Top 15 disciple-making principles

Disciple-making can at times be a slippery concept. How do we know if we’re doing it right? How do we stay on track?

There are so many insightful principles out there, but I compiled a list of some of my favorites to help simplify our disciple-making.

These are selected from probably hundreds of talks, books, articles, and other resources. They made my list because they are the ones I end up applying the most often.

1. More is caught than taught.
2. There is no impact without contact.
3. Pray. Think. Love. Serve.
4. Do it in front of them. Do it with them. Teach them why. Show them how. Keep them going.
5. They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
6. Meet them where they are.
7. Life is far more important than words. People need a demonstration, not an explanation.
8. Disciple-making doesn’t happen by accident, but by repeated intentionality.
9. The only thing that makes a disciple is a disciple-maker. Not a book or a conference, but a man or woman.
10. Impart your life and impact the world.
11. The one being the most transformed is the most transformative.
12. If you are too hard on yourself, you will be too hard on others. Accept grace from God so you can give grace to others.
13. Wear grace on your face.
14. Your disciple’s greatest need is your personal holiness.
15. The quality of your disciple-making rises and falls with the quality of your devotional life.

Are any of these principles ones that you already use? Do you have any that you would add?