How to Help Others Follow Jesus: 9Marks Building Healthy Churches
Mark Dever

This book is part of a series on helping pastors and churches, and congregants, learn how to do basics in the ministry. Dever approaches the process of making disciples with excellent hopes and pointers for everyone from pastors to lay leaders to the common person in the pew. He breaks the book up into three parts: what is discipling, where should we disciple, and how should we disciple.

In the introduction, the author talks about the independence Americans crave. Living alone is on the rise. Single people want access two stores and amenities but don’t work within the community. To be a discipler, you must first be a disciple. Being a disciple also requires obedience. Disciples of Jesus make disciples. This happens in and through the church.

In the first part, he describes what discipling is. Chapter 1 is about influence and how it is an effective tool for discipleship. We are changing creatures. We are open to be in influenced by others. But how do you use your influence? You can use it by making disciples.

In chapter 2, he discusses our relationship to others and how we can use that to disciple them. Do you strategize how to bless others and disciple them? He uses the Image of the family as in example of how we can disciple and bless others from Deuteronomy 6:4 -6. Jesus poured his life into twelve man. Paul did this the same  with Timothy. What will it take for you too and so they too and read rest your life into others? God works through us. We work with others out of our love for Jesus.

Chapter 3 talks about the work of discipling.Discipling is initiated in love. Its goal is to present people blameless before Christ on the last day. You look for people who are teachable. You demonstrate it in yourself by being transparent. You initiate the relationship. He explains discipling through is four principles. He also shares objections to discipleship and gives answers to them.

Part 2 details where we should disciple others. In chapter 5, he says discipling begins in local Church. He opens by describing the life of the founder of Navigators as an example. Parachurch ministries do not replace discipling in the church. Hospitality is it good way to welcome people to discipleship in the church. Discipleship can’t happen systematically, but it is very effective and one on one relationships. It works Within an authority structure approved by Jesus. Discipling happens as we share in water baptism and communion with each other.

Chapter 6 gives information on the responsibility of discipleship between pastors and members. Each have responsibilities and discipleship. Pastors teach disciples. They teach through the ordinances of the church. They are imperfect models who are examples of Jesus. The church must reject false teachers, even if they are pastors. True disciples must know true doctrine. The congregation has the responsibility of doing it’s corporate part. There are levels of responsibility. Individuals in the congregation so have responsibilities.

Part 3 talks about how to disciple others. Chapter 7 talks about using one person to disciple. Some are good at teaching large groups, and others are good with one-on-one relationships. He gives nine things to consider when looking for someone to disciple. This was the best part of the book for me, giving you lots of detailed information and wisdom.

Chapter 8 teaches you to have clear aims and goals in discipling others. Your discipling should help people understand more. It should help them to live better for Christ. Ask them questions. Get to know them by learning about them personally. Chapter 9 tells you to pay the cost of Time, relationship needs, studying the Bible, prayer, and loving them. In chapter 10, the author describes how to raise up leaders. He gives himself as example of how to raise up leaders. He gives nine steps for doing this. This was also a helpful part of the book.

The conclusion of the book is another writer who was on staff with the author and talks about the author because he will not talk about himself. He tells you that this author puts into practice the principles of the book.. He bears witness that the author does not just talk about how to give authority to up and coming leaders, but does this in his own ministry. He talked about how to properly in euros authority. You must be able to exercise authority and give it away to others. Sometimes I think discipling is a hard job and I am not up to it. This book helps you to realize that all you have to do is just take the first step and God will help you and equip you to be a good disciple who disciples others. There were many helpful tips on how to be better at discipling others. The bonus is that it helps you to be a better disciple. I recommend this book for anyone who works as part of a discipling team at a church, or wants to be a better disciple and disciple others around them.