The men’s resources at pursueGOD.org are perfect for men’s groups and one-on-one discipleship. Here’s how to use them.

Step Up and Lead

If you’re a man, you have a calling on your life to lead. The church is filled with guys who are failing to step up at home, at church, and in society.

• Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (NLT) “These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the LORD your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
• Spoken to parents and grandparents
• Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NLT) “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

5 Marks of Mature Masculinity:

• Mature masculinity doesn’t initiate every action, but feels the responsibility to provide a general pattern of initiative. Jesus himself only led his disciples for a few years, and then he left them with the task of starting the church. John 6:5-6
• Mature masculinity does not assume the authority of Christ over others, but advocates for it. The last thing we need in the church is more men who think it’s all about them. Ephesians 1:21-22
• Mature masculinity grows out of love, not out of self-assertion. Too many men lead from a place of insecurity, trying to promote themselves instead of leading from a place of love for others. Philippians 2:3-4
• Mature masculinity expresses itself not in the demand to be served, but in the strength to serve others. Jesus himself left the comforts of heaven to take on flesh and live among us. Philippians 2:5-7
• Mature masculinity recognizes that the call to leadership is a call to sacrifice. Biblical manhood always ends up in the same place: on the altar of sacrifice. Philippians 2:7-8

The Flex Method

The men’s resources at pursueGOD.org are perfect for men’s groups and one-on-one discipleship. It’s all about the “FLEX” method: find a topic, learn about it ahead of time, and explore it in conversation.

If you’re a Christian, Jesus wants you to make disciples (Matthew 28:19). But how do you do it? Where do you start? PursueGOD offers a simple approach, modeled after Jesus’ own ministry. He discipled his followers through everyday conversations, helping them discover truth by asking questions and providing answers. 

PursueGOD disciple-making works the same way. If you can have a conversation, you can make a disciple. The process works in three simple steps: 

The 3 E’s: How to Make Disciples

Step 1: Engage

First, engage the person you’d like to disciple. Ask yourself, “What kinds of conversations does that person want to have? Is there a topic they’d like to talk about?” Disciple-making starts with putting yourself in the shoes of someone else. Where do they need help? How can you add value to their life?

Many Christians make the mistake of getting too spiritual too quickly. We know that the deepest need in everyone’s life is Jesus – and we’re chomping at the bit to talk about it! But not everyone is ready for a spiritual conversation. These things take time, as Paul points out:

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT) But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

That’s why the first step is to engage. Ask the person where they would like to start, and simply offer to sit down for a conversation. Meet regularly to cover topics together as you build a relationship. If it helps, send them a link to one of these category listings, and invite them to choose where to start:

Life topics (emotions, relationships, etc.)

Family topics (marriage, parenting, etc.)

Faith topics (investigating faith, Bible study, etc.)

Topics for students

Topics for women

Topics for men

Step 2: Establish 

Second, establish the person in the Christian faith. When the time is right, be sure to go over the basics of Christianity with the person you’re discipling. Talk about God’s heart for people. Cover the topics of sin and salvation and sanctification. Get specific about what it means to be a true disciple. We’ve put all of these important topics into a 12-part series called The Pursuit. 

So how do you know if the time is right to move from engaging (Step 1) to establishing (Step 2)? Pray about it! As you meet to talk about topics of interest to them, eventually you’ll start talking about spiritual things. Expect God to show up in your conversations over time, especially if you’re praying for him to reveal himself. Jesus said it himself when he sent out his closest disciples:

Matthew 10:19-20 (NLT) … don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

This is where spiritual discernment comes in, along with a dose of boldness. As you’re covering miscellaneous topics, lay the groundwork for the foundational topics. Don’t be afraid to say, “I think it’s time we go through The Pursuit together. That’s the series that will establish you in the most important relationship of your life.” 

What if they’re already a Christian? Do it anyway! It’s always helpful to go over the basics of the faith, and it will ensure that you get to the final step in the process. The Pursuit introduces the idea of a “full circle” follower of Jesus, someone who makes a commitment  to three basic things in life: 

It’s the last part of that image that leads to the final step in the disciple-making process.

Step 3: Empower 

Third, empower the person to become a disciple-maker. The final three lessons in The Pursuit are training topics, explaining the picture and process of discipleship. This means that once you’ve finished The Pursuit, you’re ready to empower the person you’re discipling to get in the game and start making disciples, too.

But they’ll probably need your help. Most people are intimidated by the thought of becoming a mentor and discipling someone. So you’ll have to convince them that they’re qualified, just like Jesus had to do with his disciples. And you’ll probably also have to help them get connected to someone else who needs a mentor. This is where the local church can come in. Ask a pastor where there’s a need, and then help make the handoff.

Engage, establish, and empower. The whole process is designed to make disciple-making a thing again. It’s the kind of generational discipleship that Paul described to Timothy: 

2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT) You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

If you’re a Christian, Jesus wants you to make disciples. PursueGOD makes it easy. If you can have a conversation, you can make a disciple.