Being Disciples, Making Disciples - Getting Unstuck from the Friend Zone
Colin Green

Making Disciples - We'll never argue, convince, impress with our intellect, or use logic to lead people into a relationship with Jesus. It's not an intellectual decision, but a revelation of Christ crucified. It is a spiritual and faithful connection and correlation (See 1 Corinthians 1:17-25).

Here are four mentalities to help you get out of the "friend zone" and towards spiritual encounters with the people God has put in your life:

1. Fear vs Faith Mentality: We often let the fear of rejection, embarrassment, or dismissal (from people) dictate if we're going to have a spiritual conversation/ encounter, instead of being faithful to God (See Acts 9:10-17).

2. Assume Green: The harvest is plentiful, and eternity has been placed in the hearts of all people. We have been given a mandate and instruction to go (See Matt 28:19).

3. Upset the Spiritual dynamic of the relationship: Instead of just expressing human wisdom and empathy, invite the power of Jesus, the Word of God, and prayer into your relationships.

4. Obedience is the goal: Our goal is not salvation. Rather, it's to invite Jesus into the conversation and into our shared relationship. Let Jesus do the spiritual lifting (See Ezekiel 2:6-7).

Discipleship often starts with something small—a hello, a moment of empathy, a simple prayer. Sometimes, the person you’re discipling doesn’t even know it yet. You may not realise it either. But when we’re intentional, we spark a journey. The challenge is moving beyond the “friend zone” into the spiritual zone—where we’re bold enough to say, Can I pray for you right now?

So let’s assume the light is green. Let’s not wait until we feel 100% ready. If we truly care, let’s bring Jesus into the conversation—not perfectly, just honestly. It might feel awkward. But that discomfort could be the very thing that upsets the spiritual dynamic and opens someone’s heart.

Remember: discipleship isn’t something you finish. It’s something you commit to. Thirty years ago, someone kept the door open for me. That changed everything. Now, I want to live a life that keeps the door open for others.

Due to technical difficulties on Sunday morning, we weren’t able to live stream or record this week’s message. Please enjoy our summarised version above.

Questions:
A) Who, at this point in time, are you committed to/ submitted to; who are you trying to imitate/ reflect?
B) Which of the four mentalities resonates with you most, and why?
C) What's something you can do differently today to help people around you in their discipleship journey?

Here is a list of Cells at Citylife. If you aren’t in one yet, reach out to the leader to find out more. Remember, disciples are in community, so we encourage you to join one!