Key Lessons Learned from a Lifetime of Disciplemaking

By Doug Franck, Discipleship Coach

(5 minute read)

Key Lessons Learned from a Lifetime of Disciplemaking

My disciplemaking journey began as a freshman at Ohio State University. I was only six months into my walk with Christ when another student stepped into my life, helped ground me in my faith, and walked with me as I learned to follow Jesus. That early investment shaped everything that followed. From those first steps until now, my wife and I have devoted our lives to relational evangelism and disciplemaking—and God has used this simple obedience far beyond anything we imagined.

Over the years, certain themes have emerged—truths that have guided my decisions, shaped my ministry, and anchored me through both fruitful seasons and difficult ones. I offer them here, praying they strengthen you in your call to raise up disciplemakers.

One of the first lessons I learned was that God uses people who are available, not necessarily people who feel qualified.

In my early days of discipling others, I wrestled with doubts: I don’t know enough. How could God use me? But Scripture answered those fears with clarity: “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). What God wanted was not my expertise, but my willingness. My prayer since college has been the cry of Isaiah 6:8, “Here am I. Send me.” I didn’t know where God would send me or how He would use me, but I surrendered the direction of my life to Christ and the Great Commission—and that single surrender has carried me through decades of equipping disciples who now make disciples themselves.

As the years passed, disciplemaking became far more than a ministry strategy; it became a way of life. Howard Hendricks, who shaped so much of my thinking, captured this beautifully in several unforgettable lines: “You cannot impart what you do not possess.” “You can impress from a distance, but you can only impact up close.” “You never graduate from the school of discipleship.” Those truths profoundly shaped my philosophy of ministry. Disciplemakers must be lifelong learners. We never outgrow our need to be discipled even as we disciple others. I also learned to invest deeply in men who are faithful, available, and teachable—the “good soil” Jesus described in Matthew 13 that produces fruit with the potential to multiply.

I also discovered that true discipleship is about transformation, not merely dumping information on them.

Curriculum matters, but curriculum alone cannot produce Christlikeness. Transformation happens in the context of relationships, obedience, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Over time, I’ve found tools that help facilitate growth, including the “ONE WORD” practice each year. It begins with time alone with God, asking three clarifying questions: What do I need? What’s in my way? What needs to go? That single word becomes a focal point for character formation throughout the year. Simple, but remarkably powerful in shaping lives.

At the heart of disciplemaking is the constant reminder that fruit comes through abiding in Christ, not striving for results. Jesus’ words in John 15:5—“Apart from Me you can do nothing”—this truth has recentered my life over and over again. The Spirit produces the fruit; our job is to obey, abide, and trust.

Another crucial lesson came through my time with Equipping Ministries International, where I learned the power of being “quick to listen” (James 1:19). Active listening builds trust, opens hearts, and cultivates authentic relationships in disciplemaking. This skill has deeply impacted my marriage, my ministry, and every discipleship relationship I’ve had. And like all meaningful skills, it is something I am still learning. Just ask my wife.

These convictions became even more real during the last three years, which have been some of the hardest my wife and I have ever faced. In that season, God taught us a deeper level of surrender and used adversity to mature us in ways comfort never could. Disciplemakers are shaped by trials; we cannot lead others where we ourselves have been unwilling to go. The God of all comfort uses this so that we can be more effective in comforting others.

And yet, through every season, one joy has remained unmatched: watching disciples become disciplemakers. Seeing Christ transform a life and then send that person out to invest in

others is the essence of spiritual multiplication—and the joy of a lifetime. My own purpose statement reflects this calling: “To raise up Christ-centered disciplemakers who will minister for a lifetime out of their unique gifting.” As I grow older, Psalm 71:18 fuels my vision: “Now that I am old and gray… let me proclaim your power to this new generation.” My wife and I may be retired from our professions, but we are not retired from our purpose. We remain fully committed to equipping the next generation of disciplemakers for as long as God gives us breath.

So to every disciplemaker reading this: stay available, stay teachable, and stay dependent on the Holy Spirit. Your investment matters. Multiplying disciples is slow work—but it is eternal work, and it is worth everything. And the good news is that Christ Himself walks with us every step of the way.

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Interested in hearing more? Doug STRONGLY recommends this archival teaching from Howard Hendricks. While the audio quality is dated, the content is timeless.