Discipleship is spelled R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P

I believe that one of the primary purposes of the church today is to make disciples. Jesus says this in Matthew 28:19 when he says, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” As Christians one of our primary purposes is to take people far from Christ and make them disciples of Jesus. But what does it mean to be a disciple? Greg Ogden, in his many books on relational discipleship says that a disciple is a "self-initiating, reproducing, followers of Christ."
While I know that I am part of this mission, I have been wondering alot lately about how do you make disciples if you have never been discipled yourself?
Most Christians have never been personally discipled by another person who intentionally invests themselves to help someone grow to spiritual maturity. While 80% of adults who consider themselves born again live without “any specific,
measurable goals related to their spiritual development.” It makes me wonder if most of us are sitting around waiting for someone to help us get unstuck, or guide where to go.

Biblically, disciples are made in relationships. Greg Ogden’s working definition of disciple making: “Discipling is an intentional relationship
in which we walk alongside other disciples in order to encourage, equip, and challenge one another in love to grow toward maturity in Christ. This includes equipping the disciple to teach others as well.”4 In other words, proximity produces disciples. This is through proximity to each other and proximity to Jesus.

I have been churning on this idea of relational discipleship for about nine months, trying to think through how to bring this into my life and to the lives of those around me. And I don't think that I have a solution, but I have an idea, and I've stolen it from Greg Ogden.

First, we need to invest in the lives of others by shifting from an emphasis on making disciples through programs to making disciples through relationships.
Second, we need to invest in multiplication by helping Christians grow to the point of maturity where they become disciples who make disciples who make disciples, resulting in multiple generations of disciples.
Third, we need to invest in developing a discipleship system that helps people become like Christ.

Robert Coleman: “Better to give one year or so to one or two men who learn what it means to conquer for Christ than to spend a lifetime with a congregations just keeping the program going.” Core leaders need to shift from merely operating programs to making disciples relationally through all that they do. Core leaders serve in diverse ways depending on how they are gifted, but the Great Commission demands that all leaders also serve as disciple makers.

Can you find two people? No...well then can you find one person that you can invest in? One person that you can show Jesus to? One person that you can teach what you do to?