When Jesus Shows Up at Your Job
When Jesus called His first disciples, He didn’t erase their identity—He repurposed it for His mission. Discipleship means surrendering your normal so you don’t miss the extraordinary work He wants to do through you.
Distinctive Discipleship
Why Discipleship Doesn’t Come with a Certificate
Many believers long for a clear discipleship checklist, but true spiritual growth can’t be measured by curriculum completion or certificates. Discipleship is less about finishing a program and more about faithfully investing your life in someone else’s spiritual journey.
What’s Descriptive for One is Not Prescriptive for All
While God does use our vast corporate attempts, we discover within the biblical narrative and within our particular experiences that God moves uniquely with each specific person. What is descriptive in the life of one is not necessarily prescriptive in the lives of all.
Distinctive Discipleship (Berea)
Colossians 1:27-29 – We often minimize Christianity to a momentary decision, but if we are following Jesus, we should still be moving. A disciple of Jesus continues to pursue thorough spiritual maturity.
Avoid Legalism & Easy-Believism
Upon the road of following Jesus, there are two dangers – one on each side. If not careful, you could fall into either one of these ditches and get yourself into serious spiritual trouble.
Creating a Discipleship Plan
Generalized approaches can never adequately address distinct disciples. We cannot depend upon widespread methods hoping to address the specific needs of everyone.
If There Is a True Profession of Faith…
If there is a true progression of faith, there should be a true progression of faith. Those who receive the gospel should continue in discipleship throughout their lives.
Don’t Stay Spiritually Immature
All of us are not as spiritually mature as we desire to be, but that doesn’t mean we have to stay that way. You must decide if you will stay stuck or get intentional about the next ways you need to grow.
The Bible’s Heroes Aren’t Role Models
The Bible tells amazing accounts of how ordinary people did extraordinary things, but it also informs us of their struggles. While these men and women weren’t perfect, they looked to another who provided the strength we all needed.
You Don’t Have to Prove Yourself to Jesus
We often live with pressure to prove ourselves to be accepted by others. The gospel reminds us that we are loved by God despite our performance for Him.
The Culture Won’t Accept What the Church Doesn’t Know
Christians desire the culture to accept truths from a book that few of us read. Disciples of Jesus must decide to make biblical doctrines our priority before we ever expect anyone else to do the same.
You Lack One Thing
Each of us has that one thing that really has us. It is difficult to follow Jesus closely if you delight in something more than Him.
Cookie Cutter Discipleship Doesn’t Work
You are not in the same spiritual situation as anyone else in the world. While you have common characteristics with others, your unique scenario requires an individualized focus to make personal progress.
The Distinctive Discipleship Process
Distinctive Discipleship is a process – not a program. It’s a method to help you design a specific plan for Christian maturity in your life or in the life of someone you are discipling.
Seeking Lifelong Discipleship
Psalm 119:97-112 – Just because someone is seasoned does not mean they are scriptural. We need personal commitment and committed disciple-makers to follow God’s ways for the long haul.
Growth Is Gradual
We can only fully mature in Christ by acknowledging the work that still needs to be done. As we observe the rough edges of our spiritual conditions, we can work with Christ’s power to see progress in the most critical areas of our lives.
Intentional Imitation
Our commitment to fleshing out our personal walks with Christ overlooks our need to learn from one another. True discipleship prioritizes imitation over information.
You Can’t Give Directions Until You Know Where Someone Is
You cannot give directions to a person without knowing his or her starting place. The same is true with discipleship.
Disciples Aren’t Made on Conveyor Belts
Just because the process of discipleship requires specific work does not imply that it is too complex to undertake. The task is undeniably simple: discover what is most broken within any given individual and get to work in that exact area at this specific time.
Start Growing Spiritually Again
For those who feel stuck in their spiritual life, you no longer have to accept stagnation as the norm. In this 8-week Bible study, I want to walk you through a model called Distinctive Discipleship.
Excuses for Disciple-Making
Christians should be undoubtedly convinced that we are called to make disciples, but we are often unapologetically cautious to attempt to join Jesus in the process. Don’t allow these excuses to rob you of one of the greatest joys in life –– making disciples.
The Great Decommission
The job is incomplete when someone comes to faith in Christ. Discipleship – and not conversion – is the goal.
