Customer Reviews

Building a Discipling Culture

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I have the good fortune of knowing the authors and some of the other people that stand behind both the content and the lived-out reality of the text. I titled this post "The Church Could Use More Books Like This," for 3 reasons.

1) This book isn't theory, it emerges from decades of experience and reflection. And not just any experience, but experience in the trenches of Post-Christian Britain. It's not a perfect symmetry, but in many ways, the United States is following quick on the cultural heels of Western Europe and we would do well to pay careful attention to the insights of our brothers and sisters who are seeking to live into the reality of God's Kingdom in that context.

2) The focus of this book is something that a great many of us should be embarrassed is not more central to our ecclesiologies, discipleship. For far too long, discipleship has been seen as an add-on to the life of our churches. The assumption of these authors, however, is that churches actually only exist for one single purpose, to make disciples of Jesus. They'll come right out and tell you that their way isn't the only way to go about it, but they are unrelenting in their assertion that creating a discipling culture is imperative to a healthy identity and life for local congregations.

3) The final reason the Church needs more books like this is because it will provoke important questions. Vested readers are sure to find their margins filled with marks and notes. The assumptions and conclusions in this book emerge from a theological perspective which, though not fully unpacked here, will undoubtedly result in readers discovering that they may need to rethink some of their own perspectives and paradigms in order to really receive what the authors are saying and doing. For those who just want to extract a model and language to use in the context of another "church program," I suppose that's possible, but it would be an exercise in missing the point.

This is a great book that it written in such a way that it is accessible to any and all who are interested in thinking through what it might mean and look like for their church to build a discipling culture.

I've been a small group and discipleship pastor for nearly ten years now, and in that time I've seen lots of different theories and resources for how to develop discipleship systems. I've led the groups ministry for a large mega-church, for a small church plant, and I've listened to, coached and counseled churches of every size in between. In all my experience it is rare to find someone who's not just talking about a new process or program but a whole new paradigm on discipleship. This is what Mike Breen and the folks from 3DM are offering. These aren't just theories or abstract ideas; this is a book borne from the labor of leaders on the front lines working with one burning passion - to create growing disciples of Jesus Christ.

One caution: do not read this book as you might all the other small groups or discipleship resources out there. Do not go looking for the next "how to" book on creating a new program or system. You may even read this book and think, "So what. That seems too simple." But do not let the simplicity of the ideas obscure its power. Read the book, reflect on its ideas, and if you are stirred by the concepts presented, I suggest you find someone already implementing these ideas in their church and learn from them. You cannot put new wine in old wineskins, and you won't be able to apply many of the principles in this book without letting go of some of your existing paradigms. Seek out someone who can help you with that journey. We've greatly benefited from the learning of others who have walked this road ahead of us.

More than likely, Building a Discipling Culture is the book you've been waiting a long time for. It not only is able to connect many of the dots for how the Western church has gotten so wildly off track, it provides a practical way forward (that yes, every day, un-seminary trained Christians can use). Breen and Cockram make the point, over and over again, that the call of Christians is to make disciples and if you do it like Jesus, you always get the church. You will get more leaders and you will see people come to faith. Rather than putting all of our eggs in the build-the-church basket, let's go with the original plan Jesus left us: Make disciples. Out of that will emerge the types of communities we see in the New Testament.

What the book does especially well is ground it in the biblical text while giving a very helpful framework for how to make disciples that anyone can do. It's not for the spiritual elite, it's for everyone. And as such, the book is divided into three parts. Part 1 lays out the argument for how we've gotten to the place we are and why biblical discipleship is the way forward. In Part 2, the authors share the simple discipleship language they developed in the past 30 years that shapes individuals and the church culture (non-spoiler alert: it's all grounded in tons of scripture). Part 3 connects all of the dots and gives practical insight into how this is done in every-day life through a discipleship vehicle they call Huddles. It really is a great blend of theology, theory, Bible and practice.

Personally, it shed light on all the reasons why in some cases I've been successful in making disciples in the past and in others why I haven't. There isn't a magic formula that they introduce, just a way of connecting dots that perhaps we haven't put together before (yes, I've said "connecting the dots" a lot in this review!). Or as they say, "There isn't a formula to these things, but there is often a form." Suffice it to say, if you're wanting to be missional or your heart longs to see people transformed like we read in scripture, this book is for you. For me, I feel far more confident in my call to make disciples and feel I've got a great tool to see it happen well.

