How to Save the World: Disciplemaking Made Simple

Matagora, a family therapist and program coordinator for the Navigators ministry, debuts with a sensible program for guiding novices in the ways of Christ. Defining discipleship as “a relationship where one person helps another as they learn from Jesus together and become more like him,” the author urges Christians to win over new followers and notes that Jesus’s strategies for earning disciples included modeling an intimate prayer life and explaining “who God is and what his kingdom is about.” Matagora reports on the findings of a 2020 survey of U.S. Christians on their attitudes toward disciplemaking, lamenting that 41% of respondents “are not interested in mentoring or discipling someone.” To combat this trend, she outlines the “five traits of a disciplemaker”: loving Jesus, knowing the Bible, fostering community, spending time among the unconverted, and creating new converts. She suggests that readers who lack confidence in their mentoring abilities take inspiration from Moses, who felt inadequate when asked to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, but gained confidence through his trust in God. Readers will appreciate Matagora’s friendly tone and willingness to admit her own hesitations and shortcomings—such as when she confesses that she didn’t disciple anyone during the years she worked primarily as a therapist—which help make her suggestions feel realistic. Christians looking for advice on spreading God’s message would do well to start here. (Aug.)