 Peter 1:3-4 is true then this can’t be, right?

“The good news is that most Christians already have what it takes to disciple or apprentice with someone else, even if they don’t feel ready to.” Pg. 18

“Apprenticeship is more than encouragement or advice giving—it is an arrangement in which someone learns an art, trade, or job under another person skilled in that area.” Pg. 18

“Apprenticeship is a tradesperson’s language: Learning a trade requires an on-the-job, hands-on relationship with someone with expertise in that trade.” Pg. 19

“It’s finding a relational rhythm of stewarding one’s influence, experience, knowledge, and understanding of Christ in the world.” Pg. 19

“I use the words apprenticing and disciplemaking interchangeably.” Pg. 19

“Both terms are verbs that are active, dynamic, progressing, and unfolding, like life and relationships.” Pg. 20

“The term mentoring conveys a similar idea. No matter which term you prefer to use, the kind of developmental relationship I’m talking about here is experiencing and expressing the Christian life incarnationaly, missionally, and with the intent of spiritual reproduction.” Pg. 20

            -Ok, but mentoring is different and words matter. I appreciate the clarity, but disagree that they are synonyms of each other.

“When I meet a younger believer, I often like to begin statements with ‘I see in you…’ because people need help seeing what they can’t see for themselves.” Pg. 20

“What if, instead, we think of Christian apprenticeship as equal parts education (content), equipping (training), and immersion (experience)?” pg. 22

            -What about obedience?

“Perhaps the most significant difference between the early church and the church today is that we’ve gotten away from Jesus’ strategy of training the few to train the many.” Pg. 23

“We can study how the Master Disciplemaker mentored others.” Pg. 23

4 Main Components of growing faith: pg. 24

1.     Instruction

2.     Demonstration

3.     Experience

4.     Assessment

“Apprenticeship involves modeling what ministry looks like and what is required, personally and publicly, of a mentor.” Pg. 24

“After teaching and modeling, it is good to give opportunities for responsibility as you observ e that the mentee is ready. Let the person being disciples take the lead in teaching a class, facilitating a group discussion, hosting an event, organizing a ministry initiative or guiding a team.” Pg. 25

“If we think of apprenticing within this framework, any Christian can instill a spiritual legacy iun another by offering a little instruction, modeling Jesus’ life, giving experiences, and offering feedback.” Pg. 26

“If salvation is to a Christian as sobriety is to an alcoholic, we need to have vision to be similarly invested in another’s spiritual growth, for their sake as much as our own.” Pg. 28

“Becoming an apprenticing leader is not about being an expert. It’s simply about being willing to share what you do know. What’s most helpful and will impact lives is when we learn to put words to the difference Christ makes in our daily struggles and mundane situations.” Pg. 33

“The mentor’s role is to make change irresistible but not mandatory.” Pg. 34 – Jonah Sachs

“Again, the mission of the church is to make disciples, not converts, volunteers, attendees, or members.” Pg. 35

            -I’d add not mentors or mentees as well!

“…we have to leave room for discomfort as much as we embrace discomfort.” Pg. 35

 

Chapter 2: Finding Your Rhythm

“As you start to think through critical moments in our spiritual life consider the following questions: 1. How can you see God in the progression of your life? In other words, are there doors that are closed? 2. Which doors have opened in the last two to three years (jobs, relationships, invitations, opportunities)?” pg 38

“The timeline below asks questions like Where have you been? And What events, people, decisions, and opportunities have shaped your life with Christ?” pg. 38

Mapping Your Timeline: pgs. 38-40

1.     Peaks and valleys

2.     Speed bumps, detours, and the scenic route

3.     Themes and Lessons

 “They rhythm of renewal is about regularly and continually resensitizing our hearts so we can hear God’s whisper, respond when the Spirit guides, and yield when God prompts.” Pg. 44

“If our goal is to be effective small-batch disciplemakers, practicing the rhythm of renewal will help us get there.” Pg. 45

