A disciple-maker should prepare enough to handle Scripture responsibly and remember the disciple’s needs without turning every meeting into a polished lesson. Overpreparation can unintentionally make discipleship feel professional, complex, or impossible to reproduce.
Pray Before Preparing
Ask God for wisdom, humility, and love for the person.
Review the Previous Meeting
Remember commitments, questions, and unresolved concerns.
Choose a Manageable Scripture Passage
Do not overload the meeting with too much material.
Prepare a Few Good Questions
Observation, heart, obedience, and mission questions are often enough.
Know the Main Point
The disciple-maker should understand what the passage teaches.
Article 188: Leave Room for Real Life
The disciple may arrive with a serious concern that deserves attention.
Avoid Building a Sermon
Discipleship is interactive, not a weekly preaching assignment.
Prepare for Reproducibility
Use a process the disciple could eventually copy.
Trust the Holy Spirit Without Excusing Laziness
Dependence on God and responsible preparation belong together.
Use a Twenty-Minute Preparation Limit
For a normal meeting, try preparing the Scripture passage, main point, and four questions within a short time limit. This tests whether the process is simple enough for the disciple to reproduce later.
Simple Preparation Supports Better Conversation
The leader arrives ready without making the meeting dependent on extensive notes, expertise, or performance.