6 DISCIPLESHIP

AND LEADERSHIP
After this he went out and saw a tax collector
27

named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And

he said to him, “Follow me.” 28And leaving
everything, he rose and followed him.
LUKE 5:27,28

23

DY
And he said to all, “If anyone would come

U
after me, let him deny himself and take up his

S T E S
cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever would
save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his

R O S
life for my sake will save it.”

O
LUKE 9:23,24

F RP Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

P U 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1

Jesus calls us to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” This
charge propelled the early followers of Christ into a strategic mission
that turned the world upside down—not just by preaching the gospel,
but by training the new believers as well. To be a Christian is to be a
disciple—a lifelong learner and follower of Jesus.
 LESSON 1
THE CALL: MAKE DISCIPLES

1. What did Jesus call His followers to do?

Matthew 28:19

2. What specifically did Jesus say we must do after baptizing a

new believer?
Matthew 28:20

DY
3. As the Word of God continued to increase in first century
Jerusalem, what was the result?
Acts 6:7

T U S
S S E
Read 2 Timothy 2:2-6.

R O
4. What did Paul command Timothy to do with the things he

O
F RP
had been taught?
2 Timothy 2:2

U
Paul compares the life of a disciple to the life of a soldier, an athlete,

P
and a farmer. He then promises that if Timothy will reflect on these
things, the Lord will give him understanding.

5. What do each of these illustrations teach you about discipleship?

Soldier:

Athlete:

Farmer:

54 THE PURPLE BOOK

6. What are the Scriptures profitable for?
2 Timothy 3:16

7. How did Jesus say we can know we are truly a disciple?

John 8:31

8. How can disciples become like their teacher?

Luke 6:40

9. How does Jesus describe the person who hears His words
and does them?
Luke 6:48

DY

T U S
S E
10. How does He describe the person who hears His words and

S
does not do them?

R
Luke 6:49

O O
F RP

U
Jesus compares those who put His words into practice to a man

P
who dug deep, then laid a foundation on the rock. This is the most
critical part of any house. This is why, as a disciple, you must lay a
strong spiritual foundation. These Bible studies are intended to do
just that—to help lay the foundation for the Christian life. If you are
discipling someone else, you have the opportunity to help them lay
the foundation for a never-ending relationship with Jesus Christ.

11. What has Christ called us to? Why?

2 Timothy 1:9

DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP 55

12. What does the Bible say about those who are in Christ?
2 Corinthians 5:17

We are called to a whole new life. We are not only forgiven of our sins;
we are given new hearts. And our new hearts will yearn to
follow Christ.

Application & Reflection

Describe in your own words what you think it means to be a disciple.

DY

T U S
E

R S S
O O
F RP
LESSON 2
THE COST: ABSOLUTE SURRENDER

P U
1. What three things did Jesus say all His disciples must do
to go after Him?
Mark 8:34

2. How often should someone who wants to be a disciple take up

his or her cross?
Luke 9:23

Taking up your cross is the ultimate act of surrender—a conscious

choice to deny yourself and live for Christ. It means a willingness to
follow and obey Christ to whatever end.

56 THE PURPLE BOOK

Read Luke 14:27-33.

3. Jesus once compared discipleship to a war. Why?

Luke 14:31,32

4. What else did Jesus compare being a disciple to?

Luke 14:28

5. What should we do before we start building?

Y
Luke 14:28-33

U D
6. What does it mean to count the cost of being a disciple?

S T E S
S
7. What has it cost you to follow Jesus? What are you willing to give

R
up in order to follow Him?

O O
F RP

U
8. When it comes to discipleship, why is it so important to be able to
finish what we start?

P
Luke 14:29,30

9. Who cannot be a disciple?

Luke 14:27,33

It is very critical to understand what is being said here, as well as

what is not being said. God has called us into His kingdom through
His grace. Being born again (John 3:3) means that we have new life.
Though salvation is a free gift, it costs us everything.

DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP 57

Make no mistake: we cannot buy God’s love and forgiveness.
But Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush: it will cost us everything
to follow Him. If we want to be Jesus’ disciples, we can have no
other gods before Him.

Application & Reflection

What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

LESSON 3
T U S
S S E
DISCIPLESHIP AND THE CROSS

R O
There is a difference between the cross of Christ and the cross we

O
pick up when we become His disciples. Because of Christ’s victory on

F RP
the cross, we are freed from sin and made slaves of righteousness
(Romans 6:17,18). He gives us the power to pick up our cross

U
and follow Him.

P
1. What happened at the cross?
Colossians 2:13-15

2. How did Paul describe his message to the Corinthians?

1 Corinthians 2:1,2

58 THE PURPLE BOOK

3. What is the message of the cross to the perishing? What about to
those who are being saved?
1 Corinthians 1:18

The cross is folly because it destroys self-effort. We marvel at the

greatness of God’s work in paying our debt of sin and delivering us
from the power of evil.