“So first, what does our rest produce? Scripture doesn’t invite us to sleep, vacation, unload responsibilities, or pursue a more convenient way of living. Renewal isn’t meant to restore our margins so we can live the life we want to live. Nor does it mean the struggle or tension in life goes away; rather, biblical renewal recenters and resensitizes our hearts to God’s presence.” Pg. 45

“Growth of any kind takes time because it involves both unlearning old habits and discovering a new way to live.” Pg. 45

“Second, how can we steward our influence while keeping in mind the Spirit’s role? With an apprentice, it’s important to speak to their potential about who they can become in Christ. This is one of the most critical and life-giving (yet rarely taught) aspects of the Christian’s life.” Pg. 46

“Sabbath has always been God’s way of renewing us….It’s the idea that we work from our rest, not rest from our work.” Pg. 47

“But when we work from our rest, we connect with God’s Spirit and find strength, comfort, peace, and hope.” Pg. 47

“Renewal means tilling the soul of your heart and mind as each of us learns to yield to God’s Spirit—a nudge to turn from or turn toward something or someone.” Pg. 48

“…the antidote to exhaustion isn’t resting. The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness.” Pg. 50

“When we get spread thin, we discover the limits of care. It’s not a loss of care but a limitation of how much care we can express. We subtly and unconsciously allow our hearts to desensitize over time.” Pg. 50

“But if the antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness, then we must learn how to set boundaries. Our priorities need to inform what we say yes to and permit us to say no.” pg. 51

“Being a disciple is more than being a good volunteer. It’s more than offering one’s gifts or talents in service to God. The art of disciplemaking is spiritual reproduction—that is, learning to impart a lifestyle of following Christ to others.” Pg. 55

“God invites Christians to be dual citizens who can work to bring a little heaven to earth.” Pg/ 60

“To repent means to think differently or reconsider.” Pg. 60

“This is where Kairos moments fit in, when you sense something else is going on, something beyond yourself. It might be an opportunity to learn about a social justice issue in your community, a call to help a stranger experiencing a need, or an urge to pray for a poverty-striken nation across the world.” Pg. 60

“The call to repent is a call to examine our hearts, reconsider our courses in life, and turn toward or away from something.” Pg. 60

 

Chapter 3: The Rhythm of Hospitality

 “As disciplemakers, before we can teach or baptize, we begin by making ourselves available and approachable.” Pg. 73

“…the greatest witness you can make is by describing the difference Christ is making in you.” Pg. 73

“Instead of sharing a convincing argument, what is we discover and learn to articulate what Jesus’ good news means to us personally? Small-batch disciplemaking must involve a rhythm of hospitality through which we engage in practices that make faith and community more accessible. Experiencing the fullness of God is a two-way street. The rhythm of hospitality is about both making room and learning to receive from another. In either case, we seek to recognize those whom God has prepared in advance for us.” pg. 74

“I once read this quote from The Little Free Pantry website: ‘To give is selfish, to receive is generous.’ For the well-educated, upwardly mobile, hardworking folks, that is true.” Pg. 74

“The redemptive power of the gospel is about making room, removing barriers, and overcoming division. Imagine traveling to another continent to seek this God. hospitality goes a long was as an expression of faith. Our ability to make room and receive blessing from someone seemingly different from ourselves is one of the most significant witnesses a Christian can practice.” Pg. 77

“If you want to grow spiritually, be willing to put yourself into roles and situations that require faith.” Pg. 80

“but they were encouraged to look for people who showed them kindness.” Pg. 81

“Again, the goal is to identify whom God has prepared for us and be able to share the difference with them that Christ makes in us. That is what discipleship is all about.” Pg. 81

“…it is reasonable to conclude that we also have people of peace in our lives today and that you someone else’s person of peace.” Pg. 82

“Our job isn’t to have all the correct answers, the perfect approach, or even to be convincing. Our job is simply to let the Spirit lead whom the Spirit has prepared. Start with an invitation to coffee, a meal, or a conversation. Have a conversation and see where it goes! Our job is not to find converts. Our mission is to help people take the next steps in faith toward Christ.” Pg. 82

