Discover the Spiritual Journey of a Christ-Follower
In this insightful book, Dr. Cooper embarks on a journey of spiritual discovery through the lens of discipleship. Beginning with an enlightening introduction that probes the essence of discipleship, the book’s chapters traverse a rich terrain of faith, purpose, and action. From understanding God’s will and engaging with people to the preparation required for a life of discipleship, the book delves into unity, witness, godliness, prayer, respect, continuous learning, embracing suffering, and the transformative power of multiplication. Each chapter offers profound insights into these aspects of discipleship, illuminating the path for readers seeking to deepen their faith and commitment. The concluding chapter underscores the central mission of discipleship: making more disciples. The book provides a powerful call to action for all those seeking to follow Christ’s path in a meaningful way.
Throughout this book, you will draw from the wisdom of the Scriptures, engage in reflective exercises, and receive practical guidance to help you live out these principles in your daily life. Whether you are a mature believer or new to the journey of discipleship, this book is designed to deepen your commitment and equip you to be a more effective disciple of Christ. As you venture into this transformative exploration, be prepared for a profound and inspiring adventure of faith and growth.
Table of Contents
Take an 11-week journey of deepening your understanding and practice of discipleship. In this study, you will explore the multifaceted nature of discipleship, a journey of spiritual growth and commitment to following the teachings of Christ. Each week, you will delve into a specific aspect of discipleship.
- Disciples Know God’s Will
- Disciples Encounter People
- Disciples Prepare
- Disciples Unite on Mission
- Disciples Witness
- Disciples are Godly
- Disciples Pray
- Disciples are Respectful
- Disciples Learn
- Disciples Suffer
- Disciples Multiply
What others are saying about Make Disciples: Discover the Spiritual Journey of a Christ-Follower
Michael does it again – he boils down vast biblical, historical, and missiological concepts into a very approachable and applicable package. For those of us wanting to produce disciples of Jesus rather than syncretistic disciples of a religious worldview, we would do well to internalize the ideas in these pages. I highly recommend.
Jeff Christopherson
Executive Director
Canadian National Baptist Convention
Author, Once You See: Seven Temptations of the Western Church – a Novel
Disciples. We’re called to make them, but are our attempts at disciple-making actually producing disciples? Dr. Michael Cooper has put together a thought-provoking read as he unpacks the characteristics of a disciple through the lens of the Ephesian church. I found myself challenged as both a disciple and disciple-maker. Great to read on your own, but would highly recommend Make Disciples as a tool for church planting teams or small groups.
Chad Clarkson
Executive Director
Houston Church Planting Network
Make Disciples is a fresh (yet historical!) look at what it means to be a Jesus follower. Dr. Cooper equips those who desire to be movement leaders in their mission field with simple and practical characteristics of disciples that are easy to replicate for those they are developing. The space to pause and reflect at the end of each short chapter allows the reader to focus on application in their own lives and context. I am grateful for this accessible guide for life as a Christian.
Colleen Caskey
Director of Athletes
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
In Make Disciples, Dr. Cooper provides a clear and simple, yet still biblically robust, picture of a disciple, emphasizing the imitation of Christ in both character and priority. In so doing, he gently yet prophetically offers a corrective to churches who would, on the one hand, reduce discipleship to volunteerism (thereby sacrificing a lifestyle of multiplication in favor of adherence to a particular leader’s vision), or on the other hand, so complicate discipleship as to confuse it with ineffective ministry methods that fail to reproduce disciples who make disciples. Thus, this volume is as refreshing as it is convicting for those of us called to lead the local church in the ministry of multiplication. As Dr. Cooper urges us, may we all remain committed to our first love and be busy about our Father’s business.
Tim Buckheit
Pastor of Discipleship Ministries
First Alliance Church
Great Falls, Montana
“Pure and simple, disciples multiply while volunteers keep busy.” This is one of many mic drop moments in Michael Cooper’s Make Disciples. Evangelicalism is in the downward spiral of a discipleship dilemma. Through the lens of the ancient Ephesian church, Cooper not only identifies how old problems are manifesting in modern symptoms and causes of this dilemma but points beyond it. Calling us back to our spiritual roots, he paints a faithful picture of early Christian disciples and invites us to live into that heritage.
Dave Brunelle
Pastor
The Rock Community Church
Cleveland, Ohio
As a movement leader that spends much time and effort to see every Christ-follower engaged in the mission of Jesus as a disciple maker, Cooper’s book is an essential work. It will either spark imagination for the slumbering believer or serve as a primer to someone whose heart is captivated by God’s rescue plan and needs to be aimed in the right direction. Make Disciples: Discover the Spiritual Journey of a Christ-follower is highly accessible in its readability but somehow drives deep into the heart of what it is to follow Jesus. Every chapter is rooted in Ephesians and asks simple but invading questions that will help the reader, both, conceive what it looked like to follow Jesus in the early Ephesian church as well as what their opportunities are today. Go read the book of Ephesians, get this book, and see what unexpected journey results from following Jesus in a historically fresh way.
Heath Haynes
Movement Director
The Bridge HTX
Houston, Texas
In Make Disciples, Michael T. Cooper takes us on a journey rooted in history and Scripture that brings clarity to one of our most fundamental questions, “What is a disciple?” There is no more crucial question in our time for the church to address. With simplicity and clarity, Dr. Cooper brings us a usable and applicable guide to the spiritual journey of a Christ-follower. This will be a helpful resource for any disciple embarking on the journey of growing as a disciple and making disciples.
Dave Blok
Executive Director
Plant616
Grand Rapids, Michigan
About the Author
Dr. Cooper earned a PhD in Intercultural Studies with a focus on religious movements and a minor in theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He currently serves as a missiologist for a missions agency where he focuses on missiological research and equipping missionaries for effective cultural engagement. He has thirty years of missions experience, including ten years as a pioneer church planter in Romania after the fall of communism and has equipped church planters and leaders in Africa, Europe, North America, South America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. He has written and contributed to more than 30 books and academic articles and has presented conference lectures at the London School of Economics, University of Bordeaux, Loyola University, Baylor University, and many others. His recent book, Ephesiology: The Study of the Ephesian Movement is a best seller at William Carey Publishing.
Go deeper in your study of discipleship
Join us for a learning experience that integrates the Ephesiology Podcast with Ephesiology Master Classes. We’ll explore the spiritual journey of a Christ-follower, starting with defining discipleship and concluding with the challenge of making more disciples. Each episode offers reflections and discussions with leaders who are passionate about making disciples. Ultimately we hope to inspire you to guide others on the path of discovering what it means to be a follower of Christ.
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