So you want to be a Disciple-Maker...Where do you Start? The Weaknesses of the Service Style of Disciple-Making

Pastor Doug Beutler

It’s been a little while since my last post. Life has been full—in the best and most exhausting ways. Over the past four months, my wife and I listed our home, sold it within two months, purchased another house, hosted all 24 members of our family for Christmas, and even managed a three-week trip to Florida. It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least. But now, as things begin to settle, I’m excited to return to this series: So You Want to Be a Disciple-Maker… Where Do You Start?

Today, I want to explore a critical topic—the weaknesses of the Service Style of disciple-making.

Years ago, when I served as Chief Operations Officer for Lifeline Youth & Family Services (2004–2013), I often told new employees something that surprised them: if we only helped people become well-adjusted and emotionally stable, we hadn’t fully succeeded as a ministry. True success meant making a spiritual impact.

That didn’t mean forcing beliefs on anyone or pressuring people into faith. It meant engaging in meaningful spiritual conversations—walking with people through their confusion, questions, and struggles as they considered who Jesus is. One of our core purposes was to help people find Jesus, especially those who were open but unsure.

Over time, I began to notice that working with people in pain—those facing hardship, loss, or instability—revealed a significant weakness in the Service Style of disciple-making.

Let me explain.

Weakness #1: The Service Style assumes that helping people will naturally lead them to Christ.

I remember observing a church food pantry where volunteers worked hard to serve families in need. They were organized, kind, and respectful. Conversations were friendly, and the process ran smoothly. But week after week, I noticed something missing—no one mentioned Jesus.

Around that same time, I visited a local township trustee’s office that also provided food assistance. The interactions there looked almost identical to what I saw at the church.

That comparison raised a question: What makes us different?

When I asked the volunteers why they didn’t pray with people or engage in spiritual conversations, their response caught me off guard: “We thought that by helping them, they would eventually figure it out and find Jesus.”

Unfortunately, that assumption is more common than we’d like to admit. We hope that by serving well, Jesus will somehow “rub off” on people. But the reality is, the gospel is not something people simply absorb—it must be shared.

Weakness #2: The Service Style emphasizes giving hope without sharing the gospel.

How often have we said, “It’s going to be okay,” even when we know the situation may not improve anytime soon?

Most of the time, those words come from a sincere place. We care deeply and want to offer comfort, even when we don’t know what to say. But as followers of Christ, we also know that true and lasting hope is found only in Jesus.

Without Him, there may be temporary relief—less stress, a full stomach, a moment of peace—but those circumstances often return. The deeper need remains unmet.

We say we believe Jesus is the source of hope, but if we never speak His name or share His truth, our actions can unintentionally communicate something else.

Weakness #3: The Service Style mistakes helping the hurting as the highest priority.

Jesus gave His followers a clear mission in Matthew 28:19–20—to go and make disciples.

Serving others is good. It matters deeply. It reflects the heart of Christ. But it is not the ultimate goal.

If we’re honest, it’s often easier to meet physical needs than to step into spiritual conversations. Handing out food or supplies feels safe and immediate. We can see the impact right away—the gratitude, the relief, the sense that we’ve made a difference.

But disciple-making requires something more. It calls us to build relationships, share our stories, and talk openly about the gospel. That can feel uncomfortable, even intimidating.

Yet, that is the mission Jesus gave us.

Helping others can make us feel good—and it should—but it must not replace the greater calling to lead people toward Christ.

A Final Thought

Let me be clear: serving others is essential. It is a vital expression of the love of Jesus and a powerful way to open doors for ministry.

But service alone is not enough.

People don’t “figure out” the gospel on their own. They need someone to walk with them, to explain it, to live it out, and to invite them into it. They need someone willing to step beyond acts of kindness into conversations that lead to transformation.

As Paul writes in Romans 10:13–15, how can people call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe if they have not heard?

So you want to be a Disciple-Maker...Where do you Start? The Service Style of Disciple-Making

By Pastor Doug Beutler

Today we take a look at the third style of disciple-making: the Service Style.