4. What did Paul boast in?

Galatians 6:14

Y
Paul previously bragged about his religious accomplishments. After

D
encountering the cross, he could only brag about what Christ did for

U
him, not what he supposedly did for God.

S
the cross?
T E S
5. What happened in Paul’s life as a result of Jesus’ death on

R O S
Galatians 6:14

O
F RP
6. What do you think Paul meant when he said, I have been
crucified with Christ?

U
Galatians 2:20

7. What did he mean by the phrase, It is no longer I who live, but

Christ who lives in me?
Galatians 2:20

DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP 59

 Application & Reflection

What do you think it means for you to be crucified with Christ?

LESSON 4
CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

DY
Those who are disciples will show it. It is critical that we cultivate the

T U
fruit of a godly life as we follow Christ in discipleship.

S
S E
Read 2 Peter 1:3-11.

R S
1. What has God granted to us by His divine power?

O
O
2 Peter 1:3

F RP
2. How are we able to become partakers of the divine nature?

U
2 Peter 1:4

P
3. What can we escape as a result?
2 Peter 1:4

The most important mark of a disciple of Jesus Christ is not charisma,

but godly character. We should never minimize the importance of the
gifts of the Holy Spirit, yet it is the fruit of the Spirit that identifies the
true follower of Jesus. When Jesus was teaching His disciples how to
identify false prophets, He said, “Thus you will recognize them by their
fruits” (Matthew 7:19,20).

60 THE PURPLE BOOK

Many are gifted, yet the real test is a person’s character, habits, and
lifestyle. Though every disciple is given gifts for the benefit of the
entire body of Christ, it is the fruit of a godly life that we must cultivate
if we are to bear the marks of a true follower of Jesus.

Charisma is important. Character is essential.

4. What is the foundational “ingredient” to which everything else

needed for a godly life is added?
2 Peter 1:5

5. What are the necessary “additives” that Peter lists?

Y
2 Peter 1:5-7

T
in your life?
U
6. What is the promised result of having these qualities increasing

S
S
2 Peter 1:8

S E
R

O O
7. Describe the condition of those without these character qualities.

F RP
2 Peter 1:9

P U
8. What is the promise to those who practice these
Christian qualities?
2 Peter 1:10,11

9. Why should we rejoice in suffering?

Romans 5:3,4

DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP 61

10. Why did James say we could count trials as all joy?
James 1:2,3

11. What results in our lives when steadfastness has its full effect?
James 1:4

The process of spiritual maturity and Christian character development

can be summarized as follows:

Trials and Perfect, complete,

James 1:2-4 Steadfastness
testing of faith lacking in nothing

Y
Romans 5:3,4 Suffering Endurance Character Hope

U D
T S
Application & Reflection

S S E
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

O R O
F RP

P
LESSON 5
DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP
Jesus’ original disciples became great leaders. Their lives and message
made an impact on the world. But they didn’t start out as leaders.
They started as disciples. Anyone who wants to lead first has to learn
how to follow (Luke 22:26,27).

Read Matthew 4:19,20.

1. What did Jesus tell His first disciples to do?

Matthew 4:19

62 THE PURPLE BOOK

2. What did Jesus promise He would do for His followers if
they responded?
Matthew 4:19

3. How did the first disciples respond to Jesus’ command

and promise?
Matthew 4:20

After a season of intense personal discipleship, Jesus sent His

followers out on their own to practice what they had watched Him do.

4. What did Jesus give His disciples authority over and to do?

Y
Matthew 10:1

U D
S
5. What did they do with that authority?

T
Mark 6:7,12,13

S E
S

O R O
F RP
6. Did Jesus want His disciples just to follow Him and watch
Him minister, or did He want them to watch, learn, and do all
they saw Him do?

P U
The central call to discipleship is learning to follow Jesus ourselves, as
well as helping others in this process.

7. Are you in a Victory group? Who is the leader? When and where
does the group meet?

DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP 63

Read Matthew 28:18-20.

8. What did Jesus tell His discipleship group before He left earth?
Matthew 28:19

9. What are we to teach the people we are discipling?

Matthew 28:20

10. What is the difference between teaching facts and teaching

someone to observe God’s commands?
Matthew 28:20

DY
U
11. What was Jesus’ final promise to all who attempt to make

T S
disciples? Matthew 28:20

S E

R S
Discipleship is foundational to Christianity, but at its core, it’s a very

O
simple concept. In fact, it’s so simple that two thousand years ago,

O
F RP
Jesus explained it to a group of fishermen in one sentence: “Follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). To be a
disciple is to follow Jesus, reach the lost, and engage in this process

U
with other believers.

P
Application & Reflection

What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

64 THE PURPLE BOOK