Which type of disciple-maker are you?

We all have different personalities, but that’s no problem to God, said author and educator Dave Boden in a recent Reach podcast where he outlined seven types of disciple-makers

“Jesus was not surrounded by superheroes,” said Dave Boden in a recent episode of The Reach Podcast. “He was not surrounded by professionals. Nobody had a particular skill set that was special, brilliant or outstanding. But they changed the world from day one.”

Jesus showed us, he said, that the disciples he would choose would be from all walks of life. He would use different sorts of people in different sorts of ways. He would walk with them, then they would walk with others, and together that would change the world.

That is just as true for us today.

When we think of evangelism or discipling it’s easy to assume you need a certain personality to be ‘qualified’ but Dave dispelled this myth by outlining seven types of disciple-makers in the Bible. Which one sounds most like you?

Type 1: the pioneer

You’re bold, outspoken, full of ideas, always ready for action. You love nothing more than creatively explaining the gospel and are always pioneering new projects, new things. Sometimes you’re a bit impulsive, sometimes you bite off more than you can chew, but it’s because you’re so committed to helping people find Jesus.

Which biblical character are you most like? Peter

Type 2: the alongsider

You’re friendly, you love people, but you’re unlikely to be on stage. You’re emotionally intelligent, open-minded, sensitive. You love nothing more than in-depth one-to-one conversations and you’re really good at introducing people to your network. Sometimes you feel inadequate next to your more extrovert friends. Being an alongsider doesn’t feel glamorous and it’s not trendy, but you make a huge difference for the kingdom.

Which biblical character are you most like? Andrew

Type 3: the hoster

You’re warm, hospitable, kind, love nothing more than opening your home and sharing what you have. It doesn’t matter how much is on the table, it matters that you’re around it. Nobody stays a stranger when they’re around your table. Sometimes that means you’re a bit rushed off your feet. You might be a bit stressed because everything has to be right and you’re so focused on making others feel included.

Which biblical character are you most like? Martha

Type 4: the lover

You’re passionate, compassionate, infectiously fun to be around. You talk about what you love and you make others love it too. Your love for God shines through. Sometimes you get hurt because not everybody loves what you love and not everybody will be as passionate as you, but you’re resiliently like the Energizer Bunny, committed to loving people no matter what.

Which biblical character are you most like? John

Type 5: the developer

You come alongside people, you’re wise, focused, empowering and also constructive; you tell it like it is and want to see people reach their potential. You’re a teacher, a trainer. Nobody stays comfortable when you’re around. This means you’re probably not the most popular person, but you bring about change no matter what. Sometimes you have an edge, but that’s because you want people to know the truth that will set them free.

Which biblical character are you most like? Priscilla and Aquila

Type 6: the thinker

You’re logical, rational and naturally inquisitive. You want to analyse the evidence and know what’s going on. You want the facts and the truth. You want to raise a standard for the good news and you’re pretty black and white. One of your dangers, but also your strengths, is you don’t want to get caught up in a head-over-heart mentality. Instead, you come out with reason and evidence.

Which biblical character are you most like? Luke

Type 7: the overcomer

You’ve had a life so radically changed by Jesus that you’ve got a story. Now you dedicate your life to sharing this good news. That means sometimes sharing with people who don’t want to hear it, so you’re going to get rejected. You need to watch out that it doesn’t become all about you – some people are so happy telling their story they forget the Jesus bit at the end!

Which biblical character are you most like? Mary

Dave Boden’s latest book Parallel Faith: walking alongside others on their journey to Christ explores how we can help others discover Jesus from where they are, rather than from where we are. “Our job as believers is simply to help others take one more step towards Jesus from any starting point,” says Dave.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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