When I was in high school, I worked at a bike shop repairing bicycles and assembling new ones. It was a great job that I loved. I worked there the last couple of years of high school and through college. During that time, I met someone who became a good friend of mine—his name was Kerm.

Kerm was the head mechanic at the shop and taught me everything I know about fixing bikes. But what impressed me even more than his skill was the way he served others. He helped me pick out my first car. He installed a sound system in it. We went to my first rock concert together. He helped me sell my car when I left for college. If I needed help with anything, Kerm was there—never expecting anything in return. Years later, as I was discovering who Jesus really was, I realized something profound: Kerm had been discipling me through service. I just didn’t have language for it at the time.

The Service Style of disciple-making powerfully impacts people for Christ and helps them take next steps toward fully following Jesus.

Let’s look more closely at this style and its three strengths, all of which we see clearly in Scripture.

Strength #1: The Service Style Finds Fulfillment in Doing Good Acts 9:36

In the town of Joppa lived a woman named Tabitha, also known by her Greek name Dorcas. Both names mean deer or gazelle, describing someone full of grace and beauty. Luke tells us that she was a disciple of Jesus who was “always doing good and helping the poor.”

Tabitha didn’t just talk about what should be done. She simply lived it out. She noticed people in need and took time to do practical things for them. She made robes and clothing for widows—women who could not afford to buy their own. Her quiet acts of service had a powerful impact on the widows and the entire community.

Two Challenges We Face Today

1. It takes time.

Disciple-making isn’t something we do when it’s convenient. It requires sacrifice—putting others ahead of ourselves and investing our time intentionally.

2. It takes awareness.

We live in a fast-paced, self-focused culture. We often don’t notice the pain, despair, or emptiness around us. We need to pray that God would give us eyes to see the needs of people right in front of us.

I remember once during a church outreach event, my job was to pound flags into hard ground. I hit my hand-hard. It hurt badly. It would have been easy to focus only on my pain instead of the guests we had invited. But it took discipline to shift my focus outward.

That same discipline is required if we are going to serve others well today.

Strength #2: The Service Style Gives Hope to the Poor Acts 9:36

In Jesus’ day, there was no more desperate situation for a woman than being a widow. Widows couldn’t inherit property, businesses, or possessions. They lived at the mercy of family or government support. Many turned to prostitution simply to survive.

Many scholars believe Tabitha herself may have been a widow. If so, her service carried even greater power—she helped others because she understood their pain firsthand. Tabitha followed Jesus. She believed His message. And that belief gave her hope to face each day—and to pass that hope on to others.

Where Does Our Hope Come From?

We often place our hope in money, position, popularity, relationships, or possessions. But those things can disappear quickly. When they do, what are we left with? Our true hope is not in this world, but in the next. Through simple acts of service—mowing a lawn, helping with a project, hosting a meal, or moving furniture—we can lift people up and cause them to ask a powerful question: “Why are you doing this for me?”

I have a friend who felt the Holy Spirit prompt him to mow the lawn of a very wealthy man—several acres. He uses the man’s equipment but volunteers his time. The man has repeatedly offered to pay him or donate to an organization my friend supports. Each time, my friend says no. He told him, “The moment I accept money, this becomes something else. I just want it to be one friend helping another.” One day, that man will ask, “Tell me about the God you serve.” And when he does, the door will be wide open.

Strength #3: The Service Style Is Gracious in Giving Practical Gifts Acts 9:39

Tabitha was a woman of action. She saw a need and met it. She believed that love is a verb. When Peter arrived after her death, widows gathered around him showing the clothes Tabitha had made. Her ministry was tangible, practical, and deeply personal. She never looked down on those she served. She stood alongside them. She was humble, kind, and never sought attention for herself.

Questions for Reflection

• What practical gifts do you have to offer others?

• What relationships could be built through those gifts?

• What spiritual conversations might naturally follow?