A Spiritual Resolution Worth Keeping
It’s that time of the year when we make New Year’s resolutions that we only keep for a few days. If you really think your goal is worth it, you will see it through.
Discipleship Requires Different Directions
While all true Christians will end up in the same place one day, none of us are in the same position currently. If every Christian is in a spiritually unique place surrounded by specific challenges, why do we think that a broad approach will work for every single one of us?
Distinctive Discipleship [Tennessee Conference]
Jesus called us to make disciples, but many of us don’t have a strategy to see that happen. Learn a pathway to help you start growing again and help another to do the same.
Distinctive Discipleship Walkthrough
Distinctive Discipleship is a process – not a program. It’s a method to help you design a specific plan for Christian maturity in your life or in the life of someone you are discipling.
Advance Leadership Podcast – Distinctive Discipleship
The Advance Leadership Podcast is for leaders by leaders. On this episode, Lee Clamp interviews Travis Agnew about the Distinctive Discipleship process.
Distinctive Discipleship [Impact Conference]
We cannot depend upon widespread methods hoping to address the specific needs of everyone. Particular people require distinctive discipleship.
Distinctive Discipleship
If every Christian is in a unique place surrounded by specific challenges, why do we think that a widespread approach will work for every single one of us? Let me help you design a personal plan for spiritual maturity.
Missing Mentors
For all the resources at our disposal, the one thing we are missing is intentional mentors discipling us. The best content in the world can never replace a person walking alongside us.
One Size Fits None
One size doesn’t fit all; one size fits one. Jesus knew that. He practiced it. He was developing the entire ragtag group of disciples, but he was employing distinctive approaches with each one.
Making a Spiritual Growth Plan for 2021
You will not grow by accident. To have the blessed life that Jesus spoke about in the Sermon on the Mount, we must follow Him on the path of discipleship. We must keep growing.
How to Make Distinctive Disciples
I love watching how God works through David Sons and the folks at Lake Murray Baptist Church in Lexington, SC. I had a great time recording this podcast with him regarding discipleship in the local church. You can check it out here! Episode Description Dr. Travis Agnew is the pastor of Rocky Creek Baptist Church in Greenville, SC. In this episode, David and …
The Target Audience for Distinctive Discipleship
I attempted to create a discipleship guide in 2018. Instead, God showed me a paradigm contained in Scripture. I wanted to show my church how to use it in 2019. In addition, people outside our church asked if I could share the process. I released a book, a Bible study workbook, and a bunch of free resources at the end …
Distinctive Discipleship
Sermon in NGU Chapel – Jan. 29, 2020 If every Christian is in a unique place surrounded by specific challenges, why do we think that a broad approach will work for every single one of us? It’s time to get back to making disciples – one disciple at a time. Colossians 1:27-29 Notes If you feel spiritually stuck, it might not …
Distinctive Discipleship [Book Overview]
If every Christian is in a unique place surrounded by specific challenges, why do we think that a broad approach will work for every single one of us? In this 11-chapter book, you can learn the biblical framework for discipleship and a practical guide to getting started with your own growth or in helping to disciple another. Like me, you …
What Is the Distinctive Discipleship Bible Study?
For all those who feel stuck in their spiritual life, you don’t have to accept stagnation as the norm any longer. In this 8-week Bible study, I want to walk you through a model called Distinctive Discipleship. It attempts to encourage individual people with particular needs to develop a unique plan for a given season. You can use this model …
Each Spiritual Journey Demands Specific Directions
The destination of discipleship is the same for every individual, but each spiritual journey demands specific directions. Think of it like you would a Sunday morning. As people leave their homes to gather for worship, they all arrived at the same place yet traveled by different paths. Some took a left out of their driveways while others turned right. The …
Distinctive Discipleship Book & Bible Study – Available Now
I am so thrilled to share with you that two discipleship resources I’ve been working on are finally finished and available. The Distinctive Discipleship book and Distinctive Discipleship Bible Study workbook are now available in print or digital formats. The content of these two resources comes from a 2-year time of focus on developing how to give a tangible guide …
What Is Lacking in Your Faith?
…and we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith (1 Thess. 3:10). Paul traveled to Thessalonica and experienced fruitful ministry very quickly. He saw such success (Acts 17:4) that it caused great hostility from certain locals and forced Paul and his missionary companions to leave the …