It’s a critical question that gets to the heart of our mission, yet many of us aren’t fully confident in our approach. In a recent webinar for church leaders, president of Trueface and discipleship advisor for RightNow Pastors+ Robby Angle shared a valuable framework for effective discipleship.
Rather than jumping straight into systems and models, Robby challenged us to first examine how we view discipleship. He suggested that our beliefs about spiritual growth impact our ministry approaches more than we realize.
In the webinar, Robby called us to shift from a performance-based mindset to one of grace. Many Christians unconsciously operate from a “know more, do better” philosophy, thinking that spiritual growth comes primarily through increased knowledge and improved behavior. However, Robby proposed a different lens: growth happens through trusting and receiving God’s love, not through striving to earn it.
This perspective shift isn’t just theoretical—it dramatically impacts how we lead and disciple others. Leaders who see themselves as “sinners striving to be saints” will likely create discipleship environments focused on performance and knowledge acquisition. In contrast, leaders grounded in their identity as “saints who occasionally sin” tend to foster authentic, vulnerable discipleship spaces where real transformation can occur.
When it comes to practical implementation, Robby outlined four key areas for building an effective discipleship strategy:
1. Developing Leaders: According to Robby, the health and maturity of small group leaders accounts for about 60% of a group’s effectiveness at discipleship. He said 25% of the group’s success comes from following best practices, and the other 15% comes from influences beyond the leader’s control, like group chemistry or life circumstances. Since so much of a group’s health depends on the health of the leader, Robby suggested spending intentional time developing leaders.
2. Supporting Leaders: Both initial onboarding and ongoing support are crucial for forming leaders who can disciple others in the ministry. Robby said the onboarding process is important because leadership habits are easier to form early than to change later. In the webinar Robby shared “5 Core Components that Separate Great Leaders from Ineffective Ones.” Those components can be used as a rubric to guide leaders and ensure their effectiveness.
3. Forming Groups: Robby encouraged church leaders to think about group formation like a “customer journey.” But instead of mapping a buyer’s steps to purchase a product, he said to list out all the steps someone must take to join a group at your church. The best way to improve this process is simple: ask people who recently joined groups about their experience. Use their feedback to make it easier for others to get connected.
4. Equipping Groups: Robby encouraged churches to be clear about the small groups model they choose (closed vs. open groups, study format, meeting frequency, etc.), but to focus more on the quality of the small group leaders than the actual group format itself. In Robby’s experience, he’s witnessed both excellent and poor outcomes from virtually every small group model. While many churches spend the majority of their time focused on group models and strategies, Robby suggested that this might be misplaced energy. Instead, turn your attention to your leaders by giving them all they need to lead well.
For those feeling overwhelmed by the scope of building or improving a discipleship strategy, Robby offered encouraging advice: don’t try to do everything at once. Instead, prayerfully discern the one next step God is inviting you to take in your ministry context.
Creating a thriving discipleship culture is patient work that unfolds over years, not months. But as Robby reminded us, it’s worth the investment because the impact is eternal. It’s about seeing people fall more deeply in love with Jesus and experience genuine transformation.
Want to dive deeper into these concepts? Watch the full webinar for detailed examples, additional resource recommendations, and an exclusive Q&A with Robby. Click here to access the webinar recording.
Much of the webinar’s content was based on Robby Angle’s Discipleship Framework course, a comprehensive training experience designed to help your team think about, build, and implement a discipleship strategy tailored to your church’s unique needs. Click here to learn more about Discipleship Framework.
Disclaimer: This blog was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. If you find content that is inaccurate or otherwise needs to be reviewed, please email webinars@rightnowmedia.org.
The following is an excerpt from www.Exponential.org, originally written by Ben Connelly on August 14, 2024.
As we consider a shift “from reaching Christians to making disciples,” church leaders and followers of Jesus can miss a vital step: knowing how the Gospel sounds like truly good news to people! Do we live as if the Gospel is truly good news to us? Do we talk about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and reign as if He makes an actual difference—not just in our theology but in our lives, and in the lives of those around us?
At the end of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he asks his friends in Colossae to pray for him specifically—and this is informative for us as we pursue God’s mission—“that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” Leading by example, Paul, arguably the most “successful” missionary in history, reminds us that God’s mission was completely dependent on God. Then he exhorts his friends, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:2–6).
Salt makes things tasteful. Peter gives a similar warning as he exhorts followers of Jesus to share the Gospel. After encouraging readers to “always [be] prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” he encourages this posture: “yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Grace, gentleness, well-seasoned and respectful. If we asked many of our not-yet-believing neighbors and friends, I’d imagine those are not the words they’d typically use to describe their experience with Christians’ presentation of the Gospel.