Gift-giving isn’t just for Christmas. When used thoughtfully, it can be a powerful year-round disciple-making tool.

One year our church served a family with six children at Christmas. We provided gifts, but the most impactful gift wasn’t wrapped in paper—it was “childcare coupons.” Finding childcare for six kids was nearly impossible. The parents desperately needed a break. Those coupons allowed them to go on a date—for the first time in years. Their gratitude was overwhelming, and it opened doors for deeper relationships.

The Service Style of disciple-making is powerful. It breaks down walls. It brings diverse people together. And it helps people see Jesus in deeply practical ways.

In my next blog, I’ll share the weaknesses of this disciple-making style and how to guard against them.

So You Want to Be a Disciple-Maker… Where Do You Start? The Weaknesses of the Invitational Style of Disciple-Making

Pastor Doug Beutler

In my last blog post, I highlighted the strengths of the Invitational Style of disciple-making.

Now I want to look honestly at three weaknesses that often show up when this style is practiced by itself.

I’ll never forget an experience at a child’s birthday party. A church member had invited their unchurched neighbor—and invited me as well. When I arrived, the neighbor walked in right behind me. The church member introduced me as their pastor, said I could answer all their questions about our church, and then promptly walked away. I remember thinking: “I don’t think this is how this is supposed to work.”

That moment captures some of the challenges that come with relying too heavily on invitations alone.

1. Invitation Alone Cannot Replace Relationship

Disciple-making begins and ends with a relationship. Invitations can support that relationship, but they can never replace it. Too often we assume that getting someone to an event, small group, or worship service is the finish line—when it’s really only the starting point.

If you invite someone, stay with them.

• Help them get oriented and comfortable.

• Introduce them to your friends.

• Sit with them so they’re not alone or intimidated.

• Follow up afterward: “How did you feel about what was taught?” “What stood out?” “Did you agree or disagree?”

Those follow-up conversations are where disciple-making actually happens.

I once watched a young person bring a friend to youth group after we had encouraged the students to invite others. As soon as our member walked into the auditorium, he rushed to hang out with his own friends and left his guest completely alone. I’m not sure he talked to his guest the entire evening. I used it as a teaching moment—but the truth is, adults often do the same thing. We get excited to see our friends and unintentionally abandon the very person we invited.

And I guarantee this: if we treat our guests like that, they won’t come back.

2. We Can Overemphasize the “Event” Instead of the Holy Spirit

Inviting others can feel intimidating. So we sometimes compensate by focusing too hard on making sure the event is flawless—perfect music, perfect transitions, perfect teaching, perfect atmosphere. But the average person you invite isn’t critiquing the program. They’re not grading the sermon. They’re not analyzing the worship. They’re simply taking it in.

I’ve been guilty of this myself. Many times I planned a “bring-a-friend” event and felt immense pressure for everything to be perfect. Every note had to land. Every cue had to fire. Every moment had to impress. If anything felt off, I would be frustrated. I’d find myself apologizing to guests—who always looked confused because they didn’t notice the things I was apologizing for! I had forgotten something essential: Events don’t change hearts. The Holy Spirit does.

When we overemphasize the quality of the event, we unintentionally underemphasize prayer, dependence on God, and the quiet work of the Spirit.

3. We Can Shift the Spiritual Conversations onto “the Leaders”

Another weakness shows up when we believe the pastor—or some other “expert”—should handle all the spiritual conversations. People invite their friends, bring them to church, and then say things like: “Pastor, you can explain things way better than I can.”

Suddenly I was discipling their friends, answering their questions, and carrying their spiritual burdens. Meanwhile, the inviter often remained disconnected from the disciple-making journey unfolding right in front of them.

Two things happen in this scenario:

1. The inviter never grows as a disciple-maker.

   Their friend is learning and taking steps toward Jesus—but they aren’t part of that journey.

2. The pastor becomes the bottleneck.

   I found myself stretched thin, trying to meet with everyone. And no multiplication happens when one person is doing all the discipling.

