BOOK REVIEW
4 Chair Discipling
What Jesus Calls Us To Do
By: Dann Spader
Matthew 28: 16-20
“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”
I set a goal for 2021 that I will read two books each month and write a review so that at the end of the year I will have twenty-four books under my belt. One book would be a book for my personal Christian growth, the other just for pleasure and relaxation.
For almost two years this book has been sitting on my bookshelf with plans to read it. It was a book given to me for free with the promise of a book review and I am ashamed to say that requirement was not met on time. But I was determined to fulfill that commitment…and how glad I am that I picked this one up to read.
Dann Spader studied Christ’s model for growing disciples and realized that God always had a plan to include His church – His children – to help grow His kingdom. He spent His three years in ministry making disciples…that would make disciples following His example. He taught them to start with the unbeliever (Chair 1). This is a person who is seeking God, curious about things of God, but not yet convinced to join the family. Spiritually they are dead and in need of a new life. How was a disciple supposed to disciple the lost? Spader offers a model of Christ who a) left the comforts of Heaven to come to our home, b) prepared Himself so He understood the context and culture in which we lived, c) became available for relationships with us, d) responded to those of us who showed interest and e) invited them to repent and believe. In doing so, the lost received a new life and rose again. Spader titles these people SEEKERS, newborn babies in Christ. He goes on to explain how we can minister to seekers by challenging them to “come and see” what Christ has done and is doing in the life of the one ministering to them. He talks about using “Spiritual CPR” to win the seeker to Christ by “C”ultivating friendships and investing time in the process. Next the disciple-maker will “P”lant the seed of the gospel, recognizing the right time, the right depth and the right way too plant the seed, just as farmer’s do each spring. Finally, the season of “R”eaping comes after sharing the gospel clearly and concisely so the seeker can respond accordingly to begin new relationship with Christ.
I do not want to share all the excitement of this book, but I will share that that Chair 2 references the “follower”, Chair 3 the “co-worker/servant” and Chair 4 the “friend”/”disciple-maker” we are all called to be in Matthew 28:19-20.
We are all “commissioned” to make disciples, and this book clearly explains not only what that means, but a great plan to help one accomplish God’s mission in their lives! I am looking forward to becoming a disciple-maker in 2021, with this tool in hand to help. I commit to invest the time necessary to build relationship, to study God’s Word so I can share it clearly and concisely and become more aware of the needs of others so I can serve them with joy and become productive for Christ.
My grade for 4 Chair Discipling: A+
(for easy to read, easy to understand, easy to apply to one's daily walk
with Christ…all making it user-friendly and able to help one grow in their personal
relationship with Christ!)
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