In my work with The Equipping Group, we often help pastors see that Christians are more typically viewed as arrogant, uncaring, heady, and presumptuous. These postures miss God’s heart, and miss opportunities to walk in wisdom, even as we speak the good news! There’s a way to display the heart of the Gospel, even as we proclaim the content of the Gospel.
Our posture as we share the Gospel—from our stages and classrooms, and even more so in our streets and living rooms—is to consider how our audience (whether one or 1000) is hearing it, and to ask ourselves if it’s palatable to them. How can we fulfill this first principle of Gospel proclamation? The second principle is the key.
Paul’s second exhortation to his readers is to “know how you ought to answer each person.” Paul doesn’t encourage a one-size-fits-all approach to sharing the Gospel. Instead, there are literally dozens of ways to share the Gospel, and that “each person” might need to hear it in a unique way, to sound real to them. For me, the Gospel was “good” in that it displayed Jesus as satisfying in my dissatisfied life.. But if I now only know how to proclaim the Gospel through the lens of satisfaction, it might be wasted on you if dissatisfaction isn’t your struggle. Instead, as I often tell our church family, we must learn to speak the one objective Gospel, into hundreds of subjective situations around us.
For example, I used to think God redeemed me at age eight. Now I think I was actually twenty—and ashamedly, two years into student ministry!—when the good news of Jesus became real to me. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks: “If Jesus is real, He should matter to everything!” It sounds embarrassingly simple now, but seemed revolutionary at the time. What truth made the Gospel become real to me? For years I had sought satisfaction in leadership roles, music, “success,” women, and ironically, doing the right thing in the eyes of others. All that had left me empty and dissatisfied. When I was twenty, the truth I’d even taught others finally sunk into my own thick, self-gratifying skull: God. Alone. Satisfies. That truth changed everything.
Every time we see a diamond commercial, the stone sits on a black background, rotating. Every slight turn picks up the light in a unique way, reflecting it in more beauty. It’s one diamond, but each angle shows its sparkle differently. In this way, Jesus is like a diamond. There is one Gospel, but there are many angles from which people through history find the Gospel to be truly good news.
I explore some ways the Gospel is good news in Reading the Bible, Missing the Gospel. But there are many, many more! Even in Paul’s elder qualifications, he says leaders must be well-thought-of enough to earn an audience; we must have strong relationships and have “respectable” lives. Based on Colossians 4, we must learn peoples’ stories, enter into their brokenness, and know their values, needs, and idols. In this way, we can speak the good news in a way that “answers each person.” But isn’t that difficult? Yes. Doesn’t it take time, effort, and sacrifice? You bet. Is there a high potential I might fail, misrepresent God, or speak foolishly at times? Absolutely.
But on one hand, grace exists to us, because “salvation is [only!] of the Lord”—it’s the Father who opens doors; it’s the Spirit who gives us words. On the other hand, it’s worth it. Because everyone on earth—both inside and outside our ministries—proclaims the glory of something. And there is only One Thing worth proclaiming, that won’t let them down. Jesus alone is, among a hundred thousand other things, Satisfaction to the dissatisfied, Joy to the joyless, Hope to the hopeless, Forgiveness to the indebted, Freedom to the enslaved, Salvation to those facing judgment, and the Answer to every problem. And hear me, minister: that same Gospel that can sound like good news to every facet of peoples’ lives, is also truly good news to every facet of your life too!
There is one objective Gospel, and it applies to every subjective situation. As we consider our disciple-making processes and strategies, let’s also prioritize living lives that reflect that truth. And let’s slow down enough to know how to best proclaim it in a way that speaks to individual souls, answers unique questions, and “answers each person.” Let’s accept God’s invitation to do this, from our pulpits and on our couches. Let’s share the good news with those in our ministries, those who would never come near them, and in our own hearts as well!
How are you hoping to, or continuing to, cultivate and nurture a healthy framework and practice of discipleship within your church? If you need a resource to get started, check out Essentials of Faith—a multi-series discipleship program designed to help your church develop mature followers of Jesus. Click here to learn more about Essentials of Faith.
The start of a new year is a time for reflection, prayer, and planning. For church leaders, January provides the perfect opportunity to reset after the busyness of the Christmas season and refocus on your ministry’s goals for the year ahead.