The power of disciple-making is found in relationships—not in outsourcing conversations to the pastor.

Next Time: The Service Style of Disciple-Making

In my next blog, we’ll explore another approach: The Service Style of Disciple-Making—its strengths, challenges, and how it fits into a healthy disciple-making life.

So You Want to Be a Disciple-Maker… Where Do You Start? The Invitational Style

By Pastor Doug Beutler

The Invitational Style is the second major style of disciple-making, and it’s one many believers naturally use without even realizing it.

I remember being invited to a Joe Bonamassa concert. I had barely heard of this world-class blues guitarist, but because someone I trusted invited me, I said yes. I would’ve never gone alone or paid the hefty ticket price—but that invitation opened the door to an unforgettable night. As a guitarist myself, I was captivated and inspired.

That is exactly how the Invitational Style works in disciple-making.

A simple invitation opens a door someone might never walk through on their own.

In John 4, the Samaritan woman at the well becomes a powerful example of this style. From her story, we see three strengths of the Invitational Style.

1. They Speak From Their Own Experience

John 4:25–26

Jesus meets the woman at the well and cuts through her questions by speaking directly to her heart. He reveals her past—not to shame her, but to show her that He sees her fully and still offers grace. Once she believes He is the Messiah, the first thing she does is run back to town—back to the very people she had avoided—and invites them to “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did.”

She simply shared her experience. That’s the hallmark of the Invitational Style.

I remember a young man from my youth ministry who loved snow skiing. When we planned a ski retreat, I invited him—knowing he likely wouldn’t come on his own. He was confident, maybe a bit cocky, but empty inside. On the second night, after I shared how Jesus had changed my life, he came to me with questions. He told me he had never heard of the Jesus I described that night—even though he had attended Sunday School. That night he began his walk with Christ, a walk that continued until he met Jesus face to face in a tragic accident years later.

Who knows? Maybe he never would’ve heard the gospel if he had not been invited.

2. They Have a Sense of Urgency

John 4:28–30

When the disciples returned, the woman didn’t linger—she dropped her water jar and went immediately back to town. She didn’t know how long Jesus would be there. She felt the urgency.

That’s how the Invitational Style works.

There’s an upcoming service, a special event, a Bible study—something that won’t be repeated. Time is limited, and the person inviting someone else knows the opportunity could be lost if they wait.

Years ago, my wife built a friendship with our neighbor, a young mother with many questions about parenting and life. When her children’s goldfish died, she turned to my wife for help talking to her kids about death. That opened the door to a spiritual conversation, and eventually my wife shared the gospel with her. After attending our church for several months, my wife invited her to our Christmas Eve service. She came—with her whole family.

That night, she and her two children accepted Christ.

The invitation mattered. The timing mattered.

3. They Share the Opportunity With Anyone Who Will Come

John 4:30

The woman didn’t limit her invitation to friends. She didn’t create a list of “safe” people. She invited everyone—including those who looked down on her. And Scripture tells us, “They came out of the town and made their way toward Him.” One woman’s invitation impacted an entire community.

We have a woman in our church with a difficult past but a forgiven heart. She befriended a woman who was lost, drifting, and sinking spiritually. Their trust grew, and eventually she invited her to church. The friend said yes. She came recently, and we are watching to see what God will do through that simple invitation.

Most of Us Came to Christ Because Someone Invited Us

Think back:

A church service.

A youth event.

A Bible study.

A retreat.

A conversation over coffee.

Most of us are where we are today spiritually because someone extended an invitation.

The Invitational Style is simple, natural, and incredibly effective.

Sometimes the most powerful disciple-making starts with one sentence:

“Would you like to come with me?”

Be watching for my next post, where I’ll explore the weaknesses of the Invitational Style of disciple-making and how to grow beyond them.

So You Want to Be a Disciple-Maker…Where do you start?

The Weaknesses of the Relational Style of Disciple Making

Pastor Doug Beutler

In my last blog, I talked about where to start if you want to become a disciple maker. We explored the relational style of disciple making and some of its great strengths.

