10 Inspiring Books on Discipleship

1. Deep Discipleship by J.T. English

J.T. English starts his book by arguing that the problem is not choosing to be discipled: we are all being discipled by something. Our environment is molding us, whether we notice one way or another. Building on that point, he considers how churches can get involved in molding people to be more like Christ. He considers three areas that are necessary for discipleship:

• Understanding the Bible’s narrative of spiritual maturity and where we fit into that narrative.
• Understanding our confession (our new identity in Christ) and how to explain it to others.
• Understanding how spiritual disciplines (gathering with other believers, private activities like prayer, and devotions) aid our spiritual development.

English may not offer a detailed model for discipleship. Instead, it provides a vision for how various kinds of churches or ministries can encourage and practice discipleship. As he presents that flexible vision, he makes it clear why deeper spiritual engagement matters: when we encourage believers to pursue growth no matter who they are, we prepare them to be what God has called us all to be.

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Further Reading: What Does the Bible Say about Discipleship?

2. The Lost Art of Disciple Making by Leroy Eims

Eims (1925-2004) played a foundational role in The Navigators, a ministry that became famous for using Bible memorization tools and one-on-one mentoring to promote discipleship.  Eims discussed what discipleship looked like in various books, articles, and presentations, but The Lost Art of Disciple Making is his best-known.

Eims starts by considering a classic problem: how do we go from being saved to continuing to grow spiritually? From there, Eims argues that Scripture shows us a model for discipleship: the individual mentoring that Jesus did with his disciples and that Paul did with younger believers like Titus and Timothy.

Eims carefully outlines how church leaders or congregants can introduce the gospel message to someone and then help new converts mature through Bible study and various routines.

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Further Reading: How Can I Become a Disciple of Christ?

3. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a fearless Christian advocate for freedom in World War II who produced fascinating theology books. The Cost of Discipleship may be his best-known work and continues to attract new readers today.

Instead of discussing a particular model for mentoring people, Bonhoeffer considers what it means when Jesus asks us to be his disciples. What did it mean when Jesus asked Matthew to leave everything and follow him? What do we do when we agree to become followers and commit to a lifelong journey to knowing Christ better and becoming more like him? Bonhoeffer argues that we cannot do these things in our own strength. Discipleship is something that Christ does in us, as he becomes the center of our existence. Bonhoeffer then explains related topics like how we can let Christ reorient our lives and the new priorities he gives us.

Bonhoeffer’s model may seem counterintuitive to readers who want a formula for achieving particular kinds of spiritual growth. However, he cut to the heart of the matter: whatever tradition we fall into, whatever generation we belong to, we all remember that our faith must be Christ-centered. It is in Christ we can do all things, not by our own strength or vision.

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Further Reading: How Did Dietrich Bonhoeffer Fight Hitler?

4. Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship by N.T. Wright

N.T. Wright became well-known for his work on the apostle Paul (such as Paul: A Biography), but one of his earliest books focused on Jesus. As he explains in the introduction, Following Jesus came about in a curious way: he had transferred from academic to church work in the 1990s and decided to give sermons on how six books in the New Testament (Hebrews, Colossians, Matthew, John, Mark, and Revelation) describe Jesus and how his death brought freedom. Following Jesus pairs those sermons with material on important New Testament themes—themes like resurrection and rebirth, hell and heaven—that show how we live out Jesus’ commands today.

Following Jesus may feature some ideas that Wright later covered in books like Surprised by Hope, but it’s well worth reading for his compact discussion of what discipleship means and how we can look to Jesus as our model. If The Cost of Discipleship helps us understand how Christ changes us, Following Jesus helps us consider what Christ did and what becoming more like him will look like.

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Further Reading: Who Is N.T. Wright and How Can He Change Your Life?

5. The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges

Jerry Bridges (1929-2016) wrote various works on spiritual formation, from learning to trust God (Is God Really in Control?) to applying the gospel every day (The Gospel in Real Life). In his most famous book, he considers one of the tougher areas of discipleship: we are called not only to do good and become closer to God but also to avoid sin. How do we become holy, set apart for God?

Bridges guides how Christians can seek holiness with practical trips from spiritual classics (particularly the Puritans). Along the way, he addresses key questions:

• How does knowing that holiness offers freedom motivate us to pursue it?
• Does living by faith alone mean we don’t seek ways to be holier?
• How does remembering sin grieves God change our attitude toward it?

Holiness can be an awkward topic to talk about and easily become about legalism. Bridges shows how seeking holiness can combine grace and seeking to do good works and be freeing rather than restricting.