“Ultimately, a practice of hospitality, whether on the giving or the receiving end, is about discerning whom God has prepared in advance for us.” pg. 84

 

Chapter 4: The Rhythm of Community

“Something happens when a group of people who are curious about expressing faith and concerned about the vulnerable and marginalized choose to be uncomfortable or inconvenienced together. This is critical to understand because it reflects the strength of Christian community. The church exists as a missional expression of the Kingdom of God on earth, and your approach to this expression matters. If you start with being in community as a goal (i.e., a life-stage, shared activity, or even a worship service), you rarely end up on mission. But if you start with being on mission together, you always end up in community.” Pg. 90

“Disciplemaking has much to do with orienting our relationships missionally (that is, to keep us focused on living as ‘sent ones’).” Pg. 90

“As a disciplemaker, your greatest impact is in helping someone realize their potential.” Pg. 90

            -I disagree with this. This is a statement that a mentor or teacher might make, but as disciple makers our greatest impact is in helping others help others (which may/may not be implied), not simply helping someone reach their own potential.

“The believers were around each other long enough to know each other’s needs, share their resources, serve each other, pray together, hold each other accountable, and work to include others outside the community.” Pg. 91

“Life is most meaningful when we compete for the success of another person.” Pg. 94

“Community is the fruit of our capacity to make the interests of others more important than our own (see Philippians 2:4).” Pg. 94

“Again, if you start with building community, you rarely find a mission. If you start with a shared mission, you always find community.” Pg. 95

            -This is one of the most insightful and strongest points in the entire book.

 

“The church has always attempted—for better or for worse—to mirror something that our culture could understand and relate to.” Pg. 96

“The rhythm of community is about adopting a stronger commitment to contributing and discovering our potential, as we would in a family.” Pg. 96

“One way to think about forming a more substantial concept of community is by thinking of it as what author and activist Parker Palmer calls ‘the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.’ Henri Nouwen described this robust kind of biblical community as ‘where your childhood of God is constantly put through the mill of human relationships….Community is a place where Judas always is and sometimes it is just you.’” Pg. 100-101

“Community is what we find when we’re willing and able to put the time and effort into relationships.” Pg. 102

“In many cases, the spiritual practice for introverts requires finding a discipline for engagement with others. Extroverts need discipline for quiet solitude and reflection. In either case, a rhythm for engaging in community is necessary to grow in Christ.” Pg. 108-109

“Knowledge alone, without mission, incarnation, or (notably) spiritual reproduction is not effective for God’s work in the world, much less in Christian hearts.” Pg. 111

 

Chapter 5: The Rhythm of Compassion

“…in showing compassion, I do not hold past failures against another person. Instead, I offer a fresh start.” Pg. 119

“We learn about compassion when we feel its impact. Sometimes we’re the ones in need; at other times we’re the givers. As compassion becomes a rhythm in our lives, it can keep our hearts sensitive—not just to meet others’ needs but also to hear God’s voice.” Pg. 119

“Learning to see others’ needs as merely different from our own means we start seeing that all of us are needy and all of us have something to give and everyone has something to learn, even from the most unlikely sources.” Pg. 120

“The challenge of loving our neighbor is that it requires willingness to cross social divides where needs, perspectives, incomes, and education are primarily different from our own. This is where the Spirit finds the most fertile soil to shape our hearts as both givers and receivers.” Pg. 121

“We often think of salvation as only a spiritual condition (i.e., status: saved). And it is, but it’s also much more. The salvation that Jeuss brings means that war, addiction, hunger, divorce, resentment, abuse, and other tragedies of this broken world don’t have to be the final word.” Pg. 123

“Our lives—including gifts, time, experiences, resources, influence, and health—are not created to be hoarded or stored. Our lives are meant to be shared.” Pg. 126-127

“The best practice we can adopt (and try to instill in our apprentices) is to develop an outwardly loving discipline.” Pg. 127

