Early on in my life as a believer in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), I became convinced as to how important the task of disciple-making is. After all, that commission was the Lord's final marching orders to His disciples. In the course of my growth as a believer, I had several who discipled me at various levels. When I grew to be mature enough to disciple others, I relished the opportunity to help them grow and get established in their walk with the Lord.

Over a period of time, I discipled many Believers one-on-one, but early on and for many years I felt that my approach to discipleship was disorderly. That was primarily because I lacked materials to use with which I was satisfied.

A few years ago I was introduced to The Vision for Disciple-Making (Go and Make Disciples) when Reuven and Yanit and two others came to our congregation to teach the material. We met in small groups, and I was just thrilled and blessed, not only by the substance of the lessons themselves, but by the very personal and relational way in which they could be communicated.

After the completion of the course, I had the privilege of meeting with two young men to disciple them with this material, passing along to them the blessings that had been given to me. They both confessed that those ten sessions were tremendously impacting and life-changing for them. I thank the Lord for giving Reuven and Yanit the vision and burden to develop the Go and make Disciples material and later on, The Making of a Disciple and The Lifestyle of a Disciple based on Matthew 5-7.

A.B., Jerusalem, Israel

A group of seven ladies in the Modi'in area spent several months meeting to study The Making of a Disciple. We were amazed to see how the Lord took this "familiar" portion of scripture and not only brought new revelation and conviction but showed us over and over again practical ways in which He was challenging us to apply these words in our daily lives. We remembered once again, the joy and value of memorizing Scripture which was a part of each weekly lesson. Our fellowship, which revolved around this study, was richly blessed. In short, we want more of what God has for us and plan to study Reuven and Yanit's second book now!

E. S., Modi'in, Israel

In January 2002, my wife and I began to disciple a small group of believers who wanted to deepen their roots in the Lord. Using the Go and Make Disciples manuals, we met every Wednesday evening for eleven weeks. Our evenings took this form: after a short session of worship, we divided into two groups. I took the men whilst my wife took the ladies. In these groups trust was built, especially when we as leaders took the lead in sharing vulnerably about ourselves. With the pointers from the book, we learnt of each other's struggles and victories in our spiritual lives. Because my wife and I never had any 'structured' discipleship experience ourselves, the manuals proved to be very useful.

From July 2002, we continued with the same group using The Making of a Disciple as our resource. By December that year, we had completed the entire book! In the course of those six months, practical issues related to relationships, devotion, behaviour patterns, and numerous other subjects were touched on with much transparency in our groups. My wife and I noticed changes in the lives of our friends, especially in the attitudes within marriages. One man shared how he overcame anger… One lady was very much strengthened in her walk with God, enabling her to go through some very difficult moments with her husband…

Needless to say, my wife and I experienced deeper bonding between us as we journeyed with those we were discipling.

I.B.O, Singapore

I have been a believer for 30 years but I was discipled "by accident." What I mean is that my discipling process was never an intentional, ongoing, character-building experience with another believer I respected. When I was introduced to Reuven and Yanit's "Vision for Discipleship" series it resulted in a paradigm shift for me. I began saying, "This is so important to Jesus. How could I have missed this?" My life and ministry have been permanently changed by this focus on strategic discipling, and I highly recommend these materials.

P.T., Haifa, Israel

"Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19) was the Word that impacted me when I became a follower of Jesus. I had just heard the wonderful good news that Jesus had sacrificed His life so that I might have life. Part of the process of my becoming a "fisher of men" was to be discipled by a deaconess whose Bible study I attended. By spending time with her in a church environment as well as in social settings, I learnt by her example of conduct. She taught me to love and trust the Word of God, and instructed me concerning fasting, praying, tithing, and loving others. Through her ministry, the Holy Spirit was able to instill in me an understanding of Jesus' command to "make disciples." I had to first be a disciple of His myself, and while I am continuing to be transformed by the Lord into His likeness, I am able to reproduce His life in others!

J.A., Witbank, South Africa

As leader of a discipleship group, I find it a privilege to hear my friends speaking from the heart about the Lord himself or issues in life that affect all of us as Christians. The struggle to work out Scriptural application is both challenging and inspiring; we find we need one another to understand what we are going through and to be accountable to one another.

The materials have particular insight into Jewish practices or outlook that formed the original context of words and events that we study in the scriptures. This results in a real understanding that is easily applied to my own life. Seeing Jesus as our High Priest and all that His death and resurrection has provided for us opened my eyes to the many areas of freedom He has given us. I also understand more fully the role I have as His priest in waiting upon Him and serving others in His name.

Going through the beatitudes has reinforced how much higher are His ways and thoughts than mine. In my confidence being transferred, once again, from myself to Him, I have found not only a sense of His Word cleansing me, but also clear challenges to my ego, my thoughts, and my behaviour towards others. This has helped me immensely in relating in forgiveness, repentance, and mercy to a certain brother with whom I had a serious disagreement. He, in turn, has treated me with great grace. With the love of God enabling us to honour one another, we have experienced the active application of one of the memory verses, John 13; 34,35 "A new command I give you, Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Oh that others will be helped by us to be reconciled to God!

J.L., Worthing, England

Different reactions and comments following the 10-week Discipleship course (Go and Make Disciples) in a church in Switzerland:

-- A brother who joined our church 18 months ago from another assembly, said with tears in his eyes, "After 40 years in the Faith, I have discovered through the Discipleship course that the Holy Spirit is a Person, longing for a relationship with me!"

-- Many expressed how the discipleship course increased their hunger for the Word of God and for time spent in the Lord's presence.

-- Having been the first ones in the church to follow the course, the elders of the church discovered the importance of praying more together. Since then, each elders meeting starts with an hour of prayer! And you know what? Administration work then goes faster, and we don't finish our evenings any later than before. Sometimes we even finish earlier!!

-- Teenagers, whose parents participated in the discipleship course, have seen the results in their parents' lives and therefore have asked to be discipled also! We hope to have at least two groups for teenagers begin this autumn, 2003.

-- Several who took the course have now decided to become registered members of the church, two asked to be baptised, and many are definitely more committed to attending the prayer meetings.

S. & A. E., Echallens, Switzerland

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