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Further Reading: What Does It Really Mean to Be Holy?

6. Faith That Lasts by Cameron McAllister and Stuart McAllister

Stuart McAllister didn’t grow up in a Christian family. That made it difficult for him to pursue spiritual growth when he became a Christian, leaving him without much of a model when it came time to pass on the faith to his children. Faith That Lasts describes the lessons he and his son Cameron learned about:

• Choosing to spiritually mentor children rather than “leaving it to the experts”
• Passing on faith without passing on fear
• Why spiritual formation is more than just passing on knowledge
• Offering grace for generational differences while maintaining the right boundaries

While works like Deep Discipleship and The Cost of Discipleship explore how we can pursue spiritual growth as a church or individually, Faith That Lasts considers how to disciple the next generation. It also provides a refreshingly honest look at how discipling children is always challenging, even for people in prestigious ministry careers.

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Further Reading: A Three-Point Plan for Effective Discipling

7. Searching for Grace by Scotty Smith and Russ Masterson

Scotty Smith wasn’t prepared for the loving but honest advice that broke him: “Scotty, as long as your cry for relief is stronger than your cry for a changed heart, you’re never going to grow as a man.” By then, Smith had become a successful pastor and author working with Christian celebrities like Steven Curtis Chapman. The advice pushed him to realize the insecurities he wasn’t facing, and a later burnout put him in a place where he dealt with those insecurities. In Searching for Grace, Smith talks with protégé Russ Masterson about:

• When ministry burnout becomes a sign to make changes
• Learning to have enough grace to admit blind spots and weaknesses
• Facing past pain
• Cultivating a yearning for spiritual growth

While Searching for Grace may focus specifically on burnout, it provides a compelling example of a particular kind of discipleship: mentors who help us grow. The discussions about burnout and trauma delve into perhaps the toughest part of any discipleship journey: facing our past pain.

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Further Reading: Transforming Burnout

8. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

Eugene Peterson (1932-2018) wrote many notable Christian books, most famously The Message. In one of his most acclaimed books, he tackles the question of how to keep pursuing spiritual growth over a lifetime.

Peterson starts the book by describing the semiannual pilgrimages that Jews took to Jerusalem, exploring how the long journey toward the temple reflects our goal to journey toward God. Peterson considers the Song of Ascents, the collection of 15 psalms (Psalm 120-134) that pilgrimage travelers recited as they traveled to Jerusalem. Looking at these psalms’ contents communicates important messages about avoiding worldly desires, seeking God daily, and keeping our focus on God over time. Peterson shows what people can learn from those psalms and the pilgrimage today, highlighting the need to seek steady discipleship over time, not just exciting individual achievements.

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Further Reading: What Are the Songs of Ascent in the Bible?

9. Lifelong Leadership by MaryKate Morse

MaryKate Morse argues that discipleship is usually a small process but doesn’t have to be one-on-one. In fact, given that Jesus discipled 12 people in a small group, it may be that the most effective discipleship happens in a small group setting. Building on a small group model developed by Leighton Ford, Morse outlines:

• How to create a small group for spiritual growth
• How to help members of the small group develop into spiritual leaders

Some leaders may argue whether discipling people in small groups is necessarily better than in small groups. There is an argument that Jesus invested in three of his closest disciples (Peter, James, and John) in a way that may be closer to one-on-one disciple (or at least triad discipleship, as writers like Greg Ogden call it). However, Morse makes a compelling case that small group discipleship can have great results and may be particularly important if our goal is to train members who become ministry leaders.

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Further Reading: Why the Church Needs to Get Serious about Discipleship

10. Disciple Making in a Culture of Power, Comfort, and Fear by Matthew Dickerson

Matthew Dickerson’s work ranges from fly-fishing (A Fine-Spotted Trout on Corral Creek) to spiritual themes in the Chronicles Narnia (Aslan’s Breath). As he explores in the introduction to this book, one of his key theological influences was Eugene Peterson, whom he got to know through the Chrystostom Society. In this book, Dickerson references ideas from Peterson’s books like Tell It Slant and The Jesus Way but applies them to a topical question: How do we do discipleship well in dark times?

Dickerson explores some common social forces—how much media encourages us to be frightened, how the way we talk about leadership emphasizes using manipulation and intimidation—that shape us in unhealthy ways. He then considers why being discipled and making disciples remains important despite these challenges and helps us achieve stability when all our worldly support systems fail.

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For More Articles on Useful and Inspiring Christian Books, Read:

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