Frequently Asked Questions
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
—Jesus / The Gospel of Matthew
Amazing Creatures is a discipleship ministry that trains disciples to become disciple makers. The heart of our ministry is grounded in the second part of the Great Commission of Jesus, to “make disciples”, hence the term “disciple makers”. We believe that the Great Commission was intended for all Christians and therefore all Christians should be disciple makers.
What about the first part of Jesus’ commission, to preach the gospel?
While the emphasis of our ministry is making disciples, we know that discipleship can’t happen until you have disciples. This is why the first part of our training includes a thorough explanation of the gospel. We believe that every disciple maker must have a solid understanding of what the gospel is and how to share it with others.
Isn’t baptizing part of the Great Commission?
Yes, we believe that every Christian should be baptized and that it should happen within the local church, as directed by the church’s leadership.
Isn’t discipleship the responsibility of the church?
Absolutely, and guess what? You are the church! (Matthew 16:13-20)
The majority of what happens in your church is discipleship, including all that takes place in weekly church services, community groups, prayer meetings, Bible studies, retreats, and other activities. Your church leaders take their calling to discipleship seriously. (Hebrews 13:17) But they can’t do it all, nor should they.
We believe (have discovered) that the most effective form of discipleship is weekly one-on-one meetings, reading the scriptures together, and understanding them together. In doing so, the church will grow in the in greater depth and be an even brighter light to the world. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Is your discipleship better than what my church is already doing?
It isn’t an either-or. Your church and its leaders work hard to fulfill the Great Commission, which involves preaching the gospel and making disciples. The myriad ministries and activities (worship services, bible studies, community groups, retreats, etc.) all play a vital role in the discipleship process.
Yet, we have discovered that one of the most essential elements of discipleship is missing: “You!” As you grow in your disciple-making, you will become an even more productive member of your local church and a vital part of the church team to fulfill the Great Commission.
We believe disciple making is logically simple to understand but difficult to accomplish.
What is simple about it?
Jesus said we are to make disciples by “teaching them (the disciples) to observe all that I (Jesus) have (has) commanded. This raises the question, what has Jesus commanded?
We conclude that Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1) who tells us that his word is our sustenance, the spiritual bread we are to live by. (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3) We believe that all of his words are found in the sacred writings of Scripture, from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation, and that they flow from the mouth of God, without error, and are the final authority for faith and life. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 119:160, John 10:35)
The simplicity of discipleship is sitting down one-on-one every week with a new or growing Christian for an indefinite period and taking them through the scriptures, one verse at a time. We recommend starting with the Gospel of John.
What is the difficulty?
The greatest difficulty is how it is carried out in practice.
Most Christians are intimidated by the idea of meeting with someone to walk them through the Bible and would rather let their church leadership handle discipleship. Our mission is your success, and we are committed to walking with you every step of the way, giving you the confidence you need to be an effective disciple maker.
Most Christians are intimidated by the idea of meeting with someone to walk them through the Bible and would rather let their church leadership handle discipleship. Our mission is your success, and we are committed to walking with you every step of the way, giving you the confidence you need to be an effective disciple maker.
What is a disciple?
A person who has responded to the gospel (the joyful message from God that leads us to salvation) in repentance and faith, with the understanding that through the leading of the Holy Spirit, they will seek to obey the commands of Jesus for the rest of their lives.
Effective discipleship cannot happen until a person has become a disciple. It is not uncommon to find oneself in the position of trying to disciple someone who has not responded to the gospel. This can be a frustrating experience for both parties and is preventable through an understanding of divine conviction, which we cover in The Call to Purpose: Chapter Four.
Effective discipleship cannot happen until a person has become a disciple. It is not uncommon to find oneself in the position of trying to disciple someone who has not responded to the gospel. This can be a frustrating experience for both parties and is preventable through an understanding of divine conviction, which we cover in The Call to Purpose: Chapter Four.
What is discipleship?