To help you grow and lead with confidence, we’ve curated a list of free, one-hour webinars led by trusted ministry experts. Whether you want to overcome apathy in your congregation, equip your church for evangelism, strengthen marriages, or enhance specific areas of your ministry, there’s a webinar here for you.
These sessions are packed with practical tools and encouragement to help you make a lasting impact in 2025.
Creating a Culture of Evangelism: Practical Steps for Effective Outreach with Willie Robertson
In this one-hour webinar, Willie Robertson shares practical strategies for expanding your outreach efforts and embedding evangelism into the heart of your church’s mission. A culture of evangelism in your ministry is possible!
3 Ways to Equip Women & Leverage Their Influence in the Church with Tasha Calvert
In this webinar with Tasha Calvert, women’s minister at Prestonwood Church in Texas, you’ll learn actionable ways to include and empower women to exercise godly influence in their homes, schools, communities, and churches—and in your own ministry.
Ministry in the Age of AI in partnership with Barna, Carey Nieuwhof, and Gloo
In this webinar hosted by David Kinnaman and Carey Nieuwhof, gain invaluable insights from guest experts and thought leaders Ed Stetzer, Nona Jones, and Kenny Jahng. Hear how they collectively envision the future of ministry in a technologically driven world.
When People Don’t Care: A Discussion About Apathy in the Church with Ben Stuart
In this webinar, pastor and author Ben Stuart fields questions from viewers to help ministry leaders address apathy in the church. Learn how to increase engagement and build community in the next generation and beyond.
4 Secrets to an Intimate Marriage—for You & Your Ministry with Shaunti Feldhahn and Dr. Michael Sytsma
Based on years of research on everything from communication to money to sex, the simple, eye-opening steps presented in this webinar are things every church leader should have in their back pockets to encourage and equip their people—and to have a great marriage themselves.
As you step into the new year, take a moment to reflect, pray, and seek God’s guidance for the road ahead. Leadership comes with challenges and opportunities, and investing in your growth—spiritually and practically—can help you navigate them with wisdom and grace. You’re making a difference, and we’re cheering you on.
No matter how we organize our church calendar, it often ends up being a mishmash of the ancient liturgical cycle (Advent through Easter) and the school year schedule (back-to-school in the fall through summer break). So for many churches, the return of small groups in the fall can make a lot of sense.
Whether your small groups are interested in studying a book of the Bible, a frequently discussed topic, or a broad theological theme, the RightNow Media library houses a variety of series to meet you where you are and challenge you to move forward in your faith. Here are some studies to consider as we enter the fall.
Essentials of Faith is a transformative twelve-study journey designed to deepen Christians’ understanding of the gospel and address fundamental questions of our faith. Our hope is that, after going through the Essentials of Faith series, Christians will be more mature, equipped to disciple others, and emboldened to reflect Christ in their lives.
What is a Christian? with Francis Chan
Ask any group what it means to be a Christian, and we will hear different answers. In this six-session series, Francis Chan will explore key concepts common to all Christians through the centuries. No matter what divides us, we are united by these truths about the God we worship and our relationship with him.
Why Does Jesus Matter? with J.D. Greear
What makes Jesus such an important person? In this six-session series, pastor and author J.D. Greear will answer, “Why does Jesus matter?” He’ll explore who Jesus is, why he came, and what he said and did to help us understand the life-changing effect Jesus had—and continues to have—on the world.
Every marriage has its strengths and its stresses. In this six-session series created in partnership with FamilyLife, discover a transformative marriage resource to help you explore new levels of intimacy, communication, and connection with your spouse.
The Life of Joseph with Bryan Carter
Everything Joseph endured was for a purpose. His success came from the Lord, and even the most devastating events in his past were used to accomplish God’s aims. In this six-session series, Pastor Bryan Carter will trace the themes of purpose and faithfulness through the life of Joseph, teaching us how to identify and live in our God-given purpose.
The Book of Ecclesiastes with Jonathan Pokluda
Life is a gift, but it rarely turns out how we expect. Where do we turn when things are going great, but we still feel empty? In this ten-session series, pastor and author Jonathan “JP” Pokluda takes us through the book of Ecclesiastes and shows us that we are not alone in our search for meaning.
The Book of 1 Samuel with Sharon Hodde Miller
The stories of biblical heroes prompt us to examine the difference between our outward appearance and what God sees in our hearts. In this ten-session series, pastor and author Sharon Hodde Miller guides us through the book of 1 Samuel, exploring the frailty of the human heart and the faithfulness of God.