Today, I want to talk about some of its weaknesses.

Someone once told me that the strengths of a personality, skill, or gift, when taken to the extreme, can become its weakness. That’s especially true of the relational style of disciple making. In this post, I’ll share three common weaknesses that often arise when this style is pushed to the extreme.

1. The Love of Acceptance Leaves Them Vulnerable to Peer Pressure

One of the biggest challenges for those with a relational style is their deep desire to be accepted. They love people so much that they don’t want anyone to be upset with them. They don’t want to be rejected or disappoint others, and because they dislike confrontation, they’ll often avoid it at all costs.

That desire to please can make them vulnerable to peer pressure. They may give in when they shouldn’t, say “yes” when they should say “no,” or stay silent when they ought to speak up. Often, this comes from a place of insecurity — wanting people’s approval rather than resting in God’s love and approval.

I remember early in my ministry, when I worked for Youth for Christ Campus Life, we took a group of kids to Florida for a week-long conference. After a long drive, we stopped for the night in Ocala and decided to watch a movie together. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t something we should’ve been watching either. I knew better, but because everyone wanted to see it — students and staff alike — I gave in.

Later, I felt deeply convicted. My desire to be liked had gotten in the way of making a godly decision.

If this is your tendency, remember this truth: God already loves and accepts you. You don’t need to compromise to be accepted by others.

2. They Avoid Risking the Friendship

Relational disciple makers often invest deeply in friendships — they work hard to build and nurture them. That’s a beautiful thing, but sometimes the fear of losing the friendship can keep them from sharing their faith.

They may think, “If I bring up Jesus, it could make things awkward or even end the friendship.” So they stay quiet, even when the Holy Spirit nudges them to speak. But real love and true friendship mean we’re willing to talk about the hard things, even when it’s uncomfortable.

I remember a trip I took in college with my roommate and a friend. One night, they wanted to stay for an X-rated movie at a drive-in. I didn’t want to, but they pressured me — and for a moment, I gave in. As I sat there, I felt miserable. Finally, I told them I was leaving, even if it meant walking back to the campground. To my surprise, they both decided to leave too.

Fifteen years later, that same friend — now a pastor — came up to me at a conference. He said, “I’ve wanted to tell you for years that I’m sorry for that night. Your boldness to stand for what was right changed my life.”

I was shocked, but humbled. What I thought might hurt our friendship actually deepened it. True friendship grows stronger when it’s rooted in truth.

3. They Put Earning the Right to Be Heard Ahead of Speaking the Truth

Earning the right to be heard is important — people need to know we care before they care what we know. But sometimes, relational disciple makers take this too far. They keep waiting for the “perfect time” to talk about Jesus — a time that never comes.

We must remember that the people we love the most are the ones who most need to hear the gospel from us. The real question is: Do we love them, and do they know it? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to speak truth in love.

People are often more open to hearing about Jesus than we think. Many are quietly wondering if God is real and if faith actually makes a difference.

I’m reminded of a story about Lloyd, a doctoral student who was a follower of Christ. He often had lunch with a classmate named Al, who didn’t know Jesus. Many times, their conversations edged toward faith, but Lloyd always held back, afraid he hadn’t earned the right to share yet. One day, as they discussed grace, Lloyd placed his pen on the table and said, “Al, when you decide to accept the gift of grace and commit your life to Christ, pick up this pen.” Al sat silently for over an hour. A friend walked by and, seeing the tension, said jokingly, “Why not do it now and get on with your life?” and walked away. Moments later, Al reached out, grabbed the pen, and said, “Now is the time.” Lloyd realized then — the risk was worth it.

The truth is, the risk is always worth it.

The relational style of disciple making is powerful — it builds trust, love, and genuine connection. But it also requires intentionality. We must recognize our weaknesses, submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading, and walk closely with Him every day.

When we do, our relationships don’t just grow deeper — they become plowed holy ground for God to work through us.