The word “discipleship” isn’t found in the dictionary or the Bible, but it refers to the practice of discipling. In his book, Discipling, Mark Dever defines discipling as doing spiritual good to someone so that he or she will be more like Christ. We have expanded on that definition.
“Intentionally doing spiritual good to someone, taking them through the sacred writings of Scripture, showing them how the commands of Jesus relate to daily life, so that they will be more like Jesus, a shining light to a troubled world.”
“Intentionally doing spiritual good to someone, taking them through the sacred writings of Scripture, showing them how the commands of Jesus relate to daily life, so that they will be more like Jesus, a shining light to a troubled world.”
What does "making disciples" look like in daily life?
Jesus is spoken of as “the Word of God,” and all that he has commanded is found within God’s word, the inerrant sacred writings of Scripture, the Bible, from the first book, Genesis, to the last book, Revelation. (John 1:1, Revelation 19:13)
Making disciples is as simple and straightforward as showing others how to observe and apply Jesus’ teachings (found in God’s word) in everyday life.
Making disciples is as simple and straightforward as showing others how to observe and apply Jesus’ teachings (found in God’s word) in everyday life.
What does the training look like?
All of our resources (materials) are grounded in God’s word and center around five stages of the Christian’s purpose, ultimately glorifying him in all that we do (see diagram below). Each stage builds upon the previous and includes different chapters and lessons, culminating in being equipped to start making disciples. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
What does disciple maker training cost?
Just your time and commitment to the process. Thanks to the generosity of individuals and churches, all of our materials are offered free of charge. In the spirit of God’s free gift of salvation, which leads to the call to make disciples, we desire to provide the same.
What if I am a new Christian?
Someone once said that in discipleship, you just need to be one step ahead of the one you are discipling. We are dedicated to ensuring that the disciple maker is always one step ahead of the one they are discipling.
Peter and John, two of the three closest to Jesus and two of the most prominent figures in church history, were uneducated, common men; yet, people were astonished by their words and recognized that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).
Peter and John, two of the three closest to Jesus and two of the most prominent figures in church history, were uneducated, common men; yet, people were astonished by their words and recognized that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).
Can I use your resources for personal Bible study and spiritual growth?
Most certainly. While all of our materials are written with the disciple maker in mind, there is a tremendous spiritual benefit to going through them on your own. As you do, you will find yourself eager to share them with others.
Guess what that means? You become a disciple maker.
Guess what that means? You become a disciple maker.
How can I get my church involved?
The best way to get your church involved is to complete the training, start meeting one-on-one with someone, take them through The Gospel of John, and then share the benefits with your church leaders.
What if I don’t go to church? Can I still go through the training?
The simple answer is, “Yes.”
That said, the question would be, if you are a disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ, “Why don’t you go to church?”
Though it is clear in the scriptures that every Christian should participate in a local body of believers, we understand that there are valid reasons people don’t go to church. If it is a matter of simply not finding a good church to attend, we are more than happy to help.
That said, the question would be, if you are a disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ, “Why don’t you go to church?”
Though it is clear in the scriptures that every Christian should participate in a local body of believers, we understand that there are valid reasons people don’t go to church. If it is a matter of simply not finding a good church to attend, we are more than happy to help.
Who should go through the training?
Every Christian would benefit greatly from going through the training.
What is the end goal of the training?
That, through the completion of the training, you would have a biblical understanding of your responsibility to make disciples, and that you would have the faith and confidence to start meeting weekly, one-on-one with the person God has put in your path, taking them through The Gospel of John.
Why do you start with The Gospel of John?
Each of the gospels was written with a particular audience in mind: Matthew to the Jewish world, Mark to the Greek world, Luke to the Gentile World, and John to the whole world. Additionally, John tells us why he wrote it.
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30–31)
There is nothing more important in this world than believing in Jesus Christ and the reality of eternity in heaven. As Christians, we have an abundance of life that would be impossible to experience without Jesus. (John 10:10)
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30–31)
There is nothing more important in this world than believing in Jesus Christ and the reality of eternity in heaven. As Christians, we have an abundance of life that would be impossible to experience without Jesus. (John 10:10)