If you’d like help building a collection of studies to guide your group or ministry, check out these Bible Study Roadmaps. Each roadmap features series that are already part of your church’s subscription, and you can feel free to customize it by swapping out studies according to the needs of your group. We have roadmaps specifically designed for adults, men’s or women’s groups, youth groups, and kids.
Maybe it was something simple, like their infectious laugh or the fact that they had candy on their desk every day. For many of us, if we thought about it long enough, we’d say that our favorite teachers were those who made us feel seen, loved, and valued—they showed consistency and care for not only our grades but our personal lives.
As teachers and administrators, we want what’s best for our students. We want to see students thrive at home, in their relationships, and as individuals. And as Christian teachers, we especially want to see their spiritual growth. But discipling our students faces certain challenges—rules within the public school system, parental control, and lack of time. But that doesn’t mean we can’t care for our students’ spiritual well-being.
One way that we can disciple our students is by offering our support to a Christian student activity. Many groups like Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Young Life need faculty sponsors and advisors. While there are limits to your involvement, your support could look like becoming an advisor of the group, volunteering to oversee the meetings, or being an extra point of contact for the group. If your school doesn’t have any Christian groups and isn’t against the formation of one, you could suggest to your Christian students that they could form a group that you could advise. Your voice and presence can support their faith.
Especially in the public school setting, it can be difficult to remain neutral toward the subject of faith while also trying to live it out. But we can be faithful disciples even when we can’t share the gospel. We also share our faith with our students by showing them the love of Christ. First Corinthians 13:4–8 tells us that love is patient, kind, not envious or proud. Students—especially those who may not be used to kind, patient, or loving adults—will see a reflection of Jesus in your lived example. Reflect on the ways you engage with your students: Does a stressful day make you impatient with them? Are you kind to all of your students—or just the well-behaved ones? When students come to you for advice, do you quickly reply or do you usher them into wisdom that comes from Scripture? The way you love your students speaks volumes about your love for God.
Simply being present for our students can be a form of discipleship. For many kids, having a consistent adult figure in their lives means the world—having a consistently encouraging adult can be life-changing. While you see them in class, consider attending their school games, plays, and performances. Let students hang out in your class over lunch. Being present in your students’ lives will not only serve them but provide you with an opportunity to pray with them and give them godly counsel.
We might spend most of our teaching careers planting good seeds of faith without ever seeing a student come to Christ or having the opportunity to actually share the gospel. But while discipleship may look different in the classroom, we can do what Jesus has commanded of all of us—to love our students as he loved us.
Ministry leaders want their ministries to develop mature disciples, but how do we know if our methods are working? During RightNow Conference 2023, we asked Lisa Harper, Matt Chandler, and David Platt their thoughts on measuring the effectiveness of a church’s discipleship efforts. All three agree that measuring spiritual maturity is a difficult but important factor to keep track of in your church.
Boy, you've got to watch me on this one, because I hate analytics. Because if you’re not careful, it becomes perfunctory. It becomes performative. It becomes transactional. I think the best way to measure [is], “Is your personal relationship and authenticity with one another actually driving you further into the embrace of Jesus Christ?” That’s hard to measure on a graph; it’s much easier to measure in the context of relationship. Do you want to keep meeting together? Has the realness of that relationship become such an anchor in your life that you wish it was more than once a week because it’s actually become an extension of your family or the family you wish you had?
If you’re talking about normal numerics, I think it’s really hard for a local church to do that. I think that what I’m looking for at The Village Church—which is the church that I pastor—if you stumble and fall and get up and repent and run to Jesus, I think we’ve done a really good job of “gospeling.” This is a person who really has grown and matured in their faith; they’re able to endure with joy and gladness. What I was taught when I was a younger pastor is: “Are they giving?”, “Are they attending?”, “Are they in your programs?” But I think they can be in programs and not mature. Is what we are doing working in regard to their understanding of who God is and the ability the believer has to be in his presence, to be comforted by him and shaped by him regardless of life’s circumstances?
There are so many potential pitfalls there, because if we don’t have the right measurements in place, we’ll end up doing a whole lot of things Jesus hasn’t told us to do. I think of Galatians 4:19 when I think of measuring discipleship: “I labor to see Christ formed in you.” Are the people that I’m pouring my life into looking more like Jesus? And not just those people, but other people, as a result of those people’s lives, are they looking more like Jesus? I want to labor toward that end. So, I would just encourage you, more than numbers—more than a lot of different things we would think of when it comes to measuring success—look for Christlikeness in the people of the church and in people being reached through the church who are becoming more like Jesus.
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