One thing to note: This is the second edition of Building a Discipling Culture. Probably 60% of this book is new material and is probably 100 pages longer than the first. The original book spent most of the book going into the discipling language and it seems as if the authors wanted to add a lot more practical "how-to" for the second edition. Good call.

This is really fantastic resource. I really can't add much to what JR Rozko said about the book above (...). I wholeheartedly concur with him about it.

It's a simple, practical resource for learning to make disciples in the way that Jesus seemed to do it. And, because I know the authors of the book, I can say that they practice what they preach, and have seen some remarkable multiplication happen because of it. I can also attest to the difference it has made in the church I am planting - using this resource, along with some coaching and mentoring from the authors, has given us a practical, flexible vehicle for doing what we wanted to do but didn't know how: planting a church with discipleship and mission at the very foundation instead of optional extras on the periphery.

Also, I should point out that this is an updated edition of the original book with a LOT of new content. There is an expanded introduction that does a great job of getting at the heart of the "discipleship problem" in the North American church as well as some of the challenging, over-arching principles of discipleship that will need to be embraced if we're going to cultivate a discipling culture. There's also a completely new section at the end that gets down to the nuts and bolts of actually starting to disciple people through Huddles (their lightweight/low-maintenence vehicle for discipleship).

It amounts to a vast improvement on an already stellar resource. Highly recommended!

As a book on personal discipleship, that is reflecting on how I worship, pray, and work in God's kingdom around me, Building a Discipling Culture is excellent. The author has some unique and Bible-based insight around all parts of how we relate to God and the world around us. I especially liked his section on prayer that for the first time, for me anyway, really took the Lord's prayer and used it as a structure for daily prayer. It seemed to address how God would have us a pray much more completely then, say, the ACTS approach.

The other breakthrough I had with this book was personal gifts. Mr. Cockram presents the five gifts of Apostle, Pastor, Teacher, Prophet, and Evangelists. His concept that we have a dominant one but use all of them seems much more on-target than so many presentations on gifts. It is also interesting how he separates Pastor and Teacher. The explanation goes a long way in showing how we can all be pastors while most "pastors" are probably primarily teachers.

As a book about alternative ways to approach church, something I know it is used for, I found it a bit odd. The whole shapes approach is interesting but seems to create a new "secret language" of worship. Now instead of a "bullwark never failing" and various other churchy references, we can talk about the hexagon, circle, or various charts. The gifts, for example, are the five-fold ministries, the pentagon. He even goes so far as to say "this language should be the DNA....shared by you and the people you are discipling". I found it all too intentionally cryptic and think there is too much "secret, special" words we use amongst ourselves. Jesus didn't seem to do that (in fact, I don't even think he spoke in Greek which makes me wonder how all of his Aramaic words are better understood in Greek).

I think if Mr. Cockram had stuck with his core approach, personal discipleship, he would have produced a much more useful book. One final note. The test on personal gifts at the end is very good and is on the cusp of providing some very unique insight. But, unfortunately, it isn't explained how to interpret the results. I think that is a shame.

This book was challenging in that it a brought a different way of looking at how the Church should be built, by first building disciples. I've tested some of the principles in the book already and found them to be true. If you are serious about implementing discipling in your church then this is excellent.

Mike Breen and Steve Cockram are excellent disciplers themselves, and the whole 3DM movement is such a supercharged breath of new life for the people of God all over the world. "Building a Discipling Culture" will invite you into a new mindset that has probably been there for you all along (even if underneath in your spiritual primal ooze.) You will read this book and say about a "bazillion" times- "EXACTLY!"

This book will also challenge most things you think are cutting edge, as the real cutting edge is contained, as many have repeatedly continued to tell us, within the whole "First Century/ Twenty-first Century" concept. I dare you not to begin a new journey of transformation after reading BDC (insert hip acronym here).

Please note: f you have already read "Building a Discipling Culture," first edition, realize this new edition is about 60% new material!

This book is a must have for those interested in what it takes to truly become Jesus' disciple and MAKE disciples. Great reference for the terminology used and the "huddle" guide in the third section. I have heard Mike speak and I can clearly hear his voice throughout the book.