“Try as we might, we can’t self-help our way to transformation.” Pg. 127-128

“The increasing and infilling work of the Holy Spirit has (at least) a fivefold witness: 1. A greater capacity to love; 2. A greater power for obedience; 3. A greater boldness in our witness; 4. Our verbal expression; and 5. The fruit of the Spirit.” Pg. 128

“When the Bible challenges us to love our neighbor, it’s an invitation to cross social divides and love people who don’t look or act or think like us. Practicing compassion starts with spending time with people whose needs differ from our own.” Pg. 130

“The struggle isn’t a punishment from God but an invitation to trust Him, express our needs, and feel that He is near.” Pg. 132

“If we learn anything from Pentecost, we learn that the Holy Spirit transcends tradition, culture, ethnicity, and religion: the Galilean disciples were ‘declaring the wonders of God in [foreign languages]’ (Acts 2:11).” Pg. 134

“Our language can bear just as much fruit as our deeds.” Pg. 35

“A significant apprenticing experience involves practicing compassion, even if it’s not reciprocated.” Pg. 139

 

Chapter 6: The Rhythm of Generosity 

“The best way to learn to practice generosity is when someone close to you helps you see how much you already have and challenges you to invest your life as a sacred trust.” Pg. 148-149

“Growing in generosity means becoming more aware of the needs, opportunities, and resources already present in our lives. In other words, we don’t need to wait to have more time, money, talent, or recognition to embody the generous nature of God.” pg. 149

“A trustee, on the other hand, is always someone charged with caring for someone else’s estate.” Pg. 149

“But perhaps framing our giving from a trustee perspective might help us hold our possessions and resources more loosely in light of God’s grace.” Pg. 150

“They rhythm of generosity offers a renewed way to understand our role as spiritual trustees. As we learn to see God as the Source of our lives, we see that all life is a gift.” Pg. 150

“Giving is the act of releasing something of value in one’s possession.” Pg. 154

“Generosity is a willingness to share with others, which often involves personal sacrifice.” Pg. 154

“If you give your heart, you get His! God is a generous God.” pg. 157

“Giving reflects belief and support. Selfless and sacrificial giving is also one of the most formative tools in shaping us into who we want to become.” Pg. 165

“Deuteronomy means ‘second law.’” Pg. 167

“Giving starts with seeing a need and looking to be part of a response—even if it doesn’t solve anything.” Pg. 168

Chapter 7: The Rhythm of Gratitude

 “The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek words en, meaning ‘in’ or ‘within,’ and theos, meaning ‘God.’” Pg. 175

“…worship overflows from within, like any expression of love and gratitude.” Pg. 176

“In Psalm 103, David reminds himself to ‘bless the Lord’ (verses 1, 2, 20-22, NASB). This may sound strange because is seems that God should be the one doing the blessing….The idea is that when we bless God, we mentally bow on our knees to worship Him, acknowledging Him as the Source of all blessings.” Pg. 178

“Gratitude is a healthy expression but one that requires some discipline. It’s a good rhythm to practice whether we feel like it or not. What we learn to express gratitude consistently, it shapes us from the inside out.” Pg. 183

“When we develop a rhythm of gratitude, difficult circumstances won’t deter us from belief or devotion.” Pg. 189

 

Chapter 8: Co-Missioning 

“I appreciate the discipline of refining a natural gift. Discipline develops both the craft and the person. Are we willing to commit to the slow work of developing what we’ve been given? In the case of a budding young artist, it’s obvious to see that you’re already a cut above your peers when it comes to your craft. It’s easy to imagine some initial attention and the temptation to parlay that recognition into possible revenue…” pg. 200

“Christians sometimes forget what business we’re in. Our mission is not to grow the church, services, or small groups or to build buildings or a voting bloc. Instead our business is making disciples.” Pg. 201

“Typically, we think there’s strength in numbers; bigger is better; and the more, the merrier, but…studies show that the larger a group is, the less productive it becomes.” Pg. 201

“We don’t know how to leverage faith when we don’t have a job that includes disciplemaking.” Pg. 204

“Small-batch disciplemaking, training the few to reach the many, is how we participate in the Kingdom of God on earth.